VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State football is moving on from its 39-28 loss to West Alabama this past Saturday. The Blazers are focused on their next opponent, the Edward Waters College Tigers, an NAIA opponent that visits Bazemore-Hyder Stadium Saturday.

“They are still hurting,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “But I think they have realized that we didn’t play our best and we played a good football team and they got the best of us. Basically right now, we are in a six-game season. We still have an opportunity to go to the playoffs — we need help in the Gulf South Conference — but our goal now is to put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs.”

The new six-game season Dean alluded to begins Saturday with a visit from the Tigers, who are much-improved from 2009 when the team’s met in Valdosta and VSU earned a massive 70-6 win.

“I hope it gets out of hand,” Dean said. “I wouldn’t count on it. They are much better than they were in ’09. Offensively, they are really scary. They do some good things and they have done a good job with those guys.”

In preparation for Saturday’s game, Dean said the Blazers had a great practice on Tuesday, despite warmer temperatures.

“Everyone is fine,” Dean said. “We still have a great attitude. We had a great practice out here (Tuesday). I mean it was hot, one of the hottest days we’ve had out here in a while, but we still had great energy, we flew around and we still had spirit around here.”

In Saturday’s loss to West Alabama, the Blazers allowed 443 yards of total offense to the Tigers, including 332 on the ground. When looking at the film, it was the clear the Blazers didn’t tackle well, according to linebacker Ryan Smith.

“We need to pay attention to the small things, like tackling” Smith said. “We missed a lot of tackles that caused (West Alabama) to gain a lot of rushing yards and a lot of big plays. If we can tackle better and have our eyes better then I think we will be good.”

Improved tackling and the ability to stop the run will be important moving forward. The Tigers run a similar offense to West Alabama’s, and once the Blazers get deeper in conference play they will see even more running attacks. Currently, every team in the GSC averages above 200 yards rushing per game, including North Alabama, which leads the conference with 262.5 yards rushing a game.

Dean did say he didn’t agree with all the penalties called against the Blazers in Saturday’s loss. The Blazers were flagged 13 times for 124 yards, many of which that brought back big plays for VSU.

“No, I did not agree with all of them,” Dean said. “I still have a hard time believing in three games you can have 16 penalties and then 13 in one game. We are probably the least penalized team out of conference and when it comes in the conference we are the most penalized team. I just can’t understand that, and it has been that way for the last three years.”

The Blazers did not appeal any of the penalties to the conference, according to Dean.

Saturday’s conference opener against the Tigers was the most physical game of the year for the Blazers, too. Several key players were seen nursing injuries at Tuesday’s practice.

One player that was not nursing an injury was quarterback Cayden Cochran, who sat out the second half on Saturday due to stiffness in his hurt shoulder he suffered week one.

“It was tough at the time,” said Cochran, who admitted he does not remember what play he re-injured his shoulder on. “Wanting to be in there and seeing a little bit of struggle, all around. It is tough when it is happening, but in the end you want your team to win.”

Cochran was seen working with the No. 1 offense and says he expects to start Saturday.

Regardless, if Saturday’s game against Edward Waters gets out of hand, several Blazers could see action, including at quarterback.

“We would love to play everybody that dresses out,” Dean said. “We just have to see how the game goes. We are not expecting a blow out. We are expecting a tough, close, physical football game. And if it happens to be (a blow out) then we will get guys in there. That is how it is against anybody.”

Linebacker Jeremy Grable will miss Saturday’s game with a sternum injury and could miss extended time. Sophomore linebacker Justin Williams, a former Valdosta Wildcat, will start in Grable’s absence.

Wide receiver Gerald Ford hurt his knee, according to Dean, in the first half of Saturday’s game. Following the injury, he continued to play and the knee swelled Saturday night and Sunday. Ford did not practice Tuesday and is questionable for Saturday’s game, according to Dean.

Other injuries include: Quin Roberson (knee, practiced Tuesday), Griffin Roelle (hamstring, did not practice Tuesday), O’Neal Cohen (toe fracture, out).

Saturday’s game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.