STATESBORO – Brendan Harrington and Brandon Tyson defined the linebacker room's identity with three words: high ceiling and versatile.  
 
With seventh-year Harrington and redshirt junior Tyson serving as veterans, the two operate as leaders for the younger linebackers.
 
"We've got a lot of guys with different playing styles, and I'd say our room has a really high ceiling," Harrington said. "Take the young guys like CJ Allen–he might only get five snaps, but he'll make a tackle for loss and show he's ready. They handle their business on and off the field, stay patient, and when their number gets called, they're always ready to answer."
 
When asked to highlight a teammate who's prepared for his number to be called, Tyson and Harrington agreed that Jacob Hammonds is that guy.
 
"He and I are in the same class, and he's been waiting to play his whole career, but he hasn't really gotten that chance yet," Tyson said. "He's always stayed ready and is ready to go 24/7."
 
Transferring from other programs, Tyson and Harrington said they admire the family-first culture head coach Clay Helton has created.
 
"He's a players' coach," Harrington said. "He's always looking out for us and doing what's best for the team. He takes care of everyone, including our families, and always puts the players first."
 
Family is the top priority in Helton's system.
 
"He's more like a father figure than he is a coach," Harrington said. "He's another dad to us, and it's special to play underneath him. If I could do it again, I'd love to do all my years playing under him."
 
"It stems from Coach Helton," Tyson said. "I really look up to the way he respects people. You don't hear that many people of his status give out as much love as he does. He never really talks about himself. It's always about other people and what they've done for him, so I feel like that bleeds down into us."
 
The defensive system is designed for the linebackers to run the show, giving them leadership positions on the field.
 
"I think the linebackers do a good job of welcoming that role and act as the captains of the defense," Harrington said. "We make sure everybody's in the right position for the play."
 
Linebackers coach Alex Garwig has established trust with the group, allowing them to play their game while tailoring to their individual strengths.
 
"He just lets us be ourselves," Harrington said. "Every linebacker is different, and he allows us to play to our play styles. He coaches us to our play styles."
 
Assistant linebackers coach Drew Gaither has also played an important role in the group's development.
 
"He plays a big role in helping us," Harrington said. "He helps Coach Garwig with information that helps us prepare. They do a great job providing us with tips and reminders so we can perform."
 
Because linebackers are responsible for both stopping the run and breaking up the pass, communication within the group–and the entire defense–is essential.
 
"There's a lot on our plate as a group, so we're always helping each other and learning together," Harrington said. "It's a collective effort that starts with Coach Helton; whatever the head man does flows down to everyone else."
 
With the home opener just around the corner, Harrington and Tyson expressed their excitement to take the field as Eagles.
 
"Get ready," Harrington said. "We're not satisfied with what we've done so far, but there's a lot of football left. I loved playing here last year and seeing the blue light show in the fourth quarter, so I'm looking forward to that."
 
"At Elon, I didn't get to experience a really strong home crowd," Tyson said. "I'm excited to play in front of fans who want to see us win and to finally show out for the people who've been watching on TV these last two weeks."
 
Game Three will be played at Paulson Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. ET. Tune in on ESPN+ or the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Tickets are available at GSEagles.com/Tickets