Good: The Panthers continued to throw the ball effectively when everyone in the stadium knew that they were going to throw the football. Drew Little finished the day 21-35 for 234 yards passing and 4 total TDs (2 rushing and 2 passing).
Bad: Drew's INT streak ended after 202 passes. The first INT was off of a tipped pass and the 2nd was on a poor throw.
Ugly: The Panther inability to run the ball. 19 total rushes for 46 yards. This isn't winning football. This is something that will have to be corrected this offseason as I don't believe we will see much balance the rest of the year.
Next game: The Panthers return home for their final home contest vs. Lamar this Saturday at 1pm.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
AJC: GSU Running Game Failing to Launch
I agree with Coach Curry's sentiments 100%.
"The thing that is the biggest disappointment about our team is the running game."
I full expect a man like effort tomorrow in Mobile. Our offensive line was blow up multiple times including the goal line stand vs. ODU when we had all the momentum in the world.
More good work by Ken at the AJC.
AJC Link
"The thing that is the biggest disappointment about our team is the running game."
I full expect a man like effort tomorrow in Mobile. Our offensive line was blow up multiple times including the goal line stand vs. ODU when we had all the momentum in the world.
More good work by Ken at the AJC.
AJC Link
Georgia State vs. South Alabama - Preview & Prediction
Georgia State vs. South Alabama
Kickoff: 5:00pm Ladd Peebles Stadium
Radio: WCFO 1160 AM, WRAS 88.5
Quick Slant: The Panthers play their 2nd road game in a row and come off a 34-20 loss vs. Old Dominion. South Alabama is coming off a come from behind victory in California over UC Davis. Much has been made about the South Alabama-Georgia State rivalry and for good reason, both teams & fan bases have been paying attention to each other. The Panthers will aim to hand the Jaguars their first ever loss in the history of their program.
About South Alabama: South Alabama is 7-0 (3-0 vs. FCS opponents) on the season and is on the fast track for FBS. After loading their 2009 schedule with mlitary academies, prep schools and junior colleges, they've only slightly increased the level of competition in 2010 by playing all 4 year schools. They rotate 3 QBs but will start 6'3, 210lbs Myles Gibbon. All 3 QBs are adequate passers and have combined for 193 yards per game and 12 passing TDs on the season. The Jags primary option is 6'5, 230lbs. WR Courtney Smith who has caught 23 passes for 371 yards and 5 TDs. The Jaguars would prefer to run the ball however and have done so with 5'10, 180lbs Kendall Houston and 5'10, 170lbs Santaun McGee who between them go for nearly 100 yards per game. Due to the blowouts vs. lesser competition, they've allowed 13 players to run the ball. They've only averaged 21 passes per game so I'd be shocked if they don't make running the ball a priority.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers stop the run? ODU was able to run 43 times for 229 yards and 3 TDs. That's not going to cut it vs. the Jaguars who have capable running backs.
2) Can the Panthers take advantage of a small defensive front? The Panthers face the 3rd smallest front weighing nearly 100lbs lighter then the ODU defensive front. The offensive line should be able to blow holes and move the pile after being pushed around in Richmond.
3) Can the Panthers continue to play great vs. the pass? ODU threw 38 times for 152 yards. That's tremendous pass coverage and not giving up the big play. DB Coach Anthony Midget has mentioned that the training wheels have to come off his young DBs. I'm not buying that more than motivational coach speak. We'll continue to roll coverage towards smith and keep plays underneath.
Georgia State Wins If...
They can hold onto the football. The Panthers have no been stopped by an opposing defense in weeks. Critical penalties, mental errors and fumbles have derailed scoring chances. I'm confident that if the Panthers can withstand the initial emotional punch that South Alabama gives that they can execute and move up and down the field.
South Alabama Wins If...
They are patient and force turnovers. They have a +11 TO margin. Yes, CBC is impressed with that. I look at the schedule they've played. They will not hit big play after big play but want to drop short passes and turn the field over.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Pound the football - The Panthers could not move the football vs. ODU on the ground but thrashed them through the air as Drew Little went north of 400 yards with no INTs. The Pistol formation was good in spurts and I'd imagine we will see more of that. I fully expect a better offensive line performance and 38+ runs on the ground to force the safeties in and allow Drew to go deep.
2) Make the Jaguars uncomfortable - ODU admitted last week that they were confused by Coach Thompson's defense and it forced a veteran QB to take short throws because he had no where else to go. Missed tackles contributed to bigger gains. With an OL that averages 279lbs., I see many more blitzing opportunities by the Panthers D. Rattle the QBs and the rotations may stop quickly.
3) Continue to throw the football down the field - Drew has gone 189 passes without an INT. That's phenomenal and Coach Curry is a little uncomfortable talking about as he equates it to talking about a pitcher throwing a no hitter in the 7th inning. The WRs and RBs have done a great job catching the ball but have fumbled medium and long gains. I expect that to get fixed and there to be multiple opportunies to exploit the Jag's CBs who will be left on an island early.
The Roar
South Alabama may welcome its largest crowd of the year as Alabama is on a BYE and Auburn plays at Ole Miss. While noise wasn't an issue this past weekend in Norfolk, I expect the Panthers to hear a little louder atmosphere at Ladd Peebles. Glad the coaching staff continued to pumped in crowd noise to practice this week. South Alabama features 10 players from Georgia on its 2 deep and it's likely that some may have been recruiting targets of both schools. The game is being billed as a "White Out" with South Alabama fans wearing all white. The Panthers will be wearing their home blue jerseys and white pants for the first time in an opponent's building.
Prediction: Georgia State 21, South Alabama 17
Kickoff: 5:00pm Ladd Peebles Stadium
Radio: WCFO 1160 AM, WRAS 88.5
Venerable Ladd Peebles Stadium. Home of the Senior Bowl. And of South Alabama's 1st Ever Loss
Quick Slant: The Panthers play their 2nd road game in a row and come off a 34-20 loss vs. Old Dominion. South Alabama is coming off a come from behind victory in California over UC Davis. Much has been made about the South Alabama-Georgia State rivalry and for good reason, both teams & fan bases have been paying attention to each other. The Panthers will aim to hand the Jaguars their first ever loss in the history of their program.
About South Alabama: South Alabama is 7-0 (3-0 vs. FCS opponents) on the season and is on the fast track for FBS. After loading their 2009 schedule with mlitary academies, prep schools and junior colleges, they've only slightly increased the level of competition in 2010 by playing all 4 year schools. They rotate 3 QBs but will start 6'3, 210lbs Myles Gibbon. All 3 QBs are adequate passers and have combined for 193 yards per game and 12 passing TDs on the season. The Jags primary option is 6'5, 230lbs. WR Courtney Smith who has caught 23 passes for 371 yards and 5 TDs. The Jaguars would prefer to run the ball however and have done so with 5'10, 180lbs Kendall Houston and 5'10, 170lbs Santaun McGee who between them go for nearly 100 yards per game. Due to the blowouts vs. lesser competition, they've allowed 13 players to run the ball. They've only averaged 21 passes per game so I'd be shocked if they don't make running the ball a priority.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers stop the run? ODU was able to run 43 times for 229 yards and 3 TDs. That's not going to cut it vs. the Jaguars who have capable running backs.
2) Can the Panthers take advantage of a small defensive front? The Panthers face the 3rd smallest front weighing nearly 100lbs lighter then the ODU defensive front. The offensive line should be able to blow holes and move the pile after being pushed around in Richmond.
3) Can the Panthers continue to play great vs. the pass? ODU threw 38 times for 152 yards. That's tremendous pass coverage and not giving up the big play. DB Coach Anthony Midget has mentioned that the training wheels have to come off his young DBs. I'm not buying that more than motivational coach speak. We'll continue to roll coverage towards smith and keep plays underneath.
Georgia State Wins If...
They can hold onto the football. The Panthers have no been stopped by an opposing defense in weeks. Critical penalties, mental errors and fumbles have derailed scoring chances. I'm confident that if the Panthers can withstand the initial emotional punch that South Alabama gives that they can execute and move up and down the field.
South Alabama Wins If...
They are patient and force turnovers. They have a +11 TO margin. Yes, CBC is impressed with that. I look at the schedule they've played. They will not hit big play after big play but want to drop short passes and turn the field over.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Pound the football - The Panthers could not move the football vs. ODU on the ground but thrashed them through the air as Drew Little went north of 400 yards with no INTs. The Pistol formation was good in spurts and I'd imagine we will see more of that. I fully expect a better offensive line performance and 38+ runs on the ground to force the safeties in and allow Drew to go deep.
2) Make the Jaguars uncomfortable - ODU admitted last week that they were confused by Coach Thompson's defense and it forced a veteran QB to take short throws because he had no where else to go. Missed tackles contributed to bigger gains. With an OL that averages 279lbs., I see many more blitzing opportunities by the Panthers D. Rattle the QBs and the rotations may stop quickly.
3) Continue to throw the football down the field - Drew has gone 189 passes without an INT. That's phenomenal and Coach Curry is a little uncomfortable talking about as he equates it to talking about a pitcher throwing a no hitter in the 7th inning. The WRs and RBs have done a great job catching the ball but have fumbled medium and long gains. I expect that to get fixed and there to be multiple opportunies to exploit the Jag's CBs who will be left on an island early.
The Roar
South Alabama may welcome its largest crowd of the year as Alabama is on a BYE and Auburn plays at Ole Miss. While noise wasn't an issue this past weekend in Norfolk, I expect the Panthers to hear a little louder atmosphere at Ladd Peebles. Glad the coaching staff continued to pumped in crowd noise to practice this week. South Alabama features 10 players from Georgia on its 2 deep and it's likely that some may have been recruiting targets of both schools. The game is being billed as a "White Out" with South Alabama fans wearing all white. The Panthers will be wearing their home blue jerseys and white pants for the first time in an opponent's building.
