Know the Foe: Jacksonville State Gamecocks

• LOCATION: Jacksonville, Alabama (population 14,385)
• CONFERENCE: Conference USA
• 2023 RECORD: 9-4, 6-2 in CUSA
• 2024 PREDICTION: 3rd in CUSA
• HEAD COACH: Rich Rodriguez, 2nd season
  • Salem, 1998 (2-8)
  • Glenville State, 1990-96 (43-28-2)
  • West Virginia, 2001-07 (60-26)
  • Michigan, 2008-10 (15-22)
  • Arizona, 2012-17 (43-35)
  • Jacksonville State, 2022-present (18-6)
• STADIUM: Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium (opened 1947, capacity 24,000)

2023 Results

• W, 17-14 vs UTEP
• W, 49-3 vs East Tennessee State (FCS)
• L, 16-30 @ Coastal Carolina
• W, 21-0 vs Eastern Michigan
• W, 35-28 (OT) @ Sam Houston 
• W, 45-30 @ Middle Tennessee
• L, 13-31 vs Liberty
• W, 20-17 vs Western Kentucky
• W, 41-16 @ Florida International
• L, 28-38 @ South Carolina
• W, 56-17 Louisiana Tech
• L, 17-20 @ New Mexico State
• W, 34-31 (OT) vs Louisiana-Lafayette (New Orleans Bowl)

2024 Schedule

• Aug. 31 vs Coastal Carolina
• Sept. 7 @ Louisville
• Sept. 14 @ Eastern Michigan
• Sept. 21 vs Southern Mississippi
• Oct. 4 @ Kennesaw State
• Oct. 9 vs New Mexico State
• Oct. 23 vs Middle Tennessee
• Oct. 30 @ Liberty
• Nov. 9 @ Louisiana Tech
• Nov. 16 vs Florida International
• Nov. 23 vs Sam Houston
• Nov 30 @ Western Kentucky

Bold indicates CUSA game.

Key CUSA game: Liberty (Oct. 30th)

The Gamecocks lost to the Flames last season, and they’ll face them on the road again this year. If JSU’s defense is up to snuff, they can make this a contest.

Key non-conference game: Eastern Michigan (Sept. 14th)

Jax State could be walking into a trap game on the road at EMU, an opponent that’s always tough and physical under veteran head coach Chris Creighton. It’s also a rematch of a game from last year, which the Gamecocks won in a 21-0 shutout.

2024 Recruiting Class – High School

1. Justus Savage, RB (Langston Hughes HS – Fairburn, Georgia)
2. Marc Woods Jr., S (James Clemens HS – Madison, Alabama)
3. Amare Grayson, OG (Stockbridge HS – Georgia)
4. A.J. Watkins, QB (Norcross HS – Georgia)
5. Andre Devine, RB (North Ft. Myers HS – Florida)
6. Nick Pace, LB (Colquitt County HS – Moultrie, Georgia)
7. Zedric Washington Jr., LB (Parklane Academy – McComb, Mississippi)
8. Daylan Martin, OG (Saraland HS – Alabama)
9. Alex Moore, TE (Huntsville HS – Alabama)
10. Nick Igbeare, DE (Collins Hill HS –  Suwanee, Georgia
11. Wyatt Sonderman, WR (Walton HS – Marietta, Georgia)
12. Jeremiah Colbert, WR (Buford HS – Georgia)
13. Jayke Jones, CB (Trinity Christian Academy – Jacksonville, Florida)
14. Jaedon Hill, OT (Foley HS – Alabama)
15. Talan Carter, DT (Ocean Springs HS – Mississippi)
16. Jawaun Campbell, OG (Walton HS – DeFuniak Springs, Florida)
17. Ryland Bragg, OG (Pensacola Catholic – Florida)
18. Walter Reddick, DE (Thomas County Central HS – Thomasville, Georgia)
19. Jamal Siler, OT (Elba HS – Alabama)
20. Khristian Lando, RB (Calhoun HS – Georgia)

