Three things to watch when Alabama State football takes on Texas Southern

Alabama State football coach Eddie Robinson Jr. has already knocked off a couple of firsts — his first win as a college coach, and his first win at home.

The first conference win is yet to come.

Robinson and the Hornets (2-2, 0-1 SWAC) will attempt to pick it up at Texas Southern (1-3, 1-1) on Saturday (6 p.m. CT, AT&T Sportsnet).

Here are three Alabama State storylines heading into Saturday.

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Creating turnovers

ASU ranks near the top of the SWAC in both scoring defense and total defense. The Hornets have forced at least one turnover in each game this season, and are at six overall (three interceptions, three fumble recoveries). But Robinson's goal of at least three turnovers per game is one they have yet to reach.

"We're playing well, playing steady, not giving up a lot of points," Robinson said Wednesday. "But we have to get the turnovers."

Great defenses, Robinson said, don't turn teams over by accident. They force other teams to make mistakes, which often can be done with a strong pass rush. Alabama State has eight sacks and 10 quarterback hurries through four games.

"Getting pressure on the quarterback, that's where the ball is the most vulnerable," Robinson said. "Because he's not really watching (the rush)."

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Forcing turnovers has been a point of emphasis for the Hornets since spring. ASU's coaches teach players to go for the ball and to look for opportunities when the ball carrier is upright, where the ball can be punched out easily.

Freshman defensive back Adrian Maddox, who has picked off two passes, recovered a fumble and blocked a field goal, has stood out.

"He just has a way of always getting his hands on the ball, whether it's tipping the ball in the air, recovering one, or intercepting one," Robinson said. "Those kids who have a knack for being around the football and getting a hand on the ball usually are successful."

The return of Colton Adams

When Robinson met with each Hornet after arriving at ASU in November, linebacker Colton Adams had one request: "Coach, get me through the first game."

A former standout at Wetumpka, Adams had 36 tackles in four games as a freshman in 2019 while battling a preseason injury. He had 18 more tackles in the first two games of the spring 2021 season but another injury cut his campaign short. Last fall, Adams appeared in just two games before hurting his shoulder.

"I could see the frustration on him," Robinson said. "I was fortunate. I played 11 years in the NFL and missed one game, and missed one game in college. Things just worked out for me. For him, it's the exact opposite."

Alabama State's coaches did their best to keep Adams healthy by keeping his workload light during the preseason. He didn't start actually tackling people until the season opener against Howard. He had eight tackles that game and 11 a week later against Miles. After making 13 stops last week vs. Prairie View A&M, Adams leads the team with 36.

Now that Adams is four games in, Robinson thinks he's playing with more freedom. And ASU should reap the benefits for a long time — with redshirts and COVID-19 factored in, Adams is still a freshman in terms of eligibility.

"He's not worried about getting injured or being hurt," Robinson said. "I think his best football's ahead of him."

Put a body on Body

Dematrius Davis shares some similarities with the player who will be his opposite number Saturday.

Like Davis, Andrew Body was a record-setting high school quarterback in Texas in the Class of 2021. At Miller H.S. in Corpus Christi, Body finished fourth all-time in Texas history with over 13,000 passing yards.

Unlike Davis, a four-star who signed with Auburn, Body was mostly unrecruited. Texas Southern was his only Division I offer.

In his first season as the Tigers' starter, Body was second in the SWAC in passing and averaged 266 yards of total offense. He threw for 163 yards and ran for 134 against Alabama State, though the Hornets pulled out the win.

Robinson described Body as a dual-threat quarterback, but a "smart" runner rather than an aggressive one. Whether it's with his arm or his legs, Body is the straw that stirs Texas Southern's drink.

"He's the guy that's gonna control the game," Robinson said. "Reads, RPOs, inside handoffs, he'll make good decisions if the ends crash. That's the guy you have to control."

Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com, by phone at 334-201-9117 and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama State football faces Texas Southern: Three things to watch