MOBILE, Ala. – For the second straight year, the University of South Alabama has surpassed its football season tickets sales from the previous fall before kicking off the campaign.

The USA Athletic Ticket Office announced Friday that, with less than a week remaining before the Jaguars begin the 2011 campaign against West Alabama, it has sold 8,637 season tickets.  A year ago, 8,433 season tickets were purchased for a seven-game schedule that included two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA) and four NCAA Division II schools as well as an NAIA opponent.

Beginning with the UWA contest, the Jags will play six games at home this fall.  After Lamar visits on Sept. 10, USA won’t play at Ladd-Peebles Stadium again until hosting Tennessee-Martin Oct. 15 on Homecoming weekend.  The regular season will conclude with three straight home games; against Henderson (Ark.) State Oct. 29, Mississippi Valley State Nov. 3 — the Jaguars’ second Thursday night contest of the season — and on Nov. 19 when Cal Poly visits to wrap up the year.

Season tickets can be purchased through noon on Thursday, by either calling the USA Athletic Ticket Office at (251) 461-1USA (1872) from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, or by visiting the school’s official athletic site www.usajaguars.com and clicking on the “Tickets” link on the right side of the page.  The cost for season tickets is $85 for sideline seats and $40 for the end zones.

After the opener, prorated season tickets will be available; interested individuals can contact the USA Athletic Ticket Office for pricing details.

“The number of season tickets sold indicates the strong and loyal support of our fan base,” said USA Director of Athletics Dr. Joel Erdmann.  “We deeply appreciate those season-ticket holders who have stayed with us from the beginning of this journey, and encourage others to jump on board and enjoy the ride.  We cannot overstate the importance of the season-ticket base to the future success and health of the program.”

The Jaguars continued to prepare for the UWA match-up with a Friday morning practice at the fields on campus, which was conducted in shells.  Jag head coach Joey Jones was pleased with the way his squad concluded a week in which USA practiced all five days prior to classes.  One of the reasons he attributed to the performance on Friday was that it was the shortest session of the week.

“I thought it was really good, we had a good day of practice; they came out focused, when it’s an hour and 15 minutes they tend to practice a little better,” he commented.  “It was a mental practice, we went through a lot of situations.  They smell the game coming closer and closer, so they are definitely bouncing around a little bit.”

The focus of practice was 45 minutes of team drills, with each side of the ball working against scout teams.  The day included a 10-minute individual period, with punt and punt return addressed to begin the session and kickoff and kickoff return to conclude the week.

“I think we are fully prepared, the guys have worked the plan,” Jones stated.  “The coaches have done a great job of implementing the plans and repping.  The players have a good feel for the game plan, I feel good about that.”

With the opener less than a week away, the Jaguars will be off on Saturday before conducting a two-hour workout Sunday afternoon.  According to Jones, there’s two reasons for the schedule.

“The biggest thing we have to worry about is their legs, make sure their legs are OK — I think we are,” he observed.  “I ask our coaches every day how our legs are doing, its’ something we have to monitor day to day.

“We’re trying to keep it just like game week, and usually we are off Monday,” he continued.  “I think as coaches we always work, work, work, work; I heard [former Auburn] coach [Pat] Dye say a long time ago that the worst thing he did over his career was work his guys too hard.  If he had to do it all over again he would have worked them a little less.

“Not that you are not working, but sometimes you overdo it and we as coaches need to be careful of that.”

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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