Bucs aim for 3rd straight win

After opening the season with three straight losses, Charleston Southern is aiming to even its record at .500 today with a third straight win.

The Buccaneers are coming off victories over North Greenville and Gardner-Webb, and a win today at non-conference foe Savannah State would set up coach Jay Mills' club at 3-3 overall and 1-0 heading into the meat of its Big South schedule.

CSU took a 13-10 victory over Gardner-Webb last week despite being outgained, 471-203, in total yards. The Bucs intercepted three passes and won on a 26-yard field goal by John Paglila with one second left in the game.

"It was a different kind of win for us," said CSU coach Jay Mills. "A lot of times in the past, the focus has been on our offense. We played the top defensive team in our league and only 45 plays to 86 for them. But we were efficient and opportunistic when we got our chances. Our defense bent but did not break and got some turnovers when we needed to, and special teams was a deciding factor."

Yet Mills will be looking for offensive improvement today against Savannah State.

Against Gardner-Webb, CSU quarterback Tribble Reese was 12 of 23 for just 135 yards and no touchdowns, and the Bucs ran for just 37 yards on 21 attempts. Receiver Alex Neal threw the only TD pass, a 31-yarder to Tim Jones.

"We need more consistent play from our offense," Mills said. "Particularly on third down, our stats are not good on either side of the ball. We've got to learn to get out of drives on defense and keep the chains moving on offense."

CSU was just 3 of 10 on third downs against Gardner-Webb.

The Bucs are 4-0 against Savannah State, including a 28-0 win last season. But the Tigers, an FCS independent, are off to a 3-3 start under first-year head coach Robby Wells, a former Furman football player who has worked at South Carolina, South Carolina State and Benedict.

Wells is the first white head football coach at the historically black college, and other big changes are afoot at Savannah State. Ex-VMI basketball coach Bart Bellairs, named athletic director last summer, is the first white AD at the school.

Wells' coaching staff includes ex-Furman players and assistants Julius Dixon and Allen Edwards; former USC and S.C. State player Trevan Smith; and former Newberry assistants Alan Hall and Eddie Johnson.

Savannah State also recently unveiled a $400,000 facelift for 8,000-seat Ted Wright Stadium, including a 1,200-square foot pressbox and VIP chairback seating.

The Tigers are coming off a 17-14 win over Clark Atlanta, and also have beaten Winston-Salem State (16-13) and Livingstone (45-10). Their losses are to Howard, Bethune-Cookman and Jacksonville.

Freshman quarterback Kurvin Curry and sophomore running back Justin Babb carry the rushing load for the Tigers, both averaging just over 50 yards per game. Curry, 6-0 and 198 pounds, has hit 52.3 percent of his passes for 960 yards, with seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

His top receivers are junior Deleon Hollinger and freshman Chris Bush, who have combined for 39 catches and two touchdowns.

On defense, the Tigers are allowing 23.3 points and 372.5 yards per game. Senior defensive back Javorris Jackson has 54 tackles and three interceptions, and senior linebacker Calvin Leonard has two sacks.

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