Georgia Southern Eagles
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University
. The Eagles compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) (formerly I-AA) and are members of the NCAA
Division I Southern Conference
. The Eagles are the only team to win six FCS national championships, the most by any team in the nation.
.
. It has become a rich tradition and many gather before the game to watch the arrival of the yellow school buses.
, makes a flight from the top of the press box down to the field. It has been described as "the most exciting 30 seconds of college football."
after the team's 1986 National Championship when he said, "Hey ladies, hey fellas, hey gentlemen, hey everybody, one more time for the greatest team in America!" The phrase 'one more time' was forever immortalized and to this day is used often.
the hardest venue the opposition has ever seen.
Wave the blue, wave the white
Hold the banner high
The Eagles are on the wing.
Sound a cry to the sky,
As we look for glory.
Victory now we sing.
Hail the blue, hail the white
Hail the team that's soaring
Upward to bring us fame;
Georgia Southern Eagles
Fight on to victory and
Win this game!
Blue and white-fight, fight!
Blue and white-fight, fight!
Georgia Southern-Eagles!
Fight, fight, fight!
, known as "The Prettiest Little Stadium in America." Georgia Southern fielded its first football team in 1910; however, the sport was suspended for World War II and was not restarted until 1982.
was hired to restart the football program at Georgia Southern College (as the university was called at the time), a program that had not competed in forty years. Erk Rusell became America's winningest coach, leading to the Eagles to three national championships. The Eagles extended Division I's longest home win streak from 26 to 37 games, gaining distinction as the only 15-0 college team of the twentieth century. Russell's final record at Georgia Southern, after his retirement in 1989, was 83-22-1 (.788).
Erk Russell addressed the team the night before his shocking and sudden death on September 8, 2006. Georgia Southern University and thousands of friends, family, and fans gathered at Paulson Stadium
to mourn the passing of Erk Russell, one of America's most exciting and successful college football coaches.
Since Russell's departure, football has continued to be prominent at Georgia Southern. Head coach Tim Stowers succeeded Russell and won the 1990 national title, while Paul Johnson
added two more in 1999 and 2000 with teams led by all-time Division I rushing leader Adrian Peterson. Former coach of the Eagles, Chris Hatcher, was previously the head coach at Valdosta State University
, where he had an all time record of 76-12. In his first season as head coach, Hatcher led the Eagles to a record of 7-4.
during the 1985 playoffs, Coach Russell brought along a jug of Eagle Creek water to sprinkle on the field. The Eagles were victorious and went on to win many national championships with the help of that magical water. Today, the jug is on display at Georgia Southern University and signs have been erected along the creek.
. However, Hugo
, a category 4 hurricane, was headed straight towards the coast of Georgia. At the time of landfall, Hugo ranked as the eleventh most intense hurricane to strike U.S. this century, and it delivered the highest ever recorded storm surge on the East Coast. Nevertheless, the decision was made to continue with the game. For safety purposes, an open line was kept between the press box at Paulson Stadium and the National Hurricane Center in Florida. The Eagles went on to defeat MTSU by a score of 26-0 in a classic that will forever be known in Eagle history as the Hugo Bowl.
in 1988, 1989, and 2006. The first year of men's basketball at Georgia Southern was 1926, and the first year the school played in Division I was 1971.
Georgia Southern basketball player Roger Moore was the first African-American athlete to receive a scholarship in the University System of Georgia
The baseball team is led by head coach Rodney Hennon, who is in his eighth year at Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern played its first year of baseball in 1933.
The team went to the College World Series
in 1973 and 1990 and has appeared in 11 NCAA regionals. The team was also crowned the NAIA
National Champions in 1962, sweeping Portland State.
The team won the Southern Conference Tournament for the 2009 season with a 7 to 3 victory over top seeded Elon and clinch its first SoCon title since 2002. They also won the 2011 SoCon Tournament after Chris Beck pitched a complete game shutout against Samford University. They went on to lose two hard fought games against future National Champion University of South Carolina
, losing a 2-1 decision, and NC State, coming short by three runs in a 5-2 game.
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University is a national public university located on a campus in Statesboro, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1906, it is part of the University System of Georgia and is the largest center of higher education in the southern half of Georgia offering 117 academic majors in a comprehensive...
. The Eagles compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) (formerly I-AA) and are members of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
. The Eagles are the only team to win six FCS national championships, the most by any team in the nation.
