By: Drayton Hogarth

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The Georgia Southern Eagles are coming off of a great 2015 season, but even still, left a lot on the table. A devastating loss to in-state rival Georgia State was one of the most shocking losses in the country last year when considering how dominantly the Panthers defeated the Eagles in Paulson Stadium.

However, the Eagles bounced back and won their first bowl game as a member of the football bowl subdivision of the NCAA. Things seemed to continue on an upward trajectory, but in the offseason head coach Willie Fritz suddenly left Statesboro for Tulane to avoid the ire of the NCAA as Georgia Southern had a reduction in scholarships and forced to vacate three wins that ineligible players were allowed to participate.

Enter new head coach Tyson Summers, who looks to continue the winning ways of the Eagles. Coach Summers inherits a team that is heavy on talent and experience.

The big question every Georgia Southern fan wondered with the introduction of Coach Summers, what kind of offense are we going to run? Coach Summers answered quickly that the option would remain the foundation in Statesboro.

Summers made a decision to go with co-offensive coordinators of David Dean and Rance Gillespie, and with their background look for Southern to put the ball in the air more than most Eagles fans may be accustomed to seeing.

The new offensive coaching staff will have plenty of weapons to work with two capable quarterbacks, a bevy of running backs to use, and some freshmen wide receivers to help stretch the field.

Every team needs a good quarterback, and the Eagles will have two that can win games in Kevin Ellison and Fabian Upshaw.

Ellison is a steady hand, but Upshaw is electric on the field—look for both to play, but Upshaw to slowly get more of the snaps.

Georgia Southern, of course, has a long history of dominating teams on the ground, and this year looks to be no different with LA Ramsby, Matt Breida, and Wesley Fields.

In order to prevent opposing defenses from loading the box, the Eagles will need a pair of freshmen receivers to step up quickly. Darion Anderson and Michael Jackson could very well fit nicely in that role. Anderson was a one-time University of Georgia commit before an injury limited him his senior season, and the two had a mutual parting of ways before signing day.

Tyson Summers’ pedigree is on the defensive side of the ball. As defensive coordinator under George O’Leary at UCF, Summers catapulted his name into the national spotlight designing a defense that allows the Knights to win the Fiesta Bowl. Summers’ first Eagle defense, like the offense, has a solid core to build upon.

Led by linebacker Ironhead Gallon, along with an experienced defensive line consisting of Darius Sapp, Jon Battle, and Bernard Dawson, the front seven will be as good as any in the Sun Belt.

The secondary has some game-experienced players returning, but none as starters in their current position. Given Tyson Summers’ abilities as a coordinator and the players’ athleticism, the Eagles will be solid on the defensive side of the ball, regardless of experience.

Georgia Southern should challenge for the Sun Belt championship once again, but it will be tough given Appalachian State and Arkansas State looking to notch championships as well.

The Eagles’ schedule will provide opportunities to build a bigger rep now that they are on the big stage of college football, with games at Ole Miss, Georgia Tech, and Western Michigan.

The Eagles will go bowling once again this season, and look to continue to make major steps forward in the FBS. These Eagles should fly high with a 9-3 regular season.