Spring Football Practice: Pass Rush is a Key for the Defense in 2015
4/14/2015 6:37:00 PM | Football
Wednesday practice is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the banks of Beautiful Eagle Creek
VIDEO: Blue vs. White Pregame Press Conference | Spring Roster | 2015 Schedule | Buy Tickets | EFAA Raffle | Spring Game Activities
STATESBORO, Ga. – With eight starters back from a unit that averaged a Sun Belt best 23.4 points allowed a game, it is safe to say that the Georgia Southern defense should be a strength of the team again this season.
What makes it even more formidable is the depth up front. All eight guys listed on the spring 2-deep saw significant action and return for the Eagles in 2015. Depth along the front line could be a big advantage in a conference with a couple of teams that like to spread the field, line up five wide and sling the rock all over the yard.
"You don't have to be tired out there trying to fight through," said senior defensive end Quan Daniels. "You know if you get tired, there are other guys who can come in and do just as well as the first guys so it really helps having two or three guys who can play the same position."
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Daniels logged 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season and will be in that rotation at the defensive end position. He and his teammates on both sides of the ball know the Eagles will not be sneaking up on anybody in the coming year.
"Last year, we were new to FBS and were kind of trying to feel things out and just see what we could do in FBS," he said. "Now, everybody knows us, so we're really working harder."
The defensive line surely saw what experience can do playing against the Eagle offensive line in practice and watching them operate on Saturdays last year. Daniels says a season learning the new scheme and a spring spent perfecting it will also help.
The Eagles have spent a lot of time this spring working on the pass rush. Two of the three starters lost resided in the secondary and the D-line wants to try to make things as easy as possible for the guys in coverage. Less time to throw means less time to have to cover.
"It's really important because nowadays, everybody is throwing the ball," said Daniels. "Right now, we're working on pass rushing and getting the technical stuff down so we can help out our back end."
Georgia Southern practiced in shoulder pads and helmets on a hot and humid day Tuesday on the banks of Beautiful Eagle Creek. The Eagles had two consecutive days off for the first time this spring after practice was canceled due to inclement weather Monday. The Eagles are expected to practice Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in the same location.
Remaining Spring Practice Schedule
Monday, April 13 - 4 p.m. - Eagle Creek
Wednesday, April 15 - 3:30 p.m. - Eagle Creek
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 18 – Spring Game - 1 p.m. - Paulson - Free admission, free parking, Gates 1 and 12 open at noon, sit in North Stands
Season Tickets on Sale Now
Football season tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale now, and fans can purchase them as well as parking by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting the ticket office in the Cowart Building adjacent to Paulson Stadium (203 Lanier Drive). Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Season tickets and parking can also be purchased at this month's Coaches' Caravan events beginning April 21 in Emanuel County - VISA, MasterCard, AmEx and cash are accepted. The season ticket renewal deadline as well as the parking renewal deadline is April 14, and online sales for new season tickets and new parking begin May 1.
The journey continues for the Georgia Southern football team in year two of FBS play as the Eagles will face two "Power Five" conference teams, four teams that played in bowl games a year ago and will host six home games in the 2015 football season.
The Eagles will host a pair of teams that played in bowl games last season. Western Michigan (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) comes to town for the home opener Sept. 12, and the Eagles welcome South Alabama (Raycom Media Camellia Bowl) Nov. 28.
Texas State, which finished the season bowl eligible with a 7-5 record, will travel to Statesboro for a Thursday night ESPNU national broadcast Oct. 29. The Eagles will close out the 2015 regular season at home against in-state rival Georgia State Dec. 5. The Citadel visits Paulson Stadium Sept. 19, and the Eagles play host to New Mexico State Oct. 17.
Despite six home games in 2015 compared to five in 2014, season ticket prices have stayed the same, and a majority of required annual donations to the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation in order to purchase season tickets remain the same as well.
"Last season was fantastic with attendance, but we need to amp it up even more," said Georgia Southern coach Willie Fritz. "It's not just a football game; it's an event when you play at Paulson Stadium with pre-game and everything going on and with Southern Pride and the cheerleaders, the dance team and the game-day presentation. Hopefully, what we did last year will attract even more fans."
Season tickets prices start as low as $75 for all six games, and seats that do not require a donation are available from $135-145 per seat. All season ticket pricing and pricing and donation requirements can be found below.
Important Ticket Dates and Deadlines:
Tuesday, April 14 – Spring Game Tailgate Cook-Off registration deadline
Saturday, April 18 – Blue vs. White Spring Game, 1 p.m. kickoff
Saturday, April 18 - EFAA Reverse Raffle and Auction - 5 p.m. in Bishop
Friday, May 1 - 4 p.m. - Online sales for season tickets and parking begins
Monday, August 24 – Single-game sales begin
Free Admission, Free Parking, North Stands Open, Field of Dreams Open for Spring Game April 18
Register for Tailgate Cook-Off
The second annual Tailgate Cook-Off, guest coaches, autograph sessions and a UniFlame Gas Grill giveaway highlight the activities surrounding the Blue vs. White Spring Football Game in Paulson Stadium April 18.
