Your Seat, Your Story: Stuart Exley’s True Blue Tradition in Section C
8/13/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
STATESBORO – For Stuart Exley, Georgia Southern football has never been just about Saturdays in Paulson Stadium. It is a connection to his alma mater, his family, his community and the place he has called home for nearly four decades.
A native of Effingham County, Exley first came to Georgia Southern as a student in the mid-1980s, arriving at a time when Eagle football was beginning to establish itself as a national powerhouse.
After earning his associate degree from South Georgia College, Exley transferred to Georgia Southern and graduated in June 1987 with a bachelor's degree in industrial management.
His time as a student coincided with one of the most formative eras in Georgia Southern football history. The Eagles captured back-to-back national championships in 1985 and 1986, giving students and the surrounding community something to rally around.
"I was a student during those first two national championship years in 1985 and 1986, and it was a thrill to be a part of that," he said. "Football was new. It was all new again, new to everybody. It was something we could all rally around to support, not only the football team but the school as well."
Those early experiences created a connection that has lasted nearly 40 years. Today, that connection is on full display each fall in Paulson Stadium, where Exley and an ever-growing group of family and friends gather in Section C.
Exley originally purchased two season tickets during Georgia Southern's "Pick-a-Seat Day" in 1989. Nearly four decades later, those two seats have grown even larger.
"I bought two seats that day, and I still have those, plus 14 other seats," he said. "I have 16 seats in Section C. That area has grown to include my sister, brother-in-law, first cousin, his son and other friends. I would say we probably have about 30 Effingham County folks in that one section who all sit together."
For Exley, some of his favorite memories have come from watching Georgia Southern football evolve over the years – from its return to the national stage to its transition from the FCS to the FBS and the continued growth of Paulson Stadium.
"Being able to watch us make the jump from NCAA I-AA to FBS football and see that growth expand over to the expansion of the stadium – to experience all of that – has been special," he said. "To be there when we won a championship on our home field, right there in Statesboro, and to take that step to the next level was important for my family and me. It's been fun to be a part of that."
Decades later, another championship celebration brought Hexley back onto the field. When Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Conference championship in its first season in the league, Exley found himself in the middle of the celebration once again.
"I can look back at some pictures and find myself right there, standing in the end zone and watching that whole thing take place," he said. "I've been able to be out there with friends and family. Those are the moments you remember."
Exley's support for Georgia Southern extends well beyond football. A proud alum, he is also a season ticket holder for Georgia Southern basketball and baseball and has spent decades supporting the university throughout the region.
He currently serves as president of the Effingham County Eagle Club, one of the remaining Eagle Clubs established during the early days of the organization in the 1990s.
Founded by Frank Hook, the Effingham County Eagle Club continues to bring Georgia Southern supporters together each spring. The annual event typically draws approximately 250 people and provides an opportunity to celebrate and promote Georgia Southern athletics and the university as a whole.
"That's where my involvement has been – supporting not only football but other athletics as well and being involved in our Effingham County Eagle Club," Hexley said.
For Exley, that commitment is deeply personal.
His parents did not attend college, but his sister and her husband are Georgia Southern alumni, as are multiple members of his extended family. Growing up just down the road from Statesboro, Georgia Southern became the family's university – a place they could all take pride in supporting.
"I know it's all about proximity for us, living as close as we do right next door in Effingham County, but it's important for us to have a university that has the programs and research that we have," Hexley said. "They continue to add all of these programs, which I think is very important."
That pride extends throughout his community, as well. Exley points to the number of local leaders who also call Georgia Southern their alma mater as another source of pride.
Ultimately, though, his connection to Eagle football comes down to something simple.
"I understand it's not SEC football," he said. "But it's our football. It's our program. It belongs to us."
For nearly 40 years, Exley has chosen to be part of that program – first as a student, then as an alum, and now also as a season ticket holder who has turned two seats into a tradition shared by generations of family and friends.
"I've been very fortunate to be a part of that since its inception," he said. "I'm just going to continue to support my university and do what I can to promote it with others who don't know about it."
For Exley, Saturdays in Paulson Stadium are about more than watching a football game. They are about returning to a place that has been part of his life for decades, sharing the experience with the people closest to him and continuing a tradition that began with two seats in Section C.
Season after season, the seats remain. So does the True Blue pride.
To join in the excitement of gameday this fall, go to GSEagles.com/Tickets today and secure your tickets today!