Prediction: Georgia State 21, South Alabama 17
Thursday, October 28, 2010
AJC: Schultz Predicts Loss by 14
Yikes. That would be 2 straight weeks. I don't see it that way and my preview will be available tomorrow morning.
Georgia St. at South Alabama: South Alabama has won seven games by an average score of 44-7. I guess Tuscaloosa will be a step down for the Panthers. This week, they go down by two TDs.
AJC Link
Georgia St. at South Alabama: South Alabama has won seven games by an average score of 44-7. I guess Tuscaloosa will be a step down for the Panthers. This week, they go down by two TDs.
AJC Link
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Evaluating GSU's Graduation Success Rate
Graduating Student Athletes. It's something that every coach and Athletic Director wants.
The NCAA uses its own measure, the Graduation Success Rate (GSR), which accounts for students who transfer into an institution or who transfer out in good academic standing and is therefore higher than the federal rate.
**Also keep in mind that these numbers are for those student-athletes who entered school in 2000 and would have graduated in 2003.
So how do Georgia State's sports match up from this time frame? See below (the higher number the better).
Overall in 2010: 72 (up 3 from 2009)
Individual Sports:
Women's Golf - 100
Volleyball - 100
Women's Track - 93 (up 13 from 2009)
Men's Tennis - 90 (first non-100 since 1998 which basically means 1 player didn't graduate)
Men's Track & Field - 89 (same as 2009)
Women's Basketball - 86 (down 7 from 2009)
Softball - 85 (up 5 from 2009)
Women's Soccer - 80 (up 9 from 2009)
Women's Tennis - 71 (down 7 from 2009)
Men's Soccer - 61 (up 3 from 2009)
Baseball - 46 (down 6 from 2009)
Men's Golf - 38 (down 12 from 2009)
Men's Basketball - 36 (up 3 from 2009)
NCAA GSR Link
My take: It should be no shock that our men's basketball team is the worst on the list. They rarely graduated under Coach Driesell and Coach Perry. Coach Barnes has done a phenomenal job as he's graduated every player that exhausted his eligibility from 2007-Present.
The NCAA uses its own measure, the Graduation Success Rate (GSR), which accounts for students who transfer into an institution or who transfer out in good academic standing and is therefore higher than the federal rate.
**Also keep in mind that these numbers are for those student-athletes who entered school in 2000 and would have graduated in 2003.
So how do Georgia State's sports match up from this time frame? See below (the higher number the better).
Overall in 2010: 72 (up 3 from 2009)
Individual Sports:
Women's Golf - 100
Volleyball - 100
Women's Track - 93 (up 13 from 2009)
Men's Tennis - 90 (first non-100 since 1998 which basically means 1 player didn't graduate)
Men's Track & Field - 89 (same as 2009)
Women's Basketball - 86 (down 7 from 2009)
Softball - 85 (up 5 from 2009)
Women's Soccer - 80 (up 9 from 2009)
Women's Tennis - 71 (down 7 from 2009)
Men's Soccer - 61 (up 3 from 2009)
Baseball - 46 (down 6 from 2009)
Men's Golf - 38 (down 12 from 2009)
Men's Basketball - 36 (up 3 from 2009)
NCAA GSR Link
My take: It should be no shock that our men's basketball team is the worst on the list. They rarely graduated under Coach Driesell and Coach Perry. Coach Barnes has done a phenomenal job as he's graduated every player that exhausted his eligibility from 2007-Present.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Could South Alabama Game be a Blowout?
As you know if you've read this space for any amount of time, I'm a huge proponent of your defensive front 7 combined weight as a guage to stop opponents offenses. It's not an original idea but it has relevance this weekend. We will face the 3rd lightest front 7 in South Alabama Saturday. What were the other 2 that were lighter you ask? That would be Shorter and Morehead State. Both were blowouts with the Panthers winning by more than 4 TDs.
A look at our opponents and their front 7 combined weights listed lightest to heaviest:
1) Shorter - 3-4 - 1585lbs.
2) Morehead State - 4-3 - 1591lbs.
3) South Alabama - 3-4 - 1630lbs.
4) Savannah State - 4-3 - 1637lbs.
5) Old Dominion - 4-3 - 1725lbs.
6) Lambuth - 4-3 - 1745lbs.
7) NC Central - 3-4 - 1762lbs.
8) Campbell - 4-3 - 1770lbs.
9) Jacksonville State - 4-3 - 1792lbs.
What do you think? Is this a predictor of things to come this Saturday?
A look at our opponents and their front 7 combined weights listed lightest to heaviest:
1) Shorter - 3-4 - 1585lbs.
2) Morehead State - 4-3 - 1591lbs.
3) South Alabama - 3-4 - 1630lbs.
4) Savannah State - 4-3 - 1637lbs.
5) Old Dominion - 4-3 - 1725lbs.
6) Lambuth - 4-3 - 1745lbs.
7) NC Central - 3-4 - 1762lbs.
8) Campbell - 4-3 - 1770lbs.
9) Jacksonville State - 4-3 - 1792lbs.
What do you think? Is this a predictor of things to come this Saturday?
South Alabama Coach Gives His Thoughts on GSU
South Alabama's Joey Jones gave his thoughts yesterday including what he thinks about Georgia State and coaching vs. Coach Curry.
On the final three home games:
“Georgia State is a very well-coached football team. They have very good athletes. The factors of going on the road certainly made it a little tough for us, but coming back home gives you more of a comfort-level. One thing our team has been good about is focusing on the process and not the results. I tell the team every week that as long as we prepare well, then something good is going to happen on Saturday. We just need to keep that mindset and focus on the process.”
On coaching against [Georgia State head coach] Bill Curry:
“I have a lot of respect for coach Curry. He’s been very successful in all of his tenures, but he is also a great person. He is a guy who is good for the game. He is a man of great character, and I respect him a lot and look forward to playing on Saturday. He is going through what I went through last year, putting a team together the first time and going through the highs and lows of putting a program together. But I respect his coaching ability and respect him as a person.”
BoxScoreNews Link
On the final three home games:
“Georgia State is a very well-coached football team. They have very good athletes. The factors of going on the road certainly made it a little tough for us, but coming back home gives you more of a comfort-level. One thing our team has been good about is focusing on the process and not the results. I tell the team every week that as long as we prepare well, then something good is going to happen on Saturday. We just need to keep that mindset and focus on the process.”
On coaching against [Georgia State head coach] Bill Curry:
“I have a lot of respect for coach Curry. He’s been very successful in all of his tenures, but he is also a great person. He is a guy who is good for the game. He is a man of great character, and I respect him a lot and look forward to playing on Saturday. He is going through what I went through last year, putting a team together the first time and going through the highs and lows of putting a program together. But I respect his coaching ability and respect him as a person.”
BoxScoreNews Link
Monday, October 25, 2010
Coach Bill Curry Call-In Show on 1160 AM
Listen live and also follow me on Twitter @GStateBen for full run down and my thoughts on the show.
Monday Quick Hitters - 10.25.10
Happy Monday to the Panther Nation! As disappointing as the ODU game was this weekend, it could have been much worse and our team did a tremendous job fighting back. Lessons are learned and we experienced our first loss on the road.
On to the Links!
Reaction after the ODU loss: CT does a tremendous job grabbing the reaction from both local teams and their publications. GSU Sports Link
Bragging on Drew: It's easy to do after a 400+ yard passing day but take a look at his stats compared to other FCS QBs:
His 141.2 passer rating would rank him 15th
His 1630 yards passing would rank him 16th
His 14 TD passes would rank him in a tie for 12th.
Full FCS Stats are available via The Sports Network. Check their link here.
Men's Basketball Begin Practice & Coach Rod Barnes believes in his young team: We will talk plenty about the men's team but here the AJC's preview. AJC Link
On to the Links!
Reaction after the ODU loss: CT does a tremendous job grabbing the reaction from both local teams and their publications. GSU Sports Link
Bragging on Drew: It's easy to do after a 400+ yard passing day but take a look at his stats compared to other FCS QBs:
His 141.2 passer rating would rank him 15th
His 1630 yards passing would rank him 16th
His 14 TD passes would rank him in a tie for 12th.
Full FCS Stats are available via The Sports Network. Check their link here.
Men's Basketball Begin Practice & Coach Rod Barnes believes in his young team: We will talk plenty about the men's team but here the AJC's preview. AJC Link
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Panthers Fall to ODU 34-20
The Good: Drew Little. He completed 33 passes for 414 yards. He did everything he could to keep us in the game. He wasn't sacked once and made several smart throws to get us out of trouble.
The Bad: The running game and offensive line. As good as the line was on pass protection, they were that bad on running plays. Worst running performance I've seen out of our offensive line. I know it would be easy to put the defense here as well but I will not. They were put in bad spots over and over.
The Ugly: 4 Fumbles and multiple personal foul penalties that are just not like this team. Also giving up 17 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter pretty much sealed a happy homecoming for ODU.
The Bad: The running game and offensive line. As good as the line was on pass protection, they were that bad on running plays. Worst running performance I've seen out of our offensive line. I know it would be easy to put the defense here as well but I will not. They were put in bad spots over and over.
The Ugly: 4 Fumbles and multiple personal foul penalties that are just not like this team. Also giving up 17 unanswered points in the 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter pretty much sealed a happy homecoming for ODU.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sources: Former GT Safety Cooper Taylor to GSU
Photo courtesy of Pouya Dianat of the AJC
He left the team last Thursday and remained in school. AJC Link
He was a two star recruit out of Marist HS here in Atlanta and would have two years of eligibility after receiving a medical redshirt in 2009.