Admission and parking are free, gates open at noon and the game kicks off at 1 p.m. Fans can enter through Gates 1 and 12, and are asked to sit in the North Stands. Food concessions, an adidas merchandise area and season ticket kiosk will be open behind the North Stands. Game programs from the 2014 Sun Belt Championship season will be on sale for $3 a program or $10 for the season set.
The Rotary Corporation Field of Dreams will be open with inflatables available, courtesy of Crazy Nick's Inflatables. Honorary Coaches Dr. Brooks A. Keel and Leonard Bevill will assist in coaching the two teams, and players and coaches will be available for autographs after the game. Southern Pride and the Georgia Southern cheer team will also be at the game.
The Second Annual Spring Football Tailgate Cook-Off will also take place with tasting beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m. Eagle fans are invited to serve as tasting judges for $3 to enter the tailgate zone, sample the food and complete a ballot to determine the top four. Scores from the tasting judges will be calculated, and winners will be announced during the game.
The top-place tailgate and grill masters win a one-night stay at a hotel plus 2 tickets to the Georgia Southern vs. Georgia game in Athens Nov. 21, 2015. To enter the contest, a team or individual must register online by April 14 and pay a $20 cash fee per entry on site April 18.
Fans at the game can enter a drawing for a UniFlame Gas Grill, courtesy of the Sun Belt Conference. Fans must be at least 18-years-old to enter the drawing.
EFAA Raffle
The Eagle Football Alumni Association (EFAA) will be holding its Eighth Annual $10,000 Reverse Raffle & Auction Sat., April 18, at 5 p.m. in the Gene Bishop Field House at Paulson Stadium following the Blue & White Spring Game.
There will be a silent and live auction, which will feature an array of items such as autographed memorabilia, vacation opportunities, once-in-a-lifetime Georgia Southern game experiences, vintage Georgia Southern Football memorabilia, autographed memorabilia from local professional teams and much more. In addition, the Third Edition Erk Russell Commemorative Shotgun will be auctioned off in the live auction. This year's theme for the shotgun is "Yellow School Buses." The final 10 tickets in the reverse raffle will be drawn after the live auction, and the final ticket will win $10,000.
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, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Eagle fans can follow Coach Willie Fritz's twitter account @CoachWEFritz. For tickets, call 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit GSEagles.com/tickets.
STATESBORO, Ga. – With eight starters back from a unit that averaged a Sun Belt best 23.4 points allowed a game, it is safe to say that the Georgia Southern defense should be a strength of the team again this season.
What makes it even more formidable is the depth up front. All eight guys listed on the spring 2-deep saw significant action and return for the Eagles in 2015. Depth along the front line could be a big advantage in a conference with a couple of teams that like to spread the field, line up five wide and sling the rock all over the yard.
"You don't have to be tired out there trying to fight through," said senior defensive end Quan Daniels. "You know if you get tired, there are other guys who can come in and do just as well as the first guys so it really helps having two or three guys who can play the same position."
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Daniels logged 20 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season and will be in that rotation at the defensive end position. He and his teammates on both sides of the ball know the Eagles will not be sneaking up on anybody in the coming year.
"Last year, we were new to FBS and were kind of trying to feel things out and just see what we could do in FBS," he said. "Now, everybody knows us, so we're really working harder."
The defensive line surely saw what experience can do playing against the Eagle offensive line in practice and watching them operate on Saturdays last year. Daniels says a season learning the new scheme and a spring spent perfecting it will also help.
The Eagles have spent a lot of time this spring working on the pass rush. Two of the three starters lost resided in the secondary and the D-line wants to try to make things as easy as possible for the guys in coverage. Less time to throw means less time to have to cover.
"It's really important because nowadays, everybody is throwing the ball," said Daniels. "Right now, we're working on pass rushing and getting the technical stuff down so we can help out our back end."
Georgia Southern practiced in shoulder pads and helmets on a hot and humid day Tuesday on the banks of Beautiful Eagle Creek. The Eagles had two consecutive days off for the first time this spring after practice was canceled due to inclement weather Monday. The Eagles are expected to practice Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in the same location.
Remaining Spring Practice Schedule
Monday, April 13 - 4 p.m. - Eagle Creek
Wednesday, April 15 - 3:30 p.m. - Eagle Creek
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 18 – Spring Game - 1 p.m. - Paulson - Free admission, free parking, Gates 1 and 12 open at noon, sit in North Stands
Season Tickets on Sale Now
Football season tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale now, and fans can purchase them as well as parking by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting the ticket office in the Cowart Building adjacent to Paulson Stadium (203 Lanier Drive). Ticket office hours are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Season tickets and parking can also be purchased at this month's Coaches' Caravan events beginning April 21 in Emanuel County - VISA, MasterCard, AmEx and cash are accepted. The season ticket renewal deadline as well as the parking renewal deadline is April 14, and online sales for new season tickets and new parking begin May 1.
