NEW ORLEANS — Joey Jones has set his own benchmark for his eighth season as South Alabama's coach.
It's really simple and involves tight end Gerald Everett, a first-team all-Sun Belt Conference pick.
"If we don't get the ball in his hands 12 times a game," Jones said, "I'm going to fire the coordinator; I'm going to fire myself because we're dumb if we don't get the ball in his hands."
Everett, a senior, isn't going to carry the Jaguars to Sun Belt title contention by himself this season, but Jones feels he provides them with a unique talent defenses don't see often. He's 6-foot-4, 240 pounds and caught 41 passes for 575 yards and eight touchdowns — all team highs — last year, and Jones said he's been told by scouts Everett could be drafted in the top three rounds next spring.
"I'm not saying he's the best player in the league," Jones said. "But, I'm dang sure he's in the top three."
Jones is confident the Jaguars, who went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt last season, have the pieces around Everett to take advantage of what Everett offers. He said sophomore Dallas Davis, who played in six games last season backing up Cody Clements, will start camp as the leader at quarterback. They also have running back Xavier Johnson, who averaged 6.6 yards per carry while rushing for 956 yards and 7 touchdowns last season. Receiver Josh Magee also returns after averaging 21.9 yards per catch, as do three starters on the offensive line.
Defense could be an issue for the Jaguars, who return only five starters from a unit that gave up 35.8 points in Sun Belt games and had a league-low eight sacks.
But Jones is hoping chemistry is improved this season following a year in which South Alabama relied on a handful of transfers in hopes of building off a 2014 Camellia Bowl appearance. It appeared as though it was working when the Jaguars were 3-2 in the Sun Belt following a victory over Louisiana-Lafayette. But the Jaguars lost to Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State to end the season and missed out on a bowl.
Jones is counting on a more tight-knit unit, one that can finish off a season for another bowl berth.
"Last year, with all the transfers we had, it was very difficult," Jones said. "I feel really good about where our team is right now, as good as I've ever felt, and we've got a bunch of guys feeling selfless and going in the same direction and when you have that, you almost want to play harder as a player."
FOOTBALL PREVIEWS
Arkansas State reporter Troy Schulte previewed each team in the Sun Belt conference. Read each one below:
South Alabama at a glance
2015 RECORD 5-7, 3-5 Sun Belt
ALL-TIME SUN BELT RECORD 13-18 in four seasons
COACH Joey Jones (45-42 in eight seasons at South Alabama and overall)
RETURNING STARTERS 10 (5 on offense, 5 on defense)
KEY PLAYERS TE Garrett Everett, RB Xavier Johnson, OL Joseph Scelfo, DB Roman Buchanan
KEY LOSSES QB Cody Clements, OL Chris May, LB Blake Dees, WR Marvin Shinn
TITLE SCENARIO South Alabama wasn't in the thick of the Sun Belt race by the end of last season, but the Jaguars really weren't far off. Considering the record, it's hard to imagine that South Alabama was leading eventual champion Arkansas State 31-20 with 13 minutes left last season. But ASU scored 29 consecutive points to escape Mobile with a 49-31 victory. The Jaguars went 2-4 the rest of the way to miss out on a bowl game. This year, South Alabama's bowl hopes may hinge on how it handles a front-loaded conference schedule. It doesn't have to play favorite Appalachian State, but it opens conference play against Georgia Southern, at Louisiana-Lafayette and at Arkansas State. If Dallas Davis settles in at quarterback, and South Alabama finds a pass rush, it could again approach the final three weeks of the season with eyes on a bowl game. The end of the schedule provides relief from last year, with games at Louisiana-Monroe, at Idaho and a home finale against New Mexico State.