Archive for October, 2011

Georgia State coach Bill Curry will hold his weekly press conference today ahead of this weekend’s homecoming game against South Alabama.

As many of know, the Panthers are in a bit of a slump. Losers of their past five games, they are having difficulty playing consistently well in any area.

So, I’ll open the floor to you: What would you like me to ask Curry today during his press conference? I’ll try to ask as many of your questions as I can, and will post the answers later today.

Please ask legitimate questions, and not questions about hirings or firings, etc.

– Doug Roberson, AJC. Follow me on twitter @ajcgsu.

Continue reading Curry press conference today »

The game that was

The game against South Carolina State was Georgia State’s most consistent performance on offense, defense and special teams since the season-opening win against Clark Atlanta. However, the result was the same as the previous five games, a defeat, 23-13.

What we learned

1. Georgia State does have a power running game. There have been glimpses, but the team hasn’t had enough chances because it has too often too far behind to do anything but pass. The Panthers rushed for a school-record 244 yards on 45 carries.

2. Georgia State’s quarterbacks are having issues. Even with a strong running game to ease the burden, neither Bo Schlechter nor Kelton Hill were impressive passing the ball. The duo combined to complete six of their 19 passes for 76 yards with two interceptions, both by Schlechter. Hill did look great running the ball, totaling a game-high 94 yards on 16 carries.

3. Georgia State’s defense looked better … sort of. The good news for the …

Continue reading Recapping Georgia State’s loss »

Lefty Driesell grabbed the microphone at the end of the tipoff breakfast for Georgia State’s basketball teams and implored those in attendance to attend the games.

“You guys have to go to the games,” he told the members of the Panthers Athletic Club. “You guys have to support them with money. If you guys buy two season-tickets, you have to sell five or six more. I want to see that Sports Arena filled.”

The Panthers’ men’s basketball team had an average attendance of 915 last season. There were numerous reasons, mostly because the team wasn’t very good (12-19). However, athletics director Cheryl Levick hopes she’s hired the right man in Ron Hunter to turn around the program and fill the Sports Arena, whose court is named after Driesell, the last man to take the Panthers to the NCAA tournament.

As the men’s team prepares for the first practice of the season on Friday, Driesell told the couple hundred in attendance on Thursday in downtown Atlanta that the success the CAA is …

Continue reading Lefty Driesell challenges Georgia State’s basketball fans »

Georgia State’s game against South Carolina State will be special for handful of the Palmetto State natives on the Panthers’ roster.

It will be especially meaningful for wide receiver Jordan Giles, who grew up in Columbia, about 45 minutes north of Orangeburg where South Carolina State is located.

Giles should have 35 friends and family in attendance, including one favorite uncle, Spike Aldridge, who played at South Carolina State and was drafted in the 10th round by the Minnesota Vikings.

This will be the first time that Aldridge has gotten to see Giles play in college.

“He always motivated me, always gave me advice on and of the field,” Giles said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

Offensive tackle Ramell Davis grew up in St. Matthews, about 20 minutes from Orangeburg. He should have more than 20 friends and family at the game, including a few of his high school coaches from Calhoun County.

He said the game will be exciting because many of his high school friends didn’t …

Continue reading Giles and Davis looking forward to homecoming »

Here are some of the highlights from Bill Curry’s press conference today:

Linebacker Dexter Moody won’t start this weekend’s game at South Carolina State. He may play if he earns it during practice. Moody apparently acted up during the loss to Murray State last weekend. This could be a big loss. Moody is statistically the team’s best tackler, with 34 this season.

Christian Benvenuto will continue to handle place-kicking and field-goal duties. He missed a 31-yarder against the Racers that killed the offense’s short-lived momentum.

Joe Gilbert will be back on the offensive line, which should have all of its starters together for the first time since the game against Old Dominion in Week 2.

Wide receiver Albert Wilson, the team’s best playmaker, should return. An injured hamstring has kept him from playing in the past two games.

Quarterback Kelton Hill should play more than last week. The team has put in more packages and he’s learning more of the offense.