My take: This is a pretty good get and makes a ton of sense for depth behind Brandon Jones. My sources tell me that his Dad was a huge factor in the decision and Mr. Taylor played for Coach Curry at Tech in the 80s. He's responsible for one Tech's biggest wins in his freshman year (YouTube Link) when causing Marcus Sims to fumble on the goalline preserving a Jacket win over Florida State which was their first since 1975.
Georgia State vs. Old Dominion - Preview & Prediction
Georgia State vs. Old Dominion
Kickoff: 3:30pm Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium
TV/Radio: Comcast Channel 499 WCFO 1160 AM, WRAS 88.5
Quick Slant: The Panthers play their 2nd road game coming off an OT victory vs. NC Central (which then proceeded to fire its coach) 20-17. Old Dominion is coming off a bye week after getting their doors blown off in the 4th quarter vs. Cal-Poly. This game will serve as Homecoming for the Monarchs, a fact that all of our players and coaches know well.
About Old Dominion: ODU is 3-3 on the season and will join the CAA in 2011. QB Thomas DeMarco is a dual threat as he has rushed for 203 yards and passed for 1668 yards with 18 combined TDs (15 passing, 3 rushing). DeMarco spreads the ball around as 13 different ODU players have receptions. His primary target over the last 3 weeks is Prentice Gill a 5'11 WR out of Los Angeles. They've thrown the ball on average of 41 times per game and threw a season high 57 passes vs. Cal-Poly.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers force pressure? ODU has allowed 7 sacks through 6 games. Getting after DeMarco will be a top priority because they have shown a propensity to wear down later in games.
2) Can the Panthers take advantage of a small front 7? The Panthers faced an NC Central 3-4 defense that had a combined weight of 1828lbs. The Monarchs are 102lbs. lighter across their 4-3. Patience with the run and a new offensive formation will help move the chains.
3) Can the Panthers continue to play great vs. the pass? The Panthers young secondary would currently rank 16th in the FCS in pass defense (not ranked statistically because we are technically reclassifying for the 2010 season) allowing only 149 yard per game through the air. ODU dials up passes. It's strength on strength and Fred Barnes will be in the cross hairs as he has been all year so far.
Georgia State Wins If...
They are able to win the turnover battle (ODU has thrown 9 INTs and lost 4 fumbles on the season). The Panthers have done a great job getting turnovers in the last few games but the inability to cash them in nearly got them beat vs. NC Central. Run the ball and continue to take your shots down the field to Danny Williams and the Panthers should send the Homecoming crowd home disappointed.
Old Dominion Wins If...
They ride the wave of emotion and hit big plays in special teams. The Monarchs do not run the ball except for show and on QB draws. If they can use the quick kicks and hit big plays in the passing game, they could beat the Panthers.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Pound the football - Kelton Hill was the leading rusher vs. NC Central. I have no doubt that he will hold onto the football better this week and exploit a smaller front 7. The unveiling of a new offensive formation will only enhance the cuts that the RBs can make. 35 runs plus to take the crowd out of it and move the chains.
2) Keep the play in front of you - ODU likes to dial up long passes over the top. I'd venture to say they haven't seen what Coach Thompson has cooked up. The LBs will have to play big as DeMarco can take off if he smells trouble. They WRs are quick but not tall and our CBs and safeties will need to be aware of things over the top.
3) Spread the ball around - Drew has done a fantastic job spreading the ball around to RBs, TEs and WRs. I think the formula has to stay the same. It's safe to say that ODU is aware of Danny Williams after 2 100 yard receiving days. If they roll coverage his way, Sidney, Albert, Arthur and Bo will all have opportunities to make plays.
The Roar
Old Dominion has sold all of their allotted 19,000 plus tickets which will mean the Panthers are facing significant crowd noise for the first time. The coaching staff pumped in crowd noise to practice this week including the ODU fight song. ODU features 2 players from Georgia including former Georgia Tech and Dunwoody HS grad Deron Jasper. The game is being billed as a "Blue Out" with ODU fans wearing all blue.
Prediction: Georgia State 28, Old Dominion 21
Kickoff: 3:30pm Foreman Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium
TV/Radio: Comcast Channel 499 WCFO 1160 AM, WRAS 88.5
Foreman Field. Expect 19,782 people in attendance and only a few leaving happy.
Photo Courtesy of ODU Sports Communications
Quick Slant: The Panthers play their 2nd road game coming off an OT victory vs. NC Central (which then proceeded to fire its coach) 20-17. Old Dominion is coming off a bye week after getting their doors blown off in the 4th quarter vs. Cal-Poly. This game will serve as Homecoming for the Monarchs, a fact that all of our players and coaches know well.
About Old Dominion: ODU is 3-3 on the season and will join the CAA in 2011. QB Thomas DeMarco is a dual threat as he has rushed for 203 yards and passed for 1668 yards with 18 combined TDs (15 passing, 3 rushing). DeMarco spreads the ball around as 13 different ODU players have receptions. His primary target over the last 3 weeks is Prentice Gill a 5'11 WR out of Los Angeles. They've thrown the ball on average of 41 times per game and threw a season high 57 passes vs. Cal-Poly.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers force pressure? ODU has allowed 7 sacks through 6 games. Getting after DeMarco will be a top priority because they have shown a propensity to wear down later in games.
2) Can the Panthers take advantage of a small front 7? The Panthers faced an NC Central 3-4 defense that had a combined weight of 1828lbs. The Monarchs are 102lbs. lighter across their 4-3. Patience with the run and a new offensive formation will help move the chains.
3) Can the Panthers continue to play great vs. the pass? The Panthers young secondary would currently rank 16th in the FCS in pass defense (not ranked statistically because we are technically reclassifying for the 2010 season) allowing only 149 yard per game through the air. ODU dials up passes. It's strength on strength and Fred Barnes will be in the cross hairs as he has been all year so far.
Georgia State Wins If...
They are able to win the turnover battle (ODU has thrown 9 INTs and lost 4 fumbles on the season). The Panthers have done a great job getting turnovers in the last few games but the inability to cash them in nearly got them beat vs. NC Central. Run the ball and continue to take your shots down the field to Danny Williams and the Panthers should send the Homecoming crowd home disappointed.
Old Dominion Wins If...
They ride the wave of emotion and hit big plays in special teams. The Monarchs do not run the ball except for show and on QB draws. If they can use the quick kicks and hit big plays in the passing game, they could beat the Panthers.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Pound the football - Kelton Hill was the leading rusher vs. NC Central. I have no doubt that he will hold onto the football better this week and exploit a smaller front 7. The unveiling of a new offensive formation will only enhance the cuts that the RBs can make. 35 runs plus to take the crowd out of it and move the chains.
2) Keep the play in front of you - ODU likes to dial up long passes over the top. I'd venture to say they haven't seen what Coach Thompson has cooked up. The LBs will have to play big as DeMarco can take off if he smells trouble. They WRs are quick but not tall and our CBs and safeties will need to be aware of things over the top.
3) Spread the ball around - Drew has done a fantastic job spreading the ball around to RBs, TEs and WRs. I think the formula has to stay the same. It's safe to say that ODU is aware of Danny Williams after 2 100 yard receiving days. If they roll coverage his way, Sidney, Albert, Arthur and Bo will all have opportunities to make plays.
The Roar
Old Dominion has sold all of their allotted 19,000 plus tickets which will mean the Panthers are facing significant crowd noise for the first time. The coaching staff pumped in crowd noise to practice this week including the ODU fight song. ODU features 2 players from Georgia including former Georgia Tech and Dunwoody HS grad Deron Jasper. The game is being billed as a "Blue Out" with ODU fans wearing all blue.
Prediction: Georgia State 28, Old Dominion 21
Friday Quick Hitters - 10.22.10
Good Morning Panther Nation and Happy Friday! The team will be headed to my home state today for its 2nd ever road contest tomorrow.
A few links relating to our program...
Curry weighs in on the heavy hitting from the AJC:
No, we’ve not done enough to stop these injuries, and the burden is on the coaches to teach head up with the tackle. Most catastrophic injury in the sport of football happens with the compression of the spine because the head is down and the blow is delivered with the top of the head gear.
As for the concussion and the brain trauma, the unprotected guy, the receiver who is earholed, his brain is thrown violently against his skull, and it needs time to recover. Research has shown it’s not the one hit, it is the succession and cumulative effect of hits after the damage has commenced.
We say it point-blank, and we practice and make them tackle with their heads up. We go over and over this stuff. I had severe concussions in high school, minor in college, and very severe in the NFL. I’m conscious of it.”
AJC Link
Augusta Chronicle Picks Us To Win:
Georgia State @ Old Dominion: Two expansion I-AA programs meet in two flourishing recruiting grounds. Georgia State has a better coach, which should make the difference but it won't be easy. Panthers 24, Monarchs 21. Link
Newport Daily Press and another 'Rejuvenated Curry': It's honestly getting pretty funny that this seems to be the only word used to describe CBC. Like he was exhausted when he left. Pretty good quotes and my favorite: [On the 4 game win streak] "We're not riding anything," Curry said of his team's success. "We're stumbling, scraping and scrapping. Honestly, that's how it feels." NDP Link
Look for my preview and prediction later today.
A few links relating to our program...
Curry weighs in on the heavy hitting from the AJC:
No, we’ve not done enough to stop these injuries, and the burden is on the coaches to teach head up with the tackle. Most catastrophic injury in the sport of football happens with the compression of the spine because the head is down and the blow is delivered with the top of the head gear.
As for the concussion and the brain trauma, the unprotected guy, the receiver who is earholed, his brain is thrown violently against his skull, and it needs time to recover. Research has shown it’s not the one hit, it is the succession and cumulative effect of hits after the damage has commenced.
