South Alabama had to replace its all-time leader in points made, field goals and extra points this season, but saw no decline at kicker thanks to Laith Marjan.

The move to East Carolina was a perfect fit for the departed Diego Guajardo, a four-year starter who scored 325 points on 58 field goals and 125 extra points during his career at South Alabama. Heading into Saturday’s game against Louisiana, Marjan (pronounced “Marge”) is 29 of 31 on extra points (with one of the attempts failing due to a poor exchange between snapper and holder ) and 14 of 15 on field goals (with the only miss coming from 50 yards) while also handling the Jaguars’ kickoffs.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” said Marjan, who has scored nine straight goals since that one miss against Northwestern State on Sept. 14. “…I just knew because I played at my old school that I wasn’t going to walk in and have everything handed to me. You still have to go out every day and prove it.

Marjan’s production this season has been a pleasant surprise for the Jaguars, considering he hasn’t attempted a field goal or extra point in his three years at East Carolina. He joined the South Alabama program in January via the transfer portal, but only after the Jaguars signed high school kicker Davis Little in December.

Marjan struggled during an inconsistent spring at South Alabama, but tentatively beat out Little for the kickoff and kickoff job in preseason camp. After Little was lost for the season due to injury in September, it became Marjan’s full-time show.

“He did a great job,” South Alabama coach Major Applewhite said. “He had an okay spring, not great, but he had a really good fall camp. We came out against North Texas (in the first game of the season) on the first drive, he scores a field goal. Then he made several more. He has really settled into this role.

Marjan’s father, Nawaf, grew up in Kuwait before coming to the United States in the early 1990s to study business at North Carolina State. The family settled in Raleigh, where Marjan played several sports at Enloe Magnet High School.

At 6-foot-2 and 219 pounds, Marjan hardly looks like the stereotypical little kicker. He played several sports in his youth before switching from soccer to soccer midway through high school.

“I played every sport growing up: baseball, basketball, swimming, soccer, football, but football was my main sport. As things became more competitive, I started playing just soccer for a few years. …I’ve always been tall, but kind of lanky and skinny. I didn’t really grow up until I joined the football team and started doing football drills in high school. It was definitely a transition. I played football and football, but then I fell in love with football.

Louisiana is 8-1 overall and sits in first place in the Sun Belt West division with a 5-0 conference record, although South Alabama (4-5, 3-2) has still an outside chance for a spot in the league championship game if he wins and the Ragin’ Cajuns lose twice. That task begins Saturday in Lafayette, where Louisiana is around a touchdown favorite.

The last time South Alabama played at Cajun Field, Guajardo kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give the Jaguars a 20-17 victory in 2022. Marjan said he ‘d like nothing more than to repeat history on Saturday.

“I hope I’m lucky enough to have this opportunity,” Marjan said. “But at the end of the day, you have to treat it like any other basket. Yes, score matters, and I hit a few that kept us in the game or gave us the lead. But when it’s an important topic, you’ll be a little concerned about it, like “yeah, it’s for the game.” But you just kind of have to let that be a fleeting thought, push it aside and go for it, trust my guys and do what I do.

• After its bye week, South Alabama is largely healthy at most positions except inside linebacker. The Jaguars lost two of their top four in the position group – Gavin Forsha and Dalton Hughes – to season-ending knee injuries.

That forced the Jaguars to move freshmen Julian Demby and Parker Shattuck into the rotation behind starters Blayne Myrick and Darius McKenzie and veteran backup Chrystyile Caldwell. Demby played in eight games – totaling three tackles and a fumble recovery, while Shattuck saw action in the last three games – with four tackles and a pass breakup.

“It’s just the next guy,” defensive coordinator Will Windham said. “…The injuries caused many casualties in this room. It helps that Gavin and Dalton are still there; they kind of became secondary coaches behind (inside linebackers coach Cam) Cleminson. … Blayne is playing at a high level and Darius is playing at a high level. But no matter who is in there, we just have to make sure we communicate. We all have to work together.

Another player recovering from injury is junior cornerback Ricky Fletcher, who missed the entire season with a lower back stress fracture. Fletcher was cleared to practice, Applewhite said, but he likely wouldn’t be in shape before a potential bowl game for the Jaguars.

The news is better for receiver Javon Ivory, who is out this season with a knee injury. Applewhite said Ivory — a fifth-year senior — has been cleared for contact and could begin returning to the receiver rotation over the final three games of the regular season.

Kickoff for South Alabama-Louisiana on Saturday is set for 6 p.m. at Cajun Field. The game will be streamed live via ESPN+.