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1. Rare Memorabilia: The Inaugural Football Game Photo
Georgia State University commemorated its first-ever football game with a unique collectible. A special fish-eye lens camera captured the opening kickoff, and Head Coach Bill Curry autographed a limited number of these photos. Only 200 of these 36-inch wide and 12-inch tall keepsakes were made, each numbered as orders came in.
To handle this project, GSU hired Sideline Sports Action, Inc. of Jacksonville, Fla. Todd Drexler, the chief photographer, brought his experience from previous inaugural games and special events. This rare photo became a prized possession for fans eager to own a piece of Georgia State football history.
2. Coach Curry’s 5 F’s: The Guiding Principles
Head Coach Bill Curry, known for his high moral standards and character, instilled a set of principles in his GSU team.
His “Magnanimitas” aimed to develop men of character, integrity, and leadership who excelled academically while striving for greatness in heart and soul. Curry’s 5 F’s for GSU football, in order of importance, were:
- Faith
- Family
- Finish Education
- Football
- Fun
These principles underscored the importance of holistic development, emphasizing that success on the field was just one aspect of a well-rounded individual.
3. Birthday Game Day: Panthers Celebrating on the Field
Several Georgia State Panthers found themselves playing on their actual birthdays, adding an extra layer of excitement to those games. For instance, on September 11, when the Panthers hosted Lambuth, three players—Guard Joseph Gilbert, Safety Brandon Jones, and Linebacker Olufemi Opanubi—celebrated their birthdays on the field.
October saw similar birthday games, with players like Cornerback Justin Hughes enjoying his 19th birthday on October 16 against North Carolina Central. These coincidences added a personal touch to the games, with players hoping for a victory as the perfect birthday gift.
4. Civil War History on the Practice Field: A Unique Backdrop
Georgia State’s practice field area has a history beyond football; it’s steeped in Civil War significance.
In the summer of 1864, Union General William Tecumsah Sherman invaded Atlanta. Some of the major fights in the Battle of Atlanta occurred south of the Jimmy Carter Center, stretching to the intersection of I-20, Memorial Drive, and Moreland Avenue.
The practice field sits beside the rail lines, which were key during the Civil War. After Atlanta surrendered on September 2, 1864, Union troops raised the American flag over the Atlanta Courthouse and City Hall. Sherman’s headquarters were located south of the Carter Center, and Union troops kept their horses and equipment on the site of the football practice fields. General James McPherson, the highest-ranking Union officer killed during the Civil War, was killed within a mile of the practice field.
5. Radio Network Launch: Broadcasting the Inaugural Season
Georgia State built a new radio network to broadcast the football team’s inaugural season. WCFO-AM (NewsTalk 1160) served as the flagship station, with games also airing in Gainesville on WGTJ-AM (1330), in Winder on WIMO-AM (1300), in Helen on WNGA-FM (105.1), and in Macon on WAYS-AM (1500). Additionally, the university station, WRAS-FM (88.5-FM), broadcasted all games.
Games were streamed online at NewsTalk 1160 (www.NewsTalk1160.com). The network featured live pre-game and post-game shows around the game broadcasts. Dave Cohen provided play-by-play action, while Sam Crenshaw and Harper LeBel offered color commentary and sideline reports.
6. The “Sparks” Font: A Unique Branding Element
Georgia State’s athletics department created a special font as part of its new branding. Named “Sparks” in honor of George McIntosh Sparks, the university’s first president, this font was used for lettering and numbers on the football jersey. It also appeared in headlines on the website, news releases, and PowerPoint presentations.
This unique font made Georgia State stand out, as no other college in football history had worn jerseys with this specific lettering. This branding decision reflected the university’s commitment to creating a distinctive identity for its new football program.
7. ESPN Cover Baby: A Unique Feature
ESPN The Magazine featured the birth of Georgia State football, using a recently-born baby on its cover. The magazine produced a video showing the behind-the-scenes process, with senior photo editor Nancy Weisman and photographer Nathaniel Welch. The duo had previously worked with major sports figures like Texas QB Colt McCoy and LeBron James.
