2022 Georgia Southern Eagles football team explained

Year:	2022
Team:	Georgia Southern Eagles
Sport:	football
Conference:	Sun Belt Conference
Division:	East Division
Short Conf:	Sun Belt
Record:	6–7
Conf Record:	3–5
Head Coach:	Clay Helton
Hc Year:	1st
Off Coach:	Bryan Ellis
Oc Year:	1st
Off Scheme:	Multiple
Def Coach:	Will Harris
Dc Year:	1st
Def Scheme:	4–2–5
Stadium:	Paulson Stadium
Bowl:	Camellia Bowl
Bowl Result:	L 21–23 vs. Buffalo

The 2022 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. The team was coached by Clay Helton, former head coach of the USC Trojans. Helton was hired on November 2, 2021, and this was his first season in Statesboro.^[1]

The team's statistical leaders include quarterback Kyle Vantrease.

Preseason

Recruiting class

|}Source:^[2]

Media poll

The Sun Belt media days were held on July 25 and July 26. The Eagles were predicted to finish in fifth place in the Sun Belt's East Division. Georgia Southern also received 1-of-14 first place votes.^[3]

Media poll (East Division)
1	Appalachian State	94 (10)
2	Coastal Carolina	77 (2)
3	Georgia State	68 (1)
4	Marshall	62
5	Georgia Southern	35 (1)
6	James Madison	31
7	Old Dominion	25

Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams

Defense

2nd team

Justin ellis – Defensive Lineman, 6th YR
Derrick canteen – Defensive Back, RS-JR

Special teams

2nd team

Anthony beck ii – Punter, RS-SR
Amare jones – All Purpose Back, 5th YR

Schedule

All conference games were announced March 1, 2022.

Game summaries

Morgan State

At Nebraska

Statistics	GASO	NEB
First downs	34	33
Total yards	642	575
Rushes/yards	30–233	47–257
Passing yards	409	318
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	37–56–2	23–34–0
Time of possession	28:04	31:56

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing		37/56, 409 yards, TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Gerald Green	10 carries, 132 yards, 2 TD
Receiving	Derwin Burgess Jr.	12 receptions, 119 yards
Nebraska	Passing		23/34, 318 yards, TD
Rushing	Anthony Grant	27 carries, 138 yards, TD
Receiving	Marcus Washington	6 receptions, 123 yards

At UAB

Statistics	GASO	UAB
First downs	23	21
Total yards	418	413
Rushing yards	214	288
Passing yards	204	125
Turnovers	3	0
Time of possession	28:14	31:46

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Kyle Vantrease	24/50, 204 yards, TD, 3 INT
Rushing		14 rushes, 116 yards, 2 TD
Receiving	Derwin Burgess Jr.	4 receptions, 48 yards, TD
UAB	Passing		12/19, 125 yards, TD
Rushing		28 rushes, 223 yards, 4 TD
Receiving	Ryan Davis	1 reception, 36 yards

Ball State

At Coastal Carolina

At Georgia State

No. 25 James Madison

At Old Dominion

Statistics

Statistics	GS	ODU
First downs	25	18
Total yards	415	446
Rushing yards	223	133
Passing yards	192	313
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	34:33	25:27

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Kyle Vantrease	22/27, 192 yards, TD
Rushing	Jalen White	30 rushes, 138 yards, TD
Receiving	Amare Jones	5 receptions, 54 yards, TD
Old Dominion	Passing		23/40, 313 yards, TD
Rushing		16 rushes, 108 yards, TD
Receiving	Ali Jennings III	9 receptions, 130 yards, TD

South Alabama

At Louisiana

style=	Pregame line!	style=	Over/under
LA –3.5	63.0

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Louisiana
First downs	24	22
Total yards	430	435
Rushing yards	72	242
Passing yards	358	193
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	28:18	31:42

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Kyle Vantrease	28/49, 325 yards, 1 TD
Rushing	Gerald Green	10 carries, 44 yards
Receiving	Derwin Burgess Jr.	5 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD
Louisiana	Passing		17/31, 193 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing		17 carries, 80 yards
Receiving		3 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD

Marshall

Appalachian State

Statistics

Statistics	APP	GASO
First downs	25	27
Total yards	629	487
Rushing yards	376	102
Passing yards	253	385
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	32:33	27:27

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Appalachian State	Passing		15/26, 253 yards
Rushing	Nate Noel	12 carries, 171 yards, 3 TD
Receiving	Christian Horn	2 receptions, 55 yards
Georgia Southern	Passing	Kyle Vantrease	34/51, 385 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	AJ Brown	14 carries, 62 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Jeremy Singleton	10 receptions, 133 yards

Vs. Buffalo (Camellia Bowl)

Staff

Clay Helton	Head coach	1st
Kevin Whitley	Assistant head coach/Cornerbacks Coach	1st (4th overall)
Bryan Ellis	Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach	1st
Will Harris	Defensive coordinator/Secondary Coach	1st
Ryan Aplin	Pass Game Coordinator/Tight Ends/Inside Receivers coach	1st
Marcus Davis	Wide receivers coach	1st
Matt Merritt	Running Backs Coach	1st
	Run Game Coordinator/ offensive line coach	1st
Rip Rowan	Defensive Line Coach	1st
Aaron Schwanz	Linebackers coach	1st
Turner West	Special Teams Coordinator	1st
Robert Stiner	Head Strength & Conditioning Coach	1st

^[4]

Notes and References

Web site: Clay Helton Named Head Football Coach of Georgia Southern Eagles. 2021-11-02. Georgia Southern University Athletics. en.
Web site: Georgia Southern Announces Recruiting Class . Georgia Southern University Athletics . 15 December 2021 . en.
Web site: Sun Belt Conference . Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll . July 25, 2022 . September 21, 2022.
Web site: 2022 Football Coaches . GSU Athletics .