Mitchell seeks more pieces

 
With National Signing Day over with, some football fans would think that the recruiting process is over… it isn’t. ​
In college football recruiting is never over its actually year round, with recruits visiting campuses and talking to coaches. ​
Southern isn’t any different just last year the Jaguars picked up college transfer Jamie Payton, a linebacker out of Lambuth College, who made a significant contribution to the Jaguars making first-team all-Southwestern Athletic Conference team. ​
As of right now the Jaguars have signed 12 players and have three grayshirt players who are students who are early enrolled and can participate in spring drills. ​
“There’s a couple of guys we’re going to have to wait on to see how they finish, but that’s only two guys out of the 12,” said head coach Stump Mitchell addressing the signees who are eligible to play for the Jags come fall.​
In year three of the APR suspensions the Jaguars are slowly recovering, being allowed to give 26 more scholarships this season than this time last year. ​
“This year, it’s not as drastic as it was last year,” said Mitchell addressing the added number of scholarships for student-athletes. “Last year, it was a total of 54 scholarships and we could not spread that over any amount other than the 54. So the big difference we are allowed to have 80 students-athletes on aid as opposed to only 54,” coach Mitchell added.​
The Jaguars will look for this recruiting class to contribute early just like Mitchell’s previous two classes.
“I would like for Greg Pittman to focus on kicking PATs field goals and kicking off, as opposed to having to punt,” said Mitchell, referring to the 5-10, 170-pound kicker from New Orleans that signed Wednesday.  ​
Just like last year with the late pick-up of Payton during the summer, the Jaguars are hopeful to find transfers.
“Some of the guys that were at junior colleges at your major colleges were anticipating those guys graduating in December and it didn’t happen, maybe they went on with someone else and those guys are looking for a place to land so we will be looking for a couple of those guys,” said Mitchell. ​
The Jaguars will also have players who won’t be under athletic scholarships but will attend and will have the opportunity to play under academic scholarships by walking on. ​
“We will have some guys that right now pretty sound academically and didn’t really get the opportunity in terms of being given the offered a scholarship to go some place and play some of them decided​ to stay here in Baton Rouge and we are grateful very talented young men for whatever reason that they weren’t offered a scholarship,” said Mitchell addressing future Jaguars like Lenoard Tillery of McKinley High School. 
Next on the Jaguars to do list is to start Spring Training which usually starts in the month of March and April.