Eagles Return to Action with Chattanooga Saturday at 6 p.m.
9/24/2013 8:15:00 PM | Football
Friday Night Block Party moves to University Store Plaza
CHATTANOOGA MOCS (2-1, 0-0)
at
#15 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES (2-1, 0-1)
Family Weekend -- Saturday, September 28, 2013, 6 p.m.
Allen E. Paulson (18,000, Grass) // Statesboro, Ga.
Tickets: Advance tickets available at GSEagles.com and by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS
Radio: Georgia Southern Radio Network and online at GSEagles.com
Video Streaming: GSEagles.com/showcase (Subscription)
Live Stats: GSEagles.com
Game Notes: Chattanooga / Georgia Southern
Social Media: Twitter @GSAthletics Facebook.com/GSAthletics
2013 Record Overall SoCon Home Road OT
Overall....................... 2-1........... 0-1............ 2-0............. 0-1........... 0-0
Eagles' Streaks Lost 1 Last Win: 9-7-13 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (59-17)
Last Loss: 9-14-13 at Wofford (20-30)
Home Won 3 Last Win: 9-7-13 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (59-17)
Last Loss: 11-3-12 vs. App. State (28-31)
Road Lost 2 Last Win: 12-8-12 at Old Dominion (49-35)
Last Loss: 9-14-13 at Wofford (20-30)
Last 5: 3-2 Last 10: 6-4
Coaches Georgia Southern Jeff Monken (Millikin '89)
Record at GS: 33-13 (71.7), Fourth Year
Career Record: Same
Record vs. Chattanooga: 2-1
Chattanooga Russ Huesman (Chattanooga '83)
Record at Chattanooga: 25-22 (54.3), Fifth Year
Career Record: Same
Record vs. GS: 1-3
GEORGIA SOUTHERN-CHATTANOOGA SERIES
Georgia Southern owns a 22-4 series advantage over Chattanooga in the second-longest series for the Eagles among current Southern Conference opponents. Georgia Southern has won the last two straight games and is 4-3 over the last seven meetings.
WATCH AND LISTEN
Audio and video broadcasts of Saturday's game are 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 GS All-access and the Georgia Southern Radio Network. A complete listing of affiliates is available in the left column of these notes.
COACH TO CURE MD
The Georgia Southern Coaching Staff and more than 11,000 football coaches at all levels nationwide will participate in the Coach to Cure MD charity game-day partnership this weekend. A joint initiative between the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, more than $1 million in funds and other donations have been raised since 2008 to fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal genetic disorder that strikes boys.
PAULSON STADIUM ANNIVERSARY
A rainy year delayed the completion of Allen E. Paulson Stadium, but on September 29, 1984, Georgia Southern held its first game at its new home, defeating Liberty 48-11. Prior to 1984, the Eagles played their home games at Statesboro High School's Womack Field as efforts were underway to build an on-campus facility. State Senator Glenn Bryant donated the funds to purchase the property, M.C. Anderson and Morris and Anne Lupton contributed to the project, and in late 1983, Allen E. Paulson, founder of Gulfstream Aerospace, donated more than $1 million toward the completion of its construction.
THE COACHES
A 2012 finalist and 2013 candidate for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honors, Jeff Monken is now in his fourth year as head coach of the Georgia Southern Football program with a 33-13 record for a 71.7 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. 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.
The 2009 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Russ Huesman returned to his alma mater as the program's 22nd head coach in December 2008. In the eight years prior to his arrival, the Mocs had not won 23 games as Huesman has already accomplished that in his four-year tenure. He guided Chattanooga to back-to-back winning seasons in 2009 and 2010 for the first time in nearly 20 years.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
GSU UTC
Overall Record............................... 2-1............... 2-1
Scoring Avg.................................. 52.0............. 35.0
First Downs...................................... 80................ 66
Total Offense Avg. ................... 542.3........... 429.7
Rushing Yards Avg................... 407.7........... 271.0
Passing Yards Avg.................... 134.7........... 158.7
Kickoff Return Avg...................... 13.1............. 22.3
Punt Return Avg........................... 11.2............... 9.8
Net Punting................................... 29.5............. 37.0
Time of Possession.................. 28:09........... 32:29
Third-Down Conversions........ 19/38........... 21/40
Fourth-Down Conversions........... 3/5............... 2/5
Points Allowed............................. 18.7............. 18.3
Total Yards Allowed ................. 308.7........... 321.3
Rushing Yards Allowed............ 183.7........... 145.0
Passing Yards Allowed............ 125.0........... 176.3
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE MOCS
The Georgia Southern and Chattanooga game at Finley Stadium in 2012 needed three overtimes to determine a winner with the Eagles coming out on top 39-31. Jerick McKinnon scored three touchdowns, including the gamewinner and two-point conversion. Eagle placekicker Alex Hanks knotted the game at 24 midway through the fourth quarter with a field goal after the Mocs scored on three-straight possessions to take a 24-21 lead.
