South Alabama linebacker Quentin Wilfawn is on the road to recovery after finally addressing a problem that has been dogging him since he was still playing at Oxford (Miss.) High School some six years ago.

Wilfawn had surgery over the winter to remove a bone spur on his neck, which was pinching a nerve in his shoulder and leading to persistent “stingers,” causing him to temporarily lose feeling in his arm. He missed all but three games last season, but was able to take a redshirt year and will return as a sixth-year senior for the Jaguars this fall.

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“I feel great,” Wilfawn said. “I had surgery on something I’ve been dealing with for a while. I’ve been playing through it for a while, so I was happy to finally get it fixed. … It just got to a point, just kept getting worse and worse and I just couldn’t finish the year last year. So luckily I had the redshirt and I’m able to come back.”

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Wilfawn is officially listed as “limited” this spring, wearing a gold “non-contact” jersey during practices. Wilfawn has been able to participate in some drills, though none that involve contact.

Mostly, he’s taken “mental” reps.

The mental aspect of this spring has been important for Wilfawn, who is adjusting to a new position. After previously working at South Alabama’s two inside linebacker positions, he’s now moving outside to “Wolf” linebacker so that his pass-rushing abilities can be used to greater advantage.

“I had a pretty good grasp on it anyways,” Wilfawn said. “Playing inside, you’ve got to know almost every position. So moving there wasn’t too big of a jump. The little technique things are really what I’m focusing on. … I get 7-on-7 reps. I get all the (individual) reps. I can do everything but contact, so as far as that, I feel good. I’m getting more comfortable in that stance down on the line.”

Last year’s starting Wolf, CJ Rias, entered the NCAA transfer portal after last season and is expected to play next season at McNeese State. Head coach Kane Wommack said he is hoping for better production in the future out of the position, after the Jaguars totaled only 28 sacks in 2022, ninth in the 12-team league Sun Belt Conference.

Enter Wilfawn, who has totaled 75 tackles in 22 games the last three seasons at South Alabama after joining the program in 2020 from Northwest Mississippi Community College. He has just one sack in his Jaguars career, but possesses the skill for much more, Wommack said.

“He’s one of our best pass-rushers,” Wommack said. “So to be able to rush him off the edge, that position has morphed into a true outside linebacker type position for us. Even though you would call us a 4-2-5 (alignment), in reality we’re probably a 2-4-5, because we dropped both the outside ‘backer and defensive end (into coverage).

“I think his ability right now to understand the drill work individually, some of the pass rush things that he hasn’t had to do over the last four years as a linebacker, the scheme, he understands at a very high level. He grasps things conceptually as opposed to just as an individual Mike (inside) linebacker or outside ‘backer.”

Wilfawn isn’t the only key defender for South Alabama limited this spring by injury. Inside linebackers James Miller (the starter at Mike) and Ke’Shun Brown are also in gold this spring, as are fellow Wolf linebackers DK Bonhomme and Dalton Hughes.

That has meant the Wolf position has been largely filled by walk-ons this spring. But once fall camp begins in August, Wilfawn is confident he’ll be ready for full contact — and worry-free on the field for the first time in literally years, unconcerned that his next big hit could result in another debilitating stinger.

“The doctor’s has said give it as long as you can (to heal),” Wilfawn said. “Especially for me being older (as a player), spring’s not necessarily as important. It’s still important, obviously the mental aspect, but as far as the physical aspect, I’m just trying to get as healthy as possible, let it heal up as much as I can before the season. So as soon as we’re done with spring ball, I’ll be good on (organized team activities) leading up to it and then fall camp, I’ll be full-go.”

South Alabama returns to the practice field on Wednesday morning. The Jaguars’ first scrimmage of the spring is set for Friday.