Homecoming week for the Southern Jaguars is in full effect! As you may have guessed, the on-campus festivities have already begun putting the students and fans in great spirits as they await this Saturday’s game. Today’s campus fun is a French Quarter Fest in Horace G. Moody Intramural Complex called “Do What you Wanna.” As the students turn up, the Jaguars’ team prepares for their 6pm kickoff against Alabama A&M this Saturday, October 7.
Southern will not wait for a last-minute decision regarding quarterback Austin Howard this week. This past week, Howard left the Fort Valley State game with an ankle injury in the second quarter. According to coach Dawson Odums, Howard is healthy and will be ready to apply pressure this Saturday in the homecoming game. Howard has struggled this season, missing two games and a majority of the past month of practice with a knee injury and this isn’t the same injury that forced him to leave the Fort Valley State game. In hopes of not worsening his condition, Odums decided to give him a break and not have him return to the field. Well it looks like it played out in the Jags’ favor! Odums said, Austin Howard was “feeling good” as he participated in Monday’s practice. Now a big factor for Southern is making sure Howard gets back in the rhythm.
Against Alcorn State, Howard completed 30 of 57 passes for 312 yards. He has turned the ball over twice and thrown three touchdowns. “He can see that his timing is off, he’s a little rusty because he missed a lot of time,” Odums said. “I think he’s going to get that timing back this week and we’re going to try and see if he can be out there a little bit more.”
Heading into Southern’s homecoming game, Alabama A&M’s defense is Number 2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They have only given up 171 yards per game through the air so the Jaguars must come correct! Southern’s Danny Johnson was also named the SWAC Specialist of the Week after he returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown against Fort Valley State. Johnson has only returned four punts this season so that’s an amazing accomplishment. He made each one count tallying up 151 return yards for a 37.8 yard average.
As the week progresses, Southern University will continue to have an eventful week on campus, hopefully setting the tone for this week’s battle on the bluff. I’m excited to see the Jaguar Nation come out, fire up their grills and pour into the stands to watch the Southern Jaguars knockout Alabama A&M in their homecoming game!
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