(TE Sean Brown – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Anwar Lewis, TE Sean Brown, OC Brock Robey, OG Clay Webb, OT KD Arnold, OT Will O’Steen, DE J-Rock Swain, DE Curley Young Jr., LB Laletia Hale, CB Marco Baker, CB Derek Carter, CB Jabari Mack, FS Fred Perry, KR Michael Pettway, and PT Jack Dawson.
Key Players Departing:
QB Zion Webb, RB Malik Jackson, RB Ron Wiggins, WR Perry Carter, WR/PR Sterling Galban, WR Quinton Lane, OC Treylen Brown, DE Devin Baldwin (Memphis transfer), DE Chris Hardie (Ole Miss transfer), DE Kamari Stephens (Arkansas State transfer), DT Jackson Luttrell, DT Jeff Marks, LB Quae Drake, LB Tristan Wells, CB Kekoura Tarnue (West Virginia transfer), NB Kolbi Fuqua, NB Larry Worth (Arkansas transfer), FS Jeremiah Harris, and PK Alen Karajic.
(RB Andrew Paul – USA Today Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: RB Justus Savage (Fairburn, Georgia), RB Andrew Paul (Georgia transfer), WR Tar’Varish Dawson (Colorado transfer), EDGE Morven Joseph (Old Dominion transfer), DS Marc Woods (Madison, Alabama), OL Amare Grayson (Stockbridge, Georgia), DS Kam Snell (Gannon transfer), ATH AJ Watkins (Norcross, Georgia), RB Andre Devine (North Ft. Myers, Florida), and LB Reginald Hughes (Ole Miss transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 UTEP W 17-14
G02 EAST TENNESSEE STATE W 49-3
G03 @ Coastal Carolina L 16-30
G04 EASTERN MICHIGAN W 21-0
G05 @ Sam Houston W (OT) 35-28
G06 @ Middle Tennessee W 45-30
G07 LIBERTY L 13-31
G08 WESTERN KENTUCKY W 20-17
G09 @ FIU W 41-16
G10 @ South Carolina L 28-38
G11 LOUISIANA TECH W 56-17
G12 @ New Mexico State L 17-20
BOWL vs. Louisiana W (OT) 34-31
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-4 (3rd in CUSA)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
CUSA: 6-2
Non-CUSA: 3-2
Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez
Jacksonville State: 9-4
Career: 181-125-2
Bowls: 6-6
(DE J-Rock Swain – Jacksonville State Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Logan Smothers (66-117, 735 yards, 56.4%, 6.3 avg., 6 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Anwar Lewis (93 car., 452 yards, 4.9 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Sean Brown (19 rec., 294 yards, 15.5 avg., 5 TD)
TD’s Scored: Sean Brown (5)
Sacks: J-Rock Swain (4)
Tackles: Fred Perry (75)
Interceptions: 7 Tied (1)
Pass Deflections: Derek Carter (8)
Tackles For Loss: J-Rock Swain (6.5)
Forced Fumbles: Fred Perry (3)
Kick Returns: Michael Pettway (2 ret., 31 yards, 15.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Garrison Rippa (2-2 fg/fga., 100%, 4-4 xp/xpa., 10 pts.)
Punting: Jack Dawson (65 punts, 2746 yards, 42.2 avg., 22 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Logan Smothers (SR/TR)
RB: 25 Anwar Lewis (RS SR/TR)
WR: 14 Brannon Spector (RS SR/TR)
WR: 13 PJ Wells (RS SR)
WR: 3 Samario Rudolph (RS SR/TR)
TE: 17 Sean Brown (RS SR/TR)
LT: 73 Will O’Steen (RS JR)
LG: 74 Clay Webb (RS SR/TR)
OC: 78 Brock Robey (SR/TR)
RG: 54 Deveion Harley (SO)
RT: 69 Cam Jones (RS SR/TR)
KR: 86 Jayvin Little (SR/TR)
PK: 37 Garrison Rippa (RS FR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 30 J-Rock Swain (SR)
NT: 54 Dylan Brown (RS SR/TR)
DT: 96 Darrell Prater (RS SO)
DE: 41 Curley Young Jr. (RS SR/TR)
LB: 16 Laletia Hale (RS SR)
LB: 11 Ky’won McCray (SR/TR)
NB: 0 Tyler Bride (SR/TR)
CB: 4 Jabari Mack (JR)
CB: 13 Derek Carter (RS JR)
FS: 6 Fred Perry (JR)
SS: 9 Pat Taylor (RS JR/TR)
PR: 86 Jayvin Little (SR/TR)
PT: 87 Jack Dawson (SR/TR)
(WR PJ Wells – The Gadsden Times)
Team Grades
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams:
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/29 COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS | The series is tied 1-1. The Gamecocks lost (16-30) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (27-26) the inaugural meeting in 2016.
09/07 @ LOUISVILLE CARDINALS | First meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Eastern Michigan Eagles | Last season’s 21-0 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/21 SOUTHERN MISS GOLDEN EAGLES | First meeting between schools.
10/04 @ Kennesaw State Owls | Jacksonville State trails the series 1-3. The Gamecocks won (35-28 OT) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/09 NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES | Last season’s 17-20 loss was the first meeting between schools.
10/23 MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS | Last season’s 45-30 win was the first meeting between schools.
10/30 @ Liberty Flames | Jacksonville State leads the series 13-31. Last season’s 13-31 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2017.
11/09 @ Louisville Tech Bulldogs | Last season’s 56-17 win was the first meeting between schools.
11/16 FIU PANTHERS | Jacksonville State leads the series 2-0. The Gamecocks won (41-16) the last meeting between schools in 2023, and they won (19-10) the inaugural meeting in 2020.
11/23 SAM HOUSTON BEARKATS | The series is tied 2-2. The Gamecocks won (35-2 OT) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (7-42) was at the prior meeting in 2021.
11/30 @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | Last season’s 20-17 win was the first meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Away: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
CUSA: 3-5
Non-CUSA: 1-3
Overall: 4-8 (7th in CUSA)
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