COLLEGE ACRONYMS ON EAGLES' UNIFORMS
Beginning with the St. Francis (Pa.) game, Georgia Southern Athletics teams had a new addition to their uniforms. Every Eagle student-athlete will wear their respective college's acronym on their uniform during athletic competition throughout the year.
"This is a great way for not only our student-athletes to take pride in their respective colleges, but also for the University's colleges to take pride in their student-athletes. Each of our student-athletes are here not only to earn a championship ring on the competition field, but also to earn a college degree," said Athletics Director Tom Kleinlein.
Decals for each academic college were placed on the back of the Eagles' football helmets. Each sport will wear the marks in their own respective ways, but it will be a part of the Georgia Southern uniform moving forward.
ELLISON SoCON FROSH OF THE WEEK
Redshirt freshman Kevin Ellison was selected as the Southern Conference's Freshman of the Week Sept. 16th after making his first career start at quarterback against Wofford. Ellison, from Cornelia, Ga., had a career-best 102 yards rushing and averaged 7.3 yards per carry.
With a career-long rush of 53 yards in the first quarter, Ellison set up Georgia Southern's first touchdown and directed the Eagles downfield for their final score of the night against the Terriers. Ellison, who threw a career-best six completions, five in the final possession, leads Georgia Southern in total offense, averaging 155.3 yards per game.
STILL TOP OF THE HEAP
Georgia Southern has maintained the top ranking in average team rushing yards per game -- for both FBS and FCS as the Eagles are averaging 407.7 yards per game ahead of Navy (FBS, 398.0) and Portland State (FCS, 328.0).
STILL THE FAVORITE
Despite not being eligible for the Southern Conference championship and postseason play, Georgia Southern was voted as the league's favorite by both the SoCon coaches and media this summer.
TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL
In its modern era games against FCS teams that now play at the FBS level, Georgia Southern boasts a composite win-loss record of 38-16 (70.3%) over those 15 teams.
MOVE THE CHAINS
With 35 first downs against the Savannah State, Georgia Southern tied its team record for most in a single game. The last time the Eagles totaled 35 first downs, they ran 103 plays at East Carolina in 1984.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Twenty-three student-athletes played in their first football contest as Eagles in the 2013 opening game against Savannah State, including 11 true freshmen.
McKINNON SELECTED TO WALTER PAYTON WATCH LIST
Senior quarterback Jerick McKinnon was selected to the 2013 Walter Payton Award watch list by The Sports Journal. The Marietta, Ga., native led the Eagles in rushing and scoring in 2012 and amassed 1,817 rushing yards, the third-highest single-season total in Georgia Southern history. That total ranks behind Adrian Peterson and Jayson Foster, Walter Payton Award winners in 1999 and 2007, respectively.
HEADED FOR HAM
After crossing the 3,000-yard career rushing mark against Wofford and currently sitting in eighth on the Eagles' career rushing list, Jerick McKinnon is 120 yards from the seventh spot currently occupied by legend Tracy Ham. Junior running back Dominique Swope is now in the top 10 after needing only six yards against Wofford to pass Gerald Harris.
1. 6,559 Adrian Peterson*.............. 1998-01
2. 5,411 Jermaine Austin................ 2002-05
3. 3,876 Joe Ross........................... 1987-90
4. 3,835 Jayson Foster................... 2004-07
5. 3,326 Roderick Russell.............. 1994-97
6. 3,309 Greg Hill............................ 1996-99
7. 3,212 Tracy Ham......................... 1983-86
8. 3,092 Jerick McKinnon..... 2010-present
9. 2,768 Chaz Williams................... 2001-04
10. 2,448 Dominique Swope... 2011-present
*NCAA Division I career rushing record
WILCOX STARTS FOR COWBOYS
Not only did J.J. Wilcox became Georgia Southern's highest-ever NFL draft pick this past April when he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round and 80th pick overall, but he's making history with his new team. Wilcox earned a start last Sunday against the Rams, becoming the first rookie to start at safety for Dallas since 2006.
