Jaguars hoping to solve inconsistency problems

The biggest issues first-year head coach Kane Wommack sees at South Alabama are the same problems he recalls from his time as an assistant coach with the Jaguars.

Wommack's South Alabama team will host Arkansas State on Saturday for homecoming.

South Alabama has been up and down this fall, opening with three consecutive victories before losing three of four games in Sun Belt Conference play by a combined 14 points.

The Jaguars rallied after a slow start against Louisiana-Lafayette, but lost 20-18 after having one extra point kick blocked and another that failed. They led both Texas State and Louisiana-Monroe in the second half before losing both road gaes.

The Jaguars (4-3, 1-3 Sun Belt) routed Georgia Southern 41-14 in their only conference victory to date, opening a 31-0 lead in the game’s first 21 minutes. In non-conference play, they rolled past Southern Mississippi 31-7, beat Bowling Green 22-19 on a last-play field goal and held off Alcorn State 28-21.

Inconsistency, Wommack said during Monday’s Sun Belt teleconference, has been the Jaguars’ identity over the years. The Jaguars were unable to finish off Texas State after leading by 14 points early in the fourth quarter, eventually falling 33-31 in four overtimes.

They led ULM in the third quarter last Saturday before the surprising Warhawks scored the final 17 points for a 41-31 victory.

The Jaguars’ offense features senior quarterback Jake Bentley, a graduate transfer with previous stops at South Carolina and Utah, and junior receiver Jalen Tolbert.

Bentley has completed 69.1 percent of his passes for 1,825 yards and 11 touchdowns, with four interceptions. Tolbert has 46 receptions for 873 yards and four touchdowns.

South Alabama is fourth among Sun Belt teams in scoring offense (28.9 points per game) and fifth in total offense (390.7 yards per game).