The 2010 Savannah State Tigers football team represented Savannah State University in American football. The Tigers were members of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a first year member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
The Tigers entered the 2010 season seeking its first winning season since joining Division I-AA in 2000. The Tigers ended the season with a 1–10 record. The Tigers last winning season was in 1998 as a member of the NCAA Division II.
Season notes
Preseason notes
Head coach Robert "Robby" Wells announced the release of defensive line coach Allen Edwards. Edwards had coached SSU's defensive line since 2008. Robert "Robby" Wells resigns as head coach of the football team citing personal reasons. Defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Julius Dixon is announced as interim head football coach. Thirteen players signed letters of intent to attend Savannah State University on February 3, 2010. NamePositionSchoolCity, StateSheldon BarnesRunning backBradwell InstituteHinesville, GeorgiaBryce Bell Offensive linemanMartin Luther King High SchoolLithonia, GeorgiaJosh ColemanWide receiverBrunswick High SchoolBrunswick, GeorgiaDylan CookWide receiver Hiram High SchoolHiram, GeorgiaTrent DemeritteWide receiver/defensive backWinder-Barrow High SchoolWinder, GeorgiaDarvean HerronLinebacker Bradwell InstituteHinesville, GeorgiaDimitri HolmesWide receiverClarke Central High SchoolAthens, GeorgiaBrian LackeyWide receiverEast Paulding High SchoolDallas, GeorgiaPatrick McCraryTight endMadison County High SchoolDanielsville, GeorgiaMalcolm PoindexterDefensive back /Running backNorthgate High SchoolNewnan, GeorgiaAnthony ProphetQuarterbackJohnson High SchoolGainesville, GeorgiaBroderick SellersLinebackerSouth Paulding High SchoolDouglasville, GeorgiaQuan TrammellDefensive back/Wide receiverStephens County High SchoolToccoa, Georgia SSU sports information director Opio Mashariki confirmed on February 10, 2010 that assistant coach Jose Gonzalez resigned as linebackers coach on January 3, 2010. Spring practice was held between March 8 and April 12, 2010. During the first practice session 13 ineligible players and 20 players who quit the team or were dismissed did not participate. SSU announced on April 5 that it is moving its spring game to Sunday, April 11 at 2 p.m. at T.A. Wright Stadium. The game was originally scheduled to occur on April 10 at T.A. Wright Stadium. The Orange team defeated the Blue team, 18–6, in the annual Orange-Blue football scrimmage at T. A. Wright Stadium on April 11. Kicker Derek Williams kicked four field goals in the game for the Orange team. Vince Cochran returned a A.J. DeFillippis pass 49 yards for a touchdown for the Blue team. DeFillippis threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Alakan Thomas but the extra point attempt was no good. Savannah State announced that camp would begin on August 5 with the first practice on August 7. Interim head coach Julius Dixon announced the hiring of Carl Funderburk, Corey McCloud and Dwayne Curry as assistant coaches. The Tigers 2009 wide receiver coach, Hans Batichon, left the coaching staff, after only one season. The team's second and final scrimmage of the preseason was held on August 25, 2010, at the SSU practice field. Junior quarterback A.J. DeFilippis threw two touchdown passes and ran for a touchdown to lead the Blue (offense) to a 34–0 victory over the Orange (defense). Justin Babb, Demetrius Edwards, LaDarien Redfield and Derek Williams were named to the Phil Steele Magazine 2010 Preseason All-Independent Football Team. Channing Welch, Demetrius Edwards, Justin Babb, and LaDarien Redfield were announced as team captains for the 2010 season.
