STATESBORO – For Chance Gamble, football has always been a family affair. From learning under his father to following position coach Darius Safford to Georgia Southern from Kennesaw State, his journey has been defined by growth, trust and faith in the people who shaped him.

Gamble's father coached him for most of his life, instilling lessons that still guide him today.

"The biggest thing he taught me was to never get too big to be coached," Gamble said. "No matter what level you reach, there's always room to get better – both as a person and as a player. He instilled that in me from a young age, whether I was playing football, baseball or basketball."

Over time, his father's role has shifted from coach to biggest supporter.

"The roles have reversed a little bit," Gamble said. "In high school, he was always the one keeping me level-headed, but now he's more of a fan – always hyping me up. It's cool to see that change as I've gotten older, and knowing he's got my back through it all means a lot. I'm extremely grateful for him."

Originally recruited as a wide receiver, Gamble was asked to switch to defensive back upon arriving at Kennesaw State – a complete shift to the other side of the ball.

"The biggest thing about transitioning from receiver to cornerback is that everything you're used to doing forward, you're now doing backward," Gamble said. "For me, the main adjustment was getting comfortable moving backward and breaking on the ball. But when it came to learning the defensive scheme, it wasn't too difficult. My dad has been a defensive coordinator my whole life, so I've grown up around defense, defense, defense."

Gamble credits much of his development to Safford, who he says molded him into the player he is today.

"I owe everything to him," Gamble said. "You can ask him – when I first got there, I looked like a baby deer out there. I had the athletic ability, but I didn't know how to move. He helped me put it all together, and that's why I give him so much credit. He made me into the player I am."

When Safford, a former Eagle himself, joined head coach Clay Helton's staff at Georgia Southern, Gamble decided to make the move as well. The transfer, he said, was influenced by both family and familiarity.

"It definitely helped that Coach Safford was coming here," Gamble said. "My sisters were planning to come the following year, so it was great for my family. And there's no place like Statesboro. All that made my decision to pick Georgia Southern an easy one."

What stood out to Gamble about Helton's program was its emphasis on life beyond the field.

"It's more than just football here," Gamble said. "Coach Helton genuinely cares about you as a person and your future. He sets you up in the right direction after football, which is so important because the game doesn't last forever. At first, it was a culture shock – I even thought it was fake love – but that's just who he is. He truly cares about you beyond the game."

Now, after years of learning from his father, position coach and head coach, Gamble takes pride in being a leader – especially within the defensive back room.

"I lead by example," Gamble said. "I take pride in doing everything the right way. Whether it's showing up to treatment on time or working my butt off in the weight room, I want to show the younger guys that if you want to get where I'm at, this is what it takes. You have the ability to do it, but you have to go get it. A lot of that comes from Coach Safford because he expects so much from me. This year, I can feel myself stepping into that leadership role on an even bigger level."

As Georgia Southern pushes deeper into the season, Gamble urges fans to continue standing behind the team.

"Don't count us out yet," Gamble said. "I know it's been a tough start, but everything we want is still in front of us. The fans' support means a lot – it fires us up, especially right now. Stay with us as we get things rolling. Every time we step on the field, we're playing to win."

Game Six will be played at Paulson Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. ET. Tune in on ESPN2 or the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Tickets are available through GSEagles.com/Tickets.