Southern notebook: Jaguars have strength in numbers

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana --  Most of the players who checked in Wednesday at Southern didn’t have much catching up to do.

First-year coach Dawson Odums said more than 70 of the 95 players who reported for fall camp were active members of Southern’s conditioning and weight program this summer. Odums said the number was in the 20s last year.

“I’m excited about it,” Odums said. “I think it creates a lot of excitement for our football program and really gives us a chance to create some continuity with all those guys having been here this summer.”

Odums said he believes the increase in participation will show when Southern conducts conditioning tests Thursday morning. Quarterback Dray Joseph said he thinks it will show on game day as well.

“When you get on the field and it’s fourth-and-1 and you see that player that you worked out with all summer, you understand you have been there before and you’re grinding together,” he said. “So let’s get it done.”

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