By: Mike Anthony

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The vast majority of headlines created by Georgia Southern football in the modern era have centered around the Eagles’ exciting and often-lethal option rushing attack.

But, while the Eagles are in the process of revamping their option game and finding some success, plenty of the credit for the team’s 3-1 start to the season needs to be directed at a defense that has continually stepped up to the challenge.

Facing an Arkansas State team that was predicted to claim the 2018 Sun Belt title last Saturday, the Georgia Southern defense kept one of the more talented and experienced offenses in the league in check in a huge 28-21 victory.

The Eagles (3-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) actually allowed over 100 yards more to the Red Wolves than they did last season, but where huge Arkansas State plays highlighted a 43-25 win in 2017, the Eagles kept everything in front of them last weekend and were able to throw a wet blanket on the Wolves while the GS offense provided some late drama and the winning margin.

“Regardless of the situation, the good start we’re on is big for us,” GSU defensive coordinator Scot Sloan said. “It reinforces everything we’ve been doing since January.

“Our guys have put forth tremendous effort and sacrifice. They give up so much over the winter and summer for 12 opportunities to prove it on the field, so it’s good to see the fruits of our labor.”

Sloan came to Statesboro last December as one of the first hires made by Chad Lunsford after being given the official head coaching title just before the end of the 2017 regular season.

The 27-year coaching veteran seemed to be a solid fit from the start. Sloan had been an assistant coach on successful Eagle squads from 2002-05 and to give credit where credit is due, he played an integral role in quieting down Eagle offenses as a coach for Appalachian State from 2011-17.

Now back on the Blue and White sideline, Sloan has brought with him a 3-4 defensive scheme that is a rather stark difference from the four-man front that the Eagles are used to rolling out.

Plenty of talent has returned to the Eagles’ defensive front seven this season and a stellar job by Sloan and the rest of his defensive coaches has ushered in a smooth transition evidenced by some stellar defensive showings over the first month of play.

“It’s a building process,” Sloan said. “We learned the fundamentals in the spring and then had to put in a lot during fall camp. We went into the first week wanting to simplify the things that we had to do well to get a win.”

As is the norm at Georgia Southern, much of the talk surrounding games is always focused on the option offense that the program and its fan base views as its heart and soul.

Sloan and his defensive unit don’t pay much attention to which side of the ball is getting more attention, but parallels can be drawn through both units and their progression over the first quarter of the season.

Offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse has frequently said that his scheme is a work in progress and that new angles and wrinkles will be added as the offense’s execution and confidence grows.

Defensive concepts might be harder to spot in live action than added options and riskier offensive plays, but Sloan says that the feelings are much the same on his side of the ball.

“Our guys have adapted to the scheme well,” Sloan said. “Our existing players are adjusting to the scheme instead of us recruiting to it. It’s a testament to these players that might not be a 100 percent match of skill set to scheme that they’re overcoming with attitude and effort.

“You’ve got to know what you can hang your hat on each week. And from there, we just continue to build.”

Sloan and his defense will get its’ next test as the Eagles go for a second consecutive Sun Belt win on Saturday against South Alabama.

Georgia Southern’s homecoming game is slated for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Paulson Stadium.

By: Mike Anthony

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Heading into any new college football season, teams must always deal with graduated seniors from the previous year while leaning heavily on returning starters who know how to get things done in games.

Georgia Southern isn’t quite sure what to expect in 2018, after a 2-10 showing last year that included a mid-season coaching change and more coaching hires in the offseason. However, one point of continuity is a roster that returns the vast majority of its starters for a chance to get the program moving back in the right direction.

Nowhere is the retention of talent and playing experience greater than on the Eagles’ defensive front. Of the 17 players listed on the official depth chart for the Eagles’ front seven in this Saturday’s opener against South Carolina State, 14 saw appreciable playing time last season.

Of course, for all of the returning talent, the offseason coaching shuffle means that the veterans will have to learn a new playbook. Specifically, they’ll have to learn new defensive coordinator Scott Sloan’s 3-4 scheme after years of the Eagles lining up in a four-man front.

“I think they’re coming along really well,” Georgia Southern defensive line coach Vic Cabral said. “We want to play athletic and fast and we’re starting to do that. The next step is picking up some of the nuance and the pre-snap reads that can help us make plays.”

The change in scheme isn’t immediately evident when looking at the roster. Many players are listed at familiar positions but those positions carry different responsibilities than in last year’s 4-3 alignment.

Sophomore Raymond Johnson III is still a defensive end, but instead of lining up wide to rush quarterbacks, he will now set up on the interior and have many more reads and assignments.

“It’s different, but I’m comfortable with it,” Johnson said. “I played the same system in high school, so I think it’s been a little easier to learn the new things. I worked hard to get on the field last season and I worked hard to improve for this season, so now I’m just ready to see what we can do.”

The change in scheme also affects the next line of defense. In previous seasons, the Eagles utilized three linebackers when setting up against the run and two (in a nickel-type scheme) when looking out for the pass.

This year’s base setup will feature a pair of middle linebackers, as well as an ‘Anchor’ and a ‘Dog’ – linebacker positions that skew toward pass and run defense, respectively.

“This is a faster scheme,” middle linebacker Tomarcio Reese said. “If we’re doing everything right, there’s going to be room for everybody to fly around and make plays.”

Of course, the 3-4 scheme depends on the linebacking corps to do everything from stuffing the running game, to covering crossing routes, to pressuring the quarterback on the edge. It’s a job they’re up for, but one that requires constant discipline to execute throughout an entire game.