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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WAFB) - Coach Prime is gone, but Jackson State’s prime contender is back in the mix.

Eric Dooley and his Southern Jags are picked to make another SWAC title game this fall as the top vote-getter in the Western division.

Three things are guaranteed in life. Death, Taxes, and Eric Dooley stylin’ and profilin in any public setting.

Dooley enters his second season with his Jags once again a preseason favorite to win the SWAC West.

Last year, the West was won but the conference championship was not. While that could serve as a motivational tool, Dooley is leaving it in the past.

“I don’t look in the rear view mirror and it don’t sound right because you want to correct your mistakes. I corrected my mistakes and I look in the big window ‘cause I have to move forward,” Dooley said. “I can’t let that game beat me twice. Right now I have already made the corrections to things that we need to do the things we haven’t done that we can do better so I have moved forward. Right now the only thing that is on my mind is Alabama State.”

This time last year there was some uncertainty about Southern’s starting quarterback going into the season. Well, that’s not the case this time around. Harold Blood is the unquestioned QB1 for the Jags going into Week One against Alabama State.

Blood has waited patiently for the last four years and judging by his calm, cool, and collected demeanor, he doesn’t feel much pressure.

“I always figured there would be a light at the end of the tunnel so I just kept my head down and kept working. I’m more comfortable and when you’re comfortable it brings confidence so I’m just going into the season confident and comfortable,” Blood said. “I feel like I have always been a leader but when your in the back it’s kind of hard to be as vocal so just stepping into that role and realizing that I am the guy that can be vocal.”

“I had to do a little research I looked at him when he was in high school at Destrehan and he was a gunslinger he was a guy that did some great things and you talking about Destrehan one of the top schools in the state of Louisiana,” said Dooley. “The leadership he shows off the field and then when he gets on the field he’s like unstoppable he just wants to continue to work he wants to continue to grow, he went to continue to get better.”

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