Jacksonville, AL (SportsNetwork.com) - The depth of the Jacksonville State football team stood out to second-year coach John Grass during spring practices.
"When you look around the field, you can't really tell the difference between the ones and twos," Grass said after the White team defeated the Red team, 17-9, in the Gamecocks' annual spring game Saturday.
Jacksonville State believes it has found some linebackers to replace last year's excellent group, the running game will continue to be strong and the secondary looks deeper.
And then there's starting quarterback Eli Jenkins.
The redshirt junior led the White team to two touchdown drives in the win. He threw a 7-yard score to Dalton Screws in the first quarter and scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
He completed 10-of-16 pass attempts for 151 yards and added 29 yards on the ground.
The teams were drafted by seniors. Folo Johnson and Troymaine Pope drafted the winning team, and Christian LeMay, Dawson Wells and Spencer Goffigan picked the Red team.
LeMay was 7-for-20 for 83 yards, while Josh Barge caught seven passes for 91 yards. Connor Rouleau kicked 44- and 49-yard field goals.
"Being able to do a scrimmage like we did it, with as many guys as we have out, it's pretty impressive," Grass said. "Overall, our depth is pretty good, there's no doubt we wouldn't have been able to do this two springs ago."
In Grass' first season last year, the Gamecocks won the Ohio Valley Conference title and finished 10-2 with a No. 9 final ranking in The Sports Network FCS Top 25.
Jacksonville State will play 11 regular-season games this year, kicking off the campaign on Sept. 5 at Chattanooga.
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