Jaguars' Stewart has big game

• By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Sep 7, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Juamorris Stewart took step one, having a breakout game and showing he can be a clutch, go-to receiver in the process.

Stewart, a former Southern Miss transfer, had his first 100-yard games, with career highs for catches (11), yards (136) and touchdowns (two) in a 34-32 loss to Tennessee State on Saturday night in the John Merritt Classic at LP Field.

"I was extremely pleased with J-Stew, but, of course, with a night like that, you just have to come back with a 'W,' " wide receivers coach Eric Dooley said. "That's the thing that's a frown on it, because I thought the kid played hard. It looked like he wanted it."

In comparison, he had 237 yards and one TD last season and 265 yards and one TD as a freshman.

Despite the limited production, his potential was enough to land Stewart on the preseason All-Southwestern Athletic Conference second team.

"That's what I'm looking for," Dooley said. "That's the Stew I expect to see all season. That's the type of ability he has. I expect him to carry on from this and get us a win."

Quarterback Bryant Lee went to Stewart over and over on third downs.

"We had some great play calls on third downs," Lee said.

"We knew we had something we could go to," Stewart said. "They were overloading the other side of the field."

"Third downs, he knows," Stewart said. "He'll look at me and give me a little nod to let me know he's coming to me. It's a confidence he and I have."