We say it point-blank, and we practice and make them tackle with their heads up. We go over and over this stuff. I had severe concussions in high school, minor in college, and very severe in the NFL. I’m conscious of it.”
AJC Link
Augusta Chronicle Picks Us To Win:
Georgia State @ Old Dominion: Two expansion I-AA programs meet in two flourishing recruiting grounds. Georgia State has a better coach, which should make the difference but it won't be easy. Panthers 24, Monarchs 21. Link
Newport Daily Press and another 'Rejuvenated Curry': It's honestly getting pretty funny that this seems to be the only word used to describe CBC. Like he was exhausted when he left. Pretty good quotes and my favorite: [On the 4 game win streak] "We're not riding anything," Curry said of his team's success. "We're stumbling, scraping and scrapping. Honestly, that's how it feels." NDP Link
Look for my preview and prediction later today.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
AJC: ODU by a TD
Ouch. And I was just starting to like Jeff Schultz. Oh well, he thinks we lose on the road. I hope he's wrong and I think he is. Check my preview tomorrow.
AJC Link
AJC Link
AJC: CAA Commissioner Talks GSU
The CAA Commish is happy here but will he be if Rhode Island & 'Nova jump?
More great work by Ken at the AJC. Looking forward to Saturday's game more and more.
AJC Link
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Alumni Tailgate for Alabama game
Thanks to "The Voice" for sending this over. I hope you guys are making plans for T Town & Nov. 18th.
Alumni Association will be hosting a pre-game tailgate party in Tuscaloosa before the Ga State/Alabama game.
Location: Pavilion adjacent to the President's Mansion at The University of Alabama
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Bama Dining will be onsite providing our food and beverages.
ADMISSION:
●FREE for current Alumni Association members and children 3 and under.
●First Alumni Association member guest and children ages 4-12 - $5.00 per person.
●All other guests $10.00 per person.
For further details, call the Alumni Assn office at 404-413-2190.
Alumni Association will be hosting a pre-game tailgate party in Tuscaloosa before the Ga State/Alabama game.
Location: Pavilion adjacent to the President's Mansion at The University of Alabama
Time: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Bama Dining will be onsite providing our food and beverages.
ADMISSION:
●FREE for current Alumni Association members and children 3 and under.
●First Alumni Association member guest and children ages 4-12 - $5.00 per person.
●All other guests $10.00 per person.
For further details, call the Alumni Assn office at 404-413-2190.
Tuesday Quick Hitters - 10.19.10
Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you enjoyed Saturday as much as I did. Looking forward to a pretty big measuring stick in Norfolk this Saturday with Old Dominion. The Monarchs are using us as Homecoming. Let's bet that will certainly be on the minds of the players and coaches this week.
Onto the links...
Examiner.com - Checking In With Our Opponents: As usual, Bob R. does a great job running down our opponents this week. Our foes have a combined record of 37-34 after going 4-6 this past weekend. Examiner.com Link
Gwinnett Daily Post - Last Chance for Iain Vance: Saturday's hero gets a good writeup from our old friend David Friedlander. GDP Link
Yet another 1st: NC Central Head Coach Mose Rison has been relieved of his duties after we beat them in OT on Sataurday. He has one more year on his contract and has been reassigned within the athletic department. Durham Herald-Sun Link
From the AJC: More Georgia schools looking to add football: Interesting to see how the rest of the state is reacting to what we are building. Some interesting notes about Kennesaw needing $10 million to build their program. We will have quite a lead on them and I truly do not see them as competition moving forward. AJC Link
Highlights to leave you with: Check out ODU's last home game highlights where they gave up 50 points vs. FCS #23 ranked Cal-Poly. They gave up 23 4th quarter points and gave up 326 yards on the ground. This may be our formula as well as they ave a very light front 7. YouTube Link
Onto the links...
Examiner.com - Checking In With Our Opponents: As usual, Bob R. does a great job running down our opponents this week. Our foes have a combined record of 37-34 after going 4-6 this past weekend. Examiner.com Link
Gwinnett Daily Post - Last Chance for Iain Vance: Saturday's hero gets a good writeup from our old friend David Friedlander. GDP Link
Yet another 1st: NC Central Head Coach Mose Rison has been relieved of his duties after we beat them in OT on Sataurday. He has one more year on his contract and has been reassigned within the athletic department. Durham Herald-Sun Link
From the AJC: More Georgia schools looking to add football: Interesting to see how the rest of the state is reacting to what we are building. Some interesting notes about Kennesaw needing $10 million to build their program. We will have quite a lead on them and I truly do not see them as competition moving forward. AJC Link
Highlights to leave you with: Check out ODU's last home game highlights where they gave up 50 points vs. FCS #23 ranked Cal-Poly. They gave up 23 4th quarter points and gave up 326 yards on the ground. This may be our formula as well as they ave a very light front 7. YouTube Link
Monday, October 18, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Georgia State Wins 20-17 in OT
Iain Vance drills the 33 yard game winner in OT.
Photo Courtesy of Kent D. Johnson of the AJC
Great win. No other way to slice it. NC Central was primed for the upset and we got very lucky to be in the game after 3 first half INTs registered no points for the home team. The D Line absolutely stepped up and allowed 32 yards on the ground after getting gashed for 143 yards in the 1st half. That's called adjustments folks.
The Panthers now sit at 5-2 and will head on the road to Norfolk, VA to face ODU.
Join the conversation at www.PantherTalk.com.
Sleep well Panther Nation!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Georgia State vs. North Carolina Central - Preview & Prediction
Georgia State vs. NC Central
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Quick Slant: The Panthers play the 3rd game of their latest homestand after pushing aside Savannah State 55-21. The game wasn't close and the team proved it could step on the gas at home when given the opportunity. There were still sloppy plays including: fumbles and drops by the WR corp and penalities. The Panthers are no doubt aware that this will be their toughest game since Jacksonville State.
About Morehead State: The Eagles are coming off arguably their most heartbreaking performance. They enter the Dome 2-3 and watching Hampton score 27 unanswered points after a 13-0 lead. QB Michael Johnson threw 2 INTs that were returned for touchdowns in the second half. RB Tim Shankle is a very capable runner and operates behind a huge offensive line (averages 310 across the line) and an enormous FB in 280lbs. George Mobley.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers Stop the Run? The Eagles average more than 170 yard per game on the ground. The Panthers give up nearly 170 yard per game on the ground. The front seven has to hold up and force NC Central to throw the ball in 3rd and long situations.
2) Can the Panthers sustain long drives? NC Central averages better than 33 minutes of time of possession due in large part to their ability to run the football. Drew Little and the rest of the offense need to be able to march down the field and give the defense time to rest.
3) Can the Panthers win the field position battle? The special team story will tell you everything about this game. If Vance and Schlechter can pin NC Central deep and can flip the field position the defense can take their shots. If the Eagles are able to make plays in special teams with Arthur Goforth then it will be a long day.
Georgia State Wins If...
They protect the ball and execute the offense. Balance the run and the pass and don't be afraid to throw the ball down the field vs. the Eagles. I absolutely expect to see Kelton Hill & Drew Little in the game together at points and for Kelton to get 5 carries or more in the Wild Panther formation. Don't be surprised if we dial up a few trick plays including the reverse with Darren McCray or Albert Wilson because NC Central is prone to overplay in one direction. On defense, keep the game in 3rd and long. NC Central does not throw the ball deep and has only two plays through the air over 30 yards.
NC Central Wins If...
The run the ball and turn the Panthers over. If the turnover margin is +2 or better in favor of the Eagles then the home folks will walk away unhappy. The weakness of GSU has been stopping the run and if Shankle goes north of 100 and they are able to pull off a few plays on special teams with Goforth, then they could secure the upset.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Win the turnover battle - While aiming to make big plays, the Panthers offense has put the ball on the field. It's time for the defense to put their helmet on the football and there will be opportunities for INTs as well. The Eagles have thrown 6 INTs in 5 games.
2) Don't give up on the run - Their front 7 mirrors ours and they run the same 3-4. The offense must continue its stellar play and run the ball 35 or more times. Even if it's not grabbing 4.0 per carry, it's crucial to stay balanced to crank up the play action to Bully and Emmanuel on the rollouts.
3) Win the battle at the point of attack - The offensive line combines for 1550 lbs. across. The NG and C positions will be ones to watch all day as both teams want to push the other off the ball. If you see LBs flying up into holes and safeties able to make plays within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, it will be a good day for the Panthers. If you see long gains and 2nd and 3rd down and short, it's going to be a long day for the defense.
The Roar
The NC Central game is not going to bring a ton of fans and with the locals playing early the likelihood of 15,000 or so fans in the building is likely. NC Central is 3-0 playing in NFL venues since 2000 after have played games in Ericsson Stadium (Carolina Panthers), Giants Stadium in New York and at the old Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia Eagles). Mose Rison is the cousin of former Atlanta Falcon Andre 'Bad Moon' Rison. The Eagles will have 11 players from the state of Georgia on the roster.
Prediction: Georgia State 27, NC Central 17
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Herman Boone, most remember the name as portrayed by Denzel Washington, is an NC Central alum
Quick Slant: The Panthers play the 3rd game of their latest homestand after pushing aside Savannah State 55-21. The game wasn't close and the team proved it could step on the gas at home when given the opportunity. There were still sloppy plays including: fumbles and drops by the WR corp and penalities. The Panthers are no doubt aware that this will be their toughest game since Jacksonville State.
