Alabama News Center 2023 football preview: Jacksonville State University
Head coach Rich Rodriguez and his Jacksonville State Gamecocks are stepping onto a new stage with their move to NCAA Division I this season. (Jax State Athletics)
The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State University are rising again. But they’ve never been this high before.
“We’re trailblazers,” senior Treylen Brown said. “I was speaking with my dad about it, and he was like, ‘Yeah, it’s gonna be a historic year. Regardless.’
“This is huge,” the offensive lineman continued. “We’ve never been this high and we’re excited.”
Second-year head coach Rich Rodriguez said JSU’s rise to the same level as Alabama, Auburn and UAB means a lot. Not just for the football program, he said, but the university and the city, as well.
“It’s a big move up and everybody understands that,” he said. “We’ve had success at every level. At Division II, we won and moved up to I-AA and won. Now, the expectation is going to be the same.
“It’s a bigger challenge now,” Rodriguez continued. “Everything is bigger and better when you go to Division I, FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision). I think our guys are ready for it. I know they’ve worked very, very hard and we’ll see what happens.”
The move to FBS came with a rebranding of the athletic program. The Gamecocks now go by Jax State, creating a sense of a new program on the sports landscape.
“It’s an exciting time on campus, punctuated by rapid expansion,” Tim Garner, the chief marketing officer at JSU, told thebamabuzz.com. “This new visual identity builds upon that momentum, allowing us to continue to reach new students and grow the JSU family.”
The new brand of the 140-year-old institution emphasizes the Jax State moniker.
Rodriguez said his first season at JSU was about establishing the right environment, the right culture.
“We had to put our systems in, obviously, recruit and get our players to know the expectations we’re going to have,” he said at Conference USA Media Day. “Our goal every year is going to be to win the conference.”
The coach admitted that’s a challenge with Jax State having been picked to finish seventh out of nine teams in the league.
“Obviously, we were picked seventh for a reason,” he said. “At the same time, our guys have high expectations. They know the way that we want to work, so we’ll see what happens.”
Offensively, Jax State hopes to display a high-octane attack.
“I’m dating myself, but about 30 years ago when we started doing the spread/no huddle, the tempo’s been a big part of it,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve evolved with time and different personnel groupings. But more than anything else, we want to put the pedal to the metal for at least three quarters.
“If we’ve got the lead in the fourth quarter, we’ll milk the clock a little bit,” he continued. “But it takes a big commitment, not only from our offensive guys but our defensive guys. Conditioning is a huge factor. We pride ourselves on being in great shape and training that way year-round.”
The FBS era at Jax State begins with a visit from Texas-El Paso for a Week Zero game at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 26 that can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
“UTEP’s got a very good football team,” he said. “I think I saw where they had four of the five preseason all-conference offensive linemen. They had another guy or two (as preseason selections). They’re going to be one of the most talented teams in the league.
“They’re a veteran team and they’re really a veteran up front offensively,” Rodriguez said. “It’s going to be a big challenge and we know that. Sometimes you’d like to ease into your conference. We’re getting thrown in against one of the better teams in Conference USA last year.”
Alabama News Center is posting season previews for all 16 college football programs in Alabama. Read previews for Birmingham-Southern College and the University of West Alabama and look for a new football preview each weekday until the 2023 season begins.
