The 2021 South Alabama Jaguars football team represented the University of South Alabama during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Jaguars played their home games at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. They competed in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
Prior to the season, South Alabama saw a near complete overhaul of its coaching staff, including Kane Wommack taking over as head coach, Major Applewhite taking over as offensive coordinator, and Corey Batoon taking over as defensive coordinator.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Source:
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason Maxwell Award Jalen Tolbert WR JR Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Keith Gallmon S JR Biletnikoff Award Jalen Tolbert WR JR Ray Guy Award Jack Brooks P SO Wuerffel Trophy Keith Gallmon S JR Sources:
Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Jaguars were picked to finish third in the West Division.
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams
Offense
1st team Jalen Tolbert – Wide Receiver, JR
Defense
2nd team Keith Gallmon – Defensive Back, JR
Personnel
Schedule The 2021 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Jaguars would travel to Sun Belt foes Texas State, Louisiana–Monroe, Troy, and Appalachian State. South Alabama would play host to Sun Belt foes Louisiana, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, and Coastal Carolina.
South Alabama would host two of the four non-conference opponents at Hancock Whitney Stadium, Southern Miss of the Conference USA and Alcorn State, from NCAA Division I FCS Southwestern Athletic Conference, and would travel to Bowling Green of the Mid-American Conference and Tennessee of the Southeastern Conference.
Game summaries
Southern Miss
Statistics Southern MissSouth Alabama First downs 19 13 Total yards 259 300 Rushing yards 126 31 Passing yards 133 269 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 31:27 28:33
Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Miss Passing Trey Lowe 13/29, 133 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Frank Gore Jr. 19 carries, 81 yards Receiving Jakarius Caston 3 receptions, 38 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 17/22, 269 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Kareem Walker 18 carries, 26 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 5 receptions, 168 yards
At Bowling Green
Statistics South AlabamaBowling Green First downs 21 10 Total yards 371 318 Rushing yards 114 10 Passing yards 257 308 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 35:29 24:31
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 29/46, 257 yards, 1 INT Rushing Terrion Avery 20 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jalen Tolbert 7 receptions, 95 yardsBowling Green Passing Matt McDonald 23/32, 308 yards, 1 TD Rushing Terion Stewart 5 carries, 16 yards Receiving Christian Sims 8 receptions, 76 yards
Alcorn State
Statistics Alcorn StateSouth Alabama First downs 13 22 Total yards 297 396 Rushing yards 32 238 Passing yards 265 158 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 32:00 28:00
Team Category Player StatisticsAlcorn State Passing Felix Harper 20/33, 265 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jonathon Bolton 7 carries, 16 yards Receiving CJ Bolar 5 receptions, 128 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 14/25, 158 yards Rushing Kareem Walker 23 carries, 150 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Jalen Tolbert 2 receptions, 54 yards
Louisiana
Statistics LouisianaSouth Alabama First downs 17 18 Total yards 283 387 Rushing yards 225 144 Passing yards 58 243 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 23:13 36:47
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 9/20, 49 yards Rushing Emani Bailey 7 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD Receiving Neal Johnson 1 reception, 18 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 19/29, 243 yards Rushing Bryan Hill 22 carries, 81 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Jalen Tolbert 6 receptions, 143 yards
At Texas State
Statistics South AlabamaTexas State First downs 20 23 Total yards 329 399 Rushing yards 140 212 Passing yards 189 187 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 28:24 31:36
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 19/26, 189 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing AJ Phillips 19 carries, 74 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Jalen Tolbert 5 receptions, 84 yards, 1 TDTexas State Passing Brady McBride 18/28, 187 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Calvin Hill 11 carries, 70 yards Receiving Javen Banks 4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD
Georgia Southern
Statistics Georgia SouthernSouth Alabama First downs 10 20 Total yards 233 545 Rushing yards 121 140 Passing yards 112 405 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:02 29:58
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 2/12, 63 yards Rushing Logan Wright 14 carries, 60 yards Receiving Amare Jones 4 receptions, 90 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 24/31, 389 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Bryan Hill 8 carries, 65 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 11 receptions, 174 yards, 1 TD
At Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics South AlabamaLouisiana–Monroe First downs 22 25 Total yards 409 555 Rushing yards 89 186 Passing yards 320 369 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 34:18 25:42
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 30/41, 320 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Terrion Avery 14 carries, 87 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 10 receptions, 155 yards, 2 TDsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Chandler Rogers 25/35, 369 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Andrew Henry 18 carries, 88 yards, 1 TD Receiving Will Derrick 5 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD
Arkansas State
Statistics Arkansas StateSouth Alabama First downs 14 23 Total yards 224 421 Rushing yards 38 173 Passing yards 186 248 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 24:19 35:41
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 19/37, 186 yards, 3 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 8 carries, 32 yards Receiving Corey Rucker 4 receptions, 67 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 29/39, 248 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Terrion Avery 22 carries, 113 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 8 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDs
At Troy
Statistics South AlabamaTroy First downs 22 17 Total yards 335 308 Rushing yards 148 107 Passing yards 187 201 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 36:25 23:35
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 20/32, 138 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Terrion Avery 23 carries, 75 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 4 receptions, 65 yardsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 11/14, 121 yards Rushing B. J. Smith 12 carries, 49 yards Receiving Luke Whittemore 3 receptions, 59 yards
At Appalachian State
Statistics South AlabamaAppalachian State First downs 17 17 Total yards 284 330 Rushing yards 58 135 Passing yards 226 195 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 30:05 29:55
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 21/38, 226 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Terrion Avery 11 carries, 24 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 7 receptions, 108 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 14/26, 195 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Camerun Peoples 23 carries, 90 yards Receiving Jalen Virgil 2 receptions, 57 yards
At Tennessee
Statistics South AlabamaTennessee First downs 13 28 Total yards 285 561 Rushing yards 69 250 Passing yards 216 311 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 37:00 23:00
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 19/32, 216 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Kareem Walker 7 carries, 29 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 7 receptions, 143 yards, 1 TDTennessee Passing Hendon Hooker 17/20, 273 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jaylen Wright 13 carries, 83 yards, 1 TD Receiving Velus Jones Jr. 6 receptions, 103 yards
Coastal Carolina
Statistics Coastal CarolinaSouth Alabama First downs 25 20 Total yards 491 349 Rushing yards 315 -5 Passing yards 176 354 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 32:52 27:08
Team Category Player StatisticsCoastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 16/25, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Shermari Jones 23 carries, 211 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 6 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TDSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 28/41, 354 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Terrion Avery 6 carries, 11 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 10 receptions, 191 yards, 1 TD
References