About Morehead State: The Eagles are coming off arguably their most heartbreaking performance. They enter the Dome 2-3 and watching Hampton score 27 unanswered points after a 13-0 lead. QB Michael Johnson threw 2 INTs that were returned for touchdowns in the second half. RB Tim Shankle is a very capable runner and operates behind a huge offensive line (averages 310 across the line) and an enormous FB in 280lbs. George Mobley.
What to Watch:
1) Can the Panthers Stop the Run? The Eagles average more than 170 yard per game on the ground. The Panthers give up nearly 170 yard per game on the ground. The front seven has to hold up and force NC Central to throw the ball in 3rd and long situations.
2) Can the Panthers sustain long drives? NC Central averages better than 33 minutes of time of possession due in large part to their ability to run the football. Drew Little and the rest of the offense need to be able to march down the field and give the defense time to rest.
3) Can the Panthers win the field position battle? The special team story will tell you everything about this game. If Vance and Schlechter can pin NC Central deep and can flip the field position the defense can take their shots. If the Eagles are able to make plays in special teams with Arthur Goforth then it will be a long day.
Georgia State Wins If...
They protect the ball and execute the offense. Balance the run and the pass and don't be afraid to throw the ball down the field vs. the Eagles. I absolutely expect to see Kelton Hill & Drew Little in the game together at points and for Kelton to get 5 carries or more in the Wild Panther formation. Don't be surprised if we dial up a few trick plays including the reverse with Darren McCray or Albert Wilson because NC Central is prone to overplay in one direction. On defense, keep the game in 3rd and long. NC Central does not throw the ball deep and has only two plays through the air over 30 yards.
NC Central Wins If...
The run the ball and turn the Panthers over. If the turnover margin is +2 or better in favor of the Eagles then the home folks will walk away unhappy. The weakness of GSU has been stopping the run and if Shankle goes north of 100 and they are able to pull off a few plays on special teams with Goforth, then they could secure the upset.
Georgia State Checklist:
1) Win the turnover battle - While aiming to make big plays, the Panthers offense has put the ball on the field. It's time for the defense to put their helmet on the football and there will be opportunities for INTs as well. The Eagles have thrown 6 INTs in 5 games.
2) Don't give up on the run - Their front 7 mirrors ours and they run the same 3-4. The offense must continue its stellar play and run the ball 35 or more times. Even if it's not grabbing 4.0 per carry, it's crucial to stay balanced to crank up the play action to Bully and Emmanuel on the rollouts.
3) Win the battle at the point of attack - The offensive line combines for 1550 lbs. across. The NG and C positions will be ones to watch all day as both teams want to push the other off the ball. If you see LBs flying up into holes and safeties able to make plays within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage, it will be a good day for the Panthers. If you see long gains and 2nd and 3rd down and short, it's going to be a long day for the defense.
The Roar
The NC Central game is not going to bring a ton of fans and with the locals playing early the likelihood of 15,000 or so fans in the building is likely. NC Central is 3-0 playing in NFL venues since 2000 after have played games in Ericsson Stadium (Carolina Panthers), Giants Stadium in New York and at the old Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia Eagles). Mose Rison is the cousin of former Atlanta Falcon Andre 'Bad Moon' Rison. The Eagles will have 11 players from the state of Georgia on the roster.
Prediction: Georgia State 27, NC Central 17
Thursday, October 14, 2010
AJC: Panthers Win by 8
N.C. Central at Georgia State: The first-year Panthers play their sixth home game in seven weeks. Just resting their legs before shocking the world in Tuscaloosa! (Go with it.) GSU covers 8.
More good work by Jeff Schultz. AJC Link
More good work by Jeff Schultz. AJC Link
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Alabama closes school early prior to GSU game
Tuscaloosa City School System students will will attend classes for half a day Nov. 18 because of traffic concerns related to the University of Alabama-Georgia State football game, the Tuscaloosa News reports.
AL.com Link
My take: Anyone who doesn't think that this game will be absolutely packed is nuts. Yes we are a first year program, yes it's a week night but having a former Alabama coach come back to Bryant-Denny with a first year program from Atlanta. There will be very few empty seats come November 18th. I'll be there. Will you?
AL.com Link
My take: Anyone who doesn't think that this game will be absolutely packed is nuts. Yes we are a first year program, yes it's a week night but having a former Alabama coach come back to Bryant-Denny with a first year program from Atlanta. There will be very few empty seats come November 18th. I'll be there. Will you?
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Talking Jaguar Football with Tommy Hicks
PantherTalk.com: What was the rationale behind hiring a High School Coach [Joey Jones] instead of going after a college assistant?
Tommy Hicks: Joey wasn't actually South's first choice. They actually interviewed 3 other candidates including Alabama Defensive Coordinator Kevin Steele. Joey would have been my first choice as he helped start Birmingham Southern's program. He's a Mobile guy and played at Alabama. It wasn't necessary [for South Alabama's coach], but it didn't hurt. He had been pretty successful as a high school coach and had relationships with the other high school coaches. He's very personable and had always put together strong high school staffs.
PT: Have you seen where he's actually 3rd in Liberty Mutual's Coach of the Year Voting?
TH: I have heard about that. That's pretty interesting.
PT: What was the thoughts behind the schedule of the last two years?
TH: The first thing that you have to know if that there were 2 different ADs. [Joe] Gottfried wanted to have a limited schedule with 7 games against prep schools and military academies. When he left, [Joel] Erdmann saw how much talent they had put together and wanted to schedule all 4 years schools including Division II, FCS and NAIA schools. There are already contracts in place to play NC State [in 2011] and Tennessee in 2013.
PT: How has the fans of Mobile and the surrounding areas embraced South Alabama's program?
TH: I've been suprised by the fan support. I expected fans to choose between 1 [Alabama/Auburn] or South. There was 23,000 for Nicholls State but last weekend [vs. Missouri S&T] there was only 14,000. It was a 4pm start and Alabama and South Carolina were on.
PT: How are Jaguar fans viewing the Georgia State game?
TH: It definitely will be one of the toughest games of the year. I think it's part of a three game stretch that the team has circled. It may be the largest crowd because Alabama is on a bye, Auburn is playing on the road [at Ole Miss]. It may provide a very good atmosphere because the team is coming from Atlanta. The fans have been paying attention to Lamar, UTSA and Georgia State to see how they are doing.
PT: How much of an impact did club football have on the football program? Would it have happend without the club team?
TH: [Club Football at USA] wasn't the trigger. The timing was right and the belief it could work was there. [The previous] ticket push did not work. [Note: South Alabama tried several times to generate 6,000 season ticket pledges and failed multiple times]. The Chief Financial Officer for the school came to the President after 3 straight years of making money. The President was behind [football] if the school could afford it. The President was then motivated to look into it and took a $50 fee increase to the students earmarked for football. They overwhelmingly approved. [South Alabama's President Gordon] Moulton was not going to build a band aid situation. The student fee raised $4 million for football. They then built an $8 million facility with a state of the art weight room, two outdoor practice fields, LCD TVs in the coaches offices and meeting rooms.
PT: Is Laad-Peebles the long term solution for a stadium or is there a plan to build an on campus stadium?
TH: Definitely going to build a stadium. There are no drawings or public discussions but they will at least admit their are discussions.
PT: Has the coaching staff been surpised by the recruits they've been able to land? Who does South Alabama view as recruiting rivals?
TH: They've been suprised. Grabbing a guy like Jake Johnson [transfer] from Virginia Tech. They are building for 2013. The coaching staff specifically targetted defensive line and offensive line recruits. They've got to have guys ready for that point. They recruited junior college guys but once they leave the newer guys have to be ready by then. As far as recruiting rivals, Troy, Southern Miss and other Sun Belt Schools. Going into Mississippi, the panhandle of Florida and getting guys in state. Schools like Central Florida. They are going to hope to sneak a guy like Troy did with Osi Umenyiora and Demaracus [Ware].
Thanks to Tommy Hicks for great insight and I would urge Panther fans to read up on South Alabama. I truly think they are doing things differently than we are but it's going to get real quick for them. The next three games at Lamar, at UC Davis and at home vs. Georgia State will tell the coaching staff a ton about where they are as a program.
Tuesday Quick Hitters - 10.12.10
Good Evening Panther Nation! I hope you enjoyed this weekend's victory over Savannah State and are looking forward to NC Central. I had a chance to catch up with Tommy Hicks of the Mobile Press Register this afternoon and he had some interesting insights about the South Alabama program. I'll be posting his interview in about 30 minutes
Until then, today's links:
Ken at the AJC Previews NC Central with Coach Curry: AJC Link
Football Opponents Report: Rough weekend for our opponents as they go 3-5 this weekend. Our foes have a combined of 33-28 with Jacksonville State and South Alabama remaining undefeated. Check out Bob of the Examiner's complete run down. Examiner Link
Football Recruiting: DL Tre Jackson (6-5 290) of Jessup, GA has been offered by Georgia Tech. He's also getting interest from Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Middle Tennessee State. He is open right now. Charleston Post & Courier Link
Basketball Recruiting: Got to see a basketball recruit at the Georgia Dome on Saturday vs. Savannah State. Former Washington State Forward James Watson took in the game with Asst. Coach Sceptor Brownlee. He's currently at a JUCO and from what I understand he's a solid commit to us. I'll be updating the recruiting sites tomorrow. Washington State profile
Until then, today's links:
Ken at the AJC Previews NC Central with Coach Curry: AJC Link
Football Opponents Report: Rough weekend for our opponents as they go 3-5 this weekend. Our foes have a combined of 33-28 with Jacksonville State and South Alabama remaining undefeated. Check out Bob of the Examiner's complete run down. Examiner Link
Football Recruiting: DL Tre Jackson (6-5 290) of Jessup, GA has been offered by Georgia Tech. He's also getting interest from Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Middle Tennessee State. He is open right now. Charleston Post & Courier Link
Basketball Recruiting: Got to see a basketball recruit at the Georgia Dome on Saturday vs. Savannah State. Former Washington State Forward James Watson took in the game with Asst. Coach Sceptor Brownlee. He's currently at a JUCO and from what I understand he's a solid commit to us. I'll be updating the recruiting sites tomorrow. Washington State profile
Monday, October 11, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Georgia State vs. Savannah State: Preview & Prediction
Georgia State vs. Savannah State
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Quick Slant: After putting together the first winning streak in football history, by dismantling Morehead State (and they followed my checklist pretty well, I digress) and dominating on both sides of the ball, the Panthers face a taller task: Complacency. This week could present itself as our biggest margin of victory or our best chance for a Lambuth sized let down.
