#10 SFA (0-0; 0-0) VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE (0-0; 0-0)
FCS KICKOFF CLASSIC
WHEN: AUG. 27 (SAT.) 2:30 P.M.
WHERE: MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA (CRAMTON BOWL)
TV: ESPN
And here we go, welcome to the 2022 SFA Football Season.
Kicking things off this season for your Lumberjacks, we will travel to sweet home Alabama, and a rematch with the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State.
This will be the final season in the FCS ranks for JSU, as C-USA and the status of FBS awaits the Gamecoacks in 2023. This might be the final season in the ASUN, but it will be the first season with Head Coach Rich Rodriguez at the helm, hired back in late November to turn the program back around.
Rodriguez at one time was one of the hottest coaches in the nation rising from the ranks of NAIA at Glenville State, where he took a 1-7-1 program to a 10-3 conference champion and an appearance in the NAIA National Championship Game in just 3 seasons.
After winning 4-straight conference championships at Glenville State, Rodriguez would have stops at Tulane and Clemson as an offensive genius with his no huddle, run-oriented version of the spread offense as well as the zone read play, run out the of the shotgun formation, where (Shaun King) at Tulane (12-0 in 1998) and (Woodrow Dantzler) at Clemson and later (Pat White) at West Virgina would find so successful.
In 2001 West Virginia (Rich's Alma Mater) came a calling hiring Rich as their Head Coach, where he would turn around a 3-8 team into a top 20 team (#20), a second place finish in the Big East and a post season Bowl game to finish 9-4. Next to follow would be three straight Big East Titles, high lighted by a Top 5 finish and a Sugar Bowl Victory to finish 11-1.
After 4-conference championships, three straight 10+ win seasons, and 4 Top 20 finishes, Rodriguez was off to the Big 10 and the head coaching job of the Wolverines of Michigan.
But after a promising start in Ann Arbor, Rodriguez was dismissed at the conclusion of the 2010 season going three seasons with records of 3-9; 5-7; 7-6 doing no better than 7th in the Big Ten.
Taking a couple of seasons off, Rich found himself back into coaching, when he was hired by the Wildcats of Arizona, where he found some success in his 6 seasons, high lighted by a 10-4 2014 season, with a PAC-12 Conference Championship, a trip to the Fiesta Bowl, and finishing in the Top 20. Later he would be fired after the 2017 season, when on going investigations were being conducted into a sexual harassment allegation.
For the next few seasons Rodriguez was the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and Louisiana-Monroe.
Now in 2022 Rodriguez takes over a 5-6 Gamecock program looking to build up for it's move to the FBS.
With a new coaching staff in place, all positions are pretty much open, so looking at the leaders in stats who return, we have Sophomore QB Matthew Caldwell 6-4; 195 out of Auburn who played in 3 games completing 14 passes for 136 yards.
Junior running back Josh Samuel 5-11; 215 returns after rushing for 714 yards (6 yards per carry) and 6 scores.
At receiver, the Gamecocks return sophomore P.J. Wells 6-3; 190 and Junior Ahmad Edwards 6-1; 185 who combined for 1,135 yards and 8 TDs in 2021. JSU also brought in Tennessee TE transfer Jackson Lowe 6-5; 240.
The defense is lead by senior linebacker Markail Benton 6-2; 230 who lead the team in tackles with 69; 6.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks and an INT.
Rodriguez did take a dip into the transfer portal, bringing in North Carolina State R/Fr. QB Aaron McLaughlin 6-5; 220 **** #9 QB prospect according to ESPN. Texas Tech WR Sterling Galban *** 5-10; 180, East Carolina WR TJ Lockley 6-0; 180 *** and DL Brayden Wood 6-2; 275 ***
JACKSONVILLE STATE (18 Returning starters from 2021)
OFFENSE (7/11)
QB: 0/1
RB: 0/1
OL: 3/5
WR: 3/3
TE: 1/1
DEFENSE (9/11)
DL: 1/3
LB: 3/3
DB: 5/5
SPECIAL TEAMS (2/2)
P: 1/1
K: 1/1
SFA will be looking for redemption after the 24-28 heart breaking loss in Jacksonville last season, where costly turnovers did them in.
No doubt the Lumberjacks are loaded with talent on both sides of the ball with all conference and all American players that are primed more than ever to have that signature season, that announces to the nation that SFA, the football school has arrived.
Axe'Em!
