Panthers Part 2 by Christopher Dunn

The Fayette County News published the following half page article about Georgia State Football. Sports Editor, Christopher Dunn, released the article and accompanying photo to share with the Panther Nation on the G.S.U. Panther Mama blog.

Panthers Part 2

by: Christopher Dunn

(Reprinted with permission: Fayette County News/Today in Peachtree City)

Georgia State prepares to follow up successful inaugural football season

The first season is out of the way for the Georgia State Panthers. Now they look to avoid a sophomore slump.

By any measure, the 2010 inaugural season for Panther football was a triumph. The first ever game saw 30,237 fans storm the Georgia Dome to see the Panthers dominate Shorter 41-7 for the team's first ever victory. Their first road trip ended with a last second win over the Campbell Fighting Camels. State's final home game was a come from behind 23-17 win over Lamar, locking up a winning record in the team's first season. 

Though the score wasn't pretty, GSU even came away with positive marks in their season finale against the top ten Alabama Crimson Tide. The Panthers' first offensive play was a 55 yard pass from Drew Little to Emmanuel Ogbuehi, the team's longest of the year. Albert Wilson's 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the longest play Bama gave up all season. Outside of that, the exposure the team received was immense. The Panthers landed on a Thursday night, nationally televised game in front of 101,821 fans on Alabama's campus. 

The 6-5 record in year one leaves room for tremendous optimism for the future of the program. All of the pieces are in place for Georgia State to establish itself as one of the premier programs in the FCS level, formerly 1-AA, of college football. Last season the team drew an impressive 17,094 fans per game. 

This summer the team celebrated the opening of their new football facilities just down from campus. From the logos emblazoned on walls and glass and engraved in wood, there is no doubt who calls it home. With a headquarters on par with most major college programs, there is little doubt that Georgia State has its aim set high. Now the Panthers want to be Atlanta's team.

Season two won't come without its trials. Offseason suspensions, including a four game setback for starting quarterback Drew Little, will make a tough early season  schedule even more trying. If the team can get through the first four games in good shape, the road gets considerably easier from there. 

The first game brings in Clark Atlanta on Friday, September 2, for a game that is expected to bring 40,000 out to the Georgia Dome. Game two sees future conference rival Old Dominion in town for a rematch after last year's 34-20 loss. Week three is a roadtrip against FCS powerhouse Jacksonville State. JSU came to the Dome last year as FCS's fourth ranked team, but the Panthers nearly sent them home upset, falling just short instead in overtime.

The fourth and final game of the brutal start comes Saturday, September 24, as the Panthers travel to Texas to take on the Houston Cougars, the lone division one opponent of the season. Houston boasts one of the nation's most explosive offenses, led by Heisman trophy candidate quarterback Case Keenum.

The Panthers will take their lumps, but they will have an excellent chance at another winning season in their second and final season as an independent squad. Year three will see GSU join the Colonial Athletic Association, arguably the finest conference in all of FCS. The conference includes Delaware, Richmond, UMass, New Hampshire, and Villanova. Since the CAA began play as a football conference in 2007, a conference team has played in the FCS Championship game each season. 

A key block in the foundation of Georgia State football will be Fayette County. "Fayette County has always been talented. Tapping into the county is very important to us," says assistant head coach for recruiting George Pugh. "The coaches in the area have been awfully good to us. Once you get one player from there, it's easier for us to get two."

Two local contributors return to the Panthers with a pair of local favorites joining up. Blake Wyatt from Landmark Christian played in every game of the inaugural season mainly as a key special teams player. Wyatt moves to linebacker this season where he will be joined by Whitewater grad Davis Knowles, a reserve on last year's squad. Another key member of the defense is cornerback Jamal Ransby from Newnan High School.

A highlight of this year's freshman class is defensive tackle McClain Head, fresh out of Whitewater High School. Head was a first team All-Fayette County performer last year. 

Georgia State also welcomed Matt Hubbard from Starr's Mill to the team as a walk-on, a standard practice for a specialist. Hubbard should figure into the competition for the Panthers' open punter job. 

As GSU builds towards the future, look for even more local players to hit the field at the Dome and expect our newspaper to be right there with them.

Blake Wyatt--Photo Courtesy of Georgia State Athletics

(Thanks, Christopher, for allowing me to share this article with the GSU Panther Nation!)