About Savannah State: Hard to mince words here. The Tigers are 0-5 and can't get out of their own way. They average less than 10 points per game and have been steamrolled this year by losing games by a combined score of 211-48. They turn the ball over (5 INTs and 5 Fumbles lost) and they commit penalties (8 for 53 yards on average). They do have above average size on the offensive line but have only averaged 3.4 yards per rush. They've also given up 14 sacks which tells me those big fellas may be slow afoot.
What to Watch
1. Will Drew Little take shots deep? SSU has shorter corners and I fully expect after taking two shots down the field to Albert Wilson (and completing one for 50 yards to set up 1st and Goal) that the plan will be to run then play action pass deep.
2. Can the Panthers continue to run the football? Coach Curry has absolutely hammered the offensive line last week and they responded. 40 rushes for 153 yards. I could absolutely see better results per rush this week vs. a SSU line that averages 255lbs. across the line.
3. Can the Panthers step on the gas again? The thing about a team that is going in the wrong direction is that if they feel the game slipping away, there's a "here we go again" mentality that can take effect. The offense has outscored opponents in the 1st Quarter 42-19. Savannah State has yet to score in the 2nd quarter all year.
Georgia State Wins If...
The Panthers stay balanced and force Savannah State into 3rd and long. QB Drew Little had a tremendous game on Saturday and continued to protect the ball. Cut down on the fumbles by the WRs and this should be a field day for the Panthers.
Savannah State Wins If...
They can execute. It's easy to say but they do have guys that can make plays. The Tigers have just beaten themselves over and over. If they can limit penalties and not get caught up in the bright lights of the Dome they could upset the Panthers.
Georgia State Checklist:
1. Impose Their Will Along the Lines. Yep, same formula as the game vs. Morehead State. The task gets tougher for the defensive line but I believe our offensive line is taking a step each and every game. Chemistry is such an underrated thing on the offensive line.
2. Let Savannah State beat themselves. They do a great job of giving it to you and letting you get off the field. Allow them to do that and maintain focus and intensity between the whistles. Giving them free yards is not something we can afford to do.
3. Turn Bully loose. I believe that the last 2 games have been a bit of a coming out party for our TE Arthur 'Bully' Williams. Dragging a defender at least 5 yards into the end zone wass one of my personal highlights of the year so far. You almost felt bad for the Eagle defender. I said almost. The 6'4, 270lbs. workhorse from Miami is an absolutely stud. Give the big fella another 3 or 4 touches out the outside and I dare a Tiger defender to bring him down.
The Roar
The bunch from Savannah may actually win one battle on Saturday: the halftime show. Our band is very good, there band is better. The Coastal Empire Sound Explosion does a great job and Georgia State fans are in for a treat. They should also bring a decent group as the Morehead State fans couldn't fill out a middle school music class.
The prediction: Georgia State 45, Savannah State 7
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Yep, former Smart Guy Tahj Mowery is a Savannah State alum and former football player.
Quick Slant: After putting together the first winning streak in football history, by dismantling Morehead State (and they followed my checklist pretty well, I digress) and dominating on both sides of the ball, the Panthers face a taller task: Complacency. This week could present itself as our biggest margin of victory or our best chance for a Lambuth sized let down.
About Savannah State: Hard to mince words here. The Tigers are 0-5 and can't get out of their own way. They average less than 10 points per game and have been steamrolled this year by losing games by a combined score of 211-48. They turn the ball over (5 INTs and 5 Fumbles lost) and they commit penalties (8 for 53 yards on average). They do have above average size on the offensive line but have only averaged 3.4 yards per rush. They've also given up 14 sacks which tells me those big fellas may be slow afoot.
What to Watch
1. Will Drew Little take shots deep? SSU has shorter corners and I fully expect after taking two shots down the field to Albert Wilson (and completing one for 50 yards to set up 1st and Goal) that the plan will be to run then play action pass deep.
2. Can the Panthers continue to run the football? Coach Curry has absolutely hammered the offensive line last week and they responded. 40 rushes for 153 yards. I could absolutely see better results per rush this week vs. a SSU line that averages 255lbs. across the line.
3. Can the Panthers step on the gas again? The thing about a team that is going in the wrong direction is that if they feel the game slipping away, there's a "here we go again" mentality that can take effect. The offense has outscored opponents in the 1st Quarter 42-19. Savannah State has yet to score in the 2nd quarter all year.
Georgia State Wins If...
The Panthers stay balanced and force Savannah State into 3rd and long. QB Drew Little had a tremendous game on Saturday and continued to protect the ball. Cut down on the fumbles by the WRs and this should be a field day for the Panthers.
Savannah State Wins If...
They can execute. It's easy to say but they do have guys that can make plays. The Tigers have just beaten themselves over and over. If they can limit penalties and not get caught up in the bright lights of the Dome they could upset the Panthers.
Georgia State Checklist:
1. Impose Their Will Along the Lines. Yep, same formula as the game vs. Morehead State. The task gets tougher for the defensive line but I believe our offensive line is taking a step each and every game. Chemistry is such an underrated thing on the offensive line.
2. Let Savannah State beat themselves. They do a great job of giving it to you and letting you get off the field. Allow them to do that and maintain focus and intensity between the whistles. Giving them free yards is not something we can afford to do.
3. Turn Bully loose. I believe that the last 2 games have been a bit of a coming out party for our TE Arthur 'Bully' Williams. Dragging a defender at least 5 yards into the end zone wass one of my personal highlights of the year so far. You almost felt bad for the Eagle defender. I said almost. The 6'4, 270lbs. workhorse from Miami is an absolutely stud. Give the big fella another 3 or 4 touches out the outside and I dare a Tiger defender to bring him down.
The Roar
The bunch from Savannah may actually win one battle on Saturday: the halftime show. Our band is very good, there band is better. The Coastal Empire Sound Explosion does a great job and Georgia State fans are in for a treat. They should also bring a decent group as the Morehead State fans couldn't fill out a middle school music class.
The prediction: Georgia State 45, Savannah State 7
Like, Dislike or Neutral: UGA football is the model
I'm not a Georgia fan, never have been. However, I respect them and I'm not here to speak for anyone else but the numbers that the program puts up financially are staggering.
Great peice by Tim Ticker of the AJC today. A few of the highlights:
Great peice by Tim Ticker of the AJC today. A few of the highlights:
- UGA projects that football ticket sales will generate about $17.4 million in revenue this fiscal year, compared to $1.36 million in ticket sales for all other sports combined.
- The $17.4 million does not include the donations made to the Athletic Association's "Hartman Fund" for, basically, ticket-buying priority.
- After Georgia finished No. 2 in the nation in the 2007 season, those donations spiked to a record $26.1 million in 2008. They have declined each of the past two years, to $23.3 million in 2009 and $22.8 million this year.
- Despite consecutive disappointing football seasons even before this one, the UGA Athletic Association hasn't missed a beat financially. The budget for the current fiscal year projects revenue will remain flat at about $84.75 million, the vast majority of which is attributable to football.
- For the fiscal year that ended June 30, the board was told that the Athletic Association had $8 million more in revenue than expenditures and stashed the surplus into reserves that now stand at a hefty $68.3 million.
- The board also was told that the ongoing expansion of the Butts-Mehre football headquarters building will cost $33 million, or $6.5 million less than the board had authorized.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
AJC: "Panthers by Two TDs"
Another very good run down by Jeff Schultz. Funions man! (You'll understand when you check the link, I promise).
AJC Link
AJC Link
Frenchy: Georgia State's New Sensation
Frenchy carries Panther Pride deep. Respect.
GSU LINK
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Free Student Companion Tix Saturday
Very, very good idea by the folks in athletics. The student section has continued to grow and this gives them yet another reason to bring someone that may not have been exposed to Georgia State football.
I'm challenging all of my followers to bring someone with you on Saturday. I'll be there with my wife and little one and am trying to recruit at least one Savannah State grad to bring a few folks.
GSU Sports Link
I'm challenging all of my followers to bring someone with you on Saturday. I'll be there with my wife and little one and am trying to recruit at least one Savannah State grad to bring a few folks.
GSU Sports Link
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Notes from Coach Curry's Press Conference
Interesting things of today's press conference:
-Rosevelt Watson is still starting RB: "[Watson] remains the starter because he is excellent in pass protection. When you see us sprint the quarterback out, he can drive on the corner and knock people down. He catches the ball well and just does everything well."
While not as statistically impressive as guys like Travis Evans, I knew this was the case because the passing game seems more fluid when #3 is in the game. Not a knock on the other RBs but passs protection is something that has to be taught. That attitude though, that's something that fires from within. Can we grab like 5 more guys from South Florida please? Just sayin'...
-Just how good is Drew Little's knowledge of the playbook? "Since Drew [Little] has mastered the system and knows the calls so well, then that puts a lot of pressure on the defense.
That's tremendous praise for a RS Freshman folks.
