Georgia State Football 753 4 48.6

2018

GEORGIA STATE FOOTBALL

@GeorgiaStateFB

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@CoachSElliott

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@GSUPanthers

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@GSUStadium

GEORGIA STATE (2-8, 1-5) at APPALACHIAN ST. (7-2, 5-1)

Saturday, Nov. 17 | 2:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+
Kidd Brewer Stadium | Boone, N.C.

> Also a dynamic weapon on special teams, Hart returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown vs. ULM, the ﬁrst punt return for touchdown in Georgia State history. He is averaging 21.7 yards per return.

THE KICKOFF: Georgia State plays its

ﬁnal road game of the season at Appalachian State Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

> Head coach Shawn Elliott, a former App State player and assistant coach, is returning to Boone as a head coach for the ﬁrst time.
> Brandon Wright is third in the nation with an average of 48.6 yards per punt, which helps Georgia State stand third nationally in net punting at 43.12.
> Appalachian State leads the series 4-0, including last year’s 31-10 victory at Georgia State Stadium.

GAME 11

> Over the last six games, junior Tra Barnett has averaged 76.2 yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry while scoring seven touchdowns, highlighted by a career-high 161 yards vs. Coastal Carolina.

GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS at APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS

> Playing without starting quarterback Dan Ellington (concussion protocol), Georgia State was within 16-14 after three quarters at Louisiana before the Ragin’ Cajuns scored 20 straight points en route to the 36-22 victory. The Panthers rushed for 252 yards in the game.

TV: ESPN+. Announcers are Harrison Battle and Pierre Banks RADIO: The new home for Georgia State football is Atlanta’s 92.9 THE GAME (WZGC- FM). Dave Cohen is in his 36th season as the play-by-play voice of Panther athletics. Harper LeBel joins him from the booth with Sam Crenshaw on the sideline. Football games also air on Georgia State station WRAS-FM 88.5.

> Senior DeMarcus Kirk rushed for a seasonhigh 79 yards on nine carries vs. Louisiana, including a 21-yard TD run. That is his most rushing yards since his career-high 85 yards, also vs. Louisiana in 2015.
> Over the last three games, the Panthers have rushed for a total of 753 yards, easily the best three-game stretch in school history. GSU has averaged 253.0 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry for the three games.

ELLIOTT FACES ALMA MATER:

Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott is a 1996 graduate of Appalachian State and was a long-time assistant coach for the Mountaineers.

Free audio stream on GeorgiaStateSports. com and GSU mobile app.

> GSU is averaging 176.6 yards rushing per game with a school-record 20 touchdowns.

> Ellington is third in the Sun Belt in passing (201.9 ypg) and total oﬀense (254.2 ypg) while accounting for 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He is completing 60.5 percent with 1,817 yards passing and 471 net rushing yards.

2018 RECORDS:

> Elliott spent 13 seasons on the App State staﬀ under head coach Jerry Moore. He worked two seasons as a defensive assistant (1997-98) and two seasons as tight ends coach (1999-00) before taking over the oﬀensive line (2001-09).

Georgia State: 2-8, 1-5 Sun Belt Appalachian State: 7-2, 5-1 Sun Belt

SERIES: App State leads 4-0 LAST MEETING: App State 31, Georgia State

10, Nov. 25, 2017 at Georgia State Stadium

> Junior Penny Hart, a Preseason All-American, is GSU’s leading receiver with 46 receptions for 610 yards and two touchdowns, along with 101.7 all-purpose yards per game. In 2017, Hart led the Sun Belt Conference in 2017 with a school-record 74 receptions for 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns.
> Elliott helped lead the Mountaineers to three NCAA FCS titles (2005-07) plus two trips to the national semifinals and three appearances in the quarterfinals. App State reached the NCAA playoffs 10 times in his 13 seasons.

GSU HEAD COACH SHAWN ELLIOTT

Alma Mater: Appalachian State, 1996 Record at GSU: 9-13 (2nd year) Career Record: 10-18 (3rd year)

> Elliott, a four-year letterman as a defensive lineman, and Mountaineers head coach Scott Satterﬁeld were teammates and roommates at App State.