#JOINTHEJOURNEY
Georgia Southern, the FCS' winningest team with more than 50 games played, posting a .721 winning percentage and 287 all-time wins, begins its transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013. The University announced its acceptance of an invitation to join the Sun Belt for the 2014-2015 academic year. Even though the Georgia Southern Football team will not be eligible for postseason play in 2013, Eagle student-athletes can be considered for honors.
GROUNDBREAKING PROJECTS
Georgia Southern University broke ground on two major projects earlier this summer with the progress more than evident in Paulson Stadium.
Scheduled for completion in April 2014, the new football operations center, a $10 million privately funded project, will house coaches' offices, team meeting rooms, a video production suite, locker rooms, strength & conditioning space, rehabilitation center, equipment room, and football Hall of Fame within its 50,000 square feet.
In addition, the north stands of Paulson Stadium will see improvements in the form of over 6,000 additional seats. The current on-grade seating will be expanded by approximately 1,500 new seats and 4,500 will be added with the construction of an upper deck. With this student-fee funded expansion, seating capacity at Paulson Stadium will exceed 21,000 permanent seats. Construction of this $10 million project is scheduled for completion in May 2014.
OUR HOUSE
Georgia Southern owns a 173-32 record in Paulson Stadium for an .844 winning percentage. From September 27, 1997 through December 15, 2001, the Eagles recorded 39 straight home victories, which stands as the NCAA FCS record for longest home winning streak. The Eagles also own the second-longest streak, 38 games, from Oct. 5, 1985-Sept. 22, 1990. Beginning with the win over top-ranked and previously undefeated Appalachian State in November 2010 through November 2012, Georgia Southern had the longest home winning streak in the nation in 2012 with 14 straight victories at Paulson Stadium.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website,GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS. Fans can follow Coach Jeff Monken on his official twitter account, @CoachJeffMonken.
-GS-
at
#15 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES (2-1, 0-1)
Family Weekend -- Saturday, September 28, 2013, 6 p.m.
Allen E. Paulson (18,000, Grass) // Statesboro, Ga.
Tickets: Advance tickets available at GSEagles.com and by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS
Radio: Georgia Southern Radio Network and online at GSEagles.com
Video Streaming: GSEagles.com/showcase (Subscription)
Live Stats: GSEagles.com
Game Notes: Chattanooga / Georgia Southern
Social Media: Twitter @GSAthletics Facebook.com/GSAthletics
2013 Record Overall SoCon Home Road OT
Overall....................... 2-1........... 0-1............ 2-0............. 0-1........... 0-0
Eagles' Streaks Lost 1 Last Win: 9-7-13 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (59-17)
Last Loss: 9-14-13 at Wofford (20-30)
Home Won 3 Last Win: 9-7-13 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) (59-17)
Last Loss: 11-3-12 vs. App. State (28-31)
Road Lost 2 Last Win: 12-8-12 at Old Dominion (49-35)
Last Loss: 9-14-13 at Wofford (20-30)
Last 5: 3-2 Last 10: 6-4
Coaches Georgia Southern Jeff Monken (Millikin '89)
Record at GS: 33-13 (71.7), Fourth Year
Career Record: Same
Record vs. Chattanooga: 2-1
Chattanooga Russ Huesman (Chattanooga '83)
Record at Chattanooga: 25-22 (54.3), Fifth Year
Career Record: Same
Record vs. GS: 1-3
GEORGIA SOUTHERN-CHATTANOOGA SERIES
Georgia Southern owns a 22-4 series advantage over Chattanooga in the second-longest series for the Eagles among current Southern Conference opponents. Georgia Southern has won the last two straight games and is 4-3 over the last seven meetings.
WATCH AND LISTEN
Audio and video broadcasts of Saturday's game are 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 GS All-access and the Georgia Southern Radio Network. A complete listing of affiliates is available in the left column of these notes.