2024 Recruiting Class – Transfer Portal

1. Kam Snell, S (Gannon/Owings Mills, Maryland)
2. Reginald Hughes, DE/Edge (Ole Miss/Tunica, Mississippi)¹
3. Cam Jones, OT (Cincinnati/Lexington, Kentucky)
4. Demarcus Lacey, WR (North Alabama/Birmingham, Alabama)
5. Josh Knapp, S (VMI/Abingdon, Maryland)
6. Tyler Huff, QB (Furman/Orange Park, Florida)²
7. Brannon Spector, WR (Clemson/Calhoun, Georgia)
8. Zion Turner, QB (UConn/Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
9. Samario Rudolph, WR (UAB/Mobile, Alabama)
10. Andrew Paul, RB (Georgia/Keller, Texas)
11. Michel Dukes, RB (USF/Charleston, South Carolina)³
12. Griffin Brewster, QB (Kent State/Rome, Georgia)
13. Tyler Bride, CB (Minnesota/Norcross, Georgia)⁴
14. Malcolm Jones, S (Michigan State/Leesburg, Georgia)
15. Patrick Taylor, S (Georgia/Alpharetta, Georgia)
16. Kendarius Small, OT (East Carolina/Northport, Alabama)⁵
17. Tar’Varish Dawson, WR (Colorado/Lehigh Acres, Florida)⁶
18. Antonio Carter II, S (Notre Dame/Orlando, Florida)⁷

¹also played at Northeast Mississippi CC

²also played at Presbyterian

³also played at Clemson

⁴also played at Georgia Southern

⁵also played at Southwest Mississippi CC

⁶also played at Auburn

⁷also played at Rhode Island

2024 Recruiting Class – Junior College Transfers 

1. Greg Jones, QB (Independence CC – Orlando, Florida)
2. James Ziglor III, S (Navarro College – Marietta, Georgia)¹

¹also played at Vanderbilt & Buffalo

Assistant Coaches

• Rod Smith, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
  • 3rd year at Jax State
  • Previously worked with head coach Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia (2007), Michigan (2008-10) and Arizona (2012-17)
  • Got his first FBS job at South Florida, serving in various roles there from 2002-06
  • Worked as an offensive analyst for Bronco Mendenhall at Virginia in 2021
  • Was co-OC & QBs coach for Indiana under coach Kevin Wilson in 2011
  • Was also OC/QBs coach at Illinois for three years (2018-20)

• Luke Olsen, defensive coordinator
  • 1st year at Jax State
  • Spent 2023 as a senior defensive analyst at TCU under DC Joe Gillespie
  • Served in various roles at Tulsa from 2012-22

• Pat Kirkland, bandits/special teams coordinator
  • 3rd year at Jax State
  • Worked as the assistant head coach/DC at Division II Glenville State (2000-05)
  • Spent 2005-06 at WVU under Rodriguez
  • Served as the head coach at Division II University of Charleston (2012-21), where he assembled a 70-41 record

• Rick Trickett, offensive line
  • 2nd year at Jax State
  • Began his career under Hall of Famer Bobby Bowden at West Virginia (1976-79)
  • Coached the OL at Florida State from 2007-17 under both Bowden and Jimbo Fisher
  • Won a national championship at FSU in 2013
  • Worked under Rodriguez at WVU from 2001-06
  • Also served as OL coach at Auburn (1993-98), Mississippi State (1989-92), New Mexico (1985), Southern Miss (1982-94(, Memphis (1986-88), Southern Illinois (1980-81)
  • Went 6-5 as the head coach at Glenville State (his alma mater) in 1999; also served as Glenville’s OL coach from 2019-21

• William Green, defensive line
  • 3rd year at Jax State; 2nd stint
  • Previously worked at Jax  State as the DL coach/run game coordinator under coach John Glass (2017-20)
  • Started his career as a GA under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma (2012-15)
  • Spent 2021 as the DL coach at UL-Monroe, where Rodriguez was also coaching