Regular season notes and standings
Schedule
Coaches and support staff Name Type CollegeGraduating year Head coach John W. Montgomery, II Asst. head coachOffensive line coach Oklahoma State 1976 Alan Hall Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Julius Dixon Defensive coordinator Defensive backs coach Furman 1990 Running backs coach Carl Funderburk Offensive line coach Elon 1989 Barry Casterlin Defensive line coach South Carolina 2001 Corey G. McCloud Assistant defensive line coach Nicholls State 1997 Wide receivers coach Eddie Johnson Linebackers Coach / recruiting coordinator Georgetown College 1993 Dwayne Curry Assistant linebackers coach Mississippi State 1997 Ken Tessier Head Athletic Trainer Endicott College 2002 Renee Mickey Graduate Assistant / Athletic Trainer UNC-Pembroke 2009
Roster
2010 Savannah State Tigers by position Quarterbacks 13 Antonio Bostic – Freshman 14 Alfred Defilippis – Junior 16 Avery Cheeks – Freshman 17 Jake Durham – Freshman 19 Anthony Prophet – Freshman
Running backs 20 Justin Babb – Senior 21 Sheldon Barnes – Freshman 34 Daniel Heslop – Sophomore 36 John Williams – Freshman 40 Thomas Beaurem – Sophomore 47 Brandon Best – Junior 48 Malachi Youngblood – Junior
Wide receivers 8 Simon Heyward – Freshman 9 JaQuan Trammel – Freshman 24 Antonio Proctor – Freshman 26 Josh Coleman – Freshman 43 Carnell Weston – Freshman 80 Eric Washington Freshman 81 Dylan Cook – Freshman 82 Stefon Taylor – Senior 83 Nathan Robinson – Junior 84 Alakan Thomas – Junior 85 Bryan Lackey – Freshman 88 Trent Demeritte – Freshman
Tight ends 5 Patrick McCrary – Freshman 42 Lucas "Chris" Grile – Junior 89 Chryston Floyd – Freshman 91 Terrence Williams – Sophomore Kickers / punters 99 Derek Williams – Sophomore
Offensive line 52 Terrence Williams – Sophomore 59 Bryce Bell – Freshman 62 Jared Brunson – Junior 68 Thelmore Jackson – Sophomore 70 Demetrius Edwards – Junior 71 Lenworth McKenzie – Sophomore 72 Darryl Harris – Freshman 73 Cedric Brown – Freshman 74 Jonathan Clowers – Freshman 75 Warren Mason – Sophomore 76 Dan Johnson – Senior 77 Joseph Caldwell-Jones – Freshman 78 Terrick Ransom – Sophomore 79 David Larmond – Freshman
Defensive line 46 Reginald Givens – Junior 50 LaDarien Redfield – Junior 55 Xavier Lewis – Sophomore 57 Denzell Carter – Freshman 67 Stephan Myers – Sophomore 86 James Briscoe – Sophomore 90 Chris McMullen – Sophomore 93 Alex Wierzibicki – Freshman 94 Channing Welch – Senior 95 Eric Baker – Sophomore 96 Timothy Wright – Sophomore 97 Tametric Hunt – Junior Linebackers 12 Leland Russell – Sophomore 31 Rashaud Ferrell – Linebacker 32 Taylor Thompson – Freshman 35 Sadrak JeanBaptiste – Sophomore 41 Broderic Sellers – Freshman 44 Darvean Herron – Freshman 45 J. Vince Cochran – Senior 49 Michael Kuku – Junior 52 Edwin Stevenson – Sophomore 53 Nate Clay – Junior 54 Dustin Russell – Sophomore
Defensive backs 3 Cedric Chambers – Freshman 7 Darren Hunter – Senior 8 Patrick Thomas – Sophomore 10 Justin Cooper – Sophomore 11 Antonio Martin – Sophomore 15 Deshawn Printup – Freshman 18 Calvert Smith – Sophomore 22 Richie Rucker – Junior 23 Anthony Welch – Freshman 25 Oscar Sims – Freshman 27 Mathew Smith – Junior 28 Jevonte Miller- Freshman 29 Malcome Poindexter – Freshman 30 Chris Asbury – Junior 33 Khevin Sullivan – Sophomore 37 Kyle Ashford – Freshman 38 Lee Green – Sophomore
Game summaries Georgia Southern The Tigers were held to 172 total yards of offense by the Eagles defenses en route to a 48–3 loss. Justin Babb led the Tigers offense with 70 yards rushing and three catches for 34 yards. Brian Lackey caught three passes for 37 total yards. Quarterback A.J. DeFilippis finished the game with 7 completions on 19 passes for 71 yards, but was rushed for −18 yards on the ground and was sacked three times by the Eagles. Redshirt freshman quarterback Antonio Bostick finished 1-of-4 passing for nine yards. The Tigers' defense was led by J. Vince Cochran with 13 tackles and Darren Hunter who added 12 tackles. On special teams, junior kicker Derek Williams hit a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter, but his 43-yard attempt with 3:19 to play in the game struck the right upright. He punted eight times for 267 yards (a 33.4-yard average), with 52 yards as his longest punt in the game. He averaged 64.5-yards with his two kickoffs (129 yards).