Nickname
Eagles is the third nickname of Georgia Southern University. From 1924 to 1941, the nickname was the Blue Tide. After World War II, athletic teams were referred to as the Professors, as the school was a teachers college. However, in 1959, when the school was renamed Georgia Southern College, a student vote was held to determine the new mascot. Eagles was chosen over Colonels by a narrow margin.Plain uniforms
When the program was revived in 1982, the school did not have a large budget and coach Erk Russell ordered solid blue helmets and asked the players to put a white strip of tape down the middle. The uniforms consisted of plain white pants and blue jerseys without names. With the subsequent success of the Eagles, the basic simple design of the uniforms has remained the same.Kickoff Chant
Prior to every kickoff, it is expected all in attendance in unison yell "GO" and when the ball is kicked yell "Blue! One more time!" The phrase 'one more time' was coined by legendary coach Erk RussellErk Russell
Erskine "Erk" Russell was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach in the United States. He was also the defensive coordinator for the University of Georgia Bulldogs for seventeen years and head football coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles...
.
Yellow School Buses
When the football team was started again in 1981, money was tight. In fact, there wasn't enough money to furnish transportation. The Bulloch County school system sold two buses for a dollar each to the team. The buses have been used by the team ever since as transportation to the Allen E. Paulson StadiumPaulson Stadium
Allen E. Paulson Stadium is an 18,000 seat on campus football stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. It is home to the Georgia Southern Eagles football team and the focal point of Erk Russell Athletic Park....
. It has become a rich tradition and many gather before the game to watch the arrival of the yellow school buses.
Freedom Flight
As part of the pregame ceremonies, Georgia Southern's living mascot, Freedom, a Bald EagleBald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, makes a flight from the top of the press box down to the field. It has been described as "the most exciting 30 seconds of college football."
One More Time!
This is the motto of Georgia Southern. It was coined by Coach Erk RussellErk Russell
Erskine "Erk" Russell was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach in the United States. He was also the defensive coordinator for the University of Georgia Bulldogs for seventeen years and head football coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles...
after the team's 1986 National Championship when he said, "Hey ladies, hey fellas, hey gentlemen, hey everybody, one more time for the greatest team in America!" The phrase 'one more time' was forever immortalized and to this day is used often.
GEORGIA...! SOUTHERN...!
This is the most well known chant of Georgia Southern. It starts by one person, or side of the crowd, yelling "GEORGIA!" and the other side or person responding "SOUTHERN!"WHOSE HOUSE...? OUR HOUSE...!
This chant is done in the same fashion as the "Georgia... Southern..." chant. It used in the same way as the "Georgia... Southern..." chant to make the Allen E. Paulson StadiumPaulson Stadium
Allen E. Paulson Stadium is an 18,000 seat on campus football stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. It is home to the Georgia Southern Eagles football team and the focal point of Erk Russell Athletic Park....
the hardest venue the opposition has ever seen.
Fight Song
Listen to the Fight Song - http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/traditions/audiofiles/fightsong.mp3Wave the blue, wave the white
Hold the banner high
The Eagles are on the wing.
Sound a cry to the sky,
As we look for glory.
Victory now we sing.
Hail the blue, hail the white
Hail the team that's soaring
Upward to bring us fame;
Georgia Southern Eagles
Fight on to victory and
Win this game!
Blue and white-fight, fight!
Blue and white-fight, fight!
Georgia Southern-Eagles!
Fight, fight, fight!
Football
The head coach of the Eagles is Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six NCAA FCS (I-AA) National Championships (1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1999, and 2000) and nine Southern Conference championships (1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2011). Home football games are played at Allen E. Paulson StadiumPaulson Stadium
Allen E. Paulson Stadium is an 18,000 seat on campus football stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. It is home to the Georgia Southern Eagles football team and the focal point of Erk Russell Athletic Park....
, known as "The Prettiest Little Stadium in America." Georgia Southern fielded its first football team in 1910; however, the sport was suspended for World War II and was not restarted until 1982.
Erk Russell
In 1981, former University of Georgia Defensive Coordinator Erksine "Erk" RussellErk Russell
Erskine "Erk" Russell was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach in the United States. He was also the defensive coordinator for the University of Georgia Bulldogs for seventeen years and head football coach of the Georgia Southern Eagles...
was hired to restart the football program at Georgia Southern College (as the university was called at the time), a program that had not competed in forty years. Erk Rusell became America's winningest coach, leading to the Eagles to three national championships. The Eagles extended Division I's longest home win streak from 26 to 37 games, gaining distinction as the only 15-0 college team of the twentieth century. Russell's final record at Georgia Southern, after his retirement in 1989, was 83-22-1 (.788).