Here’s a transcript, …

Continue reading Few bits of news out of Curry’s presser today »

Yeah, but can he throw down a tomahawk dunk? (Photo courtesy of Georgia State)

When Georgia State President Dr. Mark Becker was interviewing Ron Hunter for his school’s basketball coaching job, he asked if Hunter’s previous teams could shoot free throws.

Hunter assured him that his teams were usually good from the line. Becker thought that was good, because the Panthers were one of the worst free-throw shooting teams in Division I last year. Hunter was hired and Becker got to follow up on his coach’s statement by competing in a free-throw contest with the basketball team at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

“It was fun to get out there with the guys,” Becker said.

Well, it was fun for most of them.

As the players were warming up Tuesday — Becker just took one warm-up — one of the players asked Hunter what would happen if their president made all 10. Hunter told them they better get their running shoes ready. Those who didn’t beat him would have to run 5 miles on Thursday.

Hunter declined to …

Continue reading GSU’s president has some fun with the basketball team »

Because I’m a hoarder — not an A&E-type hoarder, that show creeps me out — but one that keeps a few, select things, I was looking at the AJC’s college football preview section on Sunday while listening to Acoustic Sunrise on a local radio station.

Now that we are at the midpoint of the season, or as close as possible with an 11-game schedule, I thought I’d take a look back at some of the preseason assumptions and see how the team is performing in those areas.

Here’s what I wrote:

1. They get the QB situation straightened out

The Panthers have an interesting situation: The quarterbacks who are arguably Nos. 1 and 2 on the depth chart won’t play in at least the season opener because of suspensions.

Drew Little, last year’s starter, was suspended for the first four games for breaking a team rule. Coach Bill Curry may reduce that suspension. Kelton Hill, who won the starting job in the spring while Little served part of his punishment, was suspended for the first game following an …

Continue reading Looking back at the 3 keys to the season »

Guard Joe Gilbert, who was suspended for the game against Murray State for violating a team rule, has been reinstated to the team.

Questionable for this week’s game against South Carolina State are:

Albert Wilson (hamstring)

Emmanuel Ogbuehi (ankle)

Kalan Jenkins (lower leg)

– Doug Roberson, AJC

Follow me on twitter @ajcgsu

Continue reading Gilbert reinstated at Georgia State »

Despite watching Georgia State lose its last four football games by a total of 119 points, athletic director Cheryl Levick said she sees a positive future for the football team under coach Bill Curry.

“We all are so competitive, we want to win right now. Coach Curry is, I am.” she said. “Like coach Curry, I really have to work on the patience of developing this program. We experienced success pretty quickly last year and we are playing harder teams this year. We have to be patient on building what we know and how to do it correctly.”

The Panthers went 6-5 during their inaugural season. However, after defeating Clark Atlanta, a Division II school, to open this season, the Panthers have been blown out by foes of various levels: third-year FCS program Old Dominion, established FCS power Jacksonville State, FBS-level Houston and rebuilding FCS program Murray State, 48-24 on Saturday.

“Do I think about [the direction] a lot? Yes,” Levick said. “Have I given up on it? …

Continue reading Levick positive about direction of program »

Guard Joseph Gilbert, who has started all 15 games in Georgia State’s short history, has been suspended for today’s game against Murray State for a violation of team rules.

Ulrick John will start in Gilbert’s place as the line shuffles around.

John started at center in the loss to Houston two weeks ago, because Michael Davis sustained a season-ending injury during practice. He started the game against Jacksonville State because Ben Jacoby suffered an injury in the loss to Old Dominion in Week 2. Jacoby will start today.

Running back Rosevelt Watson could see his first action this season today. Safety Demazio Skelton may also return from injury.

However, the loss of Gilbert could be a big blow for a team looking to establish a running game as it tries to snap its three-game losing streak. Gilbert transferred from Georgia Tech to pursue masters at Georgia State.

– Doug Roberson, AJC. Follow me on twitter @ajcgsu.

Continue reading Gilbert suspended for Murray State game »