Football Returns Home to Host Tusculum in Paulson Opener
9/8/2011 10:25:00 PM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern (1-0) returns home following a 31-17 season-opening victory over Samford at Seibert Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. The Eagles play host to Tusculum (1-0) in the 2011 home opener at Paulson Stadium. Kickoff for the home opener is set for 6 p.m. against the South Atlantic Conference member.
In remembrance of Georgia Southern donor Gene Bishop, who passed away over the off season, a special halftime ceremony is scheduled to honor his life and contributions to GSU. The team will wear special "GB" helmet stickers all season long in his memory.
The Eagles are excited about the opportunity to start the season off 2-0 but will have to get past a quality Tusculum team that knocked off fellow Southern Conference member Western Carolina 54-30 in 2010. They are led by former Furman quarterback Frank DeBusk, who has compiled a 71-49 record at the helm of the Pioneers. DeBusk led the Paladins to a FCS National Championship with a 17-12 win over Georgia Southern in the 1988 title game.
Georgia Southern opened the season on the road with a 31-17 victory over conference foe Samford. A 99-yard Laron Scott (Warner Robins, Ga.) kickoff return for a touchdown broke open a four-point contest in the third quarter. The Eagles moved to second in both the Coaches and The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Polls following the win.
Robert Brown (Macon, Ga.) ran for 140 yards while Jerrick McKinnon (Marietta, Ga.) added 80 more yards behind an offensive line that did not allow a sack and just two tackles for loss. Brown tallied 100 yards for the fourth time in his young Eagle career. On defense Georgia Southern compiled five sacks and nine tackles for loss. The Southern Conference Freshman of the Week, Deion Stanley (Dry Pond, Ga.), and Derek Heyden (Atlanta, Ga.) led the charge against the pass heavy offense with 10 tackles each.
As a reminder to all fans, handicap parking at Paulson Stadium will only be available to current Eagle Fund members who meet the minimum donation requirements and purchase a parking pass. In order to obtain a handicap parking pass, you must register your state-issued handicap parking hangtag with the GSU Athletic Foundation office. For those without a handicap parking pass, Georgia Southern game day shuttles are handicap and wheelchair accessible.
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