The Savannah State offense could boast about five touchdowns Saturday night in its second scrimmage of the preseason at T.A. Wright Stadium.
The Tigers defense could be just as proud of forcing four interceptions and getting a safety on special teams.
But coach Earnest Wilson wasn’t in the mood for praising either unit’s performances during the 80-play, two-hour workout.
“I’m always looking for perfection so I’m not pleased right now with anything,” Wilson said. “I think we’re getting there. We just have to put it all together. The players are not understanding (what the coaches are asking) and we have to keep teaching all aspects of the game.”
With the depth chart still wide open, Wilson mixed and matched players with varying results. Quarterback Antonio Bostick, last season’s starter, looked the sharpest while throwing a 23-yard touchdown pass to the Tigers’ preseason first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference wide receiver Simon Heyward.
Heyward set up another touchdown when defensive back Romahn Hemingway had to grab him for pass interference in the end zone.
Victorian Hardison ran for a score and threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Cantrell Frazier.
Former Statesboro High star De’Quan Daniels ran for a 2-yard touchdown, and quarterback Zach Hutcheson had a 27-yard scoring toss to Devine Noel.
Freshman kicker John Barron drilled two extra points. Junior Preston McCarthy had an extra point, but missed a 33-yard field goal try to the right.
Defensively, sophomore Alfred Ansley had two interceptions and freshman Jordan Jackson and sophomore Dontre Douse had one apiece.
The safety occurred early in the scrimmage when the defense forced a punt. The snap sailed over the head of McCarthy, who instead of picking up the ball near the end zone, decided to kick the ball out of the back of the end zone.
“We’re still taking a little bit more time to teach effort and we don’t want to teach effort,” Wilson said. “Effort has to come (instinctively). When that happens, we’ll be fine.”
Savannah State opens the season Aug. 31 against defending Southern Conference Georgia Southern at Paulson Stadium.