Georgia State Football 753 4 48.6
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2018 GEORGIA STATE FOOTBALL @GeorgiaStateFB | @CoachSElliott | @GSUPanthers | @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. THE KICKOFF: Georgia State plays its > Also a dynamic weapon on special teams, final road game of the season at Appalachian Hart returned a punt 49 yards for a touch- State Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer down vs. ULM, the first punt return for Stadium. touchdown in Georgia State history. He is averaging 21.7 yards per return. > Head coach Shawn Elliott, a former App State player and assistant coach, is returning > Brandon Wright is third in the nation with to Boone as a head coach for the first time. an average of 48.6 yards per punt, which helps Georgia State stand third nationally in GAME 11 > Appalachian State leads the series 4-0, including last year’s 31-10 victory at Georgia net punting at 43.12. GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS at State Stadium. > Over the last six games, junior Tra Barnett APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS > Playing without starting quarterback Dan has averaged 76.2 yards per game and 6.3 Ellington (concussion protocol), Georgia yards per carry while scoring seven touch- TV: ESPN+. Announcers are Harrison Battle State was within 16-14 after three quarters at downs, highlighted by a career-high 161 and Pierre Banks Louisiana before the Ragin’ Cajuns scored 20 yards vs. Coastal Carolina. RADIO: The new home for Georgia State straight points en route to the 36-22 victory. > Senior DeMarcus Kirk rushed for a season- football is Atlanta’s 92.9 THE GAME (WZGC- The Panthers rushed for 252 yards in the high 79 yards on nine carries vs. Louisiana, FM). Dave Cohen is in his 36th season as game. including a 21-yard TD run. That is his most the play-by-play voice of Panther athletics. > Over the last three games, the Panthers rushing yards since his career-high 85 yards, Harper LeBel joins him from the booth with have rushed for a total of 753 yards, easily also vs. Louisiana in 2015. Sam Crenshaw on the sideline. Football the best three-game stretch in school history. games also air on Georgia State station GSU has averaged 253.0 yards per game and ELLIOTT FACES ALMA MATER: WRAS-FM 88.5. 6.2 yards per carry for the three games. Georgia State head coach Shawn Elliott is a 1996 graduate of Appalachian State and Free audio stream on GeorgiaStateSports. > GSU is averaging 176.6 yards rushing per com and GSU mobile app. was a long-time assistant coach for the game with a school-record 20 touchdowns. Mountaineers. 2018 RECORDS: > Ellington is third in the Sun Belt in passing > Elliott spent 13 seasons on the App State Georgia State: 2-8, 1-5 Sun Belt (201.9 ypg) and total offense (254.2 ypg) staff under head coach Jerry Moore. He Appalachian State: 7-2, 5-1 Sun Belt while accounting for 14 touchdowns with worked two seasons as a defensive assistant just two interceptions. He is completing 60.5 SERIES: App State leads 4-0 (1997-98) and two seasons as tight ends percent with 1,817 yards passing and 471 net coach (1999-00) before taking over the offen- LAST MEETING: App State 31, Georgia State rushing yards. sive line (2001-09). 10, Nov. 25, 2017 at Georgia State Stadium > Junior Penny Hart, a Preseason All-Amer- > Elliott helped lead the Mountaineers to ican, is GSU’s leading receiver with 46 recep- three NCAA FCS titles (2005-07) plus two trips GSU HEAD COACH SHAWN ELLIOTT tions for 610 yards and two touchdowns, Alma Mater: Appalachian State, 1996 to the national semifinals and three appear- along with 101.7 all-purpose yards per game. ances in the quarterfinals. App State reached Record at GSU: 9-13 (2nd year) In 2017, Hart led the Sun Belt Conference in Career Record: 10-18 (3rd year) the NCAA playoffs 10 times in his 13 seasons. 2017 with a school-record 74 receptions for 1,121 yards and eight touchdowns. > Elliott, a four-year letterman as a defensive APP STATE HEAD COACH lineman, and Mountaineers head coach Scott SCOTT SATTERFIELD > Among all active FBS receivers, Hart ranks Satterfield were teammates and roommates Record at App State: 48-24 (6th year) fourth in career receiving yards (2,891) and at App State. Career Record: 48-24 (6th year) eighth in receptions (199). > With 2,891 receiving yards, Hart has moved IN A RUSH: Georgia State has dramati- cally improved its running game this season, 2018 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS into fourth place in Sun Belt Conference history. Next up is No. 3 Jerrel Jernigan of Troy despite starting three redshirt freshmen on A. 30 KENNESAW STATE (ESPN+) ....hW 24-20 (3,127). the offensive line: S. 8 at NC State (Fox RSN) ......................aL 7-41 > With Hart at No. 4, Georgia State has two > GSU is averaging 176.6 yards rushing per S. 14 at Memphis (ESPN) ........................aL 22-59 of the top four all-time receivers in Sun Belt game, more than 50 yards per game better S. 22 WESTERN MICHIGAN (ESPN+) hL 15-34 history. Former Panther Robert Davis (2013- than last season and ahead of the school record of 167.9, set in 2011 at the FCS level. S. 29 ULM (ESPN+)............................hW 46-14 16) ranks No. 2 with 3,391 receiving yards. O. 4 at Troy (ESPNU) ...............................aL 20-37 O. 18 at Arkansas State (ESPNU) ..........aL 35-51 GEORGIA STATE BY THE NUMBERS O. 27 COASTAL CAROLINA (ESPN+) hL 34-37 N. 3 TEXAS STATE (ESPN+) .............. hL 31-40 N. 10 at Louisiana (ESPN+) .....................aL 22-36 4 48.6 753 N. 17 at Appalachian State (ESPN+).. 2:30 p.m. With 2,891 career Brandon Wright’s The Panthers have rushed N. 24 GEORGIA SOUTHERN (ESPN+) ....2 p.m. receiving yards in just punting average, which for 753 yards over the last 37 games, Penny Hart is third in FBS and helps three games, averaging All Times Eastern ranks fourth in Sun Belt GSU rank third in net 253.0 yards per game and Conference history. punting (43.12). 6.2 yards per carry. FOR YOUR PENNYHART THOUGHTS HONORS FBS ACTIVE LEADERS > 2018 Preseason All-America (Athlon Sports, third team) RECEIVING YARDS ............................... G Yards > 2015-17-18 Biletnikoff Award Watch List 1. Cody Thompson, Toledo, Sr. ...................52 3,090 2. Andy Isabella, UMass, Sr. .........................43 3,222 > 2016-17-18 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference 3. Keesean Johnson, Fresno State, Sr. ....48 2,981 > First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference, 2015 & 2017 4. Penny Hart, Georgia State, Jr. ...........37 2,891 > 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 KEY STATISTICS 3. Olamide Zaccheaus, Virginia, Sr. .........47 224 > Among all active FBS receivers, he is fourth in career receiving yards (2,891), fifth 4. Andy Isabella, UMass, Sr. .........................44 216 in receiving yards per game (78.1), sixth in receptions per game (5.38) and eighth in 5. Scott Miller, Bowling Green ...................43 205 receptions (199). 6. Steven Sims, Kansas ..................................45 203 > At least one catch in every game he has played (37 in a row). 7. N’Keal Harry, Arizona State, Jr. ..............35 202 8. Penny Hart, Georgia State, Jr. ...........37 199 > 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 game- winning touchdown on a spectacular 9-yard catch in the corner of PENNY HART the end zone with 2:31 left. R-Junior > Tied the GSU single-game record with 11 receptions for 150 yards and 5-8, 180 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 Rec 1. Robert Davis .....................2013-16 222 1. J.D. McKissic, Arkansas St. .... 2012-15 289 2. Penny Hart .....................2015-* 199 2. Jerrel Jernigan, Troy ............... 2007-10 262 3. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13 175 3. T.Y. Hilton, FIU .......................... 2008-11 229 Casey Fitzgerald, UNT ........... 2005-08 229 RECEIVING YARDS ...............Years Yds 5. Robert Davis, GSU .................. 2013-16 222 1. Robert Davis .....................2013-16 3,391 6. Brent Leonard, ULM ............... 2009-12 209 2. Albert Wilson ....................2010-13 3,190 7. Penny Hart, GSU .................. 2015-* 199 3.