HERO Sports welcomes you to "Three-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 126 FCS programs, with three teams being released each day from June 17 to July 28. Then, we'll preview all 13 conferences from August 1-4. Today, we present … Jacksonville State.
We'll leave no stone left unturned when it comes to giving the FCS diehards all they could ask for this offseason. Learn about every program in the country, with HERO Sports.
[divider]MORE FCS FOOTBALL:
- FCS Home
- FCS Preview Schedule – Team Links
- The HERO Sports Preseason Top 25 Poll
- Preseason All-American Teams
[divider]
JACKSONVILLE STATE (9-4 IN 2018)
The OVC (JSU was 1st in 2018)
COACH: John Grass – At School: 6th year (52-12 record), Overall: Same
LAST FCS POSTSEASON: 2018 (lost in 2nd round to Maine)
2018 OFFENSE: 40.0 ppg. (7th in FCS)
2018 DEFENSE: 24.8 ppg. (37th in FCS)
KEY GAME: Sept. 14 – vs. Eastern Washington: The national runners up travel from the state of Washington to Jacksonville, Alabama. How can you not love this matchup? Two perennial FCS powerhouses who have the guts to schedule each other in September — mucho respect. EWU's been tough for awhile, and JSU needs to prove it can play with the big boys like it did back in 2015. This is a statement game, Gamecock nation.
SUM IT UP: Let's not waste time getting to the point here — this is clearly the best JSU team since 2015 when the Gamecocks scared the living bleep out of Auburn in overtime and went all the way to the national title game before meeting a guy named Carson Wentz. They haven't had a team this complete since then. JSU is sick of hearing they're not in the elite first tier, nationally. It hasn't been second tier in the OVC, obviously, but questions have lingered about where the Gamecocks fit into the national FCS picture. They are ready to fix that reputation after consecutive early playoff losses to Youngstown State, Kennesaw State and Maine the past three years.
The 40-points a game offense has almost all of its components returning. The run game returns its best four rushers (two are QBs mentioned below) and the four best pass targets are all here too, which should make the quarterbacks happy. All-Conference talent returns on the O-line also, and one of the top TEs in the country is back. This is a great starting point for the Gamecocks.
On defense, statistically, JSU slipped a bit last year — but one has to take into account the overtime shootout with Kennesaw State (24 points in regulation went to 60 in OT) and the Maine implosion in the playoffs, where turnovers didn't help. In fact, turnovers really had more to do with the 24.8 points per game given up, because when you take a look at total defense, JSU was No. 7 in the country. After several years of squeezing the daylights out of opponents defensively, things sort of reversed last year and the offense carried the team — especially down the stretch. If the defense tightens up like it did just two seasons ago, the team improves in the turnover margin, and also cut down on the penalties, this team is going to be very tough to beat.
OUR TAKE: Jacksonville State will be the heavy favorite to repeat as OVC champions, thus its preseason ranking. Maybe in 2020 the league will catch up to the Gamecocks, as this talented lineup is heavily-laden with seniors, but for this year? It's going to be tough to beat Jacksonville State — if this team lives up to expectations. There is starting talent returning at just about every position, and there is the potential — yes, we're saying this — for this team to go 12-0 in the regular season and nabbing a very high playoff seed. Discipline will be the key — don't make as many mistakes with turnovers, penalties and on defense. That's why JSU lost four games last year. Fix that? And this team will make a very deep playoff run.
[divider]SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast
COUNTDOWN: The Best Player in FCS Who Wears Each Number, 1-99
[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: Sr./DB Marlon Bridges (HERO Sports Preseason All-American – 69 tackles, 2 INTs).
THE FOUNDATION: Sr./WR Josh Pearson (HERO Sports Preseason All-American – 1,123 yards receiving, 17 TDs); Jr./QB Zerrick Cooper (HERO Sports Preseason All-American – 3,416 yards passing, 32 TDs); Sr./OL Darius Anderson (1st Team All OVC); Sr./TE Trae Barry (1st Team All OVC); Sr./OL Hunter Sosebee (2nd Team All OVC); Sr./LB Jalen Choice (2nd Team All OVC – 88 tackles, 12 TFL); Sr./DB Traco Williams (2nd Team All OVC – 4 INTs, 66 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 10 passes defended); Soph./DB Yul Gowdy (2018 HERO Sports Freshman All-American team — 41 tackles, 11 passes defended); Sr./LS Josh Brady (HERO Sports Preseason All-American); Jr./RB Jaelen Greene (713 yards rushing, 4 TDs); Soph./QB Zion Webb (444 yards passing, 5 TDs; 412 yards rushing, 6 TDs); Sr./WR Jamari Hester (864 yards receiving, 11 TDs); Soph./LB Zack Woodard (3 INTs, 30 tackles, 4.5 TFLs); Jr./DB Jacquez Payton (12 passes defended, 29 tackles); Sr./DE Tre Threat (9.5 TFLs).
THE NEWCOMER: Fr./LB Brandon Hudgins (No. 39 ranked signee in the HERO Sports FCS recruiting rankings – Ga. Tech, Wake Forest and several other offers).
THE QUOTE: "I think having continuity and having experience back is important. You can't replace game experience, so we should be pretty good on that side of the ball. You always wish you could have a B.J. Autry or Tyler Scozzaro back (on the offensive line), but we have a lot coming back, skill-wise, and I don't know that I've ever coached a team that had everyone back like that." — Head Coach John Grass said during spring ball
[divider]
WERE WE RIGHT?: Last Year's jacksonville State Preview
FCS 2020 NFL PROSPECTS: The List
BEST FCS TRADITIONS: The List
[divider]
PREVIEWS: The Rest Of The OVC
Austin Peay | Eastern Illinois | Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State | Murray State | SEMO
Tennessee State | Tennessee Tech | UT Martin
[divider]
SUBSCRIBE: HERO Sports FCS Podcast
