Players Mentioned
Position Preview: The Tight Ends
8/27/2015 8:27:00 AM | Football
Lunsford pleased with progress of his guys
The Georgia Southern football team set the bar extremely high in its first season of FBS play. By winning the Sun Belt Conference title, the Eagles duplicated what just two other teams in the history of college football had accomplished, and became the only team to do it with an undefeated league record. With 13 starters back, five on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense, Georgia Southern will try to meet and surpass that standard in 2015 by reaching the first bowl game in school history.
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the tight ends, led by coach Chad Lunsford.
COACH LUNSFORD ON THE TIGHT ENDS:
"The biggest thing with the tight end position is being really, really physical. The guys are working hard to do that. They have a lot of different responsibilities and techniques that they have to use and they've done a good job of learning and using those. We have to establish that run game and get things rolling. Jeff Ward, James Dean and Cody Rediger have all had good camps and saw a lot of action last year. I expect a lot out of them this year. These guys have to be ready on every play. The thing about the position is you have to be part receiver, part running back and part offensive lineman. They play a tight end position that's kind of like the offensive line and then they play a fullkback position that's like a running back. And we'll also get them involved in the play action game as well. They have to be ready to do it all."
BRIEFLY:
• The tight ends figure to be more of a factor in the passing game as well this season. The Eagles return veterans James Dean, Jeff Ward and Cody Rediger. None of them had a reception last year, but Lunsford plans on using them more in the play-action game this fall.
• Junior Da'Quan Heard and freshmen J.L. Banks and Kevin Ackerman add depth to the position, which allowed the Eagles to move junior Nardo Govan, who started the first three games at the position last season, to defensive end.
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
TODAY - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
