2017 GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

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1 2017 Schedule Date Opponent Series Record Last Of Note: Sept. 2 at Auburn Auburn leads, 1-0 AU won (1991) GS lost last two vs. SEC by avg. 8.0 points 9 NEW HAMPSHIRE UNH leads, 1-0 UNH won (2004) Lone meeting came in 04 FCS Playoffs 23 at Indiana First Meeting N/A GS first meeting vs. Big Ten team Oct. 4 ARKANSAS STATE * Tied, 1-1 ASU won (2016) GS beat ASU in 1986 FCS Nat l Title Game 14 NEW MEXICO STATE * GS leads, 3-0 GS won (2016) Last meetings as Sun Belt members 21 at UMass Tied, 1-1 GS won (1999) Both previous meetings in FCS Playoffs 28 at Troy * Troy leads, 10-6 GS won (2016) GS has won four in a row in the series Nov. 4 GEORGIA STATE * GSU leads, 2-1 GSU won (2016) Panthers have won two in a row 9 at Appalachian State * ASU leads, ASU won (2016) GS has lost six of last seven in Boone 18 SOUTH ALABAMA * GS leads, 3-0 GS won 24-9 (2016) USA has yet to score more than 17 points vs. GS 25 at Louisiana * UL leads, 1-0 UL won (2016) GS is 9-5 all-time vs. Louisiana schools Dec. 2 at Coastal Carolina * GS leads, 3-0 GS won (2010) First meeting as FBS schools * - Sun Belt Conference Game 2017 GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL On the covers: OFC - Tyson Summers and his Eagles; IFC - Wesley Fields, L.A. Ramsby and Myles Campbell from the Eagle offense and Darrius Sapp, Chris DeLaRosa and Joshua Moon from the defense; IBC - Ukeme Eligwe and the rest of the Eagles in the NFL; OBC - The 2017 Georgia Southern football schedule. Covers designed by Ryan Hurst (Georgia Southern, c/o public relations); helmets on outside back cover designed by Clark Ruhland. GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 1 EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA EAGLES GATA Schedule 2 Quick Facts/Credits 4 Staff Information 6 Smith Family Football Center 8 Allen E. Paulson Stadium 9 Bishop Field House 10 This is Georgia Southern 12 Georgia Southern Football Traditions 14 The Total Student-Athlete 2017 SEASON 16 Preseason Rosters 18 Preseason Depth Chart 19 Personnel/Pronunciation Guide 20 Sun Belt Conference COACHING STAFF 22 Eagle Head Coach Tyson Summers 24 Offensive Coordinator Bryan Cook 25 Defensive Coordinator Lorenzo Costantini 26 Assistant Coach Pat Bastien 27 Assistant Coach Bob Bodine 28 Assistant Coach Olten Downs 29 Assistant Coach Chris Foster 30 Assistant Coach Chad Lunsford 31 Assistant Coach Jeremy Rowell 32 Assistant Coach Juston Wood 33 Support Staff MEET THE EAGLES 36 Veteran Profiles 60 Newcomers 64 Signing Class Breakdown STUDENT SERVICES 66 Academic Support 68 Strength & Conditioning 69 Equipment Room 70 Sports Medicine 72 Eagles in the Community 2016 REVIEW/STATISTICS 74 Individual Honors/Start Chart Statistics Individual Summaries Game-By-Game Statistics Game Highs Scoring Summaries Miscellaneous Statistics Big Plays 85 Last Time It Happened 86 Eagles in National Rankings Game Recaps RECORD BOOK 100 Individual Records 115 Annual Leaders 119 Longest Plays 120 Team Records 121 Overtime Games 122 Year-By-Year Team Stats 124 Team Records By Era 125 Paulson Stadium Records 126 Eagles on Television 127 All-Time Results 132 Series Results 136 Eagles vs. Conferences HISTORY 138 Eagle Football History National Championship National Championship National Championship National Championship National Championship National Championship 152 Eagle All-Americans 155 Conference Accolades 157 Modern Era Lettermen 160 All-Time Wins/Championships 161 All-Time Coaching Records 162 Modern Era Assistant Coaches 164 Coach Erk Russell Tribute 166 No. 8 Tracy Ham 167 No. 3 Adrian Peterson 168 Jayson Foster 169 Paul Johnson 170 Younghoe Koo EAGLES IN THE PROS 172 Eagles in the Pros 174 NFL Draft/Super Bowl/Pro Bowl Eagles UNIVERSITY/MEDIA 176 Georgia Southern University 178 University President Jaimie L. Hebert, Ph.D. 179 Athletic Director Tom Kleinlein 180 EFAA 181 Athletic Foundation/Ticket Office 182 Georgia Southern Radio Network 183 Media Guidelines 184 Athletics Communications 185 Department Personnel 186 adidas 2 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL

3 QUICK FACTS GS QUICK FACTS SCHOOL INFORMATION Official Name: Georgia Southern Univeristy Abbreviation: GS (not GSU) Location: Statesboro, Ga. Founded: December 1, 1906 Enrollment: 20,673 President: Jaimie L. Hebert, Ph.D. Athletics Director: Tom Kleinlein Faculty Athletics Rep: Chris Geyerman, Ph.D. Athletics Department Phone: Nickname: Eagles Primary Colors: Blue (PMS 282) and White Secondary Colors: Gray (PMS 429) and Gold (PMS 872) Mascots: GUS (mascot) and Freedom (live) TICKET INFORMATION Ticket Director: David Cutler Ticket Office Phone: GSU-WINS Ticket Office Website: GSEagles.com/tickets PROGRAM INFORMATION AND HISTORY Conference: Sun Belt First Year of Football: 1924 (no football from ) Modern Era Record: (.708) ^ FCS National Championships: 6 (1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000) No. Years in NCAA FCS Playoffs: 19 All-Time Playoff Record: Bowl Games: 1 (won 2015 GoDaddy Bowl) Home Stadium: Paulson Stadium Capacity: 25,000 Playing Surface: Shaw Sports Turf (Legion 41) Installed: 2016 Paulson Stadium Record: (.838) ^ TEAM INFORMATION Head Coach: Tyson Summers Alma Mater: Presbyterian College, 02 Summers Record at GS: 5-7 (Second Year) Summers Career Record: 5-7 (Second Year) Eagles 2016 Record: 5-7 Postseason: None Conference Record: 4-4 Offensive System: Spread Option Defensive System: 4-3 GS Athletics on the Web: GSEagles.com GS Football on Letterwinners (Ret/Lost): 22/29 Position Starters (Ret/Lost): 10/12 FOLLOW THE EAGLES ON SOCIAL GSAthletics GSAthletics GSAthletics CREDITS The 2017 Georgia Southern University Football Media Guide was published by the Georgia Southern Athletics Communications Office. Editor and Design: Bryan Johnston Editorial Content: AJ Henderson, Katy Baker Johnston, Cassie De Leon Covers: Bryan Johnston and Ryan Hurst; helmets on OBC designed by Clark Ruhland Printing: South Georgia Graphics (Claxton, GA) Additional contributions from the GS Office of Marketing and Communications. PHOTOGRAPHY Frank Fortune, Jeremy Wilburn, Milledge Austin IV, A.J. Henderson, Jonathan Chick, Allen Gambrell, Carroll Gambrell, Kyunnie Shuman, Bryan Johnston, Amanda Korpanay and Jeffrey Abraham. Images of Eagles in the NFL courtesy of Tom Pennington, Drew Hallowell, Jamie Squire of Diamond Images; Tom Dahlin and Wesley Hitt of Getty Images; USPresswire. Images of championship rings from Super Bowl XXVI and Super Bowl XXXIX and NFL team marks courtesy of the National Football League. EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 3

