JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Jackson State University football player and head coach TC Taylor concludes an intense 14 practices during spring training with the JSU annual Blue and White spring game.
Coach Taylor will be playing his second spring game as head coach and his second year at the helm of his alma mater. Here are some key factors to keep an eye on as we head into the long-awaited spring game.
offensive play calling
JSU football is no secret. Many assistant coaches left this offseason.most notably, both offensive coordinator Maurice Harris and defensive coordinator Jonathan Bradley left the program after just one season in the Capitals.
One coach was promoted from within to fill the DC position. This was a popular and smart move, which I'll discuss later in this article. However, after a position review was conducted, the offensive coordinator position was not announced…concerns remained about who would call the plays and what brand of offense Tiger fans could expect.
There are rumors that Coach Taylor will resume play-calling responsibilities, as he did under former head coach Deion Sanders. But that hasn't been confirmed.
One thing is certain about this crime. JSU has a clear QB1 in Canton native Jacobean Morgan, who emerged late in the 2023 season to take over the job from Jason Brown.
[READ: Jacobian Morgan living his dream as the starting quarterback for Jackson State]
Jackson State went 3-1 last year with Morgan as the starter. It's Morgan's job to lose this offseason, as Ridgeland native Gee McDonald is also in the running for the starting spot. He missed spring training last year with a hamstring injury.
Coach Taylor also brought in and retained a wealth of offensive weapons ready to explode during the 2024 season, with seven McGee and Rico Powers returning to the program after initially entering the transfer portal. Headlining in-state talent.
[MORE: Mississippi talent highlights Jackson State football’s phenomenal 2024 early signing period]
No-fly zone
Jackson State's defense is fast and created a lot of turnovers last season, especially interceptions.
The Tigers' secondary had the most interceptions and forces of any NCAA Division I HBCU team last season with 19 INTs. It was No. 1 in SWAC. JSU ranks third in the conference in sacks with 29 and fourth in total defense.
Much of that success was attributed to then-defensive backs coach and newly promoted defensive coordinator Trenzo Quinn, who directly coached the corners and safeties last season.
You can expect his defensive style to produce more of the same…a lockdown defense on the perimeter that defensive QBs will hate to play against.
The Tigers lost key players at defensive back Jaheem Hazell, Tim Steward and John Huggins. Jackson State will return 47 percent of its production from a secondary that includes Kevrick Wiggins, Keidran Carrigan, Anthony Petty and B.J. Washington, who had interceptions last season.
Lockdown starting corner Jalin Hughes and starting safety Isaias Guthrie will also play big roles in the JSU secondary.
Who will be the main kicker?
Last season saw an unusual number of injuries to punters and kickers, and former Jackson State women's soccer player Leilani Armenta's number was called.
Armenta became the first female athlete in program history to play at JSU and the first female kicker from a Division I HBCU to score in an official game, making a perfect 3-for-3 on extra point attempts in a game against UAPB. Ta.
[READ: JSU kicker becomes first woman to score in HBCU history]
Dylan Wasson, a Madison native who primarily works as a punter, and Gerardo Baeza, who is also listed as a punter, kicked field goals sporadically at Jackson State last year. With the punter slot locked in place by Matt Noll, the two will compete with Armenta over who will be the primary kicker for field goals, extra points and kickoffs.
The kicking competition isn't usually the most exciting position battle during the offseason. But with the sensational emergence of Armenta, who has proven to be an efficient and reliable option that Coach Taylor can rely on, it is definitely a fight to anticipate.
The Tigers open the 2024 season on August 29th against the University of Louisiana-Monroe.
Click here to view the full schedule.
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