MOBILE, Ala. – For the last two months, the University of South Alabama football program has taken part in strength and conditioning drills while the student-athletes organized 7-on-7 passing drills to help prepare for the 2011 campaign.

The final step in the process, preseason camp, will open when the Jaguars take the field for their first practice on Wednesday.

The Jags will practice 27 times in 29 days before facing West Alabama in the season opener at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 1.  That total will include three days with two workouts prior to the start of classes on Monday, Aug. 22 as well as two Saturday morning scrimmages.

Freshmen will report Monday at 10 a.m. and will meet with their position coaches in the afternoon, then have an academic day while returning student-athletes check in on Tuesday.  Practices on Wednesday and Thursday morning will be conducted only in helmets, while Friday and Saturday will see USA work out in shells before an off day Sunday.

Monday, Aug. 8 will mark the first day that the Jags will practice in full pads, with the following day the initial two-a-day workout — the first practice will be in full pads, the afternoon session in shells.  They will also practice in full pads Thursday morning with drills in shells Wednesday and Friday morning; the initial scrimmage, which will be a part of USA’s Fan Day, will take place at 9 a.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Saturday, Aug. 13.

The Jaguars will practice twice a day two times the following week, on Monday — after another off day — and Thursday, before a second 9 a.m. scrimmage on campus on Saturday, Aug. 20.

USA will be off prior to the first day of classes as well as the final Saturday of the month before to the season opener as well.

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).

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