STATESBORO – For Georgia State transfer Ahmon Green, Georgia Southern's appeal wasn't about stadium lights or depth charts. It was about trust found in a tight end room where competition fuels camaraderie.

When Green stepped onto campus for his visit, it wasn't the facilities or game-day atmosphere that made him feel at home: it was the people.

"During my recruitment visit, the first thing we talked about wasn't football," Green said. "In fact, it didn't even come up until two or three hours in, which is crazy. Most schools promote football but here, they focused on the people. They were genuine, and they made me feel at home."

Head coach Clay Helton's genuine, straightforward approach has earned the trust of his players, who know he'll always have their backs.

"He has an open-door policy," Green said. "You can go in and talk to him about anything, not just football. Whatever you're going through in life, he'll sit and listen, and he'll do whatever he can to help."

Like Helton, tight ends coach Bryan Schor is known for his blunt honesty. For Green, that kind of honesty is a tool that challenges him to become the best version of himself.

"He's a realist too," Green said. "He'll tell you exactly what it is and what it's not. If he sees you falling short of your best, he's going to push you to get there."

The tight end room has embraced a culture this season that's as lively as it is competitive.

"It's pretty fun," Green said. "It's a great group of guys to be around. We always try to have fun whether it's in a meeting, practice, game or even outside of football. We all understand that it's competitive, and we're four or five deep in that room. Honestly if you ask me, it's one of the best tight end rooms I've been a part of."

With depth in the tight end room still limited due to injury, Green said his focus has been on preparing both mentally and physically for the workload ahead.

"Since I got here in the spring, conditioning has been a big part of my training," he said. "I've built myself into shape to be able to play every snap if I have to, but that also means taking care of my body. I'm in the training room consistently to make sure I'm getting the most out of my practice reps during the week, so I can go out there on Saturday and be at my best."

While many see tight ends as blockers or pass-catchers, Green sees the position as one of the most mentally demanding on the field.

"You have to be the second smartest guy on offense – right behind the quarterback," Green said. "You have to know what the receivers, O-Line and running backs are doing and how the quarterback is reading the play.  Before the play, I have to read the defense and see if they're blitzing because it changes my job."

When it comes to dedication, Green pointed to fellow tight end Henry Gregory.

"Shoutout to Henry – he got his first snap in a college football game and handled it really well," Green said. "He's a guy who wants to learn, so he's been asking me questions to get better. With a few tight ends out, he's realized the opportunity to grow, and he's really accepted that challenge. I commend him for that."

Green urged fans to continue standing behind the team as the Eagles enter conference play.

"Just be with us," Green said. "It's a road game, so we're up there by ourselves. We're going to try to take this energy and momentum that we've got from these last two games in Paulson up to James Madison and come back with a win."

Game Five will be played at JMU on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 1:30 p.m. ET. Tune in on ESPN+ or the Georgia Southern Sports Network.