GATA Talk

Georgia Southern heads up to Boone, North Carolina to take on rival App State on a Thursday night, nationally televised game. The Eagles are searching for answers after a letdown on the road against Arkansas State, where Georgia Southern's defense gave up nearly 500 yards and the offense could only muster three points in the second half. Now, following the dreaded bye week, the Eagles must face a 4-4 App State team in one of the toughest venues in the Sun Belt Conference. 

Show Notes: 

• Sad State of the Program: How Did We Get Here?
• Is Strength and Conditioning to Blame for Any of This?
• Will a Coordinator Change at Season's End Be Enough?
• What Will It Take to Move on from Helton After This Season?
• Budget Insights: Can We Afford the Buyout After All?
• Monken Rumor: Army's Coach Interested in a Return to the Boro
• Arkansas State Letdown: Poor Play-Calling and Clock Management
• App State Preview: Mountaineers Trying to Find a QB1
• Eagles Will Need Consistent Offense for Four Quarters to Win

Georgia Southern gets its first Sun Belt Conference win of the season thanks to a dominate second half against in-state rival Georgia State. Now, the Eagles must find a way to win a conference game on the road as they head to Jonesboro to face Arkansas State.

Show Notes:

• Tale of Two Halves Against Georgia State
• Will the Eagles Every Play a Complete Game? 
• Defense Gives Up 444 Yards in a Blowout Win
• JC French Had His Best Game of the Year
• Arkansas State: Mirror Image of the West
• Eagles Struggle on the Road While Red Wolves Thrive
• Arkansas State's Offensive Woes Could Benefit Eagles Defense

Georgia Southern falls to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference play as the Eagles failed to overcome a horrendous first half against Southern Miss at home on a Thursday night, nationally televised game. Now, the Eagles are desperate for a win as they host in-state Rival Georgia State, who will be looking for it's first win of the season against an FBS opponent. 

Show Notes:

• Horrible First Half Dooms Eagles Against Southern Miss
• Have We Played Even a Complete Half of Football?
• French Admits to Lacking Confidence; Mindset Can't Continue 
• Helton Needs to Look in Mirror and Accept Accountability 
• Everything Looks Hard for the Eagles Offense
• Georgia State Heads to Statesboro Struggling 
• This Is a Must-Win for the Eagles for Many Reasons

It's our first emergency podcast of the season! On the morning of Oct. 1, an anonymous X (Twitter) account called hailsouthern365 sent us and a few other a Google Drive link that contains what appears to be present and past Georgia southern football contracts. It's a treasure trove, Eagle Nation. From the expired contracts of Jeff Monken and Willie Fritz to the current deals of Head Coach Clay Helton and his coordinators and assistants, this leak sheds light on a lot of things.

Please note: The X account has revealed himself, and noted that the files were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Show Notes:

• Helton's Five-Year Extension Has Occurred EVERY Year 
• Buyout Over $3M and Doesn't Drop Under a Million Until After 2028
• Aplin and Bailey Guaranteed Through 2026 
• Several Assistants Guaranteed Through Next Season
• Poor Performance Doesn't Count for 'For Cause' Termination
• Database Includes Contracts of Monken, Fritz and Others
• Where Do We Go From Here? 
• Listener Question: Evaluation of the Program After a Decade in FBS

Georgia Southern dropped its Sun Belt Conference opener to James Madison 35-10 in a game that was never close and was never competitive. Now, the Eagles head into their dreaded bye week, where they are just 1-6 in the Clay Helton era, before hosting a surging Southern Miss team in a Thursday night affair on Oct. 9.