Today’s meeting between the 12th ranked Valdosta State Blazers and the 22nd ranked West Alabama Tigers isn’t just another game.

The game marks the conference opener for both teams, and it is the 2011 Valdosta State homecoming game.

 Today’s meeting is also about revenge, at least for those players that made up the Valdosta State roster in 2010, after West Alabama upset the favored Blazers on the final Thursday night of the regular season.

As a result, the 2010 loss cost the Blazers the outright Gulf South Conference championship, which they shared with the eventual national-runner up Delta State and Henderson State, along with the second seed in Super Region two.

“We’re not using (the loss) as motivation, as coaches, but I’m sure the players are,” Valdosta State head coach David Dean said. “We got off to a fast start, and we were up 15-0 and then let them come back. I’m sure our kids remember that, and they know that cost us a sole opportunity to win the Gulf South Conference, outright.”

The loss was VSU’s first to West Alabama in 25 years.

After blowing the 15-point third quarter lead, the Blazers found themselves down going into the final drive. A bad snap, which sailed over the head of Ronnye Nelson, cost the Blazers 27 yards and valuable time.

 On fourth down, quarterback Austen Roberts launched a pass into the end zone, but the pass fell incomplete to Stevie Harden, who appeared to have been knocked down prior to touching the ball. No flag was thrown and the Tigers took over possession of the ball to end the game.

“It is in the past,” Center Jake Thomas said earlier this week. “There is nothing we can do about it. This year is all that matters.”

As for this season, the Tigers are much improved, standing with a 5-1 record under first year head coach Will Hall. The Tigers are fresh off a win over Southern Arkansas last weekend, marking their fifth straight victory.

“With only four games in conference, if you start out 0-1 and you’re digging a huge uphill battle for the next three weeks,” Dean said. “You have to be able to get off to a good start.”

Freshman quarterback Kyle Caldwell is poised to make his second career start for the Tigers. Last week, the 5’7, 149-pound quarterback threw for 200 yards with two passing touchdowns. On the season, Caldwell has six touchdowns compared to just one interception in limited action. He also has 228 yards rushing.

“(Caldwell) is a good player,” Dean said. “He is a dual threat. He can run the football and he throws the ball real well too. They do a great job with him, putting him in great positions to make plays.”

Today’s game will mark just the third road contest of the season for the Tigers, while it will mark just the third home game of the season for the Blazers.

As for the VSU quarterback situation, it remains in flux. Dean said senior Austen Roberts would start the game, if healthy enough, as he has been fighting a shoulder injury, which he suffered last week against Ouachita Baptist. If Roberts is unable to start, redshirt sophomore Cayden Cochran will make his first career start in a Blazer uniform.

Minutes after VSU’s 40-13 victory last weekend, Dean said he believed Cochran deserved to start today’s game against West Alabama due to his performance against in the win over OBU, bringing into question if Roberts will actually make the start today.

Add to it, Dean has attempted to stoop the media before on whom he was planning to start at quarterback the week of a game.

 Last season, Dean closed practice to media the week of the Arkansas Tech game to hide Roberts’ knee injury. Brett Whitmire eventually started the game and Roberts dressed in street clothes during the game.

Dean could be trying to stoop the media again this season, as Roberts hasn’t practiced all week and has been seen wearing his pads and practice jersey, while wearing just tennis shoes.  According to Dean, Roberts has been taking “mental reps” this week at practice.

 If Cochran does start today, the Blazers will have confidence in the Oklahama native, after his 424-yard, four touchdown performance last weekend. A performance which earned him Gulf South Conference Player of the Week.

“(I) just have to be prepared like always,” Cochran said about the possibility of starting. “Whatever Coach Dean says we will go with.”

As for Roberts, when asked if he was healthy enough to play the game, if it would have been played on Thursday night, Roberts smiled and said he couldn’t answer the question because it was hypothetical.

Today’s game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff, and the members of the 2010 team will receive their 2010 GSC Tri-Championship rings before kickoff.

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