Eagles Return to Paulson Stadium Saturday
10/15/2009 3:55:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern returns home to Paulson Stadium Saturday (October 17) and returns to both subdivision and conference action when it plays host to Chattanooga at 6 p.m. As the lone home contest for the Eagles in the month of October, the game is part of the University's "Family Weekend" festivities.
Every Georgia Southern Football game can be heard on the 19-station Georgia Southern Radio Network (Eagle 102.9 FM, the flagship station) and on the internet at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com. Chris Blair (play-by-play), Terry Harvin (color analyst) and Ryan Chambers (sidelines) will call the action. The pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff.
The Eagles own a 19-3 series advantage over Chattanooga with a 10-1 mark at Paulson Stadium. Georgia Southern won last year's game at Finley Stadium 52-28 as Michael McIntosh and Adam Urbano scored two touchdowns each. The 2008 win snapped a two-game series losing streak to Chattanooga.
"We're still a work in progress, we're getting better each week, and hopefully we'll start playing well for four quarters in all phases of the game," said Head Coach Chris Hatcher. "Chattanooga comes in -- we're the underdog to them, probably for the first time in a long time. They're playing with a lot of confidence, they have a great quarterback (B.J. Coleman) from Tennessee and he is having a tremendous season. Defensively, they're very sound in what they do. And the ball is bouncing their way right now, and when you put all those things together, that equals victories.
"Hopefully this week being at home will rejuvenate us. And you know, we go into a new season in our mind, and it all starts this week versus Chattanooga."
Georgia Southern brings a 3-3 overall record and 2-1 mark in the SoCon into this weekend's game versus Chattanooga. Returning to Paulson for the first time since the September 19th game against Western Carolina, the Eagles are 2-0 at home in 2009. Last week, the Eagles stepped outside the subdivision and the conference to play North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Georgia Southern held the Tar Heels scoreless in the second half, but were unable to overcome first-half turnovers and fell 42-12.
Sophomore Adam Urbano continues to lead Georgia Southern in rushing, averaging 62.5 yards per game for sixth in the SoCon and 66th nationally. His 45-yard touchdown run at UNC was the longest of his career. Sophomore quarterback Lee Chapple holds the second spot in the SoCon and ranks ninth nationally in passing completions. Chapple tied the second-longest streak in SoCon history with 17 straight completions against Wofford two weeks ago. Chapple finished 25-of-28 in that game.
The SoCon's top freshman in receptions and yards per game, Jamere Valentine has a team-leading four touchdowns, including a 14-yard reception at Wofford, and finished with six catches for 50 yards against the Terriers. Valentine is sixth in the conference (49th nationally) with 5.0 receptions per game and Urbano is 7th in the SoCon with 4.2 per contest. Adrian Mora hit a career best 50-yard field goal against Wofford and finished the offensive scoring against UNC with a 25-yard FG last week. He has a 81.8 field goal percentage (9-11) and is a perfect 11-11 in PATs. Charlie Edwards averaged 40 yards on eight punts in last week's game in Chapel Hill and placed three inside the 20-yard line.
Freshman Brent Russell has a team-leading 6.0 tackles for loss, including 3.0 sacks, tying him with J.B. Shippy in that category. Senior Dion DuBose recorded a game-high eight tackles against North Carolina to bring his season total to 48, best on the squad. Laron Scott, who had his second interception of the year against the Tar Heels, had six tackles in the game as did teammate Derek Heyden.
Chattanooga is in the middle of a three-game road swing with a 4-1 record on the 2009 season and is tied with Georgia Southern for third in the SoCon with a 2-1 mark. Off to their best start since 1997, the Mocs have topped their combined total of wins of the last two years (1-11 in 2008 and 2-9 in 2007) with their only loss in 2009 was to conference foe Furman 38-20. Chattanooga defeated Samford 14-7 last weekend in Birmingham, Ala., and received votes in both the FCS Coaches Poll (38) and in the Sports Network Top-25 (84).
The Mocs scored all 14 of their points in the first half against the stingy Bulldog defense and held Samford to only 43 yards rushing. Chattanooga, the top-ranked team in turnover margin in the conference and 15th in the nation, was +2 against Samford with an interception and fumble recovery. The win at Samford snapped a six-game road losing streak in the SoCon.
Sophomore-transfer quarterback B.J. Coleman is fourth in the SoCon in total offense (221.6 yards/game) and third in the league in passing efficiency (141.8) and passing yards (226.4 yards/game). Senior wide receiver Blue Cooper is fourth in the SoCon and tied for 24th nationally with a 6.0 receptions-per-game average. Cooper is fourth in the conference with 62.6 receiving yards per game. Senior defensive end Josh Beard earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors with two sacks in the Samford win.
