It’s that time of year again for Jaguar fans. The atmosphere was electric as the first home game kicked off, and fans eagerly anticipated seeing their Jaguars in action. This year, the Pete Richardson Classic featured a matchup between the Southern Jaguars and the Savannah State Tigers. Historically, before this year, the Jaguars were 4-2 all-time in the Classic, dating back to 2018. The Jags were determined to avenge their loss to McNeese State from the previous week.
The Jaguars started slowly in the first half, raising anxiety among fans who feared a repeat of last week’s performance against McNeese State. Much of this nervousness stemmed from a lack of offensive production, especially at the quarterback position. Junior quarterback Noah Bodden struggled early, missing his first five passing attempts, getting sacked three times, and throwing an interception on the Jaguars’ opening drive. Defensively, the team also faltered, allowing an 81-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. By the end of the first quarter, Southern trailed 7-3.
Head Coach Terrence Graves and his coaching staff made the decision to replace Bodden with redshirt freshman quarterback Czavian Teasett, a local standout from Scotlandville High School.
Speaking on the change, Graves said, “It looked like [Bodden] was struggling, he was pressing. We’ve got to get him back into a groove and playing like the quarterback he’s capable of being, but he was pressing tonight. I think he was trying to do too much. You always have to try to give your team a spark, so we put Teasett in, and we got back on track offensively.”
On Teasett’s first drive, he went 3-for-5 for 15 passing yards, which helped Southern take the lead, 9-7, with senior kicker Joshua Griffin nailing a 49-yard field goal, going 3-for-3 in the first half. Teasett quickly settled in and capped off an impressive drive by throwing a 38-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Chandler Whitfield, giving Southern a 16-7 lead at halftime.
The second half was all Southern, with the “Dog Day” defense not allowing a single first down. Teasett continued to impress, including a 31-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Dupree Fuller and a 33-yard touchdown to redshirt freshman wide receiver Darren Morris.
The Jaguars ultimately won 42-10. Teasett finished the game 17-for-29 with 316 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Jaguars racked up 28 first downs, 554 yards of total offense, and converted 55% of their third-down attempts.
Reflecting on his performance in front of his hometown, Teasett said, “Honestly, I just know there’s more work to do. I’m not really satisfied, not really happy. I know I’ve got more work to do, and that’s how I feel.”
Despite a dominant defensive performance against the Tigers, the Jaguars’ defense remained hungry for improvement. Senior transfer defensive end Darrius Harry, from Southeastern, commented, “We played lights out, but it wasn’t the best we could do. We have another level we can reach, and we’ve just got to keep working to get there.”
With all this in mind, the quarterback situation could become more interesting as Southern prepares to face bitter rival Jackson State. The team’s hunger for improvement leaves fans wondering just how high the Jaguars can soar this season. Southern will take on Jackson State on September 14, 2024, at 6 PM at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi.