Erk Russell addressed the team the night before his shocking and sudden death on September 8, 2006. Georgia Southern University and thousands of friends, family, and fans gathered at Paulson Stadium
Paulson Stadium
Allen E. Paulson Stadium is an 18,000 seat on campus football stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. It is home to the Georgia Southern Eagles football team and the focal point of Erk Russell Athletic Park....
to mourn the passing of Erk Russell, one of America's most exciting and successful college football coaches.
Since Russell's departure, football has continued to be prominent at Georgia Southern. Head coach Tim Stowers succeeded Russell and won the 1990 national title, while Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson (American football coach)
Paul Johnson is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the Georgia Institute of Technology, a position he has held since the 2008 season. Previously, Johnson served as the head coach at Georgia Southern University from 1997 to 2001 and at the United States Naval Academy...
added two more in 1999 and 2000 with teams led by all-time Division I rushing leader Adrian Peterson. Former coach of the Eagles, Chris Hatcher, was previously the head coach at Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University, also referred to as VSU, or Valdosta State, is an American public university and is one of the two regional universities in the University System of Georgia. Valdosta State is located on a campus at the heart of the city of Valdosta...
, where he had an all time record of 76-12. In his first season as head coach, Hatcher led the Eagles to a record of 7-4.
Beautiful Eagle Creek
When Georgia Southern resurrected football in 1981, it lacked tradition. A drainage ditch that the team had to cross several times a day during football practice came to be called Beautiful Eagle Creek by legendary Head Football Coach Erk Russell. When the Eagles traveled to Northern IowaUniversity of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
during the 1985 playoffs, Coach Russell brought along a jug of Eagle Creek water to sprinkle on the field. The Eagles were victorious and went on to win many national championships with the help of that magical water. Today, the jug is on display at Georgia Southern University and signs have been erected along the creek.
The Hugo Bowl
In 1989, ESPN was to broadcast a Thursday Night Football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Middle Tennessee State Blue RaidersMiddle Tennessee Blue Raiders football
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represents Middle Tennessee State University in NCAA Division I FBS football competition. The Blue Raiders, a member of the Sun Belt Conference, play their home games at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.Rick Stockstill has...
. However, Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
, a category 4 hurricane, was headed straight towards the coast of Georgia. At the time of landfall, Hugo ranked as the eleventh most intense hurricane to strike U.S. this century, and it delivered the highest ever recorded storm surge on the East Coast. Nevertheless, the decision was made to continue with the game. For safety purposes, an open line was kept between the press box at Paulson Stadium and the National Hurricane Center in Florida. The Eagles went on to defeat MTSU by a score of 26-0 in a classic that will forever be known in Eagle history as the Hugo Bowl.
Men's basketball
The head coach of the Eagles basketball squad is Charlton Young, who is in his second year at Georgia Southern. The men's basketball team participated in the NCAA Division I Tournament in 1983, 1987, and 1992, and the NITNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
in 1988, 1989, and 2006. The first year of men's basketball at Georgia Southern was 1926, and the first year the school played in Division I was 1971.
Georgia Southern basketball player Roger Moore was the first African-American athlete to receive a scholarship in the University System of Georgia
University System of Georgia
The University System of Georgia is the organizational body that includes 35 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The System is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions as well as administering...
Baseball
The baseball team is led by head coach Rodney Hennon, who is in his eighth year at Georgia Southern. Georgia Southern played its first year of baseball in 1933.
The team went to the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
in 1973 and 1990 and has appeared in 11 NCAA regionals. The team was also crowned the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
National Champions in 1962, sweeping Portland State.
The team won the Southern Conference Tournament for the 2009 season with a 7 to 3 victory over top seeded Elon and clinch its first SoCon title since 2002. They also won the 2011 SoCon Tournament after Chris Beck pitched a complete game shutout against Samford University. They went on to lose two hard fought games against future National Champion University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
, losing a 2-1 decision, and NC State, coming short by three runs in a 5-2 game.
Notable alumni
External links
- Georgia Southern Athletics
- Athletics Department facebook page
- Athletics Department twitter
- Southern Conference