4 UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA STAFF DIRECTORY KEY DATES Student-athletes report...monday, July 24 First day of preseason practice... Tuesday, July 25 First day of university fall classes...monday, August 14 Season Opener (at Auburn)... Saturday, September 2 Home Opener (New Hampshire)... Saturday, September 9 COACHING STAFF Head Coach...Tyson Summers Alma Mater/Year...Presbyterian College/2002 Record at Georgia Southern (Years)...5-7,.417 (Second Year) Career Record (Years)...5-7,.417 (Second Year) Best Time to Reach Coach... Contact Athletics Communications Sun Belt Coaches Teleconference... Monday mornings in season ASSISTANT COACHES (Alphabetical order) PAT UAB, Linebackers Second Year BOB Tulane, Offensive Line First Year/Seventh Year Overall BRYAN Ithaca, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks First Year LORENZO UTEP, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Second Year OLTEN Tennessee State, Safeties First Year CHRIS Gardner-Webb, Running Backs Second Year CHAD Georgia College, Asst. Head Coach/H-Backs/Slots Special Teams Coordinator Fifth Year/Ninth Year Overall JEREMY Troy, Defensive Secondary Second Year JUSTON Portland State, Wide Receivers First Year FOOTBALL SUPPORT STAFF Director of Football Operations...Cymone George (Georgia Southern) Director of Football Administration... Steve Dennis (Georgia) Director of Student-Athlete Development... Andrew Dodge (UCF) Associate AD for Sports Medicine/SWA... Brandy Clouse (Georgia Southern) Strength & Conditioning Coach, Football... Dwayne Chandler (Oklahoma) Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach...Mitch Okey (Flagler) Director of Recruiting Operations... Zach Bell (Georgia Southern) Director of Player Personnel...Matt Brennan (Troy) On-Campus Recruiting... Brittany Brannen (Georgia Southern) Director of Equipment Services... Adam Brooks (Marshall) Video Coordinator...Chris Ball (West Virginia) Assistant AD for Athletics Communications... Bryan Johnston (South Carolina) Director of Character Development...Matt Wise (Georgia Southern) Graduate Assistant... Mike Adams (Buena Vista) Graduate Assistant...Jamal Golden (Georgia Tech) Graduate Assistant...Phill Guard (Mount Union) Graduate Assistant...Thomas Niles (UCF) 4 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL

5 This Is Georgia Southern EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 5

6 TED SMITH FAMILY FOOTBALL CENTER UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA The new headquarters for the Georgia Southern Football program, the Ted Smith Family Football Center, encloses the eastern end zone of Paulson Stadium and provides a stateof-the-art facility for the day-to-day functions of the Eagles. Groundbreaking on the 50,000-square-foot facility took place in June 2013 and the landmark project was completed in July The two-story, brick, glass and steel frame building is a visual attraction from both Lanier Drive and inside Paulson Stadium with the Bill W. Nelson Hall of Fame atrium connecting both wings of the center on the second floor. Coaches offices, conference rooms and positional meeting rooms, as well as an expansive team room with stadium seating for more than 120, are also on the top level. The positional meeting rooms include tools and equipment for game planning, diagramming plays and reviewing game film. The academic study suite, adjacent to the team room, is equipped with numerous desktop computers. The players lounge, located right above the Eagles locker room, provides a place to relax in comfort, watch the flatscreen high-definition televisions or use the video game systems. The program s football video and recruiting operations, as well as the control room for the new video display board, are also located here. Storage space and the facility s extensive IT and mechanical rooms are available on both levels. Spanning the majority of the field level, Georgia Southern Football s athletic performance area is roughly four times the size of Iron Works and contains nearly $500,000 of equipment, including 12 customized Power-Lift Multi-Racks and four Power-Lift Half-Racks with 16 inlaid platforms, each stocked with an Eleiko weightlifting kilogram set. Flanking the new strength and conditioning space are the athletic training and equipment areas, giving the Eagles access to some of the finest equipment in the region. Natural sunlight enters the locker room through the ceiling-height windows and is complemented by interior 6 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL

7 TED SMITH FAMILY FOOTBALL CENTER pendant and ballast lighting fixtures. Each of the 132 lockers is branded with the Georgia Southern Athletics logo and feature a custom name plate for each student-athlete. Compartments for hanging clothes, storing helmets, shoulder pads and shoes are integrated into the design of the cherry wood veneer lockers. Designed to maximize efficiency and storage, the equipment room includes pass-through lockers for laundry service, space for travel trunks and a rail-based shelving system. Four industrial washers and five dryers are easily accessible for both the athletic training room and equipment room. The athletic training space includes more than a dozen treatment areas and eight taping stations for Eagle student-athletes, as well as offices for staff and a physician s exam room. Completing the modern training area is the large hydrotherapy room that features both hot and cold tubs as well as an underwater treadmill with video monitoring system for therapy and rehabilitation. EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 7

8 PAULSON STADIUM UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA PAULSON STADIUM FACTS Capacity: 25,000 (expanded 2014) Layout: East-West Initial construction start date: First shovel 1983 Expansion construction start date: June 12, 2013 Glenn Bryant Field Surface: Shaw Sports Turf (Legion 41); installed 2016 Daktronics Video Board: 852 square feet of display area for replays, graphics and promotions Suite Level: 26 private booster boxes, film deck and a two-level working press box. Opening Game: Sept. 29, 1984 First Opponent: Liberty, 9/29/84 First Win: vs. Liberty, 9/29/84 First Postseason Win: 27-0 vs. Jackson State, 11/30/85 All-Time Record: (.838) All-Time Playoff Record: 33-3 (.917) First Score: 36-yard run by Tracy Ham vs. Liberty (13:44, 1Q), 9/29/84 First 100-Yard Rusher: 104 by Melvin Bell vs. Liberty, 9/29/84 First Shutout: 34-0 vs. Tennessee Tech, 10/5/85 Thirty years after its first game on Sept. 29, 1984, Allen E. Paulson Stadium underwent a major expansion for the Eagles first season in the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference. The newly expanded facility, now at a capacity of 25,000, offers incredible views of the playing field and modern amenities on its concourses. The inaugural game at Paulson Stadium in 1984 saw the Eagles soar to a victory over Liberty. That first contest was a fitting end to four years of planning and hard work four years of dreaming of one of the finest football facilities in America. What former Eagle head coach Erk Russell described as The Prettiest Little Stadium in America has been transformed into one of the finest facilities of its kind. The new mid-deck creates an architectural presence on the north side with the new 50,000-square-foot Ted Smith Family Football Center enclosing the east end zone. The $10 million stadium expansion project was student fee funded with private donations making possible the Eagle Football team s new building. 8 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL Winning is the one constant at Paulson Stadium where the Eagles have a stunning home record (.838) and won 91.7 percent of their postseason games (33-3). That.838 winning percentage stands as the second best amongst current FBS stadiums entering the 2017 season. More than three million fans have witnessed that success in Statesboro, creating a game day atmosphere that attracts Eagle fans from across campus, throughout the Coastal Empire and southeast region. Previous upgrades to the complex included renovation of the concourses and hospitality areas and the addition of a brick façade along the walls of Paulson Stadium prior to the 2005 season. Initially constructed at a cost of $4.7 million with just over 14,000 permanent seats and grass seating for thousands more, the addition of Paulson Stadium elevated the fledgeling program. The site for numerous nationally televised games, including the 1989 Hugo Bowl on ESPN, permanent light fixtures were installed for the 1994 season. In 2015, every home game was aired by the ESPN family of networks. The stadium is named for the late Allen E. Paulson, former founder and chairman of Gulfstream Aerospace, who donated more than $1 million toward construction of the facility. In 2007, Georgia Southern University renamed the area surrounding the Stadium Erk Russell Athletic Park to honor the former Eagle coach. The addition of the Ted Smith Family Football Center brought the nucleus of Eagle Football to the south end of campus and gave the Eagles one of the finest team areas in the Sun Belt. This building features the team locker room, weight room, training room, equipment room, team room, meeting rooms and a lobby with all six FCS national championship trophies. The Field of Dreams has also been a popular addition to the stadium complex, allowing children to play football on their own field alongside the Eagles during their game. The 2014 expansion also brought a new Daktronics video board to the east side of the field. Following the 2015 season, the grass playing surface of Glenn Bryant Field was removed to make way for a brand-new turf surface.

