2014 Football Preview: Jackson State University
JSU Sports Information
JACKSON, Miss. - 2014 will be a season of excitement for the Jackson State football team. Head Coach Harold Jackson will lead his Tigers into action for the 103 season of JSU football. With the new head coach and coaching staff implementing new offenses and defenses expectations are high in Tiger Land.
“I’m going to put the excitement and product on the field,” Jackson said. “Our players will have discipline in the classroom and on the competition level. Our football players will be developed as good citizens.”
The Offense
Under new offensive coordinator Timmy Chang the Tigers are expected to have a high-powered offense this season, with the newly installed run and shoot scheme. However, fans should not expect the offense to be one dimensional. The Tigers have a good stable of capable wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks
La Montiez Ivy (6-3, 220, So.) has emerged as the offensive leader of the JSU Offense. Ivy opened last season against Tulane, before being knocked out of that game with an ankle and lower leg injury. In that game he completed nine of 17 pass attempts with two interceptions for 133 yards. Evan Ingram (6-3, 220, Sr.) is capable of stepping in to lead the offense as well. He played in five games last season and completed 17 of 31 pass attempts for 289 yards and a touchdown. He also threw three interceptions. Ingram rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. The other returning quarterbacks are Tevin Chapman (6-1, 210, Sr.) and Benjamin Thomas (6-1, 200, So.).
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jackson State signal callers have a deep talent pool of pass catchers. The group is a good mix of possession receivers and speedsters who can take the top off of a defense. Tobias Singleton (6-2, 190, Sr.) finished last season second on the team in receptions (30), receiving yards (476) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (2). Singleton has the ability to make touch catches look routine. Michael Perkins (6-1, 190, Sr.) hauled in 17 catches for 240 yards and two touchdowns. Dan Williams (6-3, 200, So.) has the potential to be one of the best pass catchers in the SWAC over the next two years, with his size and soft hands. Last season as a true freshman he caught 10 passes for 92 years. DeSean Mckenzie (6-3, 190, Jr.) looks to increase his output from a season ago. Last year he 13 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown. Devin Fosselman (5-11, 190, Jr.) hauled in nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. Other receivers JSU expects to make an impact include Jairus Moll (5-9, 180, Jr.) who was hampered with nagging injuries as he saw action in only one game, Lacorey Tucker (6-1, 185, R-Sr.) and Shaquille Ward (6-3, 185, So.).
Dylan Douglas (6-2, 245, R-Sr.) was the main pass catching threat at the tight end position. He four passes for 50 yards.
Running backs and Full backs
JSU will have a good group in the back field. Rakeem Sims (5-11, 225, R-Sr.) and Jarius Moore (5-11, 205, So.) return as the leading rushers for the Tigers. Sims finished 2013 with 479 yards and five touchdowns on 100 carries. Moore had 85 yards and a touchdown on 26 attempts. Both players have the ability to run between the tackles and gain tough yards. But the both also have the speed to bounce a play to the outside and go the distance. The duo should make a dynamic one-two punch. Alexander Montgomery (5-10, 205, Jr.) should also help carry the load for the Tigers, following a solid spring. Stedman Capler (5-11, 240, Jr.) will see time at the fullback position.
Offensive Line
JSU’s o-line will be a key piece of the puzzle for the Tigers. Jonathan Smith (6-3, 305, Sr.) and Danny Williams (6-3, 350, Sr.) will anchor the line for JSU. Both players have started for the majority of their careers and will help groom the younger members of the unit. Other key contributors include Marcus Murphy (6-4, 305, Jr.), Marcus Cook (6-3, 295, So.), Steven Gilbert (6-4, 280, R-So.) and Jaydell Roy (6-6, 335, Sr.).
The Defense
Under Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Derrick Burroughs the JSU defense is lean and mean. JSU has switched to a 3-4 base defense and will utilize the Tigers’ athleticism in a variety of ways. By the end of the season, the Tigers expect to have a top notch defensive unit.
Defensive Line
Coleman Johnson (6-2, 290, Jr.), Cornelius Henderson (6-3, 304, So.) and Ronald Fuller (6-5, 270, Sr.) will make up the starting d-line. Each player is big, strong and athletic. Last season Johnson recorded 17 tackles and a tackle for loss. Henderson finished with five tackles and Fuller also played tight end. He switched to the defensive side of the ball full time during spring practice.
Linebackers
The linebackers will be one of the deepest units on the team and boasts playmakers in Ariane McCree (6-2, 240, R-Sr.), Javancy Jones (6-2, 230, So.), Teddrick Terrell (6-2, 230, Jr.) and Stacy Noble (6-0, 230, So.). McCree finished last season as the team’s leading tackler with 94. He also led the team in tackles for loss with 14.5 to go along with 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a blocked kick. Jones, who played with his hand in the dirt as a defensive lineman last year recorded 54 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Terrell recorded 46 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, a team-high seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. Stacy Noble had five sacks during his freshman year.
Secondary
JSU will have to find a replacement for one of the best corner backs in the league in Qua Cox, who is trying to make the Indianapolis Colts squad. The Tigers also lost its big hitter in the secondary in Cameron Loeffler. However, the cupboard is not bare for JSU. Ryan Griffin (5-11, 185, Sr.) returns for his final season. Last year he recorded 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, a team-high three interceptions and four pass breakups. He also returned an INT for a touchdown. Antonio Sutton (5-11, 185, Jr.) and Wesley Jackson (5-8, 180, Sr.) also return to the secondary. Sutton finished with 32 tackles and a team high eight pass breakups. Jackson had nine tackles.
JSU signed a talented class of defensive backs this year.
Special Teams
The special teams unit will be solid again in 2014. Kicker Ryan Deising (5-8, 180, Jr.) is one of the better place kickers in the SWAC. Last season he connected on 80 percent of his field goal attempts (12-15). Darcy Williamson (5-11, 180, R-So.) is one of the top punters in the SWAC. Last season he booted a punt 81 yards for a career long. He averaged 41.9 yards per punt. Moll, Singleton and Canard Brown are projected to serve as the main punt and kick returners.
Schedule
The Jackson State University Tigers will offer fans an exciting 12 game slate of football action, seven of which are home games at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
JSU (8-4, 8-1 SWAC), which finished the 2013 season with a second straight trip to the Southwestern Athletic Conference title game, opens the 2014 season under first year head coach Harold Jackson.
The Tigers open the Jackson era against Florida A&M at Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30. The two teams have met 17 previous times and JSU holds the series edge (8-7-2). JSU will then welcome Virginia Lynchburg to Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 in the first ever meeting between the two programs on the gridiron.
On Sept. 13 the Tigers will travel to Memphis, Tennessee to face Tennessee State for the 25th Annual Southern Heritage Classic. JSU returns to Memorial Stadium on Sept. 20 when the Tigers host Grambling State. JSU takes to the road for the second time of the season when the Tigers travel to Pine Bluff, Arkansas to take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
JSU then returns to Jackson for a four game home stint. JSU hosts Prairie View A&M on Oct. 4 and Mississippi Valley State on Oct. 11 for the homecoming football game. Following an open date JSU takes on Southern on Oct. 25 and Alabama A&M on Nov. 1 for senior day.
The Tigers will remain on the road for the rest of the season. On Nov. 8 JSU travels to Montgomery, Alabama to face Alabama State. JSU then makes a trip to Houston, Texas to face Texas Southern on Nov. 15. The regular season ends with a visit to Lorman, Mississippi to take on Alcorn State on Nov. 22.