The Eagles scored on their first five possessions of the game and ended with 540 yards on offense.
Fort Valley State Music City Classic The Tigers took a 10–0 lead in the first quarter, but Fort Valley State scored 41 unanswered to beat Savannah State 41–10 in the Music City Classic. A crowd of 4,182 at Macon's Henderson Stadium watched as a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown by Cedric Chambers (4:18 into the game) and a 43-yard Derek Williams field goal gave the Tigers an early lead. However, the Tigers' offense continued to struggle only gaining 131 yards (60 yards rushing and 71 yards passing) with 3 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles on the day. The Tigers defense gave up 345 yards (143 yards rushing and 202 yards passing)
Domin Patterson returned two interceptions for touchdowns of 48 and 44 yards for the Wildcats.
Bethune-Cookman Bethune-Cookman quarterback Matt Johnson threw two touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns as the Wildcats beat Savannah State 42–7. The win was the 11th straight victory over the Tigers for Bethune Cookman and dropped the Tigers to 0–3 on the season. The Tigers only score came after a 17 play, 75-yard drive in 17 plays when running back Justin Babb scored on a 1-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. Babb finished the game with 125 yards on 16 carries. The Tigers offense could only generate four first downs and 100 total yards in the second half of the game. SSU quarterback AJ DeFilippis threw for 59 yards, but had two interceptions for SSU. Quarterback Antonio Bostic threw for 16 yards completing 4 of 4 passes and ran for 19 yards.
Albany State Rumble in the Swamp The Rams of Albany State University defeated the Tigers, 28–14, in the inaugural Rumble in the Swamp Classic at Memorial Stadium in Waycross, Georgia. A crowd of 9,273 fans watched as the 16th ranked Rams. Freshman receiver Simon Heyward caught 10 passes in the game for 104 yards. Chris Asbury and J. Vince Cochran each had 11 tackles to lead the defense.
Liberty The 25th ranked Flames of Liberty University defeated the Tigers 52–14 before a crowd of 19,314 at Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, Virginia. Antonio Bostic passed for 187 yards and 1 touchdown (a 32-yard pass to Brian Lackey). The Tigers only other score was a 22 yards return of a blocked punt by Rashaud Ferrell. Sheldon Barnes ran for 76 and Lackey caught 5 passes for 104 yards to lead the Tigers offense. Darren Hunter led the SSU defense with 11 tackles in the game.
Georgia State A Georgia Dome crowd of 14,908 fans watched as the Georgia State Panthers defeated the Tigers 55–21. SSU's Sheldon Barnes ran for 78 yards and quarterback Antonio Bostic passed for 95 yards. Simon Heyward was the leading receiver for the Tigers with six catches for 31 yards. Vince Coleman led the Tigers defense with eight tackles.
Florida A&M Sheldon Barnes ran for 109 yards, but the Tigers were unable to score in a 31–0 loss to the Rattlers of FAMU. The Tigers defense held FAMU scoreless in the first quarter and the Rattlers held a 10–0 at lead at halftime, but the Tiger defense gave up three touchdowns in the second half. Starting quarterback Antonio Bostick threw for only 36 yards with Brian Lackey and Simon Heyward each catching three passes for 18 yards each. The loss kept the Tigers winless (0–7) and was the first shutout of the season.
Alabama State The Tigers suffered their eighth loss of the season and second straight shutout in a 24–0 loss to Alabama State. The Tigers trailed at halftime, 7–0, but gave up a touchdown in the third quarter and 10 points in the fourth quarter including a 59-yard interception touchdown return. Redshirt freshman quarterback Antonio Bostick passed for 92 yards and freshman wide receiver Simon Heyward caught 8 passes for 63 yards. Sheldon Barnes rushed for 80 yards. On defense, CJ Smith made a career-high 11 tackles in the game.
Old Dominion