Better quarterback play is just one aspect of Southern’s offensive success, and senior wide receiver Chandler Whitfield said his position group will help.
Whitfield, Darren Morris and Tyler Kirkwood return with a host of new additions looking to get better results from a passing game that finished sixth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference pass efficiency rankings and tied for the league lead with 13 interceptions.
“It’s going well, we’re coming together. That’s how we’ve always been, but now we’re taking it to the field,” said Whitfield, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound player from Zachary. “We help each other get set up and get it done.”
“(The new players were) a perfect fit. Even though they are new, they brought good chemistry with them.”
Detraveon Brown, who transferred from North Texas, and Quay Davis, who transferred from Texas Southern and started Monday, bring experience, while newcomers Kobe Brown and Jerrod Hicks bring young talent into the mix. They are learning quickly.
“Kobe Brown stood out the most, he is a young, great talent,” Whitfield said.
Whitfield is the Jaguars’ most successful return receiver with 17 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns, while Morris, the former Southern Labs star, was a big-play receiver with 11 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns.
“We need to get the younger players up and running quickly,” said offensive coordinator Mark Frederick. “The older players like Whitfield, Kirkwood and Morris, Detraveon Brown and Quay Davis are pretty solid.”
Frederick learned under former Jaguars offensive coordinator Mark Orlando, as did former Jaguars coach Eric Dooley. Much of the scheme remains the same, but Frederick emphasizes that receivers know all three positions. Whitfield and Morris said that process took some time, but is now taking hold.
“I’ve mostly been an outside receiver, but I’m comfortable in the slot,” Morris said. “The trick is you can dance more; you have time to do what you want. Outside, the DB is right in your face. They’re a lot more physical when you’re inside, you’ve got safeties and linebackers on you.”
Whitfield is the opposite and has mostly been in the slot in recent years.
“We’re moving from the inside to the outside and we’re not stuck in one position,” he said. “Coach Fred made it important for us to know all the wide receiver positions. It can be a lot, but you have to stick to your playbook. We help and grow together, help each other.”
“We started to stabilize in the spring. The first two days after returning were slow, but now we’re getting back into the swing of things. Things are looking good.”
Whitfield enters his fourth season on the Bluff and is the logical leader of the group. It’s a role he doesn’t take lightly, but he remains humble nonetheless. His biggest improvement is his knowledge of the offense and defense he will face.
“I’m embracing my leadership role, but I’m not too presumptuous,” he said. “It’s an honor, but at the end of the day, I’m just one of many trying to be better than them. We all want to win the championship.”
“Mentally, I’ve been better at watching films. I’m getting to know my opponent better and I’ve mastered the scheme. That’s what I’ve talked about repeatedly with coach Fred in the offseason.”
