False Start: South Alabama Squeaks by UWA, but Is Disaster Lurking for Jags?

What's that old phrase?

Oh yeah: "Close only counts in horseshoes."

Well, Thursday night "close" had South Alabama counting its blessings as the Jags overcame four turnovers—including three interceptions thrown by quarterback C. J. Bennett—to beat West Alabama 20-10 in both teams' 2011 season opener.

For USA, now a perfect 18-0 in its first three years of football, it was a tersely taught lesson that this is the way its going to be from here on out.

Teams are coming after them, just as the Division II Tigers did. And if the Jags think they'll just steamroll teams like they've done the last two years, they've got another huge think coming.

Bennett ran 13 yards for one score while running back Kendall Houston, suspended for the first half for violating team rules, came off the bench in the second to run for two more scores.

Tigers quarterback Gary Johnson was a pain all night long, rushing for 100 yards on 22 carries, including the team's only TD.

But what did USA learn from this near miss (it was tied 7-7 at half)?

Here's what should've gotten their attention:

They need Houston to get his head right.

Until he and Georgia transfer Demetre Baker (also suspended for the first half) decide they want to be the lethal one-two punch they showed they can be, the running game won't be very feared.
They combined for 118 yards in just one half of work.

Don’t juice-up the opponent.

After every turnover, the Tigers came out with a renewed sense of purpose.
Good teams will take advantage of turnovers every time out.

Don't put the defense in bad spots.

Luckily, the defense was more than up to the task despite the holes the offense sometimes put them into as it kept Johnson and UWA's offense under wraps when it counted most.

Don't "drive" the car into the ditch.

Nothing kills drives quicker than penalties.

USA had nine miscues for 60 yards, but many came after good yardage had been made.

Bennett says he'll be in the film room tomorrow looking at the bad reads he made on the interceptions so he can come back out firing again when Lamar comes to town next week.

I suggest he take the entire team to the room with him, or next week "close" might mean disaster.