5 takeaways from South Alabama’s 35-17 win over SLU

5 takeaways from South Alabama’s 35-17 win over SLU

South Alabama only dominated 2-½ quarters vs. Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday evening, but at least it was the last 2-½.

The Jaguars overcame a sluggish start to win 35-17 at Hancock Whitney Stadium, evening their record at 1-1. It looked shaky at times, but South Alabama kept alive its 10-year streak of victories over FCS competition.

RELATED: South Alabama doesn’t play well, but well enough in 35-17 win

The Jaguars go back on the road this week to face tough competition. Before that, here are five takeaways from the Jaguars’ win over the Lions:

1. Slow starts have become a troubling trend

South Alabama has now gone three consecutive games without scoring in the first quarter, digging itself into massive holes vs. Western Kentucky in the New Orleans Bowl last December and at Tulane in the 2023 opener. The Jaguars’ talent advantage over Southeastern Louisiana meant that didn’t happen on Saturday, but for whatever reason Kane Wommack’s team has not looked sharp early in recent outings. That needs to change in a hurry.

2. La’Damian Webb, Caullin Lacy are explosive talents

Webb played only three offensive series on Saturday while being worked back into the lineup after offseason surgery, and South Alabama scored on all three. Webb did the honors twice himself, and had a key fourth-down run on the other. Lacy’s 84-yard catch-and-run finally put away the Lions on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Jaguars need both to be at their best to replicate last season’s success.

3. Jaguars secondary has another forgettable night

Tulane’s Michael Pratt pretty much threw at will on the Jaguars two weeks ago, while SLU’s Zachary Clement and Eli Sawyer combined for 350 yards on Saturday. With the exception of one big play in the fourth quarter, the Jaguars weren’t letting receivers run free deep vs. the Lions as they were against the Green Wave. This was a problem of tackling more than outright busts, but neither is encouraging after two weeks.

4. Improved pass rush hasn’t yet materialized

The Jaguars recorded two sacks vs. SLU on Saturday, though one came on a play when the quarterback scrambled and was run out of bounds for a 2-yard loss. There were a couple of QB hurries, though one resulted in a silly targeting penalty. We heard a lot this offseason about South Alabama working to get to the quarterback more, but it hasn’t happened yet. One shudders to think what an offensive mind like Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy can do to the Jaguars if his quarterbacks have time to operate.

5. Concerning injuries are starting to pile up

The Jaguars are already without running back/kick returner Braylon McReynolds for the foreseeable future, and safety Jalen Jordan didn’t play Saturday after being hurt vs. Tulane. Then on Saturday, top receiver Devin Voisin went down with a knee/ankle injury and it’s anyone’s guess when he might return. Voisin is Carter Bradley’s favorite receiver, and Lacy, Jamaal Pritchett and the tight ends will have to fill the void if he’s sidelined for a significant stretch.

Next up: South Alabama (1-1) travels to Oklahoma State (2-0) for a 6 p.m. kickoff next Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. The game will stream live via ESPN+.