2011 GSU Football Schedule is Announced!

The wait is over. The 2011 Georgia State football schedule has been announced by Georgia State Sports Communications.

2011 GEORGIA STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Thursday, Sept. 1st vs. CLARK ATLANTA
Saturday, Sept. 10th vs. OLD DOMINION
Saturday, Sept. 17th at Jacksonville State
Saturday, Sept. 24th at Houston
Saturday, Oct. 8th vs. MURRAY STATE
Saturday, Oct. 15th at South Carolina State
Saturday, Oct. 22nd vs. SOUTH ALABAMA (Homecoming)
Saturday, Oct. 29th at UTSA
Saturday, Nov. 5th vs. LAMBUTH
Saturday, Nov. 12th at West Alabama
Saturday, Nov. 19th vs. CAMPBELL

*Home Games in Bold

Here is a statement from Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick - "We're pleased with the quality and variety of opponents, and the structure of the schedule sets up well for our team and our fans. After such an overwhelmingly positive response to our inaugural season, we can't wait to kick off year two. Our attendance and fan support have been tremendous, the Georgia Dome has been a wonderful partner, and we look for continued growth in 2011."
The full story from Georgia State can be found here.

The home schedule should be much appreciated by fans planning to attend the games. After seeing six home games in a seven week period to kick-off the 2010 schedule, the 2011 schedule of 2 home games in each month of September, October and November is a much welcomed change. The only consecutive home games are in the first two weeks. Job well done to Levick and company for giving us a balance schedule!

Stay tuned for Ben's initial thoughts on the strength of schedule for the 2011 season!

GSU Football Heading to FBS Houston

Via GSU Sports Communications:

The Georgia State football team will face its second Football Bowl Subdivision opponent next fall as the Panthers play at Houston, Director of Athletics Cheryl L. Levick and Head Football Coach Bill Curry announced.

The GSU-Houston contest is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011 at Robertson Stadium, which seats 32,000. Kickoff time is to be determined.

“We are very pleased to announce a game with a quality FBS program like Houston,” said Levick. “Attractive intersectional matchups like this raise the profile of Georgia State football and help us build our program.”

“This game presents another tremendous opportunity for our football team to test itself against a strong Houston program on their home field,” said Curry. “Houston has an impressive coach in Kevin Sumlin and an outstanding quarterback in Case Keenum, who was injured this season but has been granted a sixth year of eligibility.”

Ken Sugiura of the AJC reports that the payout is expected to be $300,000 from the Conference USA school.  Quite a bit lower than what Alabama paid but the Tide also have much deeper pockets and a stadium nearly 3 times as big as the Cougars.

GSU Sports: Letter from Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick

Full text can be read via GSU Sports Link.

Could GSU Athletics be Making the Switch to Nike?

Could these fill our practice facility for Spring Practice 2011?

Our current Adidas contract is up at the end of the year and it's possible that Georgia State athletics could have a new apparel sponsor as early as Q1 2011 according to some people I've talked to.

All 16 athletic teams are covered under the Adidas apparel deal and only men's golf receives additional sport specific items from its contract with Ping.

My take: With football opening many more doors, this could give us some leveraging power that we haven't heard before in recent years.  Only in the last 5 years have we unified our athletic brand and that's a huge credit to Cheryl Levick and her staff.  We are seeing more and more Georgia State gear in the marketplace and a partnership that included apparel and a sum of money for athletics tells me we are again building the right way.

A Special Video About Homecoming

Featuring Coach Bill Curry, Director of Athletic Cheryl Levick and President Mark Becker.

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwexa/video/index.html

AJC: Director of Athletics Getting the Job Done

Photo Courtesy of Women's Sports Wire

I couldn't agree more.  Great peice by Ken Suguira.

Some Highlights:

• On What Is Left for Sept. 2nd: "We're down to making sure we have enough (parking) spots," Levick said. "We told [school president Mark Becker] he has three spots. Let's make sure he has three spots."
• On what's next and the impact of football on other sports: Levick and her staff, notably senior associate AD's James Greenwell, Kosha Irby and Todd Reeser, form what she calls "the team behind the huddle." When she arrived, the most pressing issues were securing a temporary practice field and finding the space on campus for a locker room and weight room for the fall of 2009.
  
  Hired in May 2009, Greenwell oversaw the conversion of a neglected aquatics building next door to the school's arena into a locker room, equipment storage area, training room and weight room in about six weeks.
  
  The construction of the permanent practice field was completed before spring practice earlier this year. In time, the property will house the football team and the space in the aquatics building will be converted into a volleyball arena.
  
  The volleyball court is part of the strategic plan Levick is developing for the department, a comprehensive vision that has helped assuage fears of coaches initially leery of football's arrival. Raising the budgets for the school's 18 teams – made possible by increases of student fees and enrollment – has helped, also. The budget for fiscal year 2011 is $19.5 million, about $4.6 million more than the previous year. Football accounts for $4.5 million of the budget.

AJC Link

One Question Series: Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick

It's a simple premise really, over the next four days, I'm granting you an opportunity to speak to various important figures in our athletic department and asking them what really on your mind.


Today's Guest is Director of Athletics Cheryl Levick. She's nearly 18 months on the job and one could argue that the next 18 months are more crucial for directing our ship than the previous 18.  In a magical room of truth, what is the one question you'd ask?

 
 

 

Photo Courtesy of GSU Sports Communications

Wednesday's Quick Hitters - 8.4.10

-Today was Media Day for the football team. 
                      29 days for those who are counting(and we are).

           - Some Quick Notes from Media Day:

• 3187 season tickets sold as of 8/2, according to Cheryl Levick today
• Coach Bill Curry calls the economy one of the most challenging things about starting this program.
• CBC calls out DE Demetreious Shorter. Ability and talent are there, needs to work harder.
• Football Practice Began today @ 3pm.

Keep it locked here and PantherTalk.com for the latest updates.

-Former SC QB Julian Stokes will attempt to walk on when walk on tryouts begin.  Interesting to see if lands a spot.
Link to Coastal Courier Article.