746171 SOUTH Alabama

Published Jun. 20, 2023, 9:37 a.m. By Ben Thomas | South Alabama head football coach Kane Wommack promised to recruit locally when he took over the Jags program in December of 2020. It wasn’t just talk. Wommack and the Jags picked up a pair of Mobile-area commitments over the weekend in St. Paul’s offensive lineman Asher Hale and Theodore defensive lineman Kevin Norwood. Hale and Norwood are the first two to join Wommack’s 2024 class. “He has lived up to what he said he was going to do,” Theodore coach Steve Mask said. “With his leadership and the staff he has assembled and the added value of the facilities over there, they’ve got a good thing going. Winning 10 games last year doesn’t hurt either. You really have to like what he has established in a short period of time.” St. Paul’s head coach Ham Barnett was a big fan of Wommack even before Hale, one of the Saints’ top players, committed to the Jags on Sunday. “I think the relationships they’ve built with the high school coaches have been amazing,” he said. “I feel like we have a great relationship with Kane and his staff. They are very honest with me. I see them and talk to them a good bit. I love the culture there. I love the community they’ve built. I’m a huge fan of that staff, especially coach Wommack, and that is not just coach speak.” The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Hale likely will be a guard or center at South. He plays primarily left tackle at St. Paul’s but can move all around the line as Barnett sees fit. He has dropped 15 pounds from last year, which will help his quickness. “As a sophomore, I think he played at about 325,” Barnett said. “Last year, he played around 315 and moved better. This year, he should play even quicker and faster. I think South can make him whatever they want to make him, and I think that was intriguing for their staff. Asher hasn’t reached his full potential yet – not even close.” Barnett described Hale as a “violent” blocker. “Colleges ask him what his favorite part of football is, and he says, ‘I like to hurt people,’” Barnett said. “As a coach, I like to hear that, particularly from an offensive lineman. He’s nasty. He finishes blocks and finishes plays. He will be a leader for us this year.” The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Norwood transferred from Blount to Theodore in the offseason. Mask said not only does he have great explosiveness, he also plays “very, very” hard. “I think he has a chance to be great,” he said. “I had (former Blount star) Lee Hunter in the Alabama-Mississippi game a few years ago. He was a high-profile guy, and I think Kevin is as good as he was. Kevin can have a great, great career. He reminds me a little of (former St. Paul’s, Memphis defensive end) Bryce Huff. Both have great get-off.” Wommack told reporters after his first season at South that he planned to sign at least five players – either high school seniors or transfers – from the Gulf Coast each recruiting class. In the Class of 2022, he signed McGill-Toolen running back Braylon McReynolds and Fairhope safety Blayne Myrick, added transfers Daniel Foster-Allen and DJ Thomas-Jones and placed walk-on running back Bryan Hill on scholarship. A year ago, South signed UMS-Wright running back Cole Blaylock, McGill-Toolen wide receiver Anthony Eager and Cottage Hill defensive lineman Trent Thomas as well as adding transfers Lucas Taylor and LaDareyen Craig. It looks like Hale and Norwood may be just the start of South’s local signees for the 2024 class. Vigor athlete Jerrian Graham listed the Jaguars among his top five schools on Monday. The list also included Louisiana, Jacksonville State, Troy and Arkansas State.