2018 Opponent Series: Georgia Southern - Sept. 15

Over the next two weeks, we will be giving you an inside look at every opponent on Clemson's schedule. The road to a fourth straight ACC Championship and another College Football Playoff trip begins September 1 against Furman.

2018 Opponent Series

• Sept. 1 vs. Furman
• Sept. 8 @ Texas A&M (Premium)

The 2017 season was an uphill struggle for the Georgia Southern Eagles as head coach Tyson Summers was let go mid-season following an 0-6 start. Chad Lunsford was named the interim head coach before being elevated to the full-time job on Nov. 27. 

Bob DeBeese will be the new offensive coordinator running a triple option offense based out of the shotgun, while Scot Sloan brings his 3-4 defense to Statesboro, Ga.

The Eagles do return their starting quarterback, Shai Werts. The redshirt sophomore started in 11 games and ran for 722 yards and three touchdowns in 2017. The fact that Werts is an experienced quarterback should help in the new offense, and Lunsford recently echoed that fact.

“What we're doing on offense with the gun triple I think fits him very well,” Lunsford said at Sun Belt Media Day. “He has the ability to run, he can make decisions and he throws the ball decent. That’s something we want to make sure we’re getting better with him fundamentally."

"We’ve put a lot of time in that in the offseason to make him a better fundamental quarterback. He’s a student of the game, also. He comes in, (and) he makes sure he puts in the extra work that he’s not required to do. I expect to see big things out of him this year.” 

Senior free safety Josh Moon, who only played in 7 games due to a fibula injury in 2017, expects the team to rebound from the struggles of last season.

“Everybody is really buying in and everybody has it made up in their mind that we’re not trying to go through what we’ve went through the last two years. Everyone’s on the same boat, on the same page so we can get it done this year,” Moon said at Sun Belt Media Day.  

Georgia Southern Eagles

Head coach: Chad Lunsford, first year

Last season: 2-10 overall, 2-6 in Sun Belt play, lost to Coastal Carolina 28-17 in the season finale

Returning starters: 7 offense, 9 defense

Players to Watch

• Wesley Fields (Running back, Sr.) - Fields was voted to the Sun Belt second-team preseason list. He started all 12 games last year and rushed for 811 yards and five touchdowns. Fields also showed leadership off the field as well as he earned a 4.0 GPA last spring.
• Monquavion Brinson (Cornerback, Jr.) - The preseason first-team All-Sun Belt selection was a force in the Eagle secondary with 34 tackles, 12 pass breakups and five interceptions in 2017, who started in all 12 games. He will be leaned on along with Josh Moon, who we mentioned is returning from injury.
• Logan Hunt (Defensive back, Sr.) - The Sandersville, Ga. native returns for another year being selected on the first team Sun Belt preseason list. Hunt was a guy that gave offensive lines some problems last year, and led the team with 11 tackles for loss and five sacks.

2018 Schedule 

Sept. 1 - vs. SC State

Sept. 8 - vs. UMass

Sept. 15 - at Clemson

Sept. 29 - vs. Arkansas State

Oct. 6 - vs. South Alabama

Oct. 11 (Thurs.) - at Texas State

Oct. 20 - at New Mexico State

Oct. 25 (Thurs.) - vs. App State

Nov. 3 - at ULM

Nov. 10 - vs. Troy

Nov. 17 - at Coastal Carolina

Nov. 24 - at Georgia State

*Home games in BOLD