It seemed to be designed that way, but both the offense and defense came out of South Alabama’s Red-Blue spring football game Saturday with something about which to feel good.

The Blue team (offense) scored only once during the regular scrimmage period, but got points on four of five attempts during the red zone “lockout” competition that ended the morning’s festivities at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The Red team (defense) dominated much of the regular scrimmage, but allowed two touchdowns in the red zone.

The scoring system was nebulous in design and haphazard in application, but it appeared the Red won the regular scrimmage 9-6, while the Blue won the red zone lockout 20-15. Forecasted rainy weather also stayed away, allowing the Jaguars to cap their spring with a full morning’s work in front of their fans.

“I thought this was a really great spring,” third-year head coach Kane Wommack said. “We’ve got so many returning starters and a number of experienced guys that I thought took steps forward for all phases — offense, defense, special teams — (and) had a really great spring. Then you’ve got some younger guys that got opportunities in large part because of guys coming off season-ending surgery, particularly on defense, that I thought some of those guys are really going to help us going into the 2023 season, so that’s exciting.

“We talk about just cranking the dial forward at each individual position — coach, player, support staff — and I think everybody has moved the dial forward for their respective roles. And if we take those individual performances and put that as a collection together I think we’re in a better position in 2023 going into this summer.”

Several first-team players sat out Saturday while recovering from offseason surgery or because of new injuries incurred during the spring. Among those were quarterback Carter Bradley, running backs La’Damian Webb and Braylon McReynolds, wide receiver Javon Ivory, linebackers Quentin Wilfawn, James Miller and Ke’Shun Brown and safety Jaden Voisin.

Bradley’s absence Saturday meant veteran back-up Desmond Trotter took all the first team reps and freshman Gio Lopez directed the second team. Trotter unofficially* finished 7-for-13 for 93 yards passing, while Lopez was 7-for-12 for 68 yards (*stats were not kept by South Alabama game operations staff, which meant reporters compiled them on their own).

“I felt like we made our strides this spring offensively,” Trotter said. “We established the run and the offensive line is getting better and better. Also, receiver-wise, we’ve got returning guys with experience. We’ve just been able to be consistent throughout the spring, and I think you saw that today as well.”

Bradley suffered a left ankle injury during the Jaguars’ second scrimmage of the spring April 7, but had been practicing the entire week before being held out Saturday. The injury is not considered serious.

Bradley tried to beg his way onto the field for the halftime quarterback throwing competition, but Wommack vetoed that move. Trotter and third-string quarterback Tanner McGee tied 6-6 while throwing at a number of moving and stationary targets.

“Carter will push through any kind of pain on his own,” Wommack said. “He just had a little tweak with his ankle and at this point, he’s had such a great spring, I didn’t want to risk anything with him in the game. He begged me to do it, but I’m not going to let him go out there in practice (No.) 15.

“Frankly, we had all those guys, particularly on defense that were out in the spring. They’re all taking great strides and we stayed pretty healthy this spring. Your worst fear is losing somebody going into the season and I think we’re in a pretty good position heading into the summer time.”

The lone scoring play of the regular scrimmage game on a 38-yard touchdown run by Bryan Hill, who led all ballcarriers with 50 yards on four carries. Devin Voisin had a team-best three receptions for 48 yards, while Shamar Sandgren, Jamaal Pritchett and Jonathon Carter all had multiple catches.

Defensively, Brock Higdon had two of the Jaguars’ four sacks, with Nick Curtis and Jamall Hickbottom adding one each. Khalil Jacobs and Reggie Neely each had a pass breakup for the Red team, which did not force a turnover.

“It was a great spring, a lot of things to build on,” senior safety Keith Gallmon said. “I feel our team was able to build a lot of chemistry this spring, filling in holes. It’s been good, and we’ll be happy to have our guys back that are hurt right now.”

In the red zone period, the offense got seven points for a touchdown and three for a field goal. The defense was awarded four points for forcing a field goal and seven for a fourth-down stop or takeaway.

Scores came on Diego Guajardo field goals of 37 and 25 yards, Carter’s 1-yard touchdown run and Lopez’s 3-yard TD pass to Jeremiah Webb. The defense got one fourth-down stop, with Guajardo tackled well short of the first-down marker on a fake field goal run.

“We need to work on Diego’s ball skills,” Wommack said with a laugh. “We need to be a one-cut guy, not a multiple-cut guy. (Players) wanted to do it. They had some fun with it, working on that fake. I think he got four or five yards. Maybe if it was a fourth-and-3 situation or fourth-and-4 it would have been the right deal, but I’m not sure he’s got the top-end speed to get around the corner on the outside.”

There was also a halftime punt-catching competition between offensive defensive linemen, and that ended in a 4-4 tie. Center Reed Buys and defensive end Charles Coleman each caught both of their attempts, while the other four competitors all went 1-for-2.

In a post-game ceremony, Devin Voisin was awarded the honorary No. 5 jersey, which he will wear for the Sept. 2 season-opener at Tulane. The No. 5 jersey is given to a different Jaguars player each week in honor of Anthony Mostella, a former South Alabama running back who was killed in a 2010 motorcycle accident.

“That’s a real honor,” Voisin said. “Wearing No. 5 in this program means a lot to our (coaching) staff and our players. Whoever gets it, it makes you want to be better for everyone. … It won’t change anything; I keep my same mindset with everything. I feel like what I’ve been doing is part of the reason I (got the 5 jersey). I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing.”