Archive for March, 2012

With spring practice starting tomorrow, Georgia State’s football coaching staff in now complete with the hiring of Ricky Thomas, late of the Indianapolis Colts, to coach defensive ends. This completes Bill Curry’s staff and was needed after Anthony Midget was promoted to defensive coordinator from secondary coach and special teams coordinator last week.

Thomas worked with Curry at Alabama and Kentucky. Thomas has spent the past 10 years with the Colts, overseeing the tight ends for the last eight.

He was hired by Dungy in Indianapolis after coaching with him for five seasons in Tampa.

Thomas was a four-year starter at Alabama as a strong safety.

A special teams coordinator hasn’t been designated.

– Doug Roberson, AJC. Please follow me on twitter @ajcgsu

Continue reading GSU football coaching staff now complete »

Greetings.

I know that we are in the middle of hoops hysteria, including Georgia State hosting a game in the CollegeInsider.com tournament, or CIT, tonight, but Georgia State will begin spring football practice on Wednesday.

To that, I’ll post five spring questions about the team that will bear looking at until practice ends April 6.

I encourage you to post your thoughts about each area because I enjoy what you have to say and I appreciate the feedback.

Here’s part I: a look at the defensive line.

Here’s part II: a look at the offensive line.

Here’s part III: a look at the strength and conditioning.

4. What will be done to improve the special teams?

Perhaps nothing frustrated Georgia State coach Bill Curry more than the results of the special teams, which will get a new coordinator with Anthony Midget’s promotion to defensive coordinator

“I don’t think there’s a one of us that can understand why were were pretty good on special teams [two years ago], and these …

Continue reading 5 questions about Georgia State football, part IV »

Greetings.

I know that we are in the middle of hoops hysteria, including Georgia State hosting a game in the CollegeInsider.com tournament, or CIT, on Tuesday, but Georgia State will begin spring football practice on Wednesday.

To that, I’ll post five spring questions about the team that will bear looking at until practice ends April 6.

I encourage you to post your thoughts about each area because I enjoy what you have to say and I appreciate the feedback. Oh, and good luck with your NCAA tournament bracket and in Mark Bradley’s Bracket  Fiasco.

Here’s part I: a look at the defensive line.

Here’s part II: a look at the offensive line.

Here’s part III: How will the new strength and conditioning program show results?

Georgia State football coach Bill Curry wanted to see dedication from every one of his assistants and players as soon as they walked off the field, 42-35 winners over Campbell, in the season finale.

So Curry has become a cheerleader of sorts during the team’s …

Continue reading 5 questions about Georgia State football, part III »

Anthony Midget has been promoted to Georgia State’s defensive coordinator.

Midget, who played at Virginia Tech, has been in charge of defensive backs and the special teams since Georgia State began playing. Coach Bill Curry said he tabbed Midget to replace John Thompson, who resigned to accept a job at Arkansas State, because Midget brings quality experience at all levels of football and understands the complexities of modern offenses.

Curry said he tested Midget in a variety of ways during the past two weeks, asking him to put together practice plans, situational defensive schemes and other organizational activities.

“Some have been surprise things and he’s done well and I’m not surprised at that,” Curry said.

Midget said he tried to demonstrate to Curry that  he has the work ethic and knowledge to help a program that went 3-8 last season.

“I’ve been here since day one,” he said. “I’ve been working hard and doing things we need to do to be successful. Coach Curry knows …

Continue reading Georgia State promotes Anthony Midget to DC »

Greetings.

I know that we are in the middle of hoops hysteria, but Georgia State will begin spring football practice on Wednesday.

To that, I’ll post five spring questions about the team that will bear looking at until practice ends April 6.

I encourage you to post your thoughts about each area because I enjoy what you have to say and I appreciate the feedback.

Here’s part I, who will be the impact player on the defensive line?

Anyway, part II:

Who will take over on the offensive line?

The offensive line was another group that underwhelmed last year, but it also sustained numerous injuries, so much so that it was down to its fourth-string center at one point.

Four starters are gone from that group, but because of the injuries there are players with experience ready to step in.

“Guys that have played are all guys that have been here,” coach Bill Curry said. “It’s not as if we were sticking a totally veteran group in but neither are we putting in redshirt …

Continue reading 5 questions about Georgia State football, part II »

Georgia State has accepted an invitation to play in the CollegeInsider.com men’s basketball tournament.

