HERO Sports welcomes you to "Two-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 125 FCS programs, with two being released each day from June 18 to August 18 (with the final day having three in one day). Today we give you … Jackson State.
[divider]MORE: Compare Any Two FCS Players or Any Two FCS Teams[divider]
FCS TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW: The countdown
FCS PRESEASON TOP 25: The poll
FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA: The teams
JACKSON STATE (3-8)
SWAC (JSU was 4th in the SWAC East in 2017)
COACH: Tony Hughes – 3rd year (6-16 record)
2017 OFFENSE: 12.7 ppg (119th in FCS)
2017 DEFENSE: 25.8 ppg (60th in FCS)
SUM IT UP: Last year, the Tigers were near the bottom of the FCS in terms of offense, yet played relatively stingy defense. This year, add in new offensive coordinator Hal Mumme — the former head coach at Kentucky and several other schools who was one of the first coaches to use the Air Raid style offense — and couple him with JUCO QB transfer Derrick Ponder, and this might get pretty interesting. The defense already has the potential to be stout, especially if the offense is moving the ball and giving the 'D' a bit of a break from time-to-time. That seems to be what we're looking at here at Jackson State. Couple that with the fact that the team finished on a high note — winning three of its last four games and holding those four opponents to 7.0 points per game — and the Tigers have momentum coming into 2018.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: The offense looks better, the defense was already pretty solid (though there will need to be some new names stepping up) and this really does look like a program that could have its first winning record since 2013 (8-4 and in the SWAC title game that year). Can it compete for the SWAC title? Only if the offense settles in more quickly than is typical, and the defense continues to tighten up like it did in 2017. But a 6-win season is certainly a possibility.
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BEST FCS PLAYER BY NUMBER: We count down, No. 99 through No. 1[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: DL Malik Hamner (46 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 8 hurries)
THE NEXT BEST: DL Charles Anderson (52 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4 sacks); LB Eric Bowie (46 tackles, 7.5 TFLs); RB/KR Terrell Kennedy (All-Purpose yardage leader in 2017); DB Markel Gladney (17 tackles, 2.5 TFLs); DL Khalil Johnson (25 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks); RB Jordan Johnson (leading rusher in 2017 – 647 yards rushing, 6 TDs).
TOP NEWCOMER: QB Derrick Ponder (JUCO transfer threw for 353 yards and 3 TDs on 34-of-45 passing in spring)
DID YOU KNOW?: Jackson State is tied with Grambling State for the most NFL Hall of Famers among FCS schools. RB Walter Payton, DB Lem Barney, OL Jackie Slater and LB Robert Brazile are the four, and 7 other alumni made Pro Bowls, and as of 2017 there have been 93 Jackson State alum who have played in the NFL.
THE QUOTE: "We've got to grind this summer on doing the little things right. We've got to improve our fundamentals, our technique and getting a lot of reps on the terminology that coach (Hal) Mumme has installed." — Head Coach Tony Hughes said, talking about the offense under former FBS head coach Hal Mumme
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SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
THE HASHTAG: #bleedtheeblue
FOOTBALL TWITTER: @JStateTigers
For the 4th year in a row, Jackson State football earned the highest APR mark in the SWAC! #BleedTheeBlue #TheeILove #WININTHECLASSROOM https://t.co/49DbVtR3UG pic.twitter.com/nxJ6nSjaeI
— Jackson State Athletics (@JStateTigers) July 2, 2018
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PREVIEWS: The Rest Of The SWAC
Alabama A&M | Alabama State | Alcorn State
Arkansas Pine-Bluff | Grambling | Jackson State
Miss. Valley State | Prairie View A&M | Southern U. | Texas Southern
