CLEVELAND, Ohio – In what will be its third year of competition in 2011, the University of South Alabama football team is still experiencing program firsts. The Jaguars will play their first Football Bowl Subdivision opponent this season when they face North Carolina State in Raleigh, N.C. And Wednesday, 10 football student-athletes became the first Jaguars to receive preseason honors when they were named to Phil Steele’s 2011 Football Championship Subdivision Preseason All-Independent Team, as announced by the publication.

C.J. Bennett, Kendall Houston, Paul Bennett, Jon Griffin and Trey Clark received the honor on offense, while Romelle Jones, Enrique Williams and B.J. Scott earned recognition defensively. Lawson McGlon and Jeremé Jones were named to the team as kicker and punt returner, respectively.

Quarterback C.J. Bennett led South Alabama last season in passing yards, completions and touchdowns (11), while averaging 132.1 yards per game while earning the start in the final three contests of the year.  Bennett finished the season 86-of-140 for 1,189 yards and nine touchdowns. The Tampa, Fla., native added 163 yards rushing and two scores in his freshman season.

Houston, one of two running backs selected to the team, holds Jaguar single-season rushing records for yards (891), attempts (140) and yards per game (89.1). The Mobile, Ala., native rushed for a career-best 175 yards, which stands as a USA single-game record, and one touchdown in the Jaguars’ 39-34 win over Georgia State on Oct. 30. He finished the year as South Alabama’s leading rusher with 891 yards and 10 touchdowns on 140 carries. Houston scored at least one touchdown in six of the Jaguars’ final seven games, and rushed for 100-plus yards in three consecutive contests to close the season.

Tight end Paul Bennett caught nine passes for 109 yards and one touchdown, averaging 12.1 yards per reception. His lone touchdown reception last season came in the second quarter of the Jaguars’ 52-3 win over Kentucky Wesleyan Oct. 2.

Griffin and Clark have not only started in every game of the program’s history, but have helped the Jaguar offense average 43.2 points and 246.6 yards per game through its first two seasons. Griffin recorded a team-leading 74 knockdowns last season, including a season-high 17 against Henderson (Ark.) State. He graded out at 70 percent or higher seven times, and 80 percent or higher four times.

Clark recorded 72 pancake blocks, and led the team in the category on five different occasions last season. The Prattville, Ala., native graded out at 75 percent or higher seven times.

Jones tallied 19 total tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup, one fumble recovery and blocked two kicks as a sophomore last season. His six stops for loss led the team as did the two blocked kick total. He tied a career-high with four tackles in the Jaguars’ 24-21 win at UC Davis on Oct. 23, and followed with a four-tackle performance the next week in a win over Georgia State in which the New Orleans, La., native also blocked a kick.

Williams led South Alabama with 48 total tackles last season, and recorded two tackles for loss and one sack. The Mobile, Ala., native broke up three passes, forced one fumble and recovered another, and blocked one kick. Williams recorded nine tackles against Henderson State, which marked a career best and season-high total among Jaguars.

Scott, a transfer from Alabama, is the only defensive back outside the state of Texas to make the team. The Prichard, Ala., native was part of a program at Alabama that posted a 36-5 record and won the 2009 BCS national championship during his three years. Scott recorded six total tackles, an interception and broke up a pass before his season was cut short due to injury in 2010. As a senior at Vigor High School, Scott was top-rated athlete by ESPN.com and the No. 3 defensive back in the nation according to Rivals.com.

McGlon connected on 12-of-17 field goals to lead South Alabama as a freshman, and ranked second on the team with 56 points. The Buford, Ga., native also kicked a team-long 40-yard field goal against Henderson State.

Jones led South Alabama in punt return yards (213) and average (19.4), and scored the Jaguars’ only touchdown via punt return. The Mobile, Ala., native broke free for a season-long 54-yard punt return for a touchdown in his first game at South Alabama. Proving to be a threat offensively as well, Jones tallied 15 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman.

South Alabama will open preseason camp Wed., Aug. 3, at the practice fields on campus. The Jaguars will kick off the 2011 season Thu., Sept. 1, when they host West Alabama at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
 

Phil Steele’s 2011 FCS Preseason All-Independent Team

Offense
QB – C.J. Bennett, South Alabama
RB – Kendall Houston, South Alabama
RB – Travis Evans, Georgia State
WR – Daren Dillard, Texas State
WR – Danny Williams, Georgia State
WR – Kam Jones, UTSA
TE – Paul Bennett, South Alabama
OL – D.J. Hall, Texas State
OL – Jon Griffin, South Alabama
OL – Steven Kenney, Texas State
OL – Joseph Gilbert, Georgia State
OL – Trey Clark, South Alabama

Defense
DL – Christo Bilukidi, Georgia State
DL – Romelle Jones, South Alabama
DL – Prestin Brown, Texas State
DL – Lekenwic Haynes, UTSA
LB – Jake Muasau, Georgia State
LB – Enrique Williams, South Alabama
LB – Brian Lilly, Texas State
LB – Steven Kurfehs, UTSA
DB – B.J. Scott, South Alabama
DB – Mark Waters, UTSA
DB – Darryl Morris, Texas State
DB – Nic Johnston, UTSA

Special Teams
K – Lawson McGlon, South Alabama
P – Bo Schlecter, Georgia State
KR – Albert Wilson, Georgia State
PR – Jeremé Jones, South Alabama