APP STATE HEAD COACH SCOTT SATTERFIELD

> Among all active FBS receivers, Hart ranks fourth in career receiving yards (2,891) and eighth in receptions (199).

Record at App State: 48-24 (6th year)

Career Record:

48-24 (6th year)

IN A RUSH: Georgia State has dramati-

cally improved its running game this season, despite starting three redshirt freshmen on the oﬀensive line:

> With 2,891 receiving yards, Hart has moved into fourth place in Sun Belt Conference history. Next up is No. 3 Jerrel Jernigan of Troy (3,127).

2018 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

A. 30 KENNESAW STATE (ESPN+)....hW 24-20

S. 8 at NC State (Fox RSN)......................aL 7-41 S. 14 at Memphis (ESPN)........................aL 22-59

S. 22 WESTERN MICHIGAN (ESPN+) hL 15-34

S. 29 ULM (ESPN+)............................hW 46-14

O. 4 at Troy (ESPNU)...............................aL 20-37 O. 18 at Arkansas State (ESPNU) ..........aL 35-51

O. 27 COASTAL CAROLINA (ESPN+) hL 34-37 N. 3 TEXAS STATE (ESPN+).............. hL 31-40

N. 10 at Louisiana (ESPN+).....................aL 22-36 N. 17 at Appalachian State (ESPN+).. 2:30 p.m.

N. 24 GEORGIA SOUTHERN (ESPN+)....2 p.m.

> GSU is averaging 176.6 yards rushing per game, more than 50 yards per game better than last season and ahead of the school record of 167.9, set in 2011 at the FCS level.
> With Hart at No. 4, Georgia State has two of the top four all-time receivers in Sun Belt history. Former Panther Robert Davis (2013- 16) ranks No. 2 with 3,391 receiving yards.

GEORGIA STATE BY THE NUMBERS

4

48.6

753

With 2,891 career receiving yards in just 37 games, Penny Hart ranks fourth in Sun Belt Conference history.

Brandon Wright’s

The Panthers have rushed

for 753 yards over the last three games, averaging
253.0 yards per game and
6.2 yards per carry. punting average, which is third in FBS and helps GSU rank third in net punting (43.12).

All Times Eastern

FOR YOUR

PENNYHART _THOUGHTS

FBS ACTIVE LEADERS

HONORS

RECEIVING YARDS...............................G Yards

1. Cody Thompson, Toledo, Sr....................52 3,090 2. Andy Isabella, UMass, Sr..........................43 3,222 3. Keesean Johnson, Fresno State, Sr. ....48 2,981

4. Penny Hart, Georgia State, Jr. ...........37 2,891

> 2018 Preseason All-America (Athlon Sports, third team) > 2015-17-18 Biletnikoﬀ Award Watch List > 2016-17-18 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference > First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference, 2015 & 2017 > 2015 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year > 2015 Freshman All-America (FWAA, ﬁrst team)

RECEPTIONS ........................................G Rec

1. Keesean Johnson, Fresno State, Sr. ....49 250 2. T.J. Rahming, Duke, Sr. ............................47 231 3. Olamide Zaccheaus, Virginia, Sr. .........47 224 4. Andy Isabella, UMass, Sr..........................44 216 5. Scott Miller, Bowling Green ...................43 205 6. Steven Sims, Kansas..................................45 203 7. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State, Jr. ..............35 202

8. Penny Hart, Georgia State, Jr. ...........37 199

KEY STATISTICS

> Among all active FBS receivers, he is fourth in career receiving yards (2,891), ﬁfth in receiving yards per game (78.1), sixth in receptions per game (5.38) and eighth in receptions (199).

> At least one catch in every game he has played (37 in a row). > Leading receiver in the Sun Belt in each of his two full seasons (2015 and 2017). > Led the Sun Belt with a school-record 74 receptions for 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017.

> Had 71 receptions for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman in 2015 before missing most of the 2016 due to injury.

> Already ranks fourth in Sun Belt history with 2,891 career receiving yards and seventh with 199 receptions.

> Averaging 21.7 yards per punt return and 106.4 all-purpose yards per game.

TOP GAMES

> Recorded his 11th career 100-yard game with six catches for 118 yards vs. Coastal Carolina (2018).

> Six catches for 128 yards at Troy (2018). > His 49-yard punt return vs. ULM (2018) is the ﬁrst punt return for touchdown in GSU history.

> Set GSU record with 190 yards receiving and tied his own school record with 11 catches vs. ULM. (2017). TDs of 50, 25 and 22 yards.

> Broke his own school record with 191 yards receiving on eight catches in 2017 win at Georgia Southern, including the gamewinning touchdown on a spectacular 9-yard catch in the corner of the end zone with 2:31 left.

PENNY HART

R-Junior 5-8, 180

> Tied the GSU single-game record with 11 receptions for 150 yards and two TDs vs. New Mexico State (2015) in his second collegiate game.

Roswell, Ga. King’s Ridge Christian

GSU CAREER LEADERS

SUN BELT CAREER LEADERS

RECEPTIONS........................Years

Rec

RECEPTIONS..............................Years

1. J.D. McKissic, Arkansas St..... 2012-15 2. Jerrel Jernigan, Troy............... 2007-10 3. T.Y. Hilton, FIU.......................... 2008-11
Casey Fitzgerald, UNT ........... 2005-08
5. Robert Davis, GSU.................. 2013-16 6. Brent Leonard, ULM............... 2009-12

7. Penny Hart, GSU..................2015-*
Rec

289 262 229 229 222 209

199

1. Robert Davis .....................2013-16

2. Penny Hart .....................2015-*

3. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13
222

199

175

RECEIVING YARDS...............Years

1. Robert Davis .....................2013-16 2. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13

3. Penny Hart .....................2015-*
Yds

3,391 3,190

2,891

RECEIVING YARDS.....................Years

Yards

TD RECEPTIONS ..................Years

1. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13

2. Penny Hart .....................2015-*
TD

23

19

1. T.Y. Hilton, FIU.......................... 2008-11 3,531 2. Robert Davis, GSU.................. 2013-16 3,391 3. Jerrel Jernigan, Troy............... 2007-10 3,127

4. Penny Hart, GSU..................2015-* 2,891
ALL-PURPOSE YARDS.........Years

1. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13 2. Glenn Smith ......................2014-17

3. Penny Hart .....................2015-*
Yards

6,236 3,411

3,398

2018 GEORGIA ST A T E FOOTBALL NOTES, PAGE 3

GAME 11: GSU at APPALACHIAN ST A T E

GENERAL INFORMATION

Full Name Location
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Ga.

Founded

1913

Enrollment Nickname Colors Aﬃliation Conference President
50,000 Panthers
Blue & White
NCAA Division I FBS Sun Belt Conference
Mark P. Becker

Charlie Cobb

Director of Athletics

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach

Shawn Elliott

Travis Trickett Nate Fuqua

“Pete” Petit Field at

GEORGIA STATE STADIUM

Oﬀensive Coordinator/QBs Defensive Coordinator/OLBs

Running Backs

Tim Bowens

Safeties Defensive Line Receivers Cornerbacks
Chris Collins

> The Panthers’ 20 rushing touchdowns are already a school record.

Skylor Magee Trent McKnight Blake Gideon Josh Stepp

> GSU is averaging 216.7 rushing yards in Sun Belt Conference games.

Tight Ends

WRIGHT STUFF: Junior Brandon Wright,

member of the Ray Guy Award Watch List, is third in the nation with an average of 48.6 yards per punt. Georgia State ranks third

Oﬀensive Line

Cedric Williams

Rusty Wright
Scott Holsopple
Bob Murphy Nate Simon
Steve Wojcikowski
Daniel Wilcox
ILBs/Special Teams/RC Strength & Conditioning Athletic Trainer Equipment Manager Asst AD-FB Operations Director of Player Personnel Dir. of High School Relations Ginny Thompson Graduate Assts Alex Nelson, Jacob Huesman
Michael Lambros, Daryl Vining

THE 2017 SEASON marked the

nationally with a net of 43.12.

inaugural year of “Pete” Petit (pronounced puh-TEET) Field at Georgia State Stadium, the former Turner Field and venue for the Atlanta Braves that was converted into the home of Panther football.

> His 48.6-yard average is ahead of the Sun Belt Conference season record of 47.8, set by Idaho’s Austin Rehkow in 2014.

> Twenty-one of his 41 punts have travelled 50-plus yards, including ﬁve of 60-plus, and 18 have landed inside the 20.

Georgia State Stadium features 25,000 seats, a FieldTurf playing surface, the Panthers’ 7,500-square foot locker room, and a 5,600-square foot video board that is the eighth-largest in college football.
The conversion process incorporated the existing seating areas on the north, west and south sides of the stadium with a new grandstand constructed on the east side, formerly the baseball outﬁeld.
Georgia State Stadium was originally constructed as the 85,000-seat Centennial Olympic Stadium and used for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Following the Olympic Games, much of the north end of the stadium was removed in order to convert it to the 49,000-seat baseball park that served as the home of the Atlanta Braves from 1997 through 2016.
The Braves played their ﬁnal game at
Turner Field on Oct. 2, 2016. In November 2016, the Board of Regents approved Georgia State University’s purchase of 38 acres of the 68-acre site for $22.8 million, and the conversion process began in early 2017.
Future phases of the redevelopment of this iconic property will include a new Georgia State baseball stadium, to be constructed on the footprint of the former Atlanta-Fulton County stadium. Residential, retail and corporate facilities are being developed by Carter and Associates.

> He has twice been named to Ray’s 8 by the Ray Guy Award, most recently after averaging 49.8 yards on ﬁve punts, including a 68-yarder out of his own end zone.

FACILITY INFORMATION

Home Field

“Pete” Petit (puh-TEET) Field

at Georgia State Stadium
Capacity Surface Opened as Georgia State Stadium Originally Built
25,000 FieldTurf

> Wright’s career punting average currently stands at 43.57, just ahead of the school record of 42.84, held by current New Orleans Saints placekicker Wil Lutz.

2017 1996

> Wright’s career average ranks eighth among all active FBS punters.

PROGRAM INFORMATION

First Season of Football Joined Sun Belt Conference Full FBS Eligibility All-Time Record Bowl Record
2010 2013 2014

> He ranks second in GSU history to Matt Hubbard in career punts and punting yards, second to Wil Lutz with 19 ﬁeld goals and fourth in career scoring with 109 points.

29-75 (9th year)
1-1

MORE APP STATE CONNECTIONS:

Georgia State Director of Athletics Charlie Cobb spent nine years in the same position at Appalachian State before taking over at GSU in September of 2014.

SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS

Primary Football Contact

Allison George

Oﬃce Cell email
404.413.4032 678.595.7728

> Director of Player Personnel and Recruiting Daniel Wilcox was a standout tight end at App State before a nine-year NFL career.

[email protected]

Secondary Football Contact

Mike Holmes

404.413.4033

Oﬃce

Cell email

> High School Relations Recruiting Coordinator Ginny Thompson was a former staﬀ member and student-athlete (golf) for the Mountaineers.

404.259.9716 [email protected]

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 3975

Atlanta, GA, 30302-3975

GeorgiaStateSports.com

Website

Twitter

@GeorgiaStateFB, @GSUPanthers

GeorgiaStateSports.com

2018 GEORGIA ST A T E FOOTBALL NOTES, PAGE 4

> Both teams have a quarterback named

GAME 11: GSU at APPALACHIAN ST A T E

ALL THREE PHASES CONTRIBUTE TO
RECORD-SETTING WIN: Georgia State set

records and milestones on oﬀense, defense and special teams in its 46-14 win over ULM.
Jacob Huesman, but the GSU graduate assistant and former signal caller at Chattanooga is not related to the App State backup.

FOOTBALL TIMELINE

Nov. 2006

Football feasibility study completed

Apr. 15, 2007 Dan Reeves named consultant

> The 46 points are Georgia State’s secondmost vs. FBS opponent and third-most overall, and the 32-point margin is the Panthers’ largest margin of victory vs. FBS opponent.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT:

Georgia State ranks among the national leaders with 17 scoring drives (13 TD/4 FG) of 10 plays or more, including four touchdown drives of at least 15 plays.
Conversely, the Panthers have eight touchdown drives of 90 seconds or less, including two one-play touchdown drives on long runs by Seth Paige (82 yards) and Tra Barnett (75).

Apr. 17, 2008 Georgia State oﬃcially launched its football program
June 12, 2008 Bill Curry named head coach

Aug. 2008

First six assistant coaches hired

Jan. 4, 2009

First scholarship player, Mark Hogan,

enrolled

> The Panthers rushed for a school-record 308 yards, including 145 by freshman Seth Paige, whose 82-yard TD is the longest run from scrimmage in GSU history.

Feb. 4, 2009

GSU signed its ﬁrst recruiting class

June 11, 2009 GSU admitted to CAA Football, beginning in 2012

> QB Dan Ellington completed a schoolrecord 83.3 percent (15-18) of his passes.

Aug. 11, 2009 First team of 71 players reported

YOUTH MOVEMENT: Seventeen

true freshmen have seen action thus far, including running backs Seth Paige and Destin Coates, receivers Cornelius McCoy and Sam Pinckney, cornerbacks Quavian White and Tyler Gore, noseguard Akeem Smith, linebackers Blake Carroll and Jontrey Hunter, defensive end Tre Moore, safety Jacorey Crawford and special teams player Tucker Gregg. Five others have played in

fewer than four games in running back Dawson Hill, tight end Herman McCray, outside linebacker T.J. Smith, safety Courtney Williams and oﬀensive tackle Despelado Alexandre.

Aug. 14, 2009 Georgia State’s ﬁrst football practice held at NFL YET facility

> GSU set a school record with 38:12 of possession time.

Fall 2009

First team conducted 60 practices

> The Panthers held ULM to 262 yards of total oﬀense, the third-best defensive performance in school history.

Mar. 23, 2010 First spring practice began Mar. 27, 2010 First workout on new ﬁeld at GSU
Practice Complex at 188 MLK

> GSU allowed just 43 total yards and one ﬁrst down in the second half.

April 10, 2010 First Spring Game at Georgia Dome Aug. 3, 2010 Inaugural team reported for preseason

> Penny Hart had the ﬁrst punt return for a touchdown in Georgia State history with his 49-yard return in the fourth quarter.

Aug. 4, 2010 Preseason practice began Sept. 2, 2010 Inaugural football game at Georgia
Dome: GSU 41, Shorter 7

BARNETT, PAIGE RUN INTO RECORD

BOOK: Running backs Tra Barnett and Seth Paige have etched record-breaking performances this season at Georgia State Stadium.

Nov. 19, 2010 First game vs. FBS opponent at defending national champ Alabama
Aug. 2011

Team moved into GSU Practice Complex

> Freshmen have compiled a total of 53 starts in 10 games, including 26 by true freshmen and 27 by redshirt freshmen.

2011 season GSU played as an FCS Independent April 9, 2012 GSU accepted invitation to join Sun
Belt Conference in July 2013

> Barnett, a junior, rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries vs. Coastal Carolina. That is the second-highest single-game rushing total in school history.
> Five true freshmen (WR McCoy, RB Coates, CB White, S Crawford, WR Pinckney) and six redshirt freshmen (CB Jaylon Jones, OLB Jordan Strachan, S Chris Bacon, G Pat Bartlett, G-T Jalen Jackson, C Malik Sumter) have started games.