Southern preseason camp: Five big questions and four big position battles

FIVE BIG QUESTIONS

1. Can the Jaguars return to the top?

It’s been five years since Southern last won a conference championship and four since the Jaguars have been to the SWAC title game. Not much remains from those teams, with the exception of wide receiver Randall Menard and a few coaches. All roads still lead through Grambling, and the Jaguars haven’t defeated their archrival in four years, either. With so many changes, the league is more wide open than it’s been in recent years, and Southern has a shot at breaking the drought.

2. Can Menard make a big difference?

Randall Menard was perhaps the most talented receiver Southern had over the past several years — when he was healthy. A broken leg last season was thought to be the end of his injury-plagued career, but the NCAA granted him a sixth year of eligibility, giving one more chance to fulfill his potential. He will be a major asset, providing off-the-field leadership, but Southern needs him to produce on the field as well.

3. What about the passing game?

The Jaguars weren’t dominant through the air last year, passing for just 2,317 yards, fifth-most in the SWAC. But they could count on veteran Austin Howard when they needed a big play. Howard is gone now, and with no clear-cut starter (yet) there’s no way to tell what the offense will look like for sure. But one thing is certain: Whoever wins the job will need to make a clutch throw eventually.

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