COACH TO CURE MD
The Georgia Southern Coaching Staff and more than 11,000 football coaches at all levels nationwide will participate in the Coach to Cure MD charity game-day partnership this weekend. A joint initiative between the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, more than $1 million in funds and other donations have been raised since 2008 to fight Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal genetic disorder that strikes boys.
PAULSON STADIUM ANNIVERSARY
A rainy year delayed the completion of Allen E. Paulson Stadium, but on September 29, 1984, Georgia Southern held its first game at its new home, defeating Liberty 48-11. Prior to 1984, the Eagles played their home games at Statesboro High School's Womack Field as efforts were underway to build an on-campus facility. State Senator Glenn Bryant donated the funds to purchase the property, M.C. Anderson and Morris and Anne Lupton contributed to the project, and in late 1983, Allen E. Paulson, founder of Gulfstream Aerospace, donated more than $1 million toward the completion of its construction.
THE COACHES
A 2012 finalist and 2013 candidate for Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honors, Jeff Monken is now in his fourth year as head coach of the Georgia Southern Football program with a 33-13 record for a 71.7 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. 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.
The 2009 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Russ Huesman returned to his alma mater as the program's 22nd head coach in December 2008. In the eight years prior to his arrival, the Mocs had not won 23 games as Huesman has already accomplished that in his four-year tenure. He guided Chattanooga to back-to-back winning seasons in 2009 and 2010 for the first time in nearly 20 years.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
GSU UTC
Overall Record............................... 2-1............... 2-1
Scoring Avg.................................. 52.0............. 35.0
First Downs...................................... 80................ 66
Total Offense Avg. ................... 542.3........... 429.7
Rushing Yards Avg................... 407.7........... 271.0
Passing Yards Avg.................... 134.7........... 158.7
Kickoff Return Avg...................... 13.1............. 22.3
Punt Return Avg........................... 11.2............... 9.8
Net Punting................................... 29.5............. 37.0
Time of Possession.................. 28:09........... 32:29
Third-Down Conversions........ 19/38........... 21/40
Fourth-Down Conversions........... 3/5............... 2/5
Points Allowed............................. 18.7............. 18.3
Total Yards Allowed ................. 308.7........... 321.3
Rushing Yards Allowed............ 183.7........... 145.0
Passing Yards Allowed............ 125.0........... 176.3
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE MOCS
The Georgia Southern and Chattanooga game at Finley Stadium in 2012 needed three overtimes to determine a winner with the Eagles coming out on top 39-31. Jerick McKinnon scored three touchdowns, including the gamewinner and two-point conversion. Eagle placekicker Alex Hanks knotted the game at 24 midway through the fourth quarter with a field goal after the Mocs scored on three-straight possessions to take a 24-21 lead.
COLLEGE ACRONYMS ON EAGLES' UNIFORMS
Beginning with the St. Francis (Pa.) game, Georgia Southern Athletics teams had a new addition to their uniforms. Every Eagle student-athlete will wear their respective college's acronym on their uniform during athletic competition throughout the year.
"This is a great way for not only our student-athletes to take pride in their respective colleges, but also for the University's colleges to take pride in their student-athletes. Each of our student-athletes are here not only to earn a championship ring on the competition field, but also to earn a college degree," said Athletics Director Tom Kleinlein.
Decals for each academic college were placed on the back of the Eagles' football helmets. Each sport will wear the marks in their own respective ways, but it will be a part of the Georgia Southern uniform moving forward.
ELLISON SoCON FROSH OF THE WEEK
Redshirt freshman Kevin Ellison was selected as the Southern Conference's Freshman of the Week Sept. 16th after making his first career start at quarterback against Wofford. Ellison, from Cornelia, Ga., had a career-best 102 yards rushing and averaged 7.3 yards per carry.
With a career-long rush of 53 yards in the first quarter, Ellison set up Georgia Southern's first touchdown and directed the Eagles downfield for their final score of the night against the Terriers. Ellison, who threw a career-best six completions, five in the final possession, leads Georgia Southern in total offense, averaging 155.3 yards per game.
STILL TOP OF THE HEAP
Georgia Southern has maintained the top ranking in average team rushing yards per game -- for both FBS and FCS as the Eagles are averaging 407.7 yards per game ahead of Navy (FBS, 398.0) and Portland State (FCS, 328.0).