One Savannah State's defensive formations: "They play mostly with a free safety and will play cover three or they will be in man-free. They have tried an awful lot to stop people from running on them. They will have eight or nine in the box.
Umm, que up the home run ball in our offense. I send Sidney Haynes, Albert Wilson and Arthur Williams on go routes. I see several long throws on the docket on Saturday.
On Star Jackson: “Try to put yourself in Star Jackson’s shoes. You come to a little-bitty, first-year program and you are a megastar. Your visits in college were Alabama, LSU, Oregon, etc. and you end up at Georgia State. Everybody just thinks that he is going to run out on the field and be the savior. That is not the attitude he came over here with, though. He came over with a marvelous attitude. He has had moments of frustration, but I’d frankly be disappointed if he hadn’t. He is a feisty guy. I am a feisty guy. I don’t like to see people smiling while they are on the bench. As for his attitude, he came back with the same positive attitude and came back Sunday. He was out there working hard, making the right reads and getting the ball to the right place. Because of this, he will get another opportunity in due course.”
We'll likely see him on Saturday and I expect a better effort. Good to here the high praise for Star and his attitude is much better than a month ago.
On the program 5 games in: “I’m thrilled. I’m not thrilled with our performance, but we have a real program. When we get off the bus at the Georgia Dome, we have a real band playing, and they are really good. I can tell you right now, when you have that sort of excitement and enthusiasm, it makes a big difference. When our fans get loud, that feels really good to us. It feels loud. We really appreciate the boost. This team is mostly freshmen, and although I have gone out of my way not to make the excuse of youth for this team, we have very few people who have played in actual college games and we are still subject to the environment. Hopefully when we mature, it won’t matter what is going on in the stands. Right now, we are still subject to what is around us and it has been a huge help to have the kind of support we have had. So, I’m thrilled to have the type of program we have. Naturally, I’d love to be undefeated, but we weren’t good enough to be undefeated. We are 3-2 and we will go from there and hope to play our best and do it all the time regardless of circumstances.”
-Rosevelt Watson is still starting RB: "[Watson] remains the starter because he is excellent in pass protection. When you see us sprint the quarterback out, he can drive on the corner and knock people down. He catches the ball well and just does everything well."
While not as statistically impressive as guys like Travis Evans, I knew this was the case because the passing game seems more fluid when #3 is in the game. Not a knock on the other RBs but passs protection is something that has to be taught. That attitude though, that's something that fires from within. Can we grab like 5 more guys from South Florida please? Just sayin'...
-Just how good is Drew Little's knowledge of the playbook? "Since Drew [Little] has mastered the system and knows the calls so well, then that puts a lot of pressure on the defense.
That's tremendous praise for a RS Freshman folks.
One Savannah State's defensive formations: "They play mostly with a free safety and will play cover three or they will be in man-free. They have tried an awful lot to stop people from running on them. They will have eight or nine in the box.
Umm, que up the home run ball in our offense. I send Sidney Haynes, Albert Wilson and Arthur Williams on go routes. I see several long throws on the docket on Saturday.
On Star Jackson: “Try to put yourself in Star Jackson’s shoes. You come to a little-bitty, first-year program and you are a megastar. Your visits in college were Alabama, LSU, Oregon, etc. and you end up at Georgia State. Everybody just thinks that he is going to run out on the field and be the savior. That is not the attitude he came over here with, though. He came over with a marvelous attitude. He has had moments of frustration, but I’d frankly be disappointed if he hadn’t. He is a feisty guy. I am a feisty guy. I don’t like to see people smiling while they are on the bench. As for his attitude, he came back with the same positive attitude and came back Sunday. He was out there working hard, making the right reads and getting the ball to the right place. Because of this, he will get another opportunity in due course.”
We'll likely see him on Saturday and I expect a better effort. Good to here the high praise for Star and his attitude is much better than a month ago.
On the program 5 games in: “I’m thrilled. I’m not thrilled with our performance, but we have a real program. When we get off the bus at the Georgia Dome, we have a real band playing, and they are really good. I can tell you right now, when you have that sort of excitement and enthusiasm, it makes a big difference. When our fans get loud, that feels really good to us. It feels loud. We really appreciate the boost. This team is mostly freshmen, and although I have gone out of my way not to make the excuse of youth for this team, we have very few people who have played in actual college games and we are still subject to the environment. Hopefully when we mature, it won’t matter what is going on in the stands. Right now, we are still subject to what is around us and it has been a huge help to have the kind of support we have had. So, I’m thrilled to have the type of program we have. Naturally, I’d love to be undefeated, but we weren’t good enough to be undefeated. We are 3-2 and we will go from there and hope to play our best and do it all the time regardless of circumstances.”
Monday, October 4, 2010
Know Your Opponents - Week 6
We seem to be playing angrier. Don't you agree?
Savannah State - 0-5 - Destroyed by #24 Liberty 52-14
NC Central - 2-2 - BYE
ODU - 3-2 - W vs. Gardener-Webb 14-7
South Alabama - W vs. Division II Kentucky Wesleyan - 52-0. They've only played 1 FCS team thus far, while we'll play our 4th this weekend. They only have a total of 3 FCS schools on their 10 game schedule. Not buying them as of now and neither are those in charge of the polls.
Lamar - 2-3 - Absolutely throttled by Stephen F. Austin 71-3.
Alabama - 5-0 Beat Florida 31-6.
Our opponents are 31-19 with 3 teams still undefeated including #1 in the FBS and #3 in the FCS.
Monday Quick Hitters - 10.4.10
Pleasant Monday to all of the Panther Nation. It's October which means our football team has been alive and well for a little more than a month of game action. Our boys sit at 3-2. Yep, that's right. Looking forward to Saturday after a fantastic Domecoming.
On we go...
Speaking of Homecoming: I typically let everyone else have their say on the game itself and check the links below from 2 of our perspectives, one from the AJC and one from Morehead State's point of view with some interesting comments by MSU Head Coach.
AJC Link
Morehead State Link
Examiner.com Link
What Others Are Saying via GSU Sports Communications
My take: As I hoped and discussed in my preview, we came out and mashed them in all 3 phases of the game. You can single out great performances (which their were several) and good stretches, I tip my hat to two players for outstanding individual efforts. The first, Nate Anthony (#1 in your program) who as a gunner (outside guys who typically run really fast) realized that the MSU player dropped the ball, pushed him out of the way and recovered the fumble to give the Panthers offense great field position and continue the momentum train chugging along. The second, Jr. TE Arthur 'Bully' Williams showed his might on a 11 catch that should have been for a minimal gain. Instead, he proceeded to drag an Eagle defender into the end zone for the Panthers final TD. Absolutely tremendous power, athleticsm and sheer grit to will his way in.
Inaugural Season DVDs on Sale: GSU Sports Link
Attendance and an 'Atta Boy' to our Athletic Dept: I like, many of you, probably received or will receive a phone call from somone in our athletic department checking in. We are nearly half way through the first year and attendance has seemed to be a roller coaster ride as students are continuing to show up in increasing numbers but it seems that many of our season ticket holders are not. A great job by our athletic department to seek answers on why they bought them and have not shown up.
Anyone else paying attention to the other Fall Sports? Women's Soccer is 9-3-1 and off to its best start in CAA play under veteran coach Domenic Martelli. Men's soccer is 4-3-2 and 1-2 in CAA play (the team has already matched its win total from 2009) under new head man Brett Surrency. Volleyball is 9-8 and 3-0 in CAA play under new coach Tami Audia. Have you supported any of the Fall Sports yet? If not, I urge you to check them out.
On we go...
Speaking of Homecoming: I typically let everyone else have their say on the game itself and check the links below from 2 of our perspectives, one from the AJC and one from Morehead State's point of view with some interesting comments by MSU Head Coach.
AJC Link
Morehead State Link
Examiner.com Link
What Others Are Saying via GSU Sports Communications
My take: As I hoped and discussed in my preview, we came out and mashed them in all 3 phases of the game. You can single out great performances (which their were several) and good stretches, I tip my hat to two players for outstanding individual efforts. The first, Nate Anthony (#1 in your program) who as a gunner (outside guys who typically run really fast) realized that the MSU player dropped the ball, pushed him out of the way and recovered the fumble to give the Panthers offense great field position and continue the momentum train chugging along. The second, Jr. TE Arthur 'Bully' Williams showed his might on a 11 catch that should have been for a minimal gain. Instead, he proceeded to drag an Eagle defender into the end zone for the Panthers final TD. Absolutely tremendous power, athleticsm and sheer grit to will his way in.
Inaugural Season DVDs on Sale: GSU Sports Link
Attendance and an 'Atta Boy' to our Athletic Dept: I like, many of you, probably received or will receive a phone call from somone in our athletic department checking in. We are nearly half way through the first year and attendance has seemed to be a roller coaster ride as students are continuing to show up in increasing numbers but it seems that many of our season ticket holders are not. A great job by our athletic department to seek answers on why they bought them and have not shown up.
Anyone else paying attention to the other Fall Sports? Women's Soccer is 9-3-1 and off to its best start in CAA play under veteran coach Domenic Martelli. Men's soccer is 4-3-2 and 1-2 in CAA play (the team has already matched its win total from 2009) under new head man Brett Surrency. Volleyball is 9-8 and 3-0 in CAA play under new coach Tami Audia. Have you supported any of the Fall Sports yet? If not, I urge you to check them out.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Georgia State vs. Morehead State: Preview & Prediction
Georgia State vs. Morehead State
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Quick Slant: After a less than impressive win on the road in Buies Creek, the Panthers head back home to face our 3rd straight FCS program in Morehead State. I'm looking forward to getting back inside the air conditioned Dome and kick the 100 plus degree weather that almost tripped us vs. the Camels.
