Both Georgia Southern and Idaho are in their first seasons as Sun Belt Conference members… The Eagles have 298 modern era program wins... Coach Fritz marked his 250th game as a head coach against New Mexico State Saturday and now has 180 total wins with a 72.2 winning percentage... Georgia Southern is 26-6 on Homecoming and has won its last four straight Homecoming games... This is the earliest Homecoming date for the Eagles since 2002 (W over VMI on Oct. 5)... The Eagles will wear their "Traditions" alternate uniforms Saturday, featuring an adidas lead-colored jersey textured across the shoulders and chest, with white numerals outlined in dark blue, paired with gray pants and gray socks... In games where alternate jerseys were worn, the Eagles are 2-0... Georgia Southern Defensive Line Coach
Kevin Peoples and Coach Paul Petrino are both graduates of Carroll College, played for Coach Bob Petrino, Sr., and are from Butte, Mont.... A statistical adjustment from the New Mexico State game tipped the Eagles' total offense average to more than 500 yards per game, 500.5 to be exact... The Eagles are 3-0 in games played on October 11th... Prior to today's game, the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will be inducted with three having football connections: supporter Wayne Murphy, Assistant Coach Patrick Spurgeon and cornerback Nay Young selected for inclusion for the biennial honors... Women's Soccer player Lindsey Grossman Blom, SoCon Female Athlete of the Year and three-time All-SoCon Volleyball selection Martina Veiglova-Mamuti and three-time Gymnastics All-American Danny Warbutton also will be inducted Saturday.
The dedication of Allen E. Paulson Stadium on September 29, 1984 was a fitting end to years of planning and hard work as the Georgia Southern Football program built one of the finest football facilities in America. Thirty years later, there have been major changes with the recent construction of a new mid-deck, adding more than 6,000 additional seats and a new 50,000-square foot Football Operations Center in the east endzone. The $10 million Stadium expansion project is student-fee funded with private donations making possible the Eagle Football team's new headquarters.
One thing hasn't changed – winning. Georgia Southern has a remarkable 178-33 home record (84.4 winning percentage), ranked third in the nation, at Paulson Stadium and has won 91.7 percent of its postseason games (33-3). ALL OR NONEIn three of the last four games, Georgia Southern has been a perfect 100 percent in fourth-down conversions, going 2-2 against both New Mexico State and Appalachian State and 1-1 at Georgia Tech. The Eagles did not have fourth-down situations in either the Savannah State or South Alabama games and are 5-6 overall (83.3 percent) for the season, a percentage that would tie for 10th in the national rankings.
STILL NUMBER ONEWith a second-straight game with 400 or more yards rushing, the Eagles maintained the best per-game rushing average in the nation. Georgia Southern's 419 yards against New Mexico State bumped the team average to 375.8 yards per game.
SEVEN GAMES IN THE STATE OF GEORGIAThe Eagles' seven games in the state of Georgia included three in the month of September for a 2-1 mark Georgia Southern picked up two wins at Paulson Stadium with loss coming at the hands of Georgia Tech in the first of two games this season in Atlanta. In October, the Eagles' welcome today's opponent Idaho for homecoming and then head to the Georgia Dome to play Georgia State. A second Thursday night home TV game, on October 30th, Halloween eve, brings Troy to town. Georgia Southern's season finale, against ULM, is senior night and set for November 29th.
EXPERIENCED COACHING STAFFWith 182 years of combined full-time coaching experience, this Georgia Southern coaching staff is the most experienced in the history of the program. Fritz and both his coordinators,
Jack Curtis (Defense) and
Doug Ruse (Offense), have more than two decades on the sidelines.
SAVING THE BEST FOR LASTWhile Georgia Southern fans were eagerly anticipating the first game at the newly expanded Allen E. Paulson Stadium, Patrick Yarber had already made plans for today's game against Idaho. He became the first fan known to have attended games at all 125 FBS Stadiums, ending his list with a trip to Idaho's Kibbie Dome last fall. With Appalachian State, Old Dominion, and Georgia Southern all moving up for their first season in FBS this year, Yarber had to plan some additional trips.
Yarber completes his tour of the now-128 FBS stadiums in Statesboro at Georgia Southern's homecoming game today.
"I started in 1979. Last year marked the first time I got caught up," he said. "I realized at the Idaho game I had visited all 125 of the FBS stadiums. This year I had to add three more, which brings my total to 128. It's been such a blast everywhere I've been. I have met so many nice people along the way."
Yarber has made his journeys to these pigskin palaces over the last 35 years, starting with a Vanderbilt game in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn. He's traveled on more than 1,100 flights to see collegiate contests from coast-to-coast, with a mind crammed with details, facts and figures. He tells people he never leaves a game early because he doesn't know if it will be the last one he sees, and he means it literally.
Retinitis pigmentosa caused gradual loss to Yarber's peripheral vision beginning at the age of eight and, more recently, macular degeneration, has stolen his central vision. Legally blind, only about 20 percent of his sight remains. He uses binoculars to offset his "gun-barrel" vision and zero in on the plays and enjoys seeing the handoff between the quarterback and running backs. Yarber's vision loss has not dimmed his love for college football one bit.
"You don't need to see the game to enjoy it," Yarber stated. "I enjoy the game atmosphere. There's nothing like sitting in the stadium on a cool fall afternoon. I enjoy the tailgating, the band, the cheerleaders, the anticipation to do well, the excitement, and the gala atmosphere. I like a good game, being with the people, and having a good time."
There's one thing for sure, even though Yarber may miss some of the sights of Paulson Stadium, he won't miss any of the pride and pageantry of Eagle Nation.
