Jacksonville State set to open Conference USA play against rival Kennesaw State

It's a new season for Rich Rodriguez.

After playing its full nonconference slate in the first four weeks of the season and snapping a three-game losing streak, Jacksonville State is set to take on eight straight Conference USA games starting this Friday.

"Conference games always mean a little bit more, and I told the team that," Rodriguez said. "Every game is important, but the conference games add a little bit more importance to it, and we've got to expect the intensity level and our ability to execute has to rise as well."

The Gamecocks are set to play at Kennesaw State on Friday, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Fifth Third Stadium in Kennesaw.

While the Owls are sitting at 0-4 after a 24-13 loss to FCS UT Martin, Rodriguez said he still believes Kennesaw State has played well at times despite some "tough losses."

"I've got a lot of respect for their staff, for their players; they play really, really hard, very athletic," Rodriguez said. "I think the last game, the weather was bad, the field, the ball was wet. It was hard for anybody to do much in the second half with the weather conditions."

The Gamecocks earned their first win of the season against Southern Miss on Sept. 21, blowing out the Golden Eagles 44-7.

After the offense scored its season high in points and Jax State's defense forced six turnovers, Rodriguez said he was encouraged with the team being able to rebound from a tough stretch.

Jax State's other three opponents — Coastal Carolina, Louisville and Eastern Michigan — are a combined 10-3.

Quarterback Tyler Huff ranks atop all Conference USA players in total offense (1,143 yards), with Jacksonville State now averaging the second-most yards per game (394.8) and third-most points per game (29.8) in Conference USA.

J-Rock Swain ranks first in the conference in tackles for loss (six) and second in sacks (2.5), while Antonio Carter ranks third in total tackles (39).

"I think we certainly took steps in the last game, and even the game before that," Rodriguez said. "As any coach, you'd like to have certain things, playing a little bit better or more confident in everything we're doing, but I do think we've gotten better, and I thought we took a big step in the last game."

Rodriguez said running back Andrew Paul, who transferred from Georgia this offseason, should be practicing and he expects him " hopefully to be full go" against Kennesaw State.

"Other than that, injury-wise, the ones that are out are still out, but I think the rest of the guys are relatively healthy," Rodriguez said.

Kennesaw State's offense is keyed by quarterback Bryson Davis, who has thrown for 540 yards and run for 150 this season; Rodriguez said Davis is "very athletic."

"He can try to beat you running as well," Rodriguez said. "That's always a different dynamic if you have a quarterback, you can run. I've been impressed with their receivers, they run great routes; they've got some guys that can run."

Preston Daniels, who is listed as a tight end on the team's online roster, has scored the lone two rushing touchdowns for Kennesaw State; the 5-foot-11, 250-pound redshirt senior is one of four players to run for over 50 yards.

"They're kind of like us, in a lot of ways," Rodriguez said. "We're maybe not the biggest team in the world, but they're very athletic, and I thought about their defense as well. They've got guys that can run the guys up front defense, they do a lot of movement, a lot of stemming, a lot of slatting and angling and taking advantage of their athleticism."

Despite the questions surrounding playing on Friday, Rodriguez and his team are excited to get a "natural rival" back on the schedule with the Owls moving to Conference USA.

"Even when I got here, I remember the kids saying, 'Kennesaw is a big game, it's a good team, so on, and they won a lot of games,'" Rodriguez said. "I think that was a natural rival for us, and at least may be the most natural rival for us in Conference USA."