Who's Hot, Who's Not: South Alabama
Who’s Hot: Louisiana Tech
Teddy Veal: It is official; Veal has found his home in the slot for Tech. After sitting out a year ago after transferring in from Tulane, Veal was hyped up to be the best receiver Tech had by a wide margin. Two games in to 2017 and that was difficult for most fans to see. Skip Holtz shifted Veal to slot after the loss to Mississippi State due to a couple of injuries, and Veal has taken off. The junior wide receiver has collected 19 catches for 188 yards and one touchdown in his past two games. Veal will remain a key cog for the Tech offense going forward.
Rhashid Bonnette: Bonnette, a sophomore wide receiver from Loreauville, is really coming into his own. A week ago against Western Kentucky, Bonnette had three grabs for 140 yards and a touchdown. He followed up that performance with a strong showing against South Carolina catching six balls for 94 yards. Bonnette brings an added dimension to the Tech offense with his ability to stretch the field vertically. Bonnette along with Teddy Veal are the two go-to receivers for J’Mar Smith.
Aaron Roberson: Roberson played the best game of his young Bulldog career against Western Kentucky, grading out as the second best cornerback in Conference USA. Roberson followed that up with his second career interception against South Carolina. Roberson returned the interception 19 yards and set up a Jonathan Barnes 52 yard field goal. The “Rob Bros” at cornerback are quickly becoming one of the best cornerback tandems in Conference USA.
Who’s Not: Louisiana Tech
Bulldogs Rushing Game: Perhaps the biggest reason that Tech did not pull off the upset at South Carolina was the inability to get the running game going. The ‘Dogs averaged only 2.9 yards per carry on 28 rushing attempts, which is not exactly a recipe to pull off an upset in an SEC venue. This week against South Alabama and going forward into conference play, it will be a priority for Coach Holtz and his staff to get Jarred Craft and Boston Scott some room to run.
Who’s Hot: South Alabama
Xavier Johnson: The senior tailback has been one of the few bright spots for the Jaguar offense. On the year he is averaging over five yards per tote and has four touchdowns on the year. Against Idaho Saturday, Johnson carried the rock 20 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. If Tech is going to have success, they will need to slow down the very talented running back for the Jaguars.
Jeremy Reaves: The senior safety for the Jaguars played one heck of a game in Saturday’s loss to Idaho. He collected 12 tackles (seven solo), two tackles for loss, and had three passes defended. For the year, he leads the Jaguars with 33 stops and five tackles for loss.
Finesse Middleton: The best pass rusher that the Jaguars have to offer had six tackles and one and a half sacks on Saturday. The 6’1” 240 pound defensive end also had two quarterback hurries in the ball game. While he is a bit undersized, he uses speed and quickness to make disruptive plays in the backfield. Middleton has three sacks thus far in 2017, and Tech will need to keep a keen eye on him Saturday.
Who’s Not: South Alabama
Dallas Davis: The junior signal caller finished just 11-25 for 106 yards and one interception in the loss to Idaho Saturday. After missing spring practice due to a shoulder injury, the 2017 season has gotten off to an exceptionally slow start. Davis has thrown for only 487 yards in three games. The 55% completion percentage is becoming worrisome as well. Backup quarterback Cole Garvin started at Ole Miss and played well so it would not be a shock to see him get some time against the Bulldogs Saturday.
The Jaguar Offense: Tech will face yet again an offense that is really looking to get things going in a positive direction. The Jaguars average only 328 yards a game. The run game has been solid but not spectacular averaging 153 yards per contest. The passing game on the other hand has been brutal, averaging just 174 yards per game. The struggles offensively led to offensive coordinator, Bryant Vincent, being relieved of his duties this past Sunday. It will be interesting to see if South Alabama can get things going on Saturday.