By By Chandler Myers
Being on the verge of making history could not stop officials from the University of South Alabama from making a trip to Atmore Wednesday.
Officials met with members of the Atmore Rotary Club and the Atmore Lions Club to give information about the status of the Jaguars’ new football program as well as make a push to get some more fan support into Ladd-Peebles Stadium for this Saturday’s season opener.
South Alabama Athletic Director Joel Erdmann, head football coach Joey Jones, director of ticket sales Brad Sexton and vice president of financial affairs Wayne Davis were among the officials on hand. The four were the visitors of Davis’ brother and Rotary member Bobby Davis.
Erdmann who became athletic director following former Joe Gottfried’s retirement effective Aug. 1 told members of Atmore’s civic clubs that he was happy to be serving a school that he loves.
After Erdmann’s speech, which spoke on topics such as how the community can support the university, the man that will lead the first football squad in the school’s history into battle this afternoon stepped to the podium to inform club members how the football program has progressed.
Jones, who played under Paul “Bear” Bryant at the University of Alabama, said that several things have happened since the program was put into place.
Jones and his fledgling program are not acting like a program that has been around a little more than one year.
They are taking the steps necessary to become a football powerhouse, and are attempting to do it just about as fast any school before them.
Jones said to insure he did things the right way he visited with some of the newest football programs in Division 1 football.
Heading into this weekend’s game against Hargrave Military Academy (Va.), Jones said he believes his team is going to do well.
Jones said although the team has a lot of young players they are a good group of players that have a lot of talent.
The Jaguars’ opponent, Hargrave Military Academy is a school that Jones knows to take seriously.
Jones said that Hargrave is a school that boasts a lot of talent in universities such as Alabama, Auburn and Southern California. He added playing schools like this could help boost his team’s recruiting efforts.
The South Alabama Jaguars and Hargrave Military Academy kickoff this afternoon at 4 p.m.