The Major Applewhite era of South Alabama football began in a real sense on Thursday, as the Jaguars held their first spring practice since a January coaching change.

Applewhite, the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator the last three seasons, moved up to head coach following Kane Wommack’s departure to become defensive coordinator at Alabama. In the first of 15 spring workouts for his team over the next four weeks, Applewhite said he saw good retention from the offseason program.

“Coaches did a great job of getting them organized and ready to go for practice,” Applewhite said. “Obviously, the OTAs (organized team activities) are part of what we do now, so there’s a little bit more retention involved when you get to Day 1. I thought the guys moved around well. There’s obviously gonna be Day 1 things that you’ve got to see better. Day 2, we’ll get better at those. But I thought there was good retention from our OTAs and going forward.”

In addition to Wommack, South Alabama lost a number of key players from last year’s team, which went 7-6 and won the 68 Ventures Bowl. Gone are program stalwarts such as quarterback Carter Bradley, running back La’Damian Webb, wide receiver Caullin Lacy, center Reggie Smith, defensive linemen Charles Coleman and Jamie Sheriff, linebackers Quentin Wilfawn, James Miller and Trey Kiser, cornerback Marquise Robinson and safety Yam Banks.

It always adds intrigue to spring where there is a new quarterback, and redshirt freshman Gio Lopez is poised to step in following the departure of Bradley and veteran backup Desmond Trotter. Sophomore Bishop Davenport and true freshman Jared Hollins are also in spring camp, but Lopez is the heavy favorite to be QB1 in 2024, by all accounts.

“It’s a big difference for me, moving from third-string to first-string,” said Lopez, who enrolled at South Alabama in January 2023 and participated in spring practice prior to his true freshman season. “I got to learn behind Dez and Carter a lot, so it’s a lot easier for me to sit here knowing what’s going on. I’m actually trying to help Jared. He’s in the same shoes I was in last year, early-enrolling. So I’m just trying to be a leader in that department.”

South Alabama was one of the top defensive teams in the Sun Belt during the Wommack era, finishing in the Top 20 in several categories in 2023. Though Wommack is gone, the “Swarm D” concepts remain largely the same, with former linebackers coach Will Windham now serving as defensive coordinator.

Experienced returnees such as Wy’Kevious Thomas and Charles Strong on the defensive line, Khalil Jacobs and Blayne Myrick at linebacker and Jaden Voisin and Ricky Fletcher in the secondary will be counted on to lead the defense in 2024. Voisin said the Jaguars are trying to take the good from one practice and continue it on to the next.

“I think our effort was really good,” Voisin said. “That’s how it is on Day 1. I think we’re all competing, but we’re (just) in helmets. We’ve just got to stack days on days. So that’s where we’re at right now.”

• Wide receiver Devin Voisin, offensive guard Reed Buys, defensive lineman Ed Smith and safety Keith Gallmon were among those South Alabama veterans/projected regulars not practicing Thursday as they continue to recover from injuries/offseason surgery.

Applewhite said all are expected back to full health at some point prior to the 2024 season, likely at some point before or during summer workouts. Voisin (Jaden Voisin’s twin brother) tore the ACL in his left knee during the second week of the 2023 season, and is making good progress in his recovery, Applewhite said.

“There’s a battery of tests you have to go through, and one of his tests he went through last week and passed it with flying colors,” Applewhite said of Voisin. “So he’s kind of hitting those landmarks or benchmarks as he goes. He’s doing well. He’ll be back this summer.”

• Spring is a time for experimentation, and that includes the Jaguars’ offensive line. With Buys out/limited this spring, junior Adrien Strickland — a two-year starter at right tackle — was doing some first-team work Thursday at right guard, with sophomore Malachi Carney at right tackle.

Purdue transfer Malachi Preciado was working with the first-team offense at center, with Kenton Jerido at left guard (where he started the 68 Ventures Bowl) and returning starter Jordan Davis at left tackle. Applewhite stressed that none of the movement should be considered written in pen.

“We’re always gonna rep different people up there; there’s nothing gonna be permanent,” Applewhite said. “We’re gonna try to find our best five. … We’re gonna continue to rotate guys at the guard position, tackle position. And then in spring, you don’t have those (freshman) signees in yet, so you’re always short a little bit in numbers.”

Other newcomers who saw action with first- or second-team units during 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills Thursday were Liberty transfer Aakil Washington at Wolf (outside linebacker), Oklahoma State import Lardarius Webb Jr. (cousin of La’Damian Webb) and junior-college transfer Jordan Scruggs at cornerback and Bowling Green import Andrew Bench at tight end. Second-year South Alabama players who appear ticketed for larger roles in 2024 include tight end Trent Thomas, defensive linemen RJ Moss and Jordan Norman, outside linebacker Gavin Forsha, safety Brian Dillard and cornerback Reggie Neely.

• Applewhite confirmed that long-snapper Travis Drosos, a three-year starter who was on scholarship, has left the team and entered the NCAA transfer portal. Junior Anthony Zaccaro and redshirt freshman Baxter Turner are the only long-snappers listed on the Jaguars’ spring roster, with Zaccaro working with first-team holder Jack Martin on Thursday.

East Carolina transfer Laith Marjan was also working with Zaccaro and Martin during field goal drills, with walk-on Hamilton DiBoyan as the second kicker. Freshman signee Davis Little will arrive over the summer, as the Jaguars continue to search for a replacement for four-year starting kicker Diego Guajardo.

The transfer portal re-opened for South Alabama players following the January departure of former head coach Kane Wommack. Thus far, Drosos and reserve offensive lineman James Robinson are the only scholarship players to depart the Jaguars program since then.

• South Alabama is back on the practice field Saturday morning, and will work on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday leading up to the April 20 spring intrasquad game.