The 2021 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Chad Lunsford until he was dismissed mid-season following his third consecutive loss within the first four games of the season. Cornerbacks coach Kevin Whitley was tapped to serve as interim coach until a new head coach was hired by the university. Whitley was in his third year as cornerbacks coach and previously played for Georgia Southern as a four year starter from 1988 to 1991, helping to win two national titles for the Eagles. On November 2, 2021, Clay Helton, former head coach of the USC Trojans, was hired to become the next head coach for Georgia Southern, starting in the 2022 season.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Source:
Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Eagles were picked to finish fourth in the East Division.
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams
Offense
2nd team JD king – Running Back, SR Aaron dowell – Offensive Lineman, SR
Defense
1st team Derrick canteen – Defensive Back, RS-SO
Special teams
2nd teams Anthony beck ii – Punter, RS-JR Khaleb hood – Return Specialist, JR
Personnel
Schedule The 2021 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Eagles would travel to Sun Belt foes Troy, South Alabama, Texas State, and Appalachian State. Southern would play host to Sun Belt foes Louisiana, Arkansas State, Georgia State, and Coastal Carolina.
The Eagles would host two of the four non-conference opponents at Paulson Stadium, Gardner–Webb, from NCAA Division I FCS Big South Conference and BYU, a FBS Independent, and would travel to Florida Atlantic of the Conference USA and Arkansas of the Southeastern Conference.
Game summaries
Gardner–Webb
Statistics Gardner–WebbGeorgia Southern First downs 20 25 Total yards 427 500 Rushing yards 62 365 Passing yards 365 135 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 24:11 35:49
Team Category Player StatisticsGardner–Webb Passing Bailey Fisher 27/45, 315 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Narii Gaither 7 carries, 33 yards Receiving T. J. Luther 6 receptions, 164 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 8/13, 90 yards, 1 TD Rushing Logan Wright 26 carries, 178 yards, 1 TD Receiving Khaleb Hood 3 receptions, 39 yards
At Florida Atlantic
Statistics Georgia SouthernFlorida Atlantic First downs 17 27 Total yards 257 528 Rushing yards 139 196 Passing yards 118 332 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 26:04 33:38
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 12/21, 98 yards Rushing Cam Ransom 9 carries, 41 yards Receiving Gerald Green 6 receptions, 55 yardsFlorida Atlantic Passing N'Kosi Perry 19/27, 332 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Johnny Ford 15 carries, 71 yards Receiving LaJohntay Wester 7 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TD
At Arkansas
Statistics Georgia SouthernArkansas First downs 11 27 Total yards 235 633 Rushing yards 154 269 Passing yards 81 364 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 26:54 33:06
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 11/23, 65 yards Rushing Justin Tomlin 10 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD Receiving Khaleb Hood 6 receptions, 42 yardsArkansas Passing KJ Jefferson 13/23, 366 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Dominique Johnson 5 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD Receiving Treylon Burks 3 receptions, 127 yards, 1 TD
Louisiana
Statistics LouisianaGeorgia Southern First downs 18 23 Total yards 378 453 Rushing yards 129 278 Passing yards 249 175 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 27:11 32:49
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 17/28, 249 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Montrell Johnson 13 carries, 61 yards Receiving Dontae Fleming 4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 11/24, 175 yards, 1 INT Rushing Gerald Green 18 carries, 186 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Logan Wright 4 receptions, 85 yards
Arkansas State
Statistics Arkansas StateGeorgia Southern First downs 34 20 Total yards 524 540 Rushing yards 81 503 Passing yards 443 37 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 31:04 28:56
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 28/43, 292 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 7 carries, 54 yards Receiving Jeff Foreman 6 receptions, 83 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 2/5, 29 yards Rushing Logan Wright 10 carries, 214 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Khaleb Hood 2 receptions, 19 yards
At Troy
Statistics Georgia SouthernTroy First downs 17 18 Total yards 301 409 Rushing yards 82 139 Passing yards 219 270 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:19 26:41
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 15/22, 210 yards, 3 INTs Rushing Gerald Green 5 carries, 33 yards Receiving Derwin Burgess Jr. 2 receptions, 76 yardsTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 24/36, 270 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Jamontez Woods 9 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD Receiving Reggie Todd 4 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD
At South Alabama
Statistics Georgia SouthernSouth Alabama First downs 10 20 Total yards 233 545 Rushing yards 121 140 Passing yards 112 405 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:02 29:58
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 2/12, 63 yards Rushing Logan Wright 14 carries, 60 yards Receiving Amare Jones 4 receptions, 90 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 24/31, 389 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Bryan Hill 8 carries, 65 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 11 receptions, 174 yards, 1 TD
Georgia State
Statistics Georgia StateGeorgia Southern First downs 22 24 Total yards 378 486 Rushing yards 237 207 Passing yards 141 279 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 25:07 34:53
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia State Passing Darren Grainger 16/27, 141 yards Rushing Jaymest Williams 12 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD Receiving Roger Carter 2 receptions, 59 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 18/27, 279 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Logan Wright 20 carries, 113 yards, 1 TD Receiving Khaleb Hood 6 receptions, 107 yards
Coastal Carolina
Statistics Coastal CarolinaGeorgia Southern First downs 17 15 Total yards 305 233 Rushing yards 220 86 Passing yards 85 147 Turnovers 1 4 Time of possession 31:37 28:23
Team Category Player StatisticsCoastal Carolina Passing Bryce Carpenter 13/20, 85 yards, 1 TD Rushing Shermari Jones 20 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD Receiving Kameron Brown 3 receptions, 30 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 6/13, 83 yards, 1 INT Rushing Justin Tomlin 10 carries, 39 yards Receiving Khaleb Hood 5 receptions, 66 yards
At Texas State
Statistics Georgia SouthernTexas State First downs 19 26 Total yards 395 341 Rushing yards 162 78 Passing yards 233 263 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 28:08 31:52
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 7/12, 125 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jalen White 10 carries, 82 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Derwin Burgess, Jr. 5 receptions, 134 yards, 1 TDTexas State Passing Tyler Vitt 29/46, 263 yards, 1 INT Rushing Calvin Hill 19 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD Receiving Marcell Barbee 4 receptions, 63 yards
BYU
Statistics BYUGeorgia Southern First downs 25 19 Total yards 507 268 Rushing yards 195 146 Passing yards 312 122 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 31:09 28:51
Team Category Player StatisticsBYU Passing Jaren Hall 17/29, 312 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Tyler Allgeier 25 carries, 136 yards, 1 TD Receiving Gunner Romney 5 receptions, 87 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Connor Cigelske 11/14, 122 yards, 1 INT Rushing Logan Wright 14 carries, 50 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Logan Wright 5 receptions, 43 yards
At Appalachian State
Statistics Georgia SouthernAppalachian State First downs 15 12 Total yards 194 329 Rushing yards 87 94 Passing yards 107 235 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:35 25:25
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Connor Cigelske 11/24, 107 yards Rushing Jalen White 8 carries, 38 yards Receiving Amare Jones 5 receptions, 56 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 12/24, 235 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Anderson Castle 6 carries, 31 yards Receiving Thomas Hennigan 3 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD
References