Southern tripped up from the start in its season opener

HOUSTON, Texas  --  Dawson Odums took over as Southern’s head coach after a near-disastrous 0-2 start last season.

He provided discipline and stability that yielded a more respectable team during a 4-5 finish, leading to a two-year contract for him and increased optimism entering his first full season. The Jaguars were picked to finish second in the Southwestern Athletic Conference West Division, their highest projection in five seasons.

Southern might yet be a SWAC contender, but its season-opening performance did little to justify the optimism. The Jaguars committed four turnovers and several debilitating penalties and mostly couldn’t get out of their own way in a 62-13 loss to Houston on Friday in Reliant Stadium.

“You can’t give the ball away, especially against a good Division I team,” Odums said. “They’re going to capitalize with a short field. They had four (scoring) drives of (fewer than) 50 yards.”

Daniel Spencer had 102 yards and two touchdowns receiving and ran for ...

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Southern’s Dray Joseph stars but gets little help

HOUSTON — Southern quarterback Dray Joseph surveyed the landscape of scrambling bodies and managed to freeze Houston linebacker Austin Wilson. That split second created a seam that let Joseph fire a dart to receiver Samuel Altman for a 19-yard touchdown that drew the Jaguars within seven points in the second quarter Friday night at Reliant Stadium — a fleeting highlight in a 62-13 season-opening loss.

Faith in Joseph’s left arm shouldn’t waver, though. The senior, a preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference pick, reeled off 15 consecutive completions after misfiring on his first throw and finished with 268 yards and two touchdowns on 27-of-36 passing.

“I did a great job controlling my energy,” said Joseph, who started the night 15 of 16 for 163 yards. “I didn’t want to be too excited and overthrow balls, and I just came out and played an efficient game.”

Acting as the leader for the Southern offense isn’t new for the senior, who led the conference in passing last season.

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