MOBILE, Alabama - South Alabama added another player to its roster Monday, "signing'' 11-year-old Colby Sawyer to the Jaguars' roster.

The youngster is expected to add lots of spirit and perspective to the South Alabama team.

The signing ceremony took place prior to the start of head coach Joey Jones' regular Monday press conference, with Jones introducing Sawyer to members of the media, then offering him a letter of intent to sign to become a member of the team. Sawyer, diagnosed in June of 2012 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, smiled as he wrote his name on the contract and was awarded a red, No. 1 Jags' jersey with SAWYER on the back above the number.

He offered few words, even when asked questions, but his demeanor gave away Sawyer's excitement.

"I was a little nervous for the press conference,'' Sawyer said, "but I got through it. I'm excited about the game Saturday and I really want us to win. I'm happy about being on the sideline and I'm looking forward to a win. It feels really good to be a part of the team.''

Jones said there was a fierce recruiting battle for Sawyer, but the Jags were able to out-recruit Alabama and Auburn and sign him.

The teaming of Sawyer with the Jags' football team came by way of Team Impact, which matches children facing serious health issues with college athletic teams across the country. Sawyer is a patient at USA Children's and Women's Hospital. Once diagnosed, doctors began an aggressive chemotherapy treatment for Sawyer that lasted a little more than a year.

Monday, Sawyer spent time with several of the South Alabama players, had his signing prior to Jones' press conference, spent some time in the Jags' locker room and was presented his own locker and picked up a jersey and some other South Alabama attire for his appearance at Saturday's game against Texas State.

"It's a big deal,'' Sawyer's mother, Joyce, who attended the signing along with husband Mark, said. "He's been through a lot and he's had a couple of procedures the last few weeks, and this is something that has boosted his spirits up. So he's real excited, and we are too.

"... Colby, before he was diagnosed, he played sports - football, basketball, baseball - and ever since he's been diagnosed he hasn't been able to do those. ... We have another year of this so this kind of gives him the feeling of being a part of a team even though he hasn't physically been able to be a part of a team. It's really special for us. It's a big deal just to see him smile. To give him some normalcy and happiness is a big deal to us.''

Sawyer will be on the sidelines for Saturday's game, his first with the Jags. South Alabama players Joseph Scelfo and Jesse Kelley said the team will be happy to have him alongside them as they play an important Sun Belt Conference game.

"I've spent some time with Colby and it's going to be awesome to have him around a little more,'' Scelfo said. "We've been hearing about him and now he's around and we can see him and hang out with him a little more. He's obviously a great kid. It seems like he's really excited to be here and I'm really excited to have him and have him walking around with us.''

Kelley added, "I'm looking forward to him coming over and at least spending some time on the defensive side of the ball. We will show him how physical football is - the trench warfare."

Sawyer said only that the day was "a lot of fun'' and he's ready for Saturday's game to arrive.

"It was really cool because coach Jones is letting me come to the game and watch on the sidelines,'' Sawyer said. "They gave me a locker; that's my favorite thing. I'm going to keep my jersey and football stuff in it."

Jones signed the paperwork , then slid the papers in front of Sawyer, who signed them and was welcomed to the team.

"Let me start by saying this is an important day for the University of South Alabama football program,'' said Jones. "We've got a young man here who's going to be signing with us and we're real excited to have him as part of our family. He's a guy we've been recruiting and we recruit good people and good players to be here and we're real excited to sign Colby Sawyer to a scholarship here at the University of South Alabama.''