Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics
Eagles Encounter Elon in Final SoCon Contest Saturday
11/12/2013 8:12:00 PM | Football
Georgia Southern Faces Phoenix at 2 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium
Georgia Southern Eagles (5-4, 3-4) at Elon Phoenix (2-8, 1-5)
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Shreiner hit another field goal to tie the game at 23 all, and a 45-yard Eagle field goal attempt on Georgia Southern's next drive was blocked. After a three-and-out by Elon, the Eagles, behind at 37-yard quarterback keeper by Jerick McKinnon, got another chance and Hanks made the 32-yard field goal that would end the scoring.
Ezayi Youyoute had 106 rushing yards and McKinnon 93, both on 17 carries, and Youyoute connected with Kentrellis Showers for Georgia Southern's first touchdown of the night. Senior linebacker John Stevenson registered a then-career-best 11 total tackles and senior safety Darius Eubanks recovered an Elon fumble of a 38-yard reception at the Georgia Southern 12-yard line to preserve the win.
Saturday, November 16, 2013, 3 p.m. ET
Rhodes Stadium (Grass) // Elon, N.C.
Tickets: Tickets available at GSEagles.com and by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS through Thursday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.
Radio: Georgia Southern Radio Network and online at GSEagles.com
Video Streaming: ElonPhoenix.com (Subscription required)
Live Stats: ElonPhoenix.com
Social Media: Twitter @GSAthletics Facebook.com/GSAthletics
All-Time Series: GS leads 10-3, 4-2 at Rhodes Stadium
First Game: 1998, GS 31-17
Last Game: Georgia Southern 26, Elon 23 (September 22, 2012)
Streak: Georgia Southern, 3 wins
WATCH AND LISTEN
An audio broadcast of Saturday's game is available as part of GS All-Access on GSEagles.com with packages varying from a day to a full year. A single-day pass is $5.95 and content can be accessed on all Windows, OSX, iOS and Android devices. Eagle Football fans can catch all the action, as well as pre-game and post-game shows on the Georgia Southern Radio Network. The pre-game show begins two hours before kickoff. A complete listing of affiliates is available in the left column of the first page of these notes.
QUICK HITS
Saturday's game at Elon will be the last Southern Conference game for the Eagles as Georgia Southern will become a member of the Sun Belt Conference in July 2014… Georgia Southern won its first SoCon game (vs. The Citadel) en route to the 1993 league title, the first of 10, most won by a single team in the 20-year time period… This week's "Inside Georgia Southern Football" radio show at Locos Grill and Pub moves to Thursday, November 14th… The Eagles are slated to face two North Carolina teams in 2014, with the season opener on August 30th at N.C. State and Appalachian State as part of their Sun Belt Conference schedule… Coach Monken and Coach Swepson faced each other as assistant coaches when Navy and Boston College met in 2002 and 2006 with BC coming away with wins in the 2002 regular-season game and in the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl… Monken (Georgia Tech) and Swepson (N.C. State) were both at Atlantic Coast Conference schools for 2008 and 2009, but their teams did not play in those seasons… Saturday's game was the second victory for Georgia Southern this season without an Eagle 100-yard rusher.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN-ELON SERIES
The Eagles and Phoenix have met on 13 previous occasions with Georgia Southern holding 10-3 advantage in the series and a 4-2 record at Rhodes Stadium. Elon joined the Southern Conference in 2003 and in league games, Georgia Southern is 7-3 overall and has won the last three straight after the Phoenix won three consecutive from 2007-2009.
THE COACHES
A 2012 finalist and 2013 candidate for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honors, Jeff Monken is in his fourth year as head coach of the Georgia Southern Football program with a 36-16 record for a 69.2 winning percentage. Monken is one of only two coaches in Eagle Football history, the other his mentor Paul Johnson, to record 10 or more wins in each of the first three years of his tenure. He owns the highest overall winning percentage of the Southern Conference coaches as well as the best mark for league games. With 24 years of coaching experience, including five years as an assistant coach at Georgia Southern during one of its most successful periods, Monken is prepared to navigate the present and the future for this Eagle Football program.