STILL THE FAVORITE
Despite not being eligible for the Southern Conference championship and postseason play, Georgia Southern was voted as the league's favorite by both the SoCon coaches and media this summer.
TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL
In its modern era games against FCS teams that now play at the FBS level, Georgia Southern boasts a composite win-loss record of 38-16 (70.3%) over those 15 teams.
MOVE THE CHAINS
With 35 first downs against the Savannah State, Georgia Southern tied its team record for most in a single game. The last time the Eagles totaled 35 first downs, they ran 103 plays at East Carolina in 1984.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Twenty-three student-athletes played in their first football contest as Eagles in the 2013 opening game against Savannah State, including 11 true freshmen.
McKINNON SELECTED TO WALTER PAYTON WATCH LIST
Senior quarterback Jerick McKinnon was selected to the 2013 Walter Payton Award watch list by The Sports Journal. The Marietta, Ga., native led the Eagles in rushing and scoring in 2012 and amassed 1,817 rushing yards, the third-highest single-season total in Georgia Southern history. That total ranks behind Adrian Peterson and Jayson Foster, Walter Payton Award winners in 1999 and 2007, respectively.
HEADED FOR HAM
After crossing the 3,000-yard career rushing mark against Wofford and currently sitting in eighth on the Eagles' career rushing list, Jerick McKinnon is 120 yards from the seventh spot currently occupied by legend Tracy Ham. Junior running back Dominique Swope is now in the top 10 after needing only six yards against Wofford to pass Gerald Harris.
1. 6,559 Adrian Peterson*.............. 1998-01
2. 5,411 Jermaine Austin................ 2002-05
3. 3,876 Joe Ross........................... 1987-90
4. 3,835 Jayson Foster................... 2004-07
5. 3,326 Roderick Russell.............. 1994-97
6. 3,309 Greg Hill............................ 1996-99
7. 3,212 Tracy Ham......................... 1983-86
8. 3,092 Jerick McKinnon..... 2010-present
9. 2,768 Chaz Williams................... 2001-04
10. 2,448 Dominique Swope... 2011-present
*NCAA Division I career rushing record
WILCOX STARTS FOR COWBOYS
Not only did J.J. Wilcox became Georgia Southern's highest-ever NFL draft pick this past April when he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round and 80th pick overall, but he's making history with his new team. Wilcox earned a start last Sunday against the Rams, becoming the first rookie to start at safety for Dallas since 2006.
#JOINTHEJOURNEY
Georgia Southern, the FCS' winningest team with more than 50 games played, posting a .721 winning percentage and 287 all-time wins, begins its transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013. The University announced its acceptance of an invitation to join the Sun Belt for the 2014-2015 academic year. Even though the Georgia Southern Football team will not be eligible for postseason play in 2013, Eagle student-athletes can be considered for honors.
GROUNDBREAKING PROJECTS
Georgia Southern University broke ground on two major projects earlier this summer with the progress more than evident in Paulson Stadium.
Scheduled for completion in April 2014, the new football operations center, a $10 million privately funded project, will house coaches' offices, team meeting rooms, a video production suite, locker rooms, strength & conditioning space, rehabilitation center, equipment room, and football Hall of Fame within its 50,000 square feet.
In addition, the north stands of Paulson Stadium will see improvements in the form of over 6,000 additional seats. The current on-grade seating will be expanded by approximately 1,500 new seats and 4,500 will be added with the construction of an upper deck. With this student-fee funded expansion, seating capacity at Paulson Stadium will exceed 21,000 permanent seats. Construction of this $10 million project is scheduled for completion in May 2014.
OUR HOUSE
Georgia Southern owns a 173-32 record in Paulson Stadium for an .844 winning percentage. From September 27, 1997 through December 15, 2001, the Eagles recorded 39 straight home victories, which stands as the NCAA FCS record for longest home winning streak. The Eagles also own the second-longest streak, 38 games, from Oct. 5, 1985-Sept. 22, 1990. Beginning with the win over top-ranked and previously undefeated Appalachian State in November 2010 through November 2012, Georgia Southern had the longest home winning streak in the nation in 2012 with 14 straight victories at Paulson Stadium.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website,GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS. Fans can follow Coach Jeff Monken on his official twitter account, @CoachJeffMonken.
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