About Morehead State: The Eagles are riding a roller coaster so far this season. They are 2-2 and have lost to CAA member James Madison 48-7 and Dayton 34-28, both on the road. They flat out air it out and are currently 8th in FCS with more than 300 yard per game passing. Their defense is porous allowing 35.5 ppg and give up nearly 400 yard per game to its first 4 opponents.
What to Watch
1. Can the Panthers run the football? Coach Curry has absolutely hammered the offensive line this week and I expect them to come out and mash the undersized MSU defensive line. The Eagle D-Line averages less than 248lbs. collectively across the board. It's time to eclipse 200 yards again.
2. Can the Panthers start fast? Morehead State has been outscored 91-38 in the first half this season. Can we get out and establish the run and march the ball down the field. The downfield passing game could absolutely come alive as the Eagles have short cornerbacks. Also, the KR game has been a tremendous weapon and I'm interested to see if the Eagles will kick to Albert Wilson & Darren McCray aka Blur Squared.
3. Can the Defense crank up the pressure? Morehead State's offensive line is also light as they average only 270lbs. across the board. Can the Noseguard disrupt the timing of the Eagle quick passing game? MSU QB has thrown 6 INTs in 4 games. Will this be the game that the TO margin turns in the Panthers favor?
Georgia State Wins If...
The Panthers take care of the football. QB Drew Little protected the ball well vs. Campbell and made one mistake vs. JSU in throwing to a spot. I expect to see an expanded game plan as well as 35 carries by the RB corps. This could also be the game to start taking some shots down the field as long as the Offensive Line plays better.
Morehead State Wins If...
They keep it close and capitalize on mistakes. Forcing fumbles and baiting Little into INTs will give the Eagles a chance. They have smaller WRs who can make people miss. The young Panthers secondary should receive a boost with the return of Brent McClendon but if they gamble and miss, MSU can capitalize deep.
Georgia State Checklist:
1. Impose Their Will Along the Lines. We've yet to see the kind of smashmouth line play that we were anticipating because both groups are still trying to find chemistry and truly trust each other. I fully expect the Panther Offensive Line to play well tomorrow.
2. Keep plays in front of you. Morehead State's offense has been forced to throw and they've done a good job hitting a deep play or two per game. The corners will have to play well and force the action inside where the LBs and Safeties can assist. If they let the guard down, it will keep the Eagles in the game.
3. Play Action. Drew is not the most mobile of our QBs but he does a great job in play action. We normally utilize a TE rollout or a drag route with our Slot WR. I'm interested to see if theTackles can give him enough time to unleash a few to back the smaller safeties up and give the RB corp even more space.
The Roar
The Eagles will likely walk into a large crowd as I'm anticipating nearly the same amount of student support that came out vs. Shorter in the opener. If the Alumni and Season Ticket holder show up, this could be a huge and boisterous crowd. As JSU's Coach mentioned, he was suprised at the level of noise. How will the Eagles react to this as they have done a pretty good job of keeping penalties at bay.
The prediction: Georgia State 28, Morehead State 17
Kickoff: 1:00pm Georgia Dome
Radio: WRAS 88.5, WCFO 1160
Quick Slant: After a less than impressive win on the road in Buies Creek, the Panthers head back home to face our 3rd straight FCS program in Morehead State. I'm looking forward to getting back inside the air conditioned Dome and kick the 100 plus degree weather that almost tripped us vs. the Camels.
Beaker will be in the Dome tomorrow. Will you?
What to Watch
1. Can the Panthers run the football? Coach Curry has absolutely hammered the offensive line this week and I expect them to come out and mash the undersized MSU defensive line. The Eagle D-Line averages less than 248lbs. collectively across the board. It's time to eclipse 200 yards again.
2. Can the Panthers start fast? Morehead State has been outscored 91-38 in the first half this season. Can we get out and establish the run and march the ball down the field. The downfield passing game could absolutely come alive as the Eagles have short cornerbacks. Also, the KR game has been a tremendous weapon and I'm interested to see if the Eagles will kick to Albert Wilson & Darren McCray aka Blur Squared.
3. Can the Defense crank up the pressure? Morehead State's offensive line is also light as they average only 270lbs. across the board. Can the Noseguard disrupt the timing of the Eagle quick passing game? MSU QB has thrown 6 INTs in 4 games. Will this be the game that the TO margin turns in the Panthers favor?
Georgia State Wins If...
The Panthers take care of the football. QB Drew Little protected the ball well vs. Campbell and made one mistake vs. JSU in throwing to a spot. I expect to see an expanded game plan as well as 35 carries by the RB corps. This could also be the game to start taking some shots down the field as long as the Offensive Line plays better.
Morehead State Wins If...
They keep it close and capitalize on mistakes. Forcing fumbles and baiting Little into INTs will give the Eagles a chance. They have smaller WRs who can make people miss. The young Panthers secondary should receive a boost with the return of Brent McClendon but if they gamble and miss, MSU can capitalize deep.
Georgia State Checklist:
1. Impose Their Will Along the Lines. We've yet to see the kind of smashmouth line play that we were anticipating because both groups are still trying to find chemistry and truly trust each other. I fully expect the Panther Offensive Line to play well tomorrow.
2. Keep plays in front of you. Morehead State's offense has been forced to throw and they've done a good job hitting a deep play or two per game. The corners will have to play well and force the action inside where the LBs and Safeties can assist. If they let the guard down, it will keep the Eagles in the game.
3. Play Action. Drew is not the most mobile of our QBs but he does a great job in play action. We normally utilize a TE rollout or a drag route with our Slot WR. I'm interested to see if theTackles can give him enough time to unleash a few to back the smaller safeties up and give the RB corp even more space.
The Roar
The Eagles will likely walk into a large crowd as I'm anticipating nearly the same amount of student support that came out vs. Shorter in the opener. If the Alumni and Season Ticket holder show up, this could be a huge and boisterous crowd. As JSU's Coach mentioned, he was suprised at the level of noise. How will the Eagles react to this as they have done a pretty good job of keeping penalties at bay.
The prediction: Georgia State 28, Morehead State 17
Appy State Feasibility, Talking Conferences & The GSU impact
Conference Commissioner get on, they just get off feeling nautious
This will be very interesting to see what their higher ups say about this considering they play in an extremely small community (under 15,000 according to most recent estimates) and an medium sized enrollment (17,000 students, of which 14,800 are undergraduate). They explored this back in 1997 and decided to stay put in FCS. This, in hindsight, was a great decision as they reeled off the most impressive win by an FCS opponent in that time span going into "The Big House" and rendering a shocking 34-32 victory. They then proceeded to win 3 consecutive FCS National Titles and were clearly a top tier FCS program. So why now?
I have my thoughts and have expressed them to various of my colleagues in college athletics. I believe we are starting to feel the winds of massive change that are blowing. Colorado and Nebraska leaving the Big 12 caused that conference to almost dissolve (it didn't but will play a 9 game conference schedule beginning next year). The WAC and Mountain West aren't exactly buddies after the shifting going out in that area of the U.S. and BYU decided to become independent in football.
My prediction: The Southern Conference (which App State was a part of) would certainly be interested in our presence in their conference. This would be a great thing for them, but a poor move on our part, in my opinion. Their has been rumbling that the WAC will make a run at the Texas schools including North Texas, UTEP and UT-San Antonio, which begins football in 2011 and is on our schedule. Their has been great debate about the long term feasibility of the schools in Louisana including Tulane, UL-Monroe and UL-Lafayette. I believe one or all of them could possibly drop down to FCS or lower based on financial constraints. When these changes happen (which could be as early as 2012) where will Georgia State be positioned? Are we ready to take the call? Will we have raised the money needed? I believe we have the administration, the coaching staff and the facilities to compete on this stage, it's all about the money.
The Bowden Flu in Athens and How GSU can benefit
Denial is not a River in Egypt
Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press
As many of you know, I was raised a fan of the Florida State Seminoles (we know, we know). You may have read those last sentence aand wonder, where is he going with this and why does it relate to Georgia State. I promise it will get there, just hang with me.
I’ve seen this movie before and I know how it ends.
The folks over at ChuckOliver.net (he's a former colleague of mine and I'd encourage you to read his work, he has a ton of original content) targeted the demise of the University of Georgia's football program as the 2008 loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide (complete article found here).
Like I said, I've seen this before. It started in 2006 for Florida State in their loss to Penn State in the Orange Bowl after beating Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship game. Since that game, FSU was proceed to go 30-22 under Bobby Bowden. A decent run for a MAC team but this is Florida State!
I can certainly identify with the Georgia fans plight. The tracks are almost the exact same: highly rated recruits who didn’t do anything, poor player development, lack of discipline on and off the field, a souring fan base and eventually a coach who was forced to move on.
I keep reminding people that Richt learned Bobby’s way of doing things and that worked in the 90s, that doesn’t work right now and if he doesn’t seize control back, he’ll be pushed out as well by 2012.
How this helps Georgia State (ah, the payoff!): When Georgia (and Tech, for that matter) struggle, we have the opportunity to benefit. No, we are not competing for the same recruits. We are competing for attention. We are the 3rd prettiest girl at the party and will not feel bad if the other two get drinks spilled on their dresses. When Georgia struggles, it allows us to grab their fans and season ticket holders attention. The die hards will go to the games regardless but we are not after Georgia's die hard fans. We are after the college football fans who want to see college football and the Falcons fans who may not be able to afford NFL ticket prices. We have a tremendous opportunity in the next 12 months and the ground under the UGA football program is not exactly firm for Coach Mark Richt and staff. Have you invited a Georgia or Georgia Tech fan to a game yet? I've got one coming with me tomorrow. Another convert perhaps? That's my goal.
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