Jason Swepson, now in his third year as head coach of Elon with an overall mark of 10-22 (31.0), came to the Phoenix program after four year as the running backs coach under Tom O'Brien at N.C. State. Swepson spent eight years with O'Brien at his alma mater, Boston College (1999-2006), in the same coaching position. His coaching experience includes stops at Northeastern, Holy Cross, Rhode Island, Boston University and Bates College.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
GSU ELON
Overall Record 4-4 3-5
Scoring Avg. 33.6 18.8
First Downs 178 151
Total Offense Avg. 458.0 358.6
Rushing Yards Avg. 349.0 137.9
Passing Yards Avg. 109.0 220.7
Kickoff Return Avg. 16.3 19.0
Punt Return Avg. 10.2 4.3
Net Punting 34.7 35.8
Time of Possession 32:09 28:43
Third-Down Conversions 54/106 (51%) 20/129 (31%)
Fourth-Down Conversions 8/13 (62%) 2/8 (25%)
Points Allowed Avg. 24.5 39.1
Total Yards Allowed Avg. 381.1 474.8
Rushing Yards Allowed Avg. 171.9 269.4
Passing Yards Allowed Avg. 209.2 205.3
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE PHOENIX
Freshman placekicker Alex Hanks kicked the winning field goal with 3:40 left in the game as the Eagles downed the Phoenix 26-23 at Paulson Stadium last year. Hanks' field goal was one of five made field goals (3 for Elon, 2 for Georgia Southern) in the contest that saw four lead changes.
Elon took a 13-6 lead at the half, but the Eagles came back with 17 points in the third quarter with one of Hanks' field goals, a Johnathan Bryant 78-yard touchdown run and a Dominique Swope two-yard touchdown run. J.J. Wilcox set up the Eagles' final touchdown drive with a 52-yard kickoff return to place Georgia Southern at Elon 41-yard line.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Shreiner hit another field goal to tie the game at 23 all, and a 45-yard Eagle field goal attempt on Georgia Southern's next drive was blocked. After a three-and-out by Elon, the Eagles, behind at 37-yard quarterback keeper by Jerick McKinnon, got another chance and Hanks made the 32-yard field goal that would end the scoring.
Ezayi Youyoute had 106 rushing yards and McKinnon 93, both on 17 carries, and Youyoute connected with Kentrellis Showers for Georgia Southern's first touchdown of the night. Senior linebacker John Stevenson registered a then-career-best 11 total tackles and senior safety Darius Eubanks recovered an Elon fumble of a 38-yard reception at the Georgia Southern 12-yard line to preserve the win.
FRYE NAMED TO CoSIDA/CAPITAL ONE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM
Georgia Southern offensive tackle Garrett Frye today was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Division I Football Academic All-District Football team. As a member of the academic all-district first team, he advances to the national ballot for national Academic All-America team honors with voting to begin next week. Selected by the by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America program recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
CLAMPING DOWN ON COMPETITION
Senior cornerback Lavelle Westbrooks clamped down on the competition Saturday with two interceptions, an assist on another interception for Matt Dobson and another pass breakup. Westbrooks leads the Southern Conference in passes defended with nine (2 ints, 7 pbu). He moved into a tie with David Young and Rob Stockton for sixth on Georgia Southern's all-time pass breakup list with Carson Hill in fifth with 21.
McKINNON MOVING ON UP
Senior all-purpose back Jerick McKinnon, now with 3,774 career rushing yards, continues to add to total and needs 61 yards to catch Jayson Foster (3,835) for fourth place on Georgia Southern's all-time list. He currently stands at 925 for 2013, 75 shy of posting a second-straight 1,000-yard rushing season.
MORE McKINNON
With his two rushing touchdowns this weekend against Western Carolina, McKinnon moved up into a tie with Eagle great Tracy Ham for seventh on the Georgia Southern career list for rushing TDs with 41. Ernest Thompson holds sixth place with 42.
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