In 2011, when the Chattanooga Mocs came to Paulson Stadium to face the Georgia Southern Eagles, they brought a secret weapon.
    After starting quarterback B.J. Coleman left the game with an injury, then-freshman Terrell Robinson came in for his first college snaps and did all the damage with his feet, rushing for 114 yards and three touchdowns. He was a two-point conversion short of leading the Mocs from behind in Georgia Southern’s 28-27 win.
    Saturday, when the second-ranked Eagles (6-1, 5-1 Southern Conference) take on the Mocs at 6 p.m. in Chattanooga, Tenn., there will be another weapon at quarterback — head coach Russ Huesman’s son, Jacob.
This time though, it won’t be a surprise to the GSU coaching staff.
    “I asked Russ two years ago right before our game if I could recruit his son,” said GSU head coach Jeff Monken. “He said, ‘No way. Nobody in this league is recruiting my kid but me.’ I knew he was going to be a good player. We looked at him when I was at (Georgia) Tech. He’s going to be a handful for this league for four years.”
    Jacob Huesman was good enough to drive Robinson away from the team. After winning the 2011 SoCon Freshman of the Year award, Robinson learned he would be sharing snaps with the coach’s son in 2012, so he quit the team.
    He returned shortly thereafter, and things have been going according to the coach’s plan ever since.
    The Mocs (4-3, 3-1) lost three of their first four games, including their only conference loss to Appalachian State, but have since notched off three-straight conference wins.
    Jacob Huesman and Robinson are the team’s top two leading rushers, with Huesman leading the way at 427 yards and a pair of touchdowns. They’ve also combined for 11 touchdown passes, but Huesman has gotten a bulk of the throws and has tossed nine.
    Things get tricky when both quarterbacks are on the field at the same time. Robinson is also the team’s second leading receiver, with 20 catches for 205 yards and three touchdowns.
    “Obviously, he’s a great player,” said GSU defensive lineman Josh Gebhardt about Robinson. “But they’ve got two dual-threat quarterbacks that are great players. There are a lot of different schemes and formations, and we’ve got to prepare for all of them.”
    At least, this time the Eagles know what they’re dealing with, unlike Robinson’s surprise attack in 2011.
    “All of a sudden, we went from a drop-back passing game to a running game, and it certainly put us back on our heels,” GSU defensive coordinator Jack Curtis said of the 2011 game. “We didn’t adjust to it well. Now, both of the quarterbacks do the same things and they run the same offense.”
    Still, with both quarterbacks on the field, you never really know which will be taking the snap.
    “When you’ve got great players in the game,” Gebhardt said, “you’re wanting to know where they’re at. We’ve got our hands full.”
    “It stresses you,” Curtis agreed. “They can both throw the ball and they can run those double passes and throw-back passes, that kind of thing. They’re very creative. They take a lot of pride in it. They want to give you a lot of different formations and make you think.”
    The Eagles can’t spend all of their time worrying about the Mocs’ offense. Chattanooga pounded The Citadel on Sept. 29, 28-10.
    The Bulldogs, which handed Georgia Southern its only loss on Sept. 8, saw its option offense shut down by Chattanooga, which held The Citadel to only one rushing touchdown.
    “They get their guys in position,” Monken said, “and the bottom line is, you’ve got to make plays.”
    The last time the Eagles were in Chattanooga, they left with a 35-27 loss to the Mocs.
    Brent Russell, GSU defensive tackle and 2012 SoCon preseason Defensive Player of the Year, spent Monday’s practice in a boot and crutches, but was without the safety precautions Thursday at practice and is expected to play Saturday against Chattanooga.

    Matt Yogus may be reached at (912) 489-4908.