While the team has been on campus working out most of the summer, the official start to the 2024 Georgia Southern football season was signified Wednesday morning as the squad took the field at the Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility for the start of preseason camp.
The team went through a spirited two-hour practice in helmets and jerseys after starting the day with an early breakfast, a team meeting and a brief walk-through. The rest of the day consisted of lunch, a lift, a team meeting, practice review, dinner, installation meetings and finally a snack before breaking for the evening. The team will repeat this schedule for the next three days before having Sunday off.
Head coach Clay Helton was pleased with the up-tempo practice and praised the team for how it handled the heat on a warm summer Statesboro morning. The offense didn't commit any turnovers and several receivers made circus catches, taking the motto of "if we touch it, we catch it" to heart. The defense looks more comfortable with a slew of veterans leading the way, led by All-American linebacker Marques Watson-Trent who returned full from offseason foot surgery.
A few notes from the day and the start of camp:
• The official start-of-camp roster was released on Monday and it features 124 players. The NCAA allows 120 to report to camp and practice while the rest can begin their acclimation period once classes start. With the Eagles having open practices, the players not working out as part of the 120-man roster are allowed to be in attendance and watch practice to help keep them up to speed and ready to go when they can hit the field in two weeks. Georgia Southern begins its fall term in a few weeks, on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
• The Eagles had the luxury of getting out of the hot Statesboro sun on day one this year with the Tippins Facility Facility now online. The facility wasn't ready for the start of preseason camp last year, but continues to be an advantage for the team in terms of recovery and exertion levels.
• Several new faces to the Georgia Southern squad took advantage of the NCAA's transfer rule to come play in Statesboro. Since the end of last season, Georgia Southern added 15 transfers from NCAA schools (in addition to two JUCO players) to its roster, bringing talent and experience to the team. Of those 15 transfers from NCAA schools, 12 have previous experience at FBS or FCS programs. That includes seven players with experience at a Power Five program. The Eagles' 15 first-year transfers with FBS or FCS experience came into the season with a combined 254 games played and 65 starts in their careers.
• A lot of the post-practice chatter with the media surrounded the quarterback situation and Coach Helton was quick to point out that he wants to let the process play out before deciding on a starter (see video at top). In alphabetical order, David Dallas, JC French and Dexter Williams II took most of the reps with the 1s and 2s, but any of the six quarterbacks in the room have a chance to win the job. Helton was quick to dismiss the idea of a two-quarterback system and will use all 25 preseason practices, if necessary, to make a call.
• Georgia Southern returns just two of five starters on the offensive line from a year ago in Chandler Strong (C) and Pichon Wimbley (OG). Wimbley made the most of his opportunity in 2022 with Brian Miller missing the opener with an injury. In his place, Wimbley got the start at left guard for the Eagles. That made him the first true freshman since Caleb Kelly in 2017 to start on the offensive line and the first true freshman to start on the line in the season opener since Dorian Byrd in 2010. He started all 13 games last year, playing 798 offensive snaps. Last year, he played 976 offensive snaps. Wimbley has started all 26 games in his career thus far, becoming the first Eagle offensive lineman since center Lance Wayne to start every game over his first two years. Wayne went on to start all 46 games for his career at Georgia Southern. Strong, a redshirt sophomore, started all 13 games at center last year, playing 1,001 offensive snaps. Both were named preseason second-team All-Sun Belt by the coaches and media this past July. Joining them on day one with the 1s on the line were Bryson Broadway, Caleb Cook and Dom Boyd, but expect an open competition throughout camp.
• Georgia Southern is one of three current FBS teams (there are 134 this year) that has never had a 1,000-yard receiver in a season. Khaleb Hood set the Georgia Southern school record last year, but came up just short of the milestone and finished with 948 yards. Derwin Burgess Jr. and Dalen Cobb are prime candidates to make a run at that number this year. Burgess Jr. has caught a pass in 27 straight games dating back to 2022 and is closing in on the school record of 31 straight games with a catch set by Hood. The other two schools never to have a 1,000-yard receiver are: Army and Navy.
• Head coach Clay Helton put together a young, but experienced, staff upon his arrival to Statesboro. Heading into the opening game of 2024, the average age of the five full-time offensive coaches will be 33.4 years while the average age of the four full-time defensive coaches will be 32.3. With special teams coordinator Turner West 36 years old, the average age of the 10 full-time assistant coaches will be just 33.2 years old. Offensive coordinator Ryan Aplin turned 34 in May and defensive coordinator Brandon Bailey is the youngest defensive coordinator in the FBS for the third year in a row at just 30 years old. The duo is the youngest coordinator duo in the FBS.
Here's a breakdown of the classifications:
Sixth-Year Seniors (9); Fifth-Year Seniors (6); Redshirt Seniors (11); Seniors (1); Redshirt Juniors (19); Juniors (11); Redshirt Sophomores (17); Sophomores (6); Redshirt Freshmen (17); Freshmen (27)
Here's a breakdown of home states:
Georgia (87); Florida (14); North Carolina (7); South Carolina (4); California (3); Alabama (2); Pennsylvania (2); Texas (1); Louisiana (1); Missouri (1); New York (1); Australia (1)
Be sure to check out positional previews of each group starting tomorrow with the running backs.
Here are a few player quotes as well from the first day.
Below is the practice schedule for the remained of preseason camp for fans who wish to attend.
Georgia Southern Preseason Football Camp Schedule
Date (Time, Location)
Thurs., Aug. 1: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Fri., Aug. 2: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Sat., Aug. 3: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Sun., Aug. 4: Off
Mon., Aug. 5: 9:55 am (Tippins Family Facility)
Tues., Aug. 6: 3:40 pm (Beautiful Eagle Creek)
Wed., Aug. 7: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Thurs., Aug. 8: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Fri., Aug. 9: Off
Sat., Aug. 10: 12:05 pm (Paulson) - SCRIMMAGE #1
Sun., Aug. 11: Off
Mon., Aug. 12: 3:25 pm (Tippins Family Facility)
Tue., Aug. 13: 10:10 am (Beautiful Eagle Creek)
The Fan Fest and Lil' Eagles Clinic will take place on Aug. 10 around the first scrimmage, from 12-3:30 p.m. The second scrimmage will be on Saturday, Aug. 17.
While these announced practices are open to the public and media, we ask you help us keep a competitive advantage by not posting videos and detailed information (including injuries) from practice on social media.
