If ever there was a player whose impact is not noticeable on the stat sheet, it’s South Alabama nose guard Wy’Kevious Thomas.

Through six games this season, the 6-foot-2, 308-pound redshirt junior — known to coaches and teammates as “Bubba” — has just 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry. But those numbers come nowhere close to measuring Thomas’ importance to South Alabama’s defense, head coach Kane Wommack said.

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“There are player that get immediate recognition and accolades on our team, based on the amount of production in the stat line,” Wommack said. “And yet probably the most dominant player on the field more often than not is Bubba Thomas. He’s never going to get the stats like some other guys, and yet he is a huge piece of why our defense can run the way it can run.

“He’s a very physical presence and a guy that does his job with a lot of consistency right now.”

It’s that quiet consistency that led Wommack to award Thomas with the honorary No. 5 jersey for Tuesday night’s game with Southern Miss. The No. 5 jersey is given each week to a different South Alabama player in honor of Anthony Mostella, a former Jaguars running back who was killed in a 2010 motorcycle accident.

The burly Thomas has actually been wearing No. 50 in practice, because the No. 5 practice jersey doesn’t fit him. Nonetheless, he said he was pleased with the honor.

“It’s a great achievement,” Thomas said. “It took a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication. It’s nice to be recognized by the coaches for being a leader.”

Thomas is part of an experienced defensive line for South Alabama, a group that also includes sixth-year seniors Charles Coleman, Jamall Hickbottom, Maurice Strong and Jamie Sheriff, along with younger veterans such as Brock Higdon and Carlos Johnson. The Jaguars (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) rank second in the Sun Belt Conference in total defense through six games, and third in both rushing defense and scoring defense.

South Alabama put up arguably its best overall defensive effort in years in a 55-7 win at Louisiana-Monroe last time out. The Jaguars held the Warhawks to just 250 total yards, with ULM’s only points coming on a contested touchdown pass at the end of the first half.

“I think it was all about the urgency of the details,” Thomas said. “You could tell like more people were laser-focused and locked in. If we continue to put that out all season, we’ll keep having the same success.”

Other South Alabama players to wear No. 5 this season are wide receiver Devin Voisin (Tulane), linebacker James Miller (Southeastern Louisiana), linebacker Trey Kiser (Oklahoma State), quarterback Desmond Trotter (Central Michigan), wide receiver Caullin Lacy (James Madison) and safety Jaden Voisin (ULM).

• Freshman quarterback Gio Lopez saw his first significant action as a Jaguar in the win over ULM, playing the entire fourth quarter and leading USA to 10 points.

Lopez, a product of James Clemens High School in the Huntsville area, subbed in for starter Carter Bradley with 13:44 left in the game and South Alabama up 45-7. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 84 yards and a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jeremiah Webb, and also had a 7-yard run.

“The game allowed for it, so it was something we wanted to do,” offensive coordinator Major Applewhite said. “I saw him execute. I saw there were some things that we need to continue to work on, but in terms of just being comfortable out there, I was impressed. He was comfortable out there on the field, comfortable getting the plays in and out. Those are just things that you learn that first time on the stage, and then the second time was a little bit easier.”

Lopez, a 6-foot-1, 223-pound lefthander, was rated a 3-star prospect in South Alabama’s 2023 signing class. He made his college debut earlier this season late in the fourth quarter vs. Southeastern Louisiana, playing one series and completing his lone pass for three yards in a 35-17 victory.

• Running back Braylon McReynolds has been sidelined since the season-opener vs. Tulane due to a broken collarbone, but appears to be recovering nicely. It’s possible McReynolds could return late in the season or in a bowl game, Wommack said.

“There’s a chance he could be back before the end of the year,” Wommack said. “His rehab is going great right now. He’s got to hit a lot of (medical) landmarks between now and then, but certainly we’re optimistic that we may get to see him at the end of the year or in the postseason.”

McReynolds, a sophomore from Mobile, entered the season as the Jaguars’ primary kickoff returner and top back-up to starting running back La’Damian Webb. He played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2022, rushing for 359 yards, catching 21 passes for 226 yards and totaling 369 yards in kickoff returns.

• As you might expect from schools that are just 90 miles apart, there are several coaching staff ties between South Alabama and Southern Miss.

Jaguars head coach Kane Wommack is a Southern Miss graduate, and played tight end for the Golden Eagles from 2007-09. Matt Shadeed, South Alabama’s assistant head coach and director of football athletic performance, is also a USM grad who worked as an assistant strength coach for the Golden Eagles in 2011.

First-year South Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Hopson was head coach at Southern Miss from 2016-20. He resigned suddenly after the 2020 season-opener, a 32-21 loss to South Alabama.

Ironically, Dwike Wilson, the man Hopson replaced on the South Alabama staff, is in his first season as cornerbacks coach at Southern Miss. Wilson was cornerbacks coach and also recruiting coordinator with the Jaguars in 2021-22.

Lance Ancar, Southern Miss’ head strength and conditioning coach, held the same role at South Alabama under coaches Joey Jones and Steve Campbell from 2017-19.

• The Jaguars will practice again Friday, with shorter workouts set for Saturday and Sunday leading into Monday’s walkthrough. Kickoff for South Alabama-Southern Miss is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hancock Whitney Stadium, with television coverage on ESPN2.