Jacksonville State Gamecocks: Creel and a Deep Core Chase Another CUSA Run
Jacksonville State went 9-5 and 7-1 in Conference USA in 2025, reaching the league championship game for the second year in a row and closing the season with a bowl victory. Charles Kelly enters his second year in charge after a 9-5 debut, and the biggest change comes on offense, where Taylor Housewright takes over as coordinator. The Gamecocks also have to absorb the loss of Conference USA MVP running back Cam Cook, who led the nation in rushing before transferring to West Virginia, but they bring back a strong core on both sides of the ball.
Offense
Dual-threat quarterback Caden Creel returns to run the offense after a productive 2025, when he threw for 1,514 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 more while accounting for 16 total touchdowns, earning MVP honors in the Salute to Veterans Bowl. Redshirt freshman Jack Moran is in line to back him up. Establishing a consistent run game around Creel under a new coordinator looms as the biggest key to the season.
The passing game is headlined by 6-foot-8 target Deondre Johnson, who caught 30 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns and returns as the leading receiver after beginning his college career at Rutgers. Dylan Gentry, Franklin Baret Jr. and Gabe Glover are all back to take on larger roles, and the group added Missouri State transfer Ronnel Johnson, who posted 463 yards and two scores, along with Murray State transfer Darius Cannon, who put up 737 yards and three touchdowns at the FCS level. At tight end, South Dakota State transfer David Alpers III arrives as a notable addition.
Replacing Cook, who led the country in rushing, will likely be handled by committee. The room still has plenty of returning depth in Khristian Lando, Andrew Paul, Justus Savage, Jalen Likely and Lucas Farrington, with Lando among those expected to see early carries. Turning that group into a reliable ground attack is the central question for the new-look offense.
The line returns experience up front, led by Conference USA All-Freshman honorees Lucas Mrachkovskiy and Lance Johnson. Tackle Jeremiah Orr is back after missing most of 2025 with an injury, and Daylan Martin returns following redshirt-freshman action. North Alabama transfer Ryan Walker and Mercer transfer Amarii Atchison are among the offseason additions competing for time.
Defense
The front is the unit hit hardest by offseason turnover, with the Gamecocks losing significant production off the edge. They lean on returnees Khurtiss Perry (21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss), Gharin Stansbury (five tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries) and Jawaun Campbell to steady the group. Wisconsin transfer Angel Toombs, a 6-5, 260-pound addition, is expected to play a big role on the new-look line, and Harding transfer Nii Addy joins the rotation. Finding replacement pass rush is the clearest area to watch.
The linebacker corps is a strength, anchored by the team's top two tacklers. Mac Sanders led the way with 85 total stops and a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss as a freshman, while Walker O'Steen was right behind with 84 tackles and added six quarterback hurries. Myles Butler, Ian Mitchell and Jacob Cruz give the group additional depth.
The secondary is the defense's biggest strength and returns significant experience. Cornerbacks Tre'Quon Fegans, who broke up nine passes, and Jaheim Jenkins both come back after strong seasons. First-team All-Conference USA safety Caleb Nix headlines the group after recording four interceptions and three fumble recoveries, and Marc Woods is a name to watch alongside him. Rob Billings IV factors in at nickel, with transfers Vernon Woodward III and Kaden Cook adding depth.
Special teams are in good hands. First-team All-Conference USA kicker Garrison Rippa returns after a perfect 40-for-40 season on extra points and a long field goal of 52 yards, connecting on 21 of 28 field goal tries with several game-winners. Ireland native Conor Donaghy is back at punter after averaging 39.6 yards per kick. Cannon and Gentry are among the options in the return game.
Overview and Prediction
Jacksonville State has played for a Conference USA title in each of the past two seasons, winning one, and has reached a bowl in three straight years, so the program has firmly established itself in the league conversation. The schedule opens on the road at North Dakota State before a nonconference trip to Ohio, then settles into a CUSA slate that runs through Kennesaw State, Western Kentucky and Sam Houston.
With Creel back under center, a deep and experienced secondary, and a productive linebacker duo, the Gamecocks again profile as one of the better teams in the conference. The preseason consensus slots them around fourth in Conference USA. If Housewright can rebuild the run game without Cook and the reshaped defensive line finds a pass rush, Jacksonville State should stay in the CUSA race down the stretch.