With Galen Tolbert heading to the NFL, it’s Galen Wayne’s time for South Alabama

Galen Wayne is no longer the “other Galen” in South Alabama crime.

Big from Spanish Forte isn’t just Jaguar’s No. 1 wide receiver this spring, he’s also a Galen No. 1. Galen Tolbert, the 2021 Sunbilt Conference MVP, left for the NFL after rewriting South Alabama for a receiving record book. in the last three seasons.

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“Obviously he’s got some big shoes to fill, but I’m not asking him to do that,” wide receivers coach Michael Smith said. “I want Galen Wayne to be the best Jane that she can be… I think we have a group of guys that can give us plays. It’s not that you want me to take Tolbert’s place, but that’s kind of an expectation.” My challenge is to go there and do the work. And if he did, we’d be fine.”

Thought to leave Tolbert ranked among the Sunbilt and Nationals leaders last season in receptions (82), yards (1,474) and touchdown receptions (8), Wayne was thought to be a good 2021 in and of itself. The former Spanish high school star had 53 receptions for 630 yards and two rushes, and he entered his final college season with 94 career receptions for 1,163 yards and five TDs.

Sophomore Caullin Lacy (41 receivers in 2021) also returned this season, but the 6-foot-2, 203-pound Wayne is the clear veteran of South Alabama’s broad receiving corps this spring. Head coach Ken Womack said he sees Wayne filling the same role that Cowan Baker (New Orleans Saints’ seventh-round pick) did in 2020, and Tolbert (likely a Top 100 pick next month) did last year.

“Galen is a great footballer,” Womack said. «He is a great athlete, the athletic ability of him in general is there with Tolbert. So I’m excited to see him take the next step. Thinking back to the past two years, Kwan Bakr took on that leading role. Then Galen Tolbert did a “A year ago. Now is Galen Wayne’s time. He has a right to go out there to be a top-tier player. So I hope he takes this role seriously.”

Wayne said, “I’m still the same, so I’m going to do what I have to do,” Wayne said. “And I’ll make sure everyone else is. What I see is that we are only as good as the weakest link, so I will make sure that whoever it is, is as good as me. it should be OK.”

South Alabama typically plays three wide receivers at a time, which means there’s a starting job open alongside Wayne and Lacy this spring. The other returning players on the roster had two passes in 2021.

Smith said freshman Devin Voisin is currently working with the first team as the third receiver and is “doing some really good stuff.” Allen Dailey (who left the team early last season but returned this spring), sophomore Nissan Dickerson, and freshmen Jay-Joan Townsend and Christian Wortham are looking for additional cast in the spring and fall.

Townsend played in three games before being benched to retain his year in the red, but he did pass for 62 yards against Georgia South. Smith admits that he should do “a better job of getting him on the court because he showed a lot of talent.”

But the alpha dog is clearly Wayne, not only in terms of experience but also in terms of attitude. He routinely takes time on the sidelines to help motivate and correct youth on a grand scale in South Alabama.

“I got a lead off the lead for the first time,” Wayne said. “And then the guys have to step up. I’m tough on them now, but that’s what we have to do. We’re real guys now, and I’m sure a lot of people have some questions about us. But I’ll do it”. make sure we’re ready.”

South Alabama returns to training camp on Wednesday. The annual Red and Blue Spring Game takes place on April 16 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.