2018 SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

2018 Schedule Date Opponent Series Record Last Of Note: Sept. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE GS leads, 7-0 GS won 41-16 (2010) GS is 4-0 against SCSU at Paulson Stadium 8 UMASS UMass leads, 2-1 UMass won 55-20 Eagles won lone game in Statesboro (1999) 15 at Clemson First Meeting N/A GS is 1-9 against current ACC schools 29 ARKANSAS STATE * A-State, 2-1 A-State won 43-25 (2017) GS beat ASU in 1986 FCS Nat’l Title Game Oct. 6 SOUTH ALABAMA * GS leads, 4-0 GS won 52-0 (2017) USA has yet to score more than 17 points vs. GS 11 at Texas State * GS leads, 2-1 GS won 37-13 (2015) GS is 2-0 against Texas State in Sun Belt play 20 at New Mexico State GS leads, 3-1 NMSU won 35-27 (2017) Eagles are 2-0 in Las Cruces, New Mexico 25 APPALACHIAN STATE * ASU leads, 19-13-1 ASU won 27-6 (2017) ASU has won six of the past seven in the series Nov. 3 at ULM * GS leads 5-2 GS won 23-21 (2016) GS vacated the 2014 win over the Warhawks 10 TROY * Troy leads, 11-6 Troy won 38-16 (2017) GS has won four of the past five in the series 17 at Coastal Carolina * GS leads, 3-1 CCU won 28-17 (2017) Last three games have been played in Conway 24 at Georgia State * GSU leads, 3-1 GSU won 21-17 (2017) Panthers have won three in a row Dec. 1 Sun Belt Championship Game

* - Game

On the covers: OFC - Head coach Chad Lunsford, along with seniors Wesley Fields and Joshua Moon; IFC - The 2018 Georgia Southern Football Staff; IBC - Eagles in the NFL; OBC - The 2018 Georgia Southern football schedule. Covers designed by Drew Morris; helmets on outside back cover designed by Clark Ruhland.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EAGLES GATA MEET THE EAGLES 124 Series Results EAGLES IN THE PROS 1 2018 Schedule 30 Veteran Profiles 128 Eagles vs. Conferences 164 Eagles in the Pros 2 Quick Facts/Credits 57 Newcomers 166 NFL Draft/Super Bowl/Pro Bowl Eagles 4 Staff Information HISTORY 5 Allen E. Paulson Stadium 2017 REVIEW/STATISTICS 130 Eagle Football History UNIVERSITY/MEDIA 6 Edwin Jackson Tribute 66 Individual Honors/Start Chart 132 1985 National Championship 168 Georgia Southern University 67 2017 Statistics 134 1986 National Championship 170 Interim President Shelley C. Nickel 2018 SEASON 70 2017 Individual Summaries 136 1989 National Championship 171 Athletic Director Tom Kleinlein 8 Preseason Rosters 72 2017 Game-By-Game Statistics 138 1990 National Championship 172 Media Guidelines 10 Preseason Depth Chart 73 2017 Game Highs 140 1999 National Championship 173 Athletics Communications 11 Personnel/Pronunciation Guide 74 2017 Scoring Summaries 142 2000 National Championship 174 Georgia Southern Radio Network 12 adidas 75 2017 Miscellaneous Statistics 144 Eagle All-Americans 175 Department Personnel 76 2017 Big Plays 147 Conference Accolades COACHING STAFF 77 Last Time It Happened 149 Modern Era Lettermen 14 Eagle Head Coach Chad Lunsford 78 Eagles in National Rankings 152 All-Time Wins/Championships 16 Offensive Coordinator Bob DeBesse 79 2017 Game Recaps 153 All-Time Coaching Records 17 Defensive Coordinator Scot Sloan 154 Modern Era Assistant Coaches 18 Assistant Coach Victor Cabral RECORD BOOK 156 Coach Tribute 19 Assistant Coach Travis Cunningham 92 Individual Records 158 No. 8 Tracy Ham 20 Assistant Coach Andrew Dodge 107 Annual Leaders 159 No. 3 Adrian Peterson 21 Assistant Coach Chris Foster 111 Longest Plays 160 Jayson Foster 22 Assistant Coach Ron Hudson 112 Team Records 161 Paul Johnson 23 Assistant Coach Cory Peoples 113 Overtime Games 162 Younghoe Koo 24 Assistant Coach Jeremy Rowell 114 Year-By-Year Team Stats 25 Assistant Coach Juston Wood 116 Team Records By Era 26 Support Staff 117 Paulson Stadium Records 118 Eagles on Television 119 All-Time Results

2 FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS

GS QUICK FACTS PROGRAM INFORMATION AND HISTORY TEAM INFORMATION CREDITS Conference: Sun Belt Head Coach: Chad Lunsford The 2018 Georgia Southern University SCHOOL INFORMATION First Year of Football: 1924 Alma Mater: Georgia College, ‘00 Football Media Guide was published by the Georgia Southern Athletics Communications Official Name: Georgia Southern Univeristy (no football from 1942-1981) Lunsford’s Record at GS: 2-4 (First Full Year) Office. Abbreviation: GS (not GSU) Modern Era Record: 316-139-1 (.694) ^ Career Record: 2-4 (First Full Year) Location: Statesboro, Ga. FCS National Championships: 6 Eagles’ 2017 Record: 2-10 Editor and Design: Bryan Johnston Editorial Content: AJ Henderson, Trent Founded: December 1, 1906 (1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2000) Postseason: None Whitmire, Katy Baker Johnston, Cassie Enrollment: 27,459 * No. Years in NCAA FCS Playoffs: 19 Conference Record: 2-6 Nakamoto President: Shelley C. Nickel (interim) All-Time Playoff Record: 45-13 Offensive System: Gun/Pistol Triple Option Covers: Drew Morris; helmets on OBC designed by Clark Ruhland fo Salem, Va. Athletics Director: Tom Kleinlein Bowl Games: 1 (won 2015 GoDaddy Bowl) Defensive System: 3-4 Printing: South Georgia Graphics in Faculty Athletics Rep: Chris Geyerman, Ph.D. Home Stadium: Paulson Stadium GS Athletics on the Web: GSEagles.com Claxton, GA Athletics Department Phone: 912-478-5047 Capacity: 25,000 GS Football on Twitter: @GSAthletics_FB Additional contributions from the GS Office of Marketing and Communications. Nickname: Eagles Playing Surface: Shaw Sports Turf (Legion 41) Letterwinners (Ret/Lost): 29/13 Primary Colors: Blue (PMS 282) and White Installed: 2016 Position Starters (Ret/Lost): 16/6 PHOTOGRAPHY Secondary Colors: Gray (PMS 429) and Gold (PMS 872) Paulson Stadium Record: 187-39 (.827) ^ Frank Fortune, Jeremy Wilburn, Milledge Austin IV, A.J. Henderson, Jonathan Chick, Mascots: GUS (mascot) and Freedom (live) Allen Gambrell, Carroll Gambrell, Kyunnie Shuman, Bryan Johnston, Amanda Korpanay TICKET INFORMATION FOLLOW THE EAGLES ON SOCIAL MEDIA and Jeffrey Abraham. Images of Eagles in the NFL courtesy of Tom Pennington, Drew Ticket Director: David Cutler Hallowell, Jamie Squire of Diamond Images; Ticket Office Phone: 1-800-GSU-WINS Tom Dahlin and Wesley Hitt of Getty Images; Ticket Office Website: GSEagles.com/tickets USPresswire. Images of championship rings from Super Bowl XXVI and Super Bowl XXXIX and NFL team marks courtesy of the * - As of January 2018, the new Georgia Southern University consists of National Football League. three campuses: Statesboro, Armstrong (Savannah) and Liberty (Hinesville). The three schools consolidated to become one university. @GSAthletics GSAthletics GSAthletics GSAthletics GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 3 STAFF INFORMATION COACHING STAFF FOOTBALL SUPPORT STAFF Head Coach...... Chad Lunsford (@ChadLunsford) Director of Football Operations...... Cymone George (Georgia Southern) Alma Mater/Year...... Georgia College/2000 Senior Associate AD for Sports Medicine/SWA...... Brandy Clouse (Georgia Southern) Record at Georgia Southern (Years)...... 2-4, .333 (First Full Year) Assistant Athletic Trainer, Football...... Jake Smith (Eastern Illinois) Career Record (Years)...... Same Assistant Athletic Trainer, Football...... May Beth Winningham (Middle Tennessee) Best Time to Reach Coach...... Contact Athletics Communications Strength & Conditioning Coach, Football...... Matt Greenhalgh (Rhode Island) Sun Belt Coaches’ Teleconference...... Monday mornings in season Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach...... Don Day (Findlay) Director of Player Personnel...... Matt Brennan (Troy) ASSISTANT COACHES (Alphabetical order) Director of High School Relations...... T.J. Anderson (Georgia Southern) VICTOR CABRAL @Coach_Cab Director of Student-Athlete Development...... Adrian Peterson (Georgia Southern) Georgia Southern, 2006 ...... Defensive Line – First Year/Fifth Year Overall Equipment Services, Football...... Neal Spivey (Coastal Carolina) Video Coordinator...... Chris Ball (West Virginia) TRAVIS CUNNINGHAM @TCunninghamGS Associate AD for Public Relations and Communications...... Bryan Johnston (South Carolina) Gardner-Webb, 2003 ...... Inside Linebackers – First Year Director of Character Development...... Matt Wise (Georgia Southern) Administrative Assistant...... Tessa Akers (Georgia Southern) BOB DeBESSE @CoachDeBesse5 Defensive Graduate Assistant...... Jake Brandon (Appalachian State) Southwest Texas State, 1982...... Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers – First Year Defensive Graduate Assistant...... Darrius Jones Jr. (Georgia Southern) Offensive Graduate Assistant...... Phill Guard (Mount Union) ANDREW DODGE @Coach_Dodge Offensive Graduate Assistant...... Dimitri Donald (West Texas A&M) UCF, 2012...... Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator – Second Year Analyst...... Mike Adams (Buena Vista)

CHRIS FOSTER @CoachC_Foster KEY DEPARTMENT STAFF Gardner-Webb, 2003...... Running Backs – Third Year Athletics Director...... Tom Kleinlein (Wake Forest) Deputy A.D...... Lisa Sweany (Tri-State) RON HUDSON @CoachRHud Senior Associate A.D./Executive Director, Athletic Foundation...... Dan O’Dowd (Georgia Southern) Muskingum, 1986...... Offensive Line – First Year Senior Associate A.D. for NCAA Compliance...... Keith Roughton (Georgia Southern) Senior Associate A.D. for Student-Athlete Services...... Reggie Simpkins (South Carolina State) CORY PEOPLES @CoryPeoples Senior Associate A.D. for Internal Operations...... Tracy Ham (Georgia Southern) South Carolina, 2005...... Cornerbacks – First Year Assistant A.D. for Game Operations...... Nick Scull (Lock Haven) Assistant A.D. for Ticketing, Parking & Suites...... David Cutler (Georgia Southern) JEREMY ROWELL @Coach_Rowell Troy, 1997...... Outside Linebackers – Third Year KEY DATES Student-athletes report...... Thursday, August 2 SCOT SLOAN @Coach_Sloan First day of preseason practice...... Friday, August 3 Clemson, 1992 ...... Defensive Coordinator/Safeties – First Year/Fifth Year Overall First day of university fall classes...... Monday, August 13 Season Opener (South Carolina State)...... Saturday, September 1 JUSTON WOOD @CoachJWood2 Home Sun Belt Opener (Arkansas State)...... Saturday, September 22 Portland State, 2003...... Quarterbacks – Second Year

4 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL PAULSON STADIUM

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: 48-11 vs. Liberty, 9/29/84 First Postseason Win: 27-0 vs. Jackson State, 11/30/85 All-Time Record: 187-39 (.827) 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 Winning is the one constant at Paulson Stadium where The stadium is named for the late Allen E. Paulson, former E. Paulson Stadium underwent a major expansion for the the Eagles have a stunning 187-39 home record (.827) and founder and chairman of Gulfstream Aerospace, who donated Eagles’ first season in the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference. The won 91.7 percent of their postseason games (33-3). That .827 more than $1 million toward construction of the facility. newly expanded facility, now at a capacity of 25,000, offers winning percentage stands as the third best amongst current In 2007, Georgia Southern University renamed the area incredible views of the playing field and modern amenities on FBS stadiums entering the 2018 season. surrounding the Stadium “Erk Russell Athletic Park” to honor its concourses. More than three million fans have witnessed that success the former Eagle coach. The inaugural game at Paulson Stadium in 1984 saw the in Statesboro, creating a game day atmosphere that attracts The addition of the Ted Smith Family Football Center Eagles soar to a 48-11 victory over Liberty. That first contest Eagle fans from across campus, throughout the Coastal Empire brought the nucleus of Eagle Football to the south end of was a fitting end to four years of planning and hard work – and southeast region. campus and gave the Eagles’ one of the finest team areas four years of dreaming of one of the finest football facilities in Previous upgrades to the complex included renovation of in the Sun Belt. This building features the team locker America. the concourses and hospitality areas and the addition of a room, weight room, training room, equipment room, team What former Eagle head coach Erk Russell described as “The brick façade along the walls of Paulson Stadium prior to 2005. room, meeting rooms and a lobby with all six FCS national Prettiest Little Stadium in America” has been transformed Initially constructed at a cost of $4.7 million with just over championship trophies. into one of the finest facilities of its kind. The new mid-deck 14,000 permanent seats and grass seating for thousands The Field of Dreams has also been a popular addition to the creates an architectural presence on the north side with the more, the addition of Paulson Stadium elevated the fledgeling stadium complex, allowing children to play football on their new 50,000-square-foot Ted Smith Family Football Center program. The site for numerous nationally televised games, own field alongside the Eagles during their game. enclosing the east end zone. including the 1989 Hugo Bowl on ESPN, permanent light The 2014 expansion also brought a new Daktronics video The $10 million stadium expansion project was student fixtures were installed for the 1994 season. Every home game board to the east side of the field. Following the 2015 season, fee funded with private donations making possible the Eagle over the past three seasons has been aired by the ESPN family the grass playing surface of Glenn Bryant Field was removed Football team’s new building. of networks. to make way for a brand-new turf surface. GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL 5 Georgia Southern head football coach Chad Lunsford announced in February of 2018 that the walk-on tryouts for the program moving forward will be named in honor of Edwin Jackson, who died Feb. 4, 2018 in an automobile accident in Indianapolis. Jackson went through the tryout process at Georgia Southern to earn a spot on the team and worked his way up to eventual starter before moving on to start in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts.

“In memory of Edwin Jackson and the mark that he left in so many peoples lives, we wanted to take the first step in honoring him by naming our walk-on tryouts after him,” Lunsford said. “Edwin went down the hardest path possible here at Southern to earn some unbelievable results. He went from a walk-on tryout participant, to a spot on the team, to playing time, to a starter and leader and finally, a captain and Sun Belt champion. He then did it all again, signing as an NFL undrafted free agent, earned a spot on an NFL roster and then regular playing time before finally earning a job as a starter. His work ethic exemplified the blue collar mentality that made him the perfect fit at Georgia Southern. Not only did he accomplish these things, but he also was an unbelievable person who demonstrated our core values. The ultimate servant leader, he affected so many lives in a positive manner. I want to give a big thank you to his family for allowing us the to honor Edwin Jackson by naming our walk-on tryouts after him.”

As a junior in 2013, Jackson totaled a team-best 92 tackles, including a team-leading 13 stops in a 26-20 upset win against the University of Florida in The Swamp. He was voted team captain by his teammates and recorded a career-high 100 tackles as a senior in helping the Eagles win the Sun Belt Conference Championship in the school’s inaugural year competing at the FBS level in 2014. He was awarded first-team All-Sun Belt honors for his performance on the field.

He was an undrafted free agent who went to the Arizona Cardinals’ camp, but was one of the final cuts. He joined the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad in late 2015 and went on to start eight games at linebacker in 2016 for the Colts. He did not play in 2017 season due to an injury.

Jackson created the Edwin Jackson 53 Foundation, which holds football clinics, fitness camps and after-school programs for disadvantaged youth, and supports student athletes who do not have scholarships.

Each year’s Edwin Jackson Memorial Walk-On Tryouts will be held in February and all of the pertinent information can be found on GSEagles.com.

6 GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES FOOTBALL