• Michael Nysewander, inside wide receivers/tight ends
  • 2nd year at Jax State
  • Alabama alum (class of 2015)
  • Worked at FCS program Samford as running backs coach (2019)
  • Previously worked under coach Lane Kiffin as a senior analyst at Ole Miss (2020-22)
  • Began his career at Florida Atlantic (also under Kiffin) from 2017-19

• Ryan Garrett, wide receivers
  • 3rd year at Jax State
  • Previously worked with Rodriguez at UL-Monroe (2021) and Ole Miss (2019)
  • Served as WRs coach at Division II West Virginia State (2020)

• Rod McDowell, running backs
  • 3rd year at Jax State
  • Began his career as a GA and director of player development at his alma mater, Clemson (class of 2013) 
  • Previously worked with Rodriguez at UL-Monroe (2021)

• Terry Jefferson, cornerbacks
  • 2nd year at Jax State
  • First job was as a quality control coach at Miami (FL) in 2022
  • Graduated from Florida A&M (class of 2018)

• Brandon Napoleon, safeties
  • 1st year at Jax State
  • Got his first FBS job as a GA at Buffalo under Lance Leipold in 2021
  • Worked as a DBs coach at FCS programs Sacred Heart (2022) and Rhode Island (2023)

THREE KEY PLAYERS

1. S Fred Perry (Junior)

Perry made 75 stops, in addition to three forced fumbles and six passes defended, in his sophomore season.

2. TE Sean Brown (Redshirt Senior)

A big target at 6’5″, 250, Brown is a three-year starter who caught 19 passes for 294 yards and five TDs in 2023 and provides a security blanket on third downs.

3. LB Leletia Hale (Redshirt Senior)

The Montgomery native looms as a former reserve who should see a larger role due to various departures. He finished 2023 with 60 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, one sack, one forced fumble and three QB hurries.

THREE KEY LOSSES

1. QB Zion Webb (graduated)

Webb finished his eligibility with a super-senior season in which he passed for 1,437 yards and rushed for 811, scoring a combined 13 TDs.

2. LB Quae Drake (graduated)

The grad transfer from Louisiana-Monroe posted 92 tackles, leading the team, as well as 6.5 TFLs.

3. DE Kamari Stephens (transferred to Arkansas State)

The 6’3″, 250-pound defensive end transferred to the Red Wolves after spending 2023 with the Gamecocks, forcing four fumbles and recording 8.5 sacks and one interception.

THREE KEY ADDITIONS

1. WR Samario Rudolph (Grad Student)

Nicknamed “Flip,” Rudolph comes to Jax State from UAB, where he made 45 career catches, including a career-high 22 in 2023. He has spent his entire sporting career in Alabama after prepping at Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Mobile.

2. LB Zedric Washington Jr. (Freshman)

Washington comes in with FBS-ready size (6’3″, 225) and was a three-star recruit out of Mississippi who originally committed to Louisiana-Lafayette.

3. QB Zion Turner (Redshirt Sophomore)

The dual-threat from Fort Lauderdale, Florida transfers in from UConn. Despite historic turnover issues, Turner is an athletic playmaker who could be an ideal fit in Rich Rodriguez’s zone-read style of offense. He accounted for 1,677 yards and 10 TDs in two seasons with the Huskies.

QB Zion Turner, a dual-threat transfer from UConn, might have the moxie to beat out senior Logan Smothers in Jax State’s pistol/read-option style of offense.

2024 Preview – Offense

Head coach Rich Rodriguez’s offense averaged just over 30 yards per game, good enough for third in CUSA in the Gamecocks’ conference debut, but now they must replace long-time starting QB Zion Webb.

Logan Smothers, a Nebraska transfer, filled in last season at times, passing for 735 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions while also rushing for 322 yards and seven more scores. He’ll be joined by two transfers, Tyler Huff (Furman) and Zion Turner (UConn), who are competing for the starting role, although only Turner was on campus in the spring.

