One of the main goals for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in fall camp will be identifying a starting quarterback. The same will be true for several other teams in the SWAC West Division, including Southern.
Harold Blood Jr. started last season, but since he transferred to Missouri, someone else will lead the Jaguars when they host UAPB in Baton Rouge on Nov. 16.
Southern did not add any quarterbacks from the transfer portal, so the leading candidate is likely junior Noah Bodden, Blood’s backup last season. Bodden completed 22 of 45 passes for 388 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Jaguars also have two redshirt freshmen and a walk-on on the roster.
Getting the most out of the quarterback position will be crucial for first-year head coach Terrence Graves, who had served as associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and linebackers coach for the past two seasons.
Graves was named interim head coach for the 50th Bayou Classic after Southern fired head coach Eric Dooley. The promotion was made permanent after he led the Jags to a 27-22 win against Grambling State, which made him the first man to lead both schools to victory in a Bayou Classic.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The lack of a clear-cut starting quarterback will be a big concern for an offense which ranked eighth in the SWAC last season, scoring 23.3 points per game. However, consistency at running back should help.
Southern returns three of its top four rushers from last season, including starting running back Kendric Rhymes. The junior from Houston rushed for 660 yards and nine touchdowns. Kobe Dillon and CJ Russell combined for three touchdowns.
The Jags lose their leading receiver, August Pitre III, but bring back the next two. Chandler Whitfield and Darren Morris combined for 546 yards and four touchdowns. Depth could be a concern as they are the only two returning out of the top six receivers, but North Texas transfer Detraveon Brown could help. Brown is seeking a fresh start after missing the past two seasons with injury.
But despite all the offensive concerns, Southern was primarily a defensive team last year, and that shouldn’t change much in 2024. The Jaguars held SWAC opponents to 20.5 points per game, third fewest in the league.
One of Southern’s biggest victories early in the offseason was getting defensive end Ckelby Givens back. He initially announced he was entering the transfer portal but changed his mind. Givens led the SWAC with 21 tackles for loss. He also collected seven sacks and forced four fumbles, recovering one.
The Jags also bring back their leading tackler, linebacker Derrick Williams, who had 67 tackles, four for loss.
Southern does have a few key pieces to replace. The Jags’ second and third-leading tacklers are gone. Linebacker Jalen Campbell and defensive back Jordan Carter had 63 tackles each, and Carter also had four of the team’s seven interceptions.
The Jaguars have some returning depth at linebacker. At defensive back, they added several transfers. Iowa Central Community College defensive back Elijah West led his team in tackles last season while collecting two fumbles and one interception. Other newcomers include Miles College transfer Jamarius Brown and UTSA transfer Xavier Spencer.
Southern’s defense led it to a 27-0 win in Pine Bluff last season. The Jaguars have won 10 of the past 11 games against UAPB, with the Golden Lions’ lone win coming 33-30 in Baton Rouge on March 6, 2020.