STATESBORO – A group of Georgia-grown veterans who chose to stay close to where they were raised and spend their college careers pouring into this program have quietly become the backbone of the Georgia Southern football program.

Sixteen of the team's 25 seniors stayed true to their roots as Georgia natives. 

The spotlight has never been the point – Jackson Wheeler, Dalen Cobb, Dorrian Smith and Justin Meyers are no exceptions. 

For Wheeler and Cobb, playing in their home state has meant more than just convenience – it is about family.

"Coming from a Georgia high school, my family's been able to come to every home game and support me," Wheeler said. "They've been incredible these past six years, and earning my degree from Georgia Southern means a lot."

"It was definitely the coaches," Cobb said. "I know that if my mom called (head coach Clay) Helton right now with an issue, he'd handle it. And Statesboro feels like Washington (Ga). It's not a small town, but everybody knows everybody, so it just felt like home."

Wheeler, Cobb, Meyers and eight others chose to spend every single year of their careers wearing blue and white. 

"For me, once I start something, I want to finish it," Cobb said. "I never really had plans to leave here."

"It's just the way I was raised," Meyers said. "My mom always told me, 'When you start something, you finish it.' So I was going to finish my job here."

If you stay true to Georgia Southern, it will stay true to you, and Wheeler can attest to this commitment. He is the only player to have his jersey hung at a local restaurant, Dingus Magee's.

"They came to me with the idea because I worked there," he said. "I thought it was pretty cool to be part of history here."

As for the seniors who began their paths elsewhere, coming back to their home state and finding a place on this roster has felt like a homecoming. 

"I've been in a lot of situations where things didn't feel right within the staff, but here, everything felt right," Smith said. "My people aren't too far away, so they can come to as many games as they want."

With the family atmosphere found in the football facility, Helton and his coaching staff fostered a culture where athletes strive to be the best version of themselves on and off the field. 

"Coach (Darius) Safford and Coach Helton are great men," Smith said. "Safford is someone I really look up to because he brings the same energy every day. He's consistent, and I admire that."

"I feel like the coaching staff – especially in the defensive back room – pushes us to show up with the same consistency and go hard every day," Meyers said. 

From traveling to California to start this season to beating in-state rival Georgia State, the seniors have no shortage of memorable moments. 

But which one comes to mind first?

For Meyers, it was the Eagles' 45-42 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers early in the 2022 season. 

"My freshman year, we played at Nebraska, so getting to travel with the team and watch that game was a great experience – especially pulling out a big win over a Power Five school," he said.

For Wheeler, his favorite memory was far more recent.

"I would definitely say the win over App State this season," he said. "In my six years here, I'd been up there two or three times and we'd never won. So, winning at App State in my last year was definitely special."

As the final home game approaches, Wheeler urges Eagle Nation to not only support the team in their quest for a bowl game but also to honor the seniors who have dedicated their years to being True Blue.  

"It's a very special game for me – being my last home game in Paulson," Wheeler said. "It's really hit me over the last couple of weeks how quickly things wind down, and we'd really appreciate the support for this final home game."

Game 11 will be played at Paulson Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m. ET. Tune in on ESPN+ or the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Tickets are available through GSEagles.com/Tickets.