An athletic playmaker from Florida, Turner spent two seasons at UConn, completing 57.8 percent of his passes as a true freshman in 2022 as the Huskies surprised with a bowl berth, but he also threw nine TDs to 10 INTs. There’s also redshirt sophomore Ta’Sean Smoot, who is a tantalizing athlete when he’s on the field, which hasn’t been often.

Likewise, the Gamecocks lost tailback Malik Jackson, but return senior Anwar Lewis (452 yards and three TDs) and bring in USF transfer Michel Dukes and Georgia transfer Andrew Paul. Jax State also got good news when veteran Ron Wiggins (5.1 yards per carry, six TDs) withdrew from the portal in May.

Receiver is more of a concern. Jax State will miss its top two receivers, Perry Carter and Quinton Lane (combined 68 receptions). Juniors Michael Pettway and P.J. Wells have some experience, but neither had more than 17 catches last season.

Help is on the way in the transfer portal: ex-Clemson receiver Brannon Spector, UAB transfer Samario Rudolph, Colorado transfer Tar’Varish Dawson and North Alabama transfer Demarcus Lacey all could be valuable contributors as the Gamecocks look to improve the passing attack. Second team all-conference pick Sean Brown returns at tight end after averaging over 15 yards per catch.

Senior guard Clay Webb (no relation to Zion) leads one of the conference’s best lines.

2024 Preview – Defense

Jax State’s stingy defense was tops in CUSA against the run and made 39 sacks, but young coordinator Zac Alley was scooped up for a job at Oklahoma in the offseason. Former Tulsa DC Luke Olsen, who spent last year in an analyst role at TCU, will be the Gamecocks’ new coordinator.

There’s certainly experience returning, although Jax State will need to replace tough-as-nails vets like Kolbi Fuqua, Chris Hardie and Jeremiah Harris. After spring practice, linebacker/nickel Larry Worth also surprised many by entering the portal following a season in which he recorded 63 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks. The defensive line will be bolstered by Ole Miss transfer Reginald Hughes, who played in only seven games in two seasons with the Rebels, but was previously a top-five JUCO recruit. He’ll help fill Hardie’s cleats.

At linebacker, Laletia Hale (60 tackles, 5.5 TFLs) is undersized, but has shown the ability to be productive off the bench. Keep an eye on Dajwon Deloach, who showed playmaking ability as a true freshman on special teams last season. Sophomore Jibreel Al-Amin (15 tackles, one sack) also has potential.

In the secondary, the Gamecocks return two out of four starters: safety Fred Perry and cornerback Derek Carter. Senior Jalen Bustamente is steady at nickelback, while backups Jabari Mack, Geimere Latimer and Austin Ambush will be expecting to see more minutes in Olsen’s new scheme. Minnesota transfer Tyler Bride will arrive in time for fall camp.

2024 Preview – Special Teams

Losing placekicker Alen Karajic was a big portal loss. His replacement will probably be redshirt freshman Garrison Rippa, who made both of his attempts in 2023, but neither was beyond 30 yards. Australian punter Jack Dawson returns for his third season as a starter after averaging 42.2 yards per punt, with a long of 65.

Summary

Despite losing Alley and breaking in new starters at QB and RB, the Gamecocks should still remain in the top half of CUSA thanks to a veteran coaching staff and aggressive playmakers on defense.

That should help level the playing field as Jax State finds its footing under a new DC in Olsen and searches for a full-time QB. The kicking game could be a concern, as could a sneaky challenging early schedule that includes games against Louisville, Eastern Michigan and Coastal Carolina, all of whom went bowling last year. The CUSA part of the schedule includes tough road trips to Liberty and Western Kentucky.

Nonetheless, the Gamecocks are motivated to contend after FBS transition rules prevented them from playing for the CUSA championship game last season. Rodriguez has gone 18-6 in two years at Jax State thus far and was rewarded with an extension through 2030 in the offseason. Another bowl game should be the floor.

• Aggie football :)