South Alabama football coach Major Applewhite said Tuesday that the starting quarterback position will be up for grabs heading into preseason camp.

The Jaguars return redshirt junior Bishop Davenport — who was Most Valuable Player of the Salute to Veterans Bowl while starting in place of Gio Lopez — and redshirt freshman Jared Hollins. Lopez left in January for North Carolina via the transfer portal, and Davenport took the majority of first-team reps during the spring.

However, the Jaguars added former Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron via the portal in May. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Pyron, a former Pinson Valley High School standout, played in 19 games in three seasons for the Yellow Jackets, totaling 1,265 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing and passing before transferring to Minnesota prior to the spring (he left after spring practice and transferred again to South Alabama).

Applewhite compared the situation to his first at South Alabama as offensive coordinator (2021), when the Jaguars returned Desmond Trotter with starting experience but no one else. As he did with Jake Bentley that year, he wanted to add a veteran quarterback to the mix.

“It’s very similar to year one,” Applewhite said in New Orleans at Sun Belt Conference Media Days. “I didn’t feel like there was a lot of experience in that room that had played college games. … Bishop has played and started in some spots. Jared’s seen the field, but hasn’t really spent a lot of time on it. So I wanted to have somebody who has some good college experience.

“And Zach is a guy who has played at Georgia Tech. You know, wasn’t at Minnesota long enough to play there, but would have played there. And I wanted somebody that wanted to go win a starting job, that wanted to come in and learn what to do and go take a job. And he’s done a good job thus far of learning what to do, and it’ll be a good competition in the fall.”

Davenport (6-2, 210) played in 11 games and started two in his second season at South Alabama after transferring in from Utah State, totaling 765 yards and four touchdowns rushing and passing. In the bowl game, he threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 85 yards and a touchdown as the Jaguars beat Eastern Michigan 30-23.

Hollins (6-4, 215) did not see any game action in 2024 while taking a redshirt. He was a first-team all-state pick as a senior at Mary G. Montgomery High School.

Then there is Bubba Thompson, a former McGill-Toolen Catholic School standout who joined the team in January after playing eight seasons of professional baseball. Thompson (6-2, 200) possesses great speed and athletic ability, but after so long away from the game is not yet considered an immediate contender for playing time.

Some South Alabama roster notes following Sun Belt Media Days:

• Four players who were with the Jaguars in the spring or had planned to join the team over the summer will not be part of the program in 2025, Applewhite said.

Offensive lineman Reid Gavin, who played in 29 games the last three seasons in a reserve role and on special teams, has elected to forego his final year of eligibility and enter the workforce.

Safety Trent Singleton, who appeared ticketed for a significant role in 2024 before a preseason injury, left the team during the offseason. The redshirt junior played in four games last season after transferring from Mississippi State.

Cornerback Greg Johnson, who signed with the Jaguars out of the transfer portal in May after leaving Navy, who not be with the team in 2025. Linebacker Shermon Smith, a December signee from Sylvester, Ga., also will not be joining the Jaguars.