Football | 1/23/2017 4:03:00 PM

STATESBORO, Ga. – This offseason, the Georgia Southern football team is implementing an accountability competition called "Battle in the Boro." This is an incentive program designed to hold the players responsible and accountable for their actions on and off of the field.
 
The program is based on a point system and the players are divided up into nine different teams, all of which have one player acting as captain. Each of the teams also have a coach who will oversee the whole group. The captains held a draft to select the teams and the program has already started with several groups earning points for community service.
 
"The purpose of this program is to develop leadership," said running backs coach Chris Foster, who is heading up the accountability program. "We're trying to develop football players, but we're also trying to develop leaders. I want these guys to hold each other accountable, both on the field and in life. When they're on the field, they have to depend on each other and this is a good exercise in building that trust needed. We also want to get out into the community more. So this is about more than just football; we want these men to mature, grow and give back to the people and community that support us."
 
After the draft, the players created a nickname for their team, which is what they will be called throughout the competition. The names are: Silent Killa$ (captained by Logan Hunt), Boom Boyz (captained by Curtis Rainey), GATA Mob (captained by Ross Alexander), Yellow Bus Savages (captained by L.A. Ramsby), Eagle Creek Kings (captained by Chris DeLaRosa), Paulson Pride (captained by Myles Campbell), Savages (captained by Shai Werts), Hit Squad (captained by Joshua Moon) and Freedom's Fighters (captained by Matt Flynn).
 
All of the teams start out with 500 points, but can lose points if they are late to any function (-5), miss a meeting (-10) or have a bad attitude (-10).
 
However, players can earn or gain back points by participating in community service (+10), weekly running/lifting (+/-10), or weight loss/gain (+/-10). Points can also be earned or taken away at the discretion of head coach Tyson Summers. These totals are posted in the Ted Smith Family Football Center each week with who gained and lost what for the team.
 
Director of character development, Matt Wise, has high hopes for this program and how it will positively influence the football team this upcoming season.
 
"Even though the guys are competing, they don't want to let each other down, Wise said. "They're looking out for each other, but at the same time they are staying on top of their academics, not missing meetings, and being held accountable for their own actions. We are really trying to create a sense of unity and discipline."