9 Dr. Eugene M. Bishop, Ribbon cutting for Bishop Field House, 2006 GENE BISHOP FIELD HOUSE Thanks to the generous contribution from the late Gene Bishop, Georgia Southern University finished construction on the Bishop Field House in the west end zone at Paulson Stadium prior to the start of the 2006 football season. Bishop passed away in March of 2011, but left behind a legacy at Georgia Southern. The former Athletic Foundation Chairman of the Board was a part of Eagle Nation for more than 20 years and his loyalty to the University and athletics department provided for two showcase landmarks on campus - the Gene Bishop Field House and the Eugene M. Bishop Alumni Center. The Gene Bishop Field House measures 13,600 total square feet and was built to accommodate team game day locker rooms and a game day training room on the lower level and meeting and hospitality spaces on the second level. From , Bishop Field House served as the home locker room for the Eagles and for the visiting team. Around 400 members socialize in the Field House prior to home football games. The Field House can be reserved for meetings, socials or luncheons and has been the site for numerous events, including biennial Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. With his generous contributions, Bishop holds the distinction as the single-largest contributor to the Georgia Southern Athletics Department and is one of the largest contributors to the University. The Eugene M. Bishop Alumni Center opened summer of 2009 on Akins Boulevard, just a short distance from Erk Russell Athletic Park and the epicenter of game day Saturdays. In 2003, the Southern Conference began the Distinguished Service Award program to recognize individuals who have made a great impact on their respective conference institution. Dr. Bishop was the first from Georgia Southern to receive the award. In the spring of 2013, the GS Athletic Foundation provided additional premium seating with the creation of the Bishop Club at Paulson Stadium, an exclusive, members-only venue to entertain guests and clients on game day. Two hundred new chairback seats allow fans to experience the atmosphere indoors or out while enjoying heavy hors d oeuvres, beverages and soft drinks during the game. Members also receive entry to pre-game festivities throughout the season. For more information about the Bishop Club and donation requirements, contact the Athletic Foundation at (912) GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 9 EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA

10 GAME DAY AT PAULSON STADIUM UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA Game Day at Paulson 10 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL

11 GAME DAY AT PAULSON STADIUM Game Day at Paulson EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 11

12 TRADITIONS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA SINGING OF THE ALMA MATER BEAUTIFUL EAGLE CREEK SOUTHERN PRIDE MARCHING BAND EAGLE CREEK BAPTISM GO BLUE! ONE MORE TIME... KICKOFF CHANT 12 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL

13 TRADITIONS TRADITIONAL UNIFORMS YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES PRE-GAME EAGLE WALK SINGING OF THE ALMA MATER FREEDOM S FLIGHT HONORING A LEGEND EAGLES GATA 2017 SEASON COACHING STAFF THE EAGLES STUDENT SERVICES 2016 REVIEW RECORDS HISTORY GS IN THE PROS UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 13

14 THE TOTAL STUDENT-ATHLETE UNIVERSITY/MEDIA GS IN THE PROS HISTORY RECORDS 2016 REVIEW STUDENT SERVICES THE EAGLES COACHING STAFF 2017 SEASON EAGLES GATA Strength Training Academic Recognition Honored at the Georgia House of Representatives 2015 GoDaddy Bowl Champs Community Service The Georgia Southern football program strives to make each student-athlete who walks through the doors of the Ted Smith Family Football Center a better person than when he arrives on campus. Through strength training, academics, character education, community service and athletics, GS Football is building champions both on the gridiron and in life! Graduating Leaders 14 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL