2017 Georgia Southern Eagles football team

Last updated

2017 Georgia Southern Eagles football
Georgia Southern Eagles wordmark.svg
Conference Sun Belt Conference
Record2–10 (2–6 Sun Belt)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBryan Cook (1st season)
Offensive scheme Spread option
Defensive coordinatorLorenzo Costantini (2nd season)
Base defense 4–3
Home stadium Paulson Stadium
Seasons
  2016
2018  
2017 Sun Belt Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Troy +  7 1   11 2  
Appalachian State +  7 1   9 4  
Arkansas State  6 2   7 5  
Georgia State  5 3   7 5  
New Mexico State  4 4   7 6  
Louisiana  4 4   5 7  
Louisiana–Monroe  4 4   4 8  
Idaho  3 5   4 8  
South Alabama  3 5   4 8  
Coastal Carolina *  2 6   3 9  
Georgia Southern  2 6   2 10  
Texas State  1 7   2 10  
  • + Conference co-champions
  • * – Ineligible for postseason play due to FCS-to-FBS transition rules

The 2017 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia, and competed in the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by coach Chad Lunsford following the mid-season firing of second-year head coach Tyson Summers. [1] [2] They finished the season 2–10, 2–6 in Sun Belt play to finish in a tie for tenth place.

Contents

Following the season, interim head coach Chad Lunsford was promoted to head coach. [3] [4]

Schedule

Georgia Southern announced its 2017 football schedule on March 1, 2017. The 2016 schedule consisted of five home and seven away games in the regular season. The Eagles hosted Sun Belt opponents Arkansas State, New Mexico State, Georgia State, and South Alabama, and traveled to Troy, Appalachian State, Louisiana-Lafayette, and Coastal Carolina. [5]

The team played four non–conference games, one home game against New Hampshire from the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), and traveled to three road games against Auburn from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Indiana from the Big Ten Conference (B1G) and UMass (Independent). Due to the then-impending impact of Hurricane Irma on southern Georgia, the home game against New Hampshire was relocated to Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. [6]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 27:30 p.m.at No. 12 Auburn * SECN L 7–4187,451
September 94:00 p.m.No. 12 (FCS) New Hampshire * ESPN3 L 12–223,387
September 233:30 p.m.at Indiana * BTN L 17–5242,886
October 48:00 p.m. Arkansas State ESPN2 L 25–4313,781
October 146:00 p.m. New Mexico State Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Paulson Stadium
  • Statesboro, GA
ESPN3L 27–3516,278
October 213:30 p.m.at UMass * ELVN L 20–5510,690
October 283:30 p.m.at Troy ESPN3L 16–3823,846
November 43:00 p.m. Georgia State
  • Paulson Stadium
  • Statesboro, GA (rivalry)
ESPN3L 17–2118,722
November 97:30 p.m.at Appalachian State ESPNU L 6–2723,110
November 183:00 p.m. South Alabama
  • Paulson Stadium
  • Statesboro, GA
ESPN3W 52–012,250
November 255:00 p.m.at Louisiana–Lafayette ESPN3W 34–2412,993
December 21:00 p.m.at Coastal Carolina ESPN3L 17–2815,951

[7]

Game summaries

At Auburn

Georgia Southern Eagles at No. 12 Auburn Tigers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Eagles70007
No. 12 Tigers101410741

at Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, Alabama

  • Date: September 2, 2017
  • Game time: 7:39 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Temperature: 85° • Wind: NW4 • Weather: Sunny
  • Game attendance: 87,451
  • Referee: Ken Williamson
  • TV announcers (SEC Network): Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jordan Rodgers (analyst), Cole Cubelic (sideline reporter)
Game information

New Hampshire

1234Total
No. 12 (FCS) Wildcats1570022
Eagles005712

At Indiana

Georgia Southern Eagles (0–2) vs Indiana Hoosiers (1–1) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Eagles0710017
Hoosiers211014752

at Memorial StadiumBloomington, Indiana

  • Date: September 23, 2017
  • Game time: 3:40 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 90 °F (32 °C)
  • Game attendance: 42,886
  • Referee: Don Willard
  • TV announcers (BTN): Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Jeremy Leman (analyst)
  • Sources:
Game information
First Quarter
  • (8:54) IU – Morgan Ellison 2-yard run, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 2:25; Indiana 7–0)
  • (6:27) IU – J-Shun Harris 70-yard punt return, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 2:27; Indiana 14–0)
  • (4:56) IU – Simmie Cobbs 0-yard fumble recovery, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 5 plays, 46 yards, 0:56; Indiana 21–0)
Second Quarter
  • (14:14) IU – Griffin Oakes 27-yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 43 yards, 2:25; Indiana 24–0)
  • (11:49) IU – Morgan Ellison 1-yard run, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 1:36; Indiana 31–0)
  • (2:51) GASO – Ellis Richardson 23-yard pass from Shai Werts, Tyler Bass kick (Drive: 8 plays, 77 yards, 4:20; Indiana 31–7)
Third Quarter
  • (14:21) IU – Ian Thomas 71-yard pass from Richard Lagow, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:39; Indiana 38–7)
  • (10:42) IU – Devonte Williams 42-yard pass from Peyton Ramsey, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 1:24; Indiana 45–7)
  • (9:38) GASO – D'Ondre Glenn 63-yard pass from Shai Werts, Tyler Bass kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:04; Indiana 45–14)
  • (3:46) GASO – Tyler Bass 32-yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 4:40; Indiana 45–17)
Fourth Quarter
  • (2:19) IU – Andre Brown 22-yard fumble return, Griffin Oakes kick (Drive: 1 play, 4 yards, 0:10; Indiana 52–17)
StatisticsGASOIU
First downs1520
Total yards375467
Rushes/yards54–24247–282
Passing yards133185
Passing: Comp–Att–Int7–16–011–22–0
Time of possession34:1125:49
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Georgia SouthernPassingShai Werts6/14, 129 yards, 2 TD
RushingL. A. Ramsby18 carries, 108 yards
ReceivingD'Ondre Glenn3 receptions, 98 yards, TD
IndianaPassingRichard Lagow8/13, 130 yards, TD
RushingMorgan Ellison25 carries, 186 yards, 2 TD
Receiving Ian Thomas 2 receptions, 79 yards, TD

Arkansas State

1234Total
Red Wolves31914743
Eagles0170825

New Mexico State

1234Total
Aggies14701435
Eagles14103027

At UMass

1234Total
Eagles7103020
Minutemen28200755

Tyson Summers was fired as head coach the day after the game. Assistant head coach Chad Lunsford was named interim coach for the remainder of the season.

At Troy

1234Total
Eagles730616
Trojans14143738

Georgia State

1234Total
Panthers707721
Eagles737017

At Appalachian State

1234Total
Eagles30306
Mountaineers01031427

South Alabama

1234Total
Jaguars00000
Eagles211014752

At Louisiana–Lafayette

1234Total
Eagles14310734
Ragin' Cajuns0731424

At Coastal Carolina

1234Total
Eagles377017
Chanticleers7714028

References

  1. "Georgia Southern fires head coach Tyson Summers". Savannah Morning News. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. "Summers Relieved Of Georgia Southern Coaching Duties". Georgia Southern. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  3. "Georgia Southern taking interim tag off Lunsford". SBNation.com. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  4. "Chad Lunsford promoted to full-time head coach at Georgia Southern". Underdog Dynasty. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  5. "2017 Georgia Southern football schedule released" (Press release). Georgia Southern University Department of Athletics. March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Game Alert: Georgia Southern/New Hampshire Football Game Moved to Birmingham". Georgia Southern Athletics. September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  7. "2017 Georgia Southern Eagles Football Schedule". Georgia Southern Athletics. Retrieved March 3, 2017.