2009 Football Preview: Southern Jaguars
SWAC.org
Aug. 31, 2009
Baton Rogue, La -
Southern Jaguars
2008 Finish: 6-5 overall (5-2 SWAC;3rd Eastern Division)
2009 Preseason Prediction: 2nd place Eastern Division
After finishing with a 6-5 record in 2008 and a loss to arch-rival, Grambling State in the state Farm Bayou Classic, the Southern Jaguars like always - will have huge preseason expectations heading into the 2009 season.
The 2009 Southern University Jaguars will return 42 letterwinners and 17 starters to a team that came within 1-game and a coin flip of reaching the SWAC Football Championship game, and head coach Pete Richardson will look to once again go from the "Bluff to Birmingham" when he leads the Jags into his 17th season at the helm of the fighting Jaguars.
There are a number of key positions that must be filled in order for the Jaguars to continue their on-the-field success under Richardson. With redshirt-senior quarterback Bryant Lee back in the lineup under center, the Jags will once again have one of the more explosive units, not just in the SWAC or HBCU football, but in the country period!
Lee (6-3, 205, Boutte, Louisiana (Hahnville HS)) had another successful season in 2008. Lee passed for 2,682 yards with 20 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He completed 217 of 352 pass attempts. Lee also led SU in rushing with 534 yards on 139 carries with a team-high six touchdowns. He moved into second on SU's all-time passing list with 5,579 yards, passing Nathaniel Harrison (1987-91; 5,440 passing yards). Lee was named Athlon Sports 2008 Preseason Offensive Player of the year; Preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the year; 3-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Week; 4-Time LSWA Offensive Player of the Week and Sports Network National Offensive Player of the Week.
Backing up Lee will be redshirt-senior, Warren Matthews. Matthews saw action in seven games, completing 22 of 40 passes with four interceptions for 287 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 30 times for 90 yards and one score. Freshman, Jeremiah McGinty (6-0, 200, QB, Southeast Prep, Houston, TX) will also battle for spot time, as the '09 signee graduated from Prep School and enrolled at SU for the spring semester and went thru spring drills. McGinty showed a lot of promise and had an excellent spring game.
One of the biggest question marks coming into the spring drills was the offensive front, and the depth of the line. Southern returns three starters from an offensive line that was a solid unit in 2008. Ramon Chinyoung (6-1, 295, SR, Houston, TX) returns as the offensive line quarterback (center), and joins Lee Almanza (6-3, 285, So, Houston, TX) at tackle and Daniel Stephens (6-2, 305, SR, Baton Rouge, LA) at center/guard as the most experienced linemen back in '09. Also look for the return of Chris Browne (6-3, 285, So, Cleveland, OH) who was lost mid-season in 2008 to a knee injury. Browne is one of the hardest workers on the team, and is expected to be 100% in the fall and contribute greatly in the fall.
Although Bryant Lee is the top rusher returning, Brian Threat (6-2, 210, SR, Pensacola, FL) is the top running back returning for 2009. Threat had 41 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns in '08.
Lee, was a workhorse rushing in 2008, with 139 carries for 534 yards and six rushing scores.
The deepest position on the SU team in 2009 will definitely be the wide receiving corps, led by Juamorris Stewart. Stewart (6-3, 195, SR, Baton Rouge, LA (Istrouma HS)) was the only unanimous selection to the 2008 SWAC All-Conference team. Stewart finished the 2008 season with 76 catches for 11385 yards and 12 scores. Stewart led the SWAC in receptions per game (3.9) as well as receiving yards per game with 103.5 yards/game. He ranked seventh in FCS in receiving yards per game, as well as receptions per game. "J-Stew" finished tied for the SWAC lead with 12 touchdowns. His 2008 season was the best season for an SU receiver since Michael Hayes set single-season school records with 90 receptions for 1,328 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2000. Since then, only three receivers had broken the 800-yard barrier. They were Hayes (873 yards in 2002), Chris Davis (897 yards in 2003) and Alfred Ard (863 yards in 2003).
Stewart was also named to the first team of the Sheridan Broadcasting All-America Team.