The journey continues for the Georgia Southern football team in year two of FBS play as the Eagles will face two "Power Five" conference teams, four teams that played in bowl games a year ago and will host six home games in the 2015 football season.
The Eagles will host a pair of teams that played in bowl games last season. Western Michigan (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl) comes to town for the home opener Sept. 12, and the Eagles welcome South Alabama (Raycom Media Camellia Bowl) Nov. 28.
Texas State, which finished the season bowl eligible with a 7-5 record, will travel to Statesboro for a Thursday night ESPNU national broadcast Oct. 29. The Eagles will close out the 2015 regular season at home against in-state rival Georgia State Dec. 5. The Citadel visits Paulson Stadium Sept. 19, and the Eagles play host to New Mexico State Oct. 17.
Despite six home games in 2015 compared to five in 2014, season ticket prices have stayed the same, and a majority of required annual donations to the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation in order to purchase season tickets remain the same as well.
"Last season was fantastic with attendance, but we need to amp it up even more," said Georgia Southern coach Willie Fritz. "It's not just a football game; it's an event when you play at Paulson Stadium with pre-game and everything going on and with Southern Pride and the cheerleaders, the dance team and the game-day presentation. Hopefully, what we did last year will attract even more fans."
Season tickets prices start as low as $75 for all six games, and seats that do not require a donation are available from $135-145 per seat. All season ticket pricing and pricing and donation requirements can be found below.
Important Ticket Dates and Deadlines:
Tuesday, April 14 – Spring Game Tailgate Cook-Off registration deadline
Saturday, April 18 – Blue vs. White Spring Game, 1 p.m. kickoff
Saturday, April 18 - EFAA Reverse Raffle and Auction - 5 p.m. in Bishop
Friday, May 1 - 4 p.m. - Online sales for season tickets and parking begins
Monday, August 24 – Single-game sales begin
Free Admission, Free Parking, North Stands Open, Field of Dreams Open for Spring Game April 18
Register for Tailgate Cook-Off
The second annual Tailgate Cook-Off, guest coaches, autograph sessions and a UniFlame Gas Grill giveaway highlight the activities surrounding the Blue vs. White Spring Football Game in Paulson Stadium April 18.
Admission and parking are free, gates open at noon and the game kicks off at 1 p.m. Fans can enter through Gates 1 and 12, and are asked to sit in the North Stands. Food concessions, an adidas merchandise area and season ticket kiosk will be open behind the North Stands. Game programs from the 2014 Sun Belt Championship season will be on sale for $3 a program or $10 for the season set.
The Rotary Corporation Field of Dreams will be open with inflatables available, courtesy of Crazy Nick's Inflatables. Honorary Coaches Dr. Brooks A. Keel and Leonard Bevill will assist in coaching the two teams, and players and coaches will be available for autographs after the game. Southern Pride and the Georgia Southern cheer team will also be at the game.
The Second Annual Spring Football Tailgate Cook-Off will also take place with tasting beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding at 12:30 p.m. Eagle fans are invited to serve as tasting judges for $3 to enter the tailgate zone, sample the food and complete a ballot to determine the top four. Scores from the tasting judges will be calculated, and winners will be announced during the game.
The top-place tailgate and grill masters win a one-night stay at a hotel plus 2 tickets to the Georgia Southern vs. Georgia game in Athens Nov. 21, 2015. To enter the contest, a team or individual must register online by April 14 and pay a $20 cash fee per entry on site April 18.
Fans at the game can enter a drawing for a UniFlame Gas Grill, courtesy of the Sun Belt Conference. Fans must be at least 18-years-old to enter the drawing.
EFAA Raffle
The Eagle Football Alumni Association (EFAA) will be holding its Eighth Annual $10,000 Reverse Raffle & Auction Sat., April 18, at 5 p.m. in the Gene Bishop Field House at Paulson Stadium following the Blue & White Spring Game.
There will be a silent and live auction, which will feature an array of items such as autographed memorabilia, vacation opportunities, once-in-a-lifetime Georgia Southern game experiences, vintage Georgia Southern Football memorabilia, autographed memorabilia from local professional teams and much more. In addition, the Third Edition Erk Russell Commemorative Shotgun will be auctioned off in the live auction. This year's theme for the shotgun is "Yellow School Buses." The final 10 tickets in the reverse raffle will be drawn after the live auction, and the final ticket will win $10,000.
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, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Eagle fans can follow Coach Willie Fritz's twitter account @CoachWEFritz. For tickets, call 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit GSEagles.com/tickets.
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