The Panthers will be a No. 1 seed in a region and will host Tennessee Tech (19-13) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to coach Ron Hunter. A top seed is important because each round of the tournament is played at host sites, decided by seeding. If the Panthers were to advance to the championship game, scheduled for March 28, they could host.

“It’s been a long time since people were talking about Georgia State in the month of March,” Hunter said.

If Georgia State (21-11) were invited to the NIT, whose invitations will be issued Sunday, it wouldn’t play in the CollegeInsider.com, commonly called the CIT.

Hunter said after the season that he hoped to play in one of the postseason events because he wanted to give the team’s six seniors a chance to keep playing. It could be expensive. The CIT charges a $31,500 fee to host a game. However, the host school keeps all of the ticket …

Continue reading Georgia State will host Tennessee Tech in CIT »

Greetings.

I know that we are in the middle of hoops hysteria, but Georgia State will begin spring football practice on Wednesday.

To that, I’ll post five spring questions about the team that will bear looking at until practice ends April 6.

I encourage you to post your thoughts about each area because I enjoy what you have to say and I appreciate the feedback.

Anyway, part I:

1. Who will become in the impact player on the defensive line?

Whether because of scheme, size, technique or luck, Georgia State’s defense had many issues last season.  The unit that gave up 31.2 points and 403.3 yards per game. Those issues started on the defensive line, which neither consistently chased the quarterback or tied up the other team’s blockers so that the linebackers could make plays. Former defensive coordinator John Thompson changed his team’s scheme midway through the season and there was some improvement, but few will forget losing to NAIA St. Francis, which gashed the Panthers in …

Continue reading 5 questions about Georgia State football, part I »

While Georgia State’s men’s basketball team waits to see if it will be invited to a postseason tournament, we are left to ponder what the team will look like next year.

Gone are six seniors: Eric Buckner, James Fields, Jihad Ali, Josh Micheaux, Brandon McGee and Jamar Taylor.

Their absence will be big in several areas.

The sextet produced 64 percent of the team’s points and 80 percent of the team’s rebounds this season.

The team will return three players who saw a lot of playing time in point guard Devonta White (12.4 points per game), part-time starter Rashaad Richardson (5.5 ppg) and subs James Vincent (3.4 ppg and 2.0 rebounds per game) and Tony Kimbro.

White and Richardson, arguably the team’s best 3-point shooter (36.4 percent to Ali’s 37), figure to make up the core. While Vincent can’t duplicate Buckner’s shot-blocking ability, he can be just as productive on offense given more playing time and more aggressiveness. Kimbro could fulfill the Micheaux “do-everything” role. …

Continue reading What will Georgia State hoops look like next year? »

Georgia State coach Ron Hunter said his team played what was likely its worst game in the past 10 in Saturday’s 61-59 loss to George Mason in the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

He said the seniors played out of character, and that it wasn’t because of anything the Patriots did.

He said he didn’t want to use the word nervous, but he said it was almost as if the moment was too big for the group.

The team’s six seniors must now wait for an invitation to play in one of the postseason tournaments.

Hunter’s IUPUI team played in the CBI two years ago. They won at Hofstra in the first round and lost at Princeton in the  second round.

Until then, they will be left to wonder “what if?”

The Panthers lost to George Mason because they missed 13 free throws, including nine in the second half. It was the story of the season. Of the team’s eight losses to CAA teams this season, seven could be traced to missed free throws. In contrast, Georgia …

Continue reading The day after: Hunter says team played its worst game; he’s happy at GSU »

Richmond, Va. — George Mason’s Bryon Allen hit a reverse layup with 3 seconds remaining to eliminate Georgia State, 61-59, in the Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament on Saturday.

Georgia State’s season ends after winning the second-most games (21) in school history. The Panthers will now wait to see if they are invited to any of the postseason tournaments.

The Panthers have failed to advance to the semifinals of the CAA tournament since they began playing in the conference in 2005-06. George Mason will play Virginia Commonwealth in one semifinal. Drexel will play Old Dominion in the other.

Georgia State tied the game on a steal and layup by James Fields with 33 seconds remaining.

George Mason coach Paul Hewitt called a timeout with 18 seconds left to set up the final play. Starting on the left side, Allen dribbled right, cut down the side of the free-throw lane and went under the basket for the shot. By going under the basket, he kept Eric …

Continue reading Georgia State knocked out by George Mason »