Joining Stewart, will be Curry Allen (6-3, 200, SR, St. Francisville, LA), Isaiah Nelson (5-9, 185, R-JR, Baton Rouge, LA), LaQuinton Evans (6-2, 190, SO, Mansfield, LA), Jeremy Paul (6-3, 195, JR, Baton Rouge, LA) and Roderick Banks (6-2, 190, R-FR, Shreveport, LA).
Allen had 19 catches for 165 yards and one touchdown, while Nelson had three catches for 29 yards and 14 kickoff returns for 276 yards. Evans had two catches, while Paul in limited action had one catch.
Defensively, the Jaguars have a few positions to fill from the loss of seniors, but return a solid nucleus for the 2009 campaign.
Although the defensive front took a hit to graduation, several players return that had productive seasons in 2008. Leading the way is tackle, Dexter James (6-4, 275, JR, Brusly, LA), end Steven Williams (6-1, 275, JR, Mobile, AL), tackle Jordan Miller (6-2, 285, JR, Upper Marlboro, MD) and ends, Don Holloway (6-2, 265, SR, Port Arthur, TX) and Westley King (6-2, 285, SR, St. Francisville, LA).
James was 10 leading tackler in 2008 with 30 tackles, 12 for losses including 4 sacks and and a team high seven quarterback hurries. Williams finished with 11 tackles; Miller four tackles and three sacks; Holloway 10 tackles and two fumble recoveries and King, nine tackles. All saw action in the defensive line rotation, with all starting either every game, or several throughout the season.
Look for Allan Baugh (6-1, 245, SR, Houston, TX) to be the linebacking leader in 2009. Baugh recorded 49 tackles last season with three sacks and five tackles for loss to go along with one forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. He finished the season as the Jags sixth leading tackler.
Also look for the return of Marcus Clark (6-1, 245, R-SO, Patterson, LA), Justin Scott (6-0, 225, JR, Baton Rouge, LA), Andre Coleman (6-2, 235, R-JR, Baton Rouge, LA) and Corey Ray (6-2, 235, R-SO, Clinton, MS) to help bolster the linebackers in 2008. Also look for newcomer David Daye to step in and contribute immediately. Daye is a '09 signee that graduated from Prep School in Houston and enrolled at SU for the spring semester and went thru spring drills.
Gary Chatman (6-3, 225, SR, Houston, TX) made a smooth transition to strong safety in the spring from his outside linebacker position. Chatman was the fourth leading tackler on the team in 2008, finished the season with 57 tackles. He also had 13 tackles for losses and two sacks to go along with one interception and four pass deflections. Speedy and athletic for his size, Chatman has big-time potential to take his game to the pro level. Joining Chatman in the secondary will be Gary Blackmon (5-10, 185, SR, Houston, TX), Marcus Doss (5-7, 175, SR, New Orleans, LA) and Justin Foster (5-9, 182, R-JR, Los Angeles, CA) all competing for the two corner positions, while Anthony Wells (6-1, 205, Senior, Baton Rouge, LA) and Austin Thomas (6-0, 185, R-SR, New Orleans, LA) look to battle to get the nod at free safety. Also look for Jeremy Ivory to return from injury last season as well. Ivory (6-1, 195, JR, New Orleans, LA) finished the season with 12 tackles, and was a bright spot before going down with a shoulder injury.
Blackmon recorded 14 tackles and had two interceptions last season, while Doss had 13 tackles and Foster two tackles and an interception. All were primarily backups, although Doss and Blackmon saw starting action as one point in the season.
Wells is returning from a knee injury suffered in the fourth game of the 2008 season. He finished the season with 15 tackles, one interception and one sack. Thomas recorded 20 tackles on special teams and in a reserve roll.
The Jags special teams return the punter/kicker and holder from the past seasons. Josh Duran (5-10, 180, JR, Eunice, LA) returns to lead the Jags kicking/punting duties.
Duran scored 61 points last season while connecting on 31 of 36 PAT attempts, while also averaging 38.3 yards per punt. He was also 10 of 13 on field goal attempts with a long of 46 yards. Gary Hollimon returns as the holder,
Courtesy of Southern sports information