Savannah State football players getting to know new faces, one with Tigers family history

With a new head football coach, an almost entirely new staff, a new playbook and well over 40% of the players new to the roster, the Savannah State program is in an introductory phase at fall practice.

Head coach Aaron Kelton has arranged activities where players can get to know each other and learn about their backgrounds, families, interests and the like. The Tigers, who had their third practice of the fall on Monday, are making progress toward the Sept. 3 season opener against Southeastern at T.A. Wright Stadium.

"For us, it's about building the culture of the program," said Kelton, whose hiring was announced April 5 during the spring practice portion of the school calendar.

"As we know from the spring, change is hard," said Kelton, the cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator at FCS Howard University before coming to Savannah. "We went through some changes. We made some adjustments in the spring, and now it's here. We've all been champing at the bit. Now it's here, and they've really accepted everything and are building and creating an atmosphere that's great for everybody."

Kelton said the players — who number about 100 and could grow to 105-108 — have been "dialed in" at practice and meetings.

"It's great when you're one of the few groups of campus because you get some of that together time," Kelton said of team activities before classes start next week.

Preseason poll: Savannah State football team, with all due respect, disappointed in predicted SIAC finish

Get to know the coach: Aaron Kelton's journey to Savannah State began with long bus rides out of Boston

"I feel like he has a great vibe for the team," said true freshman linebacker Ameer Phillips, a 2022 graduate of Beach High School. "He's bringing everybody together. It's a good family construct. I feel like our team is really doing great things."

Some of the new Tigers are incoming freshmen, some are transfers and then there's Phillips, who is in a category by himself. He's not exactly new to SSU.

Phillips had spent his earliest years on the Savannah campus. His father Corey Phillips, a former Florida A&M defensive tackle and later Beach High head football coach, was a residence hall director from 2000-06 and his young family lived with him in the building.

They were on the first floor of the Freshman Living and Learning Center. Ameer, as an SSU freshman, was assigned to the third floor of the same building.

That kind of familiarity counts for something, and worked in Savannah State's favor when recruiting Phillips, the Region 3-3A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior for the Bulldogs. He had 125 tackles, including 11 for losses, with two sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two blocked field goals.

Recruiting for SSU was longtime assistant coach Russell DeMasi, who served as the interim head coach from early December 2021, through the weeks including National Signing Day in February, to the early part of spring practice in April.

DeMasi was one of the finalists for the job, which went to Kelton, a longtime assistant with head coaching experience. DeMasi, a Savannah native, now is an assistant coach at Calvary Day School.

Ameer Phillips stuck with Savannah State throughout the process.

"My commitment was to Savannah State, not to a coach," Phillips said. "I feel like either (head) coach would have been an ideal decision for me because I came for the school, the culture, the program."

More than football, Phillips is there for the education. An outstanding high school student, he is a biology major and loves science.

"I love that stuff. I don't know why. It gets me excited," he said.

"Grades are my top priority," he said. "I feel like I can solidify a spot on this team. But at the end of the day, I'm playing for the team. ... I want us to win together. If I have to sit out my first year, it is what it is. I'm still working hard to get my spot on the field."

Trying to contribute early

Phillips right now is an inside linebacker. If he's a "Mike" linebacker, he's the player on the field getting the defensive coordinator's signals and relaying the call to the team as the quarterback of the defense.

It's not the kind of role that usually goes to a true freshman. Kelton said Phillips is still learning the college game but is talented.

"For us, it's really about how fast can he pick it up and play fast. That's important to me," Kelton said. "He's a linebacker, so he's got to be able to get the call, decipher it, play fast, be ready for the snap, make adjustments, get people in the right places. There's a lot of learning that's going on. He's picking it up slowly but he'll get it."

Asked this early in camp about Phillips' projection for playing time, Kelton said he will play the best players, period.

Local standout: Former South Effingham standout sees game in new perspective at Savannah State

'Taking baby steps': Aaron Kelton installing new systems as Savannah State football coach

"By that, I mean the guys who know it, who can go out there and not be afraid to make an adjustment, and tell a guy, regardless of year, what to do and where to go, how to do it," Kelton said. "And then the guy who makes the plays. He's got to have the whole package. If he can get it done, he'll be a guy we'll look to get in the rotation.

"For young guys, it's harder, certainly, because they don't come with the confidence. I think we've got some pretty good young players who want to be able to be out there. We'll work them in as much as we can and see what they can do."

Quarterback battle

After Monday's practice, which went over 2 1/2 hours after the first two practices were impacted by inclement weather, Kelton said the quarterback competition is progressing well.

Jamaurion "JT" Hartage returns with experience as a Tiger behind center, having shared duties last season with D'Vonn Gibbons. Kelton called Hartage a leader, smart and "the voice of the offense right now."

Hartage played in nine games in the run-heavy option offense, completing 29 of 48 passes for 497 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 44 times for 83 yards and two TDs.

Hartage said Kelton is installing a pro-style offense with more balance between the run and pass.

"We're actually going to throw way more than we did last year, but we're going to run the ball, too, because we also want to be a run-game team," Hartage said.

More passing sounds good to every quarterback.

"It feels great," he said. "That's what I'm here for to distribute the ball to my playmakers. It just feels good to actually have that chance."

Kelton said Monday that he has been most impressed with junior Hartage, graduate transfer Isaiah Robinson (Hampton University) and redshirt freshman Jadon Adams, an Islands High alumnus.

"Those are the top three guys right now," Kelton said. "A number of freshmen are figuring it out. It's a tough position. The thing for them is they're coming into the offense new. Those other guys are coming off of a different style of offense. It's an adjustment for them."

Nathan Dominitz is the Sports Content Editor of the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow.com. Email him at ndominitz@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @NathanDominitz

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah State football team linebacker Ameer Phillips Tigers history