Most South Alabama football observers figured heading into the 2022 season that the defensive line would be among the team’s strongest units. Through seven games, the big men up front haven’t disappointed.

The Jaguars are rotating 7-9 quality defensive linemen in every game, a big reason they are ranked near the top of the Sun Belt Conference and in the Top 25 nationally in several defensive categories. Despite a 10-6 loss to Troy last time out, South Alabama turned in one of its best defensive performances in recent memory, allowing 266 total yards and one touchdown and holding the Trojans to just 1-for-13 on third down.

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“We’re a solid group,” nose tackle Wy’Kevious Thomas said. “We just come in and pay attention to detail. We just have to worry about ourselves and focus more on the little things. We do good things, but we want to be great. We want to do great things.”

Heading into Saturday’s game at Arkansas State (2-6, 1-4 Sun Belt), the Jaguars (5-2, 2-1) rank 20th nationally in total defense, tied for 23rd in scoring defense, 11th in rushing defense, 12th in third-down defense, tied for 11th in red zone defense and tied for 17th in takeaways. All those numbers rank in the Top 4 in the 12-team Sun Belt Conference.

South Alabama’s linebackers and defensive backs of course share in those statistics, but it all starts with the line, head coach Kane Wommack said. As with most coaches, he’s more focused on improving failures, such as some “misfitted” running plays, including one that led to Troy’s lone third-down conversion and allowed the Trojans to run out the clock.

“They hold themselves to a very high standard and we hold them to that same standard,” Wommack said. “Even in the game this past week, we were very disappointed in ourselves. There were couple of runs that we did not keep gap-sound. It’s one thing to whip a guy’s tail, but if you whip his tail and then you get out of a gap, it doesn’t matter. And so those are the things that we saw on film — guys trying to play physical. But sometimes we were too physical in the game and it cost us. And so discipline has to be a big piece of it.

“However, what I am excited about is we’re starting to create more and more pass rush with a four-down look. And that’s something that we have not had here in a very long time. … We’re starting to see that from numerous guys on our defense.”

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South Alabama football practice

The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Thomas anchors the Jaguars’ 4-2-5 look at nose tackle, and is generally flanked by senior Bandit end Jamie Sheriff on one side and defensive tackle Charles Coleman on the other to start games. CJ Rias plays most snaps at Wolf, a combination outside linebacker/defensive end position.

However, several others see action within each game, including rangy pass-rusher Brock Higdon and big men Jamall Hickbottom, Zeke Chapman, Maurice Strong, Carlos Johnson and Gi’Narious Johnson. Sophomore Lamondre Brooks also gets plenty of reps on the outside, as will redshirt freshman Ed Smith when he returns from an early-season knee injury.

“It’s been good,” defensive line coach Landius Wilkerson said. “Last year’s we were shorthanded from day one, so it’s been awesome to have a lot more depth. We’ve got some guys banged up now, but people don’t really know it because we play so many of them.”

One of those players who has returned to full health after a lost 2021 is Sheriff, who missed all of the last season with a knee injury suffered in preseason camp. But he’s filled up the stat sheet in 2022, totaling 22 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

A former junior-college transfer, the 6-foot-2, 262-pound Sheriff is perhaps South Alabama’s best combination of run-stuffer and pass-rusher. And he’s also a leader by example, Thomas said.

“Jamie’s he’s the guy you want to look up, honestly,” Thomas said. “He comes in early every day, he’s locked in, focused. He’s going to show you the right path. You just have to buy into it.”

Many say the same kinds of things about Thomas, a redshirt sophomore from Riverdale, Ga. A two-star recruit in the Jaguars’ 2019 signing class, he’s appeared in every game the last three seasons, and has been highly productive in doing so.

In seven games this season, Thomas has 20 tackles and two sacks. He plays with an exceptional degree of leverage and hand strength on the field but is also well-liked and respected off of it, Wommack said.

“He is so physical at the point of attack and he’s such a quick twitch player, Wommack said. “You see guys that know how to use their leverage properly — his hand and hip and foot violence, meaning the way that he comes out of his hands and, and hips and strikes with violence is really impressive. He’s playing with a very high motor that has to be disciplined all the time. And a couple of times he was so physical that it got him out of place and out of gap, so he’ll get those things fixed.

“When your best player is also one of your greatest people in the building, those are always great recipes for a great D-line room. And that’s exactly what we see — those guys hold each other accountable.”

Kickoff Saturday for South Alabama-Arkansas State is set for 3 p.m. at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Ark. ESPNU will broadcast the game live.