SAVANNAH, Ga. - If Savannah State University's football team wants to celebrate Homecoming with a victory Saturday, second-year head coach Steve Davenport said the Tigers must stop Edward Waters College's triple-option attack.
 
SSU (0-6) will play the Edward Waters Tigers (4-3) at 2 p.m. at T.A. Wright Stadium. Edward Waters, an NAIA team from Jacksonville, Fla., is 13-8-4 in the series against SSU. The last time the teams played, on Oct. 31, 2009, SSU won, 45-24.
 
“You've got to defend all three phases of it: the dive, and the quarterback who is athletic, and then the pitch,” Davenport said of the triple-option. “And that's what really makes it tough. When they do mix in the wrinkle of a pass it's off of that action so it's really dangerous. You look at it on TV and, being a (Georgia) Tech alum, you see the intricacies of it. But when you study it, it can be something. At least it gives us practice for Georgia Southern next year.”
 
Edward Waters' second-year head coach is Brad Bernard, a former Georgia Southern offensive lineman who played on the Eagles' 1986 and '89 NCAA Division I-AA national championship teams. Bernard, who guided Edward Waters to a 5-5 record last season, told the Florida Courier in August that 90 percent of his players are not on scholarship.
 
Edward Waters, which has not produced a winning season since 2004, spoiled SSU's Homecoming with victories in 2007 (24-7) and 2003 (34-28).
 
SSU, which has not produced a winning season since 1998, is attempting to snap its 13-game losing streak, the longest in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Tigers have not won since Sept. 24, 2011, when they beat North Carolina Central, 33-30, in both teams' first game as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference members.
 
To prepare for Edward Waters, Davenport had third-string quarterback Leon Prunty, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound freshman from Stockbridge, run the triple-option on SSU's scout team this week.
 
“Prunty ran that offense at Stockbridge High School,” Davenport said after Thursday's practice. “His coach, Kevin Whitley, is a Georgia Southern alum, and they run that style of offense at Stockbridge. (Prunty) had some success with it against our guys. He's kind of proficient at it, and he's done a good job this week.”
 
Davenport said SSU's defense must be disciplined and play assignment football to stop the triple-option. SSU is ranked No. 119 out of 121 teams in the FCS in rushing defense, giving up 316.8 yards rushing per game.
 
“We're working on discipline and making sure everybody is where they're supposed to be, but the ultimate reality is you've got to tackle as well when you're there,” Davenport said. “That's our biggest challenge, tackling.”
 
Edward Waters outlook
Edward Waters is coming off a 30-29 victory over Webber International last Saturday.
 
“We've seen four of their games,” Davenport said. “They're an athletic team. Their quarterback is athletic. Their scheme of offense to get the ball to the athletes is really dangerous. They're not very big up front but they do what they do, and it's a solid challenge for us. And it's always a challenge the first time you see this offense. And this is our first time in a long time.”
 
Edward Waters quarterback Brandon Turman, a senior from Thomson, has run 96 times for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Turman, a three-year starter, is 44-of-87 passing for for 759 yards and nine touchdowns. He has thrown six interceptions.
 
B-back Phillip Teamer, a senior, has run 84 times for 509 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Ralph Shuler has run 25 times for 238 yards and six touchdowns.
 
Wide receiver Suwayne Hylton has made 12 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Devion Laws has seven catches for 94 yards and three touchdowns.
 
On special teams, kicker Jerry Martin has made all four of his field-goal attempts, including a long of 34 yards.
 
Defensively, safety Tony Goodman has made a team-high 54 tackles. He was named to the NAIA Preseason All-America first team. Defensive back Bertram Balfour has intercepted two passes and is second on the team in tackles with 34. Linebacker Bernard
 
Dawson is third in tackles with 27, including three sacks.
 
Davenport said he hopes SSU's players will not get so wrapped up in Homecoming festivities that they lose focus of Saturday's game.
 
“There is a curfew but they are able to do some things,” Davenport said. “We've all been college students, and Homecoming is special around here, so you don't want to really party poop their entire fun.
 
“But I told them in the team meeting on Tuesday, 'The reality is, if we don't go out and win the football game, we've spoiled Homecoming for a lot of people.' I hope they're focused on winning the game. It's an opportunity to get a 'W,' which we haven't had this year, so we need to go get this done. That's what I've preached to them all week.”
 
Thomas adapts to punting
SSU's Jacob Thomas said Thursday after practice that he “just became a directional punter.”
 
That's good news for SSU.
 
“In high school, I just kicked it down the field,” Thomas said, smiling.
 
Actually, Thomas was a good punter at Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, Ala. As a senior, he punted 61 times for 2,722 yards, an average of 44.6 yards per punt, and he was selected to the 2011 Birmingham News All-West Football Team.
 
“Our punter got hurt my junior year and (the coaching staff) put me in the third game,” Thomas said. “I wasn't even the second-string punter. They put a friend of mine in first and his punt shanked. They put me in and I kicked it 30 yards. And I've been punting ever since.”
 
Thomas, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound freshman, signed with SSU as a strong safety. He played the position in high school and made 78 tackles, intercepted four passes and had 14 pass deflections as a senior.
 
When Thomas arrived at SSU, however, Davenport moved him to punter.
 
“I think he was a little bit upset when he first got here,” Davenport said. “We didn't plan on him being the punter this year. But (Christopher) Kyle Bruce came to camp hurt. At first, (Thomas) didn't kick very well because he didn't want to kick. And then he kind of got mad at us. And it was like, 'OK, I'll show you what I can do' and he bombed maybe about five kicks that were unbelievable. We think he's going to be a tremendous punter.”
 
Thomas has punted 52 times for 1,969 yards, an average of 37.9 yards per punt. His longest punt covered 56 yards. He has placed eight punts inside opponents' 20-yard line.
 
“He's a thunder-foot,” Davenport said. “He's been a pleasant surprise, but not necessarily a surprise. We knew he could punt. He's been better than we imagined.”
 
Thomas said he did not want to punt but accepted the position change to help SSU.
 
“The team needed a punter so I'm here,” Thomas said. “I might not like it but, hey, I feel like if I get better and better every day it might grow on me. I don't mind punting but I want to play safety.”
 
Davenport said Thomas will have an opportunity to compete for a starting job at safety during spring practice.
 
“We'll give him an opportunity to play some safety and see if he can do it,” Davenport said. “And if not, we feel like he'll be an outstanding punter, especially if he can dedicate himself to doing that.”
 
Thomas said he is working to become a better punter.
 
“I've focused more on punting,” he said. “I'm working on it more. When I get on the field, I'm looking to kick it as far as I can, as deep as I can, so I can help my defense stop the other team from scoring.”
 
Thomas said punting is more difficult in college because opponents are faster. After receiving the snap, Thomas said he tries to get each punt off within two seconds.
 
“You need a good snap and good blocking,” he said. “You've got to put the ball outside your leg so you get the spiral on it. And the distance. When it comes down to it, air counts. So if you get a good spiral on (the ball) it will cut through the air. The more it cuts through, the deeper it will go.”