Welch joked about breaking the photographer’s rule of “never, ever trying to do a photo shoot with a baby or an animal.” The selected baby, Jarret Flaherty, became the first baby to ever grace the cover of ESPN The Magazine, gaining worldwide exposure.
8. Playing in Large Stadiums: The Georgia Dome and Beyond
Despite being an FCS school, Georgia State played in large stadiums during its inaugural season. The Georgia Dome, with 70,000 seats, was one of the largest home stadiums in the country, especially at the FCS level. GSU also played at Alabama’s Bryant-Denny stadium, the fifth-largest college stadium, in front of 101,821 fans.
Additionally, GSU played in Mobile at Ladd-Peebles Stadium (40,646 seats), and had trips to Old Dominion (just under 20,000) and Campbell (5,000 with standing room).
9. The Club Football Team: A Student-Driven Initiative
Before the official football program, Georgia State students started their own club football team. In 2002, around 50 students created a charter with the Recreation Department to begin playing games. Mark Lawson, a GSU real estate officer, was the “godfather” of the team, while Ed Gadrix, a GSU alum, was the “benefactor.”
Student Ben Moore assisted with marketing and public relations. The team had a budget of $40,000 for the entire season. The first practice saw players paying $125 to join the team. Despite not being part of the athletics program, the club team showcased the students’ desire for a real football team.
10. A Season of 78 Days: The Length of the Inaugural Journey
Georgia State’s inaugural football season spanned 78 days, from Thursday, September 2, to Thursday, November 18. The Panthers opened against Shorter at home and closed at Alabama. The team reported to school on August 3 and had its first practice on August 4.
Classes started on Monday, August 23, with players attending their first-ever college classes. Veteran leadership from Coach Bill Curry and his staff helped the student-athletes prepare for the full advantages of a college career.
11. Coach Reeves’ Feasibility Study: Laying the Groundwork
Before hiring Coach Bill Curry, Georgia State hired another “legendary” coach, Dan Reeves, to lead a feasibility study to determine if football was possible at GSU. On April 12, 2007, Reeves was brought in to assess financial and emotional support for starting a football program.
Reeves’ efforts demonstrated that pursuing football was viable, leading to Curry’s hiring just 14 months later. Reeves, an NFL radio analyst, brought credibility to the initial stages of building the program.
12. Following in Their Fathers’ Footsteps: Legacy Players
Two Panther players had the distinction of following their fathers as football players under Coach Bill Curry. Tight end Bailey Woods’ father, Terri, was an offensive lineman at Georgia Tech in 1976 when Curry was the offensive line coach.
First recruit Mark Hogan’s dad, Mark, was a starting safety at Georgia Tech in 1985 when Curry was the head coach. Bailey earned his bachelor’s degree at Auburn and pursued his master’s at Georgia State, while Mark started with a 4.02 GPA to earn President’s List honors.
13. Family Football Advice: The McClendon Legacy
Sophomore defensive back Brent McClendon had a wealth of family football advice to draw from. Brent’s father, Willie, was an All-America running back at Georgia and a third-round NFL draft pick.
Brent’s older brother, Bryan, played running back at Georgia and coached running backs on Mark Richt’s UGA staff. Brent followed his brother’s footsteps at Benjamin Mays High School in Atlanta and was voted Georgia State’s “Most Improved Defensive Player” that spring.
14. The Visitors Locker Room: A Matter of Size
The Panthers used the Visitors Locker Room at the Georgia Dome instead of the Atlanta Falcons Locker Room due to size. The Falcons’ locker room had around 60 lockers, while the Visitors Locker Room, a combination of four locker rooms, provided at least 110 lockers.
This setup allowed for multiple medical training rooms, taping areas, coaching locker rooms, and equipment rooms. The Panthers were on the same sideline as the Falcons, in front of the press box areas.
15. The Georgia Dome: A Premier Venue
The Panthers played in the Georgia Dome, a premier stadium that offered everything a fan could want. The Dome featured giant jumbotron boards, LED boards, 660 TV monitors, upscale stadium restaurants, concession stands, suites, club seats, and paved parking lots.
Built in 1992, the Georgia Dome was 290 feet tall and the world’s largest cable-supported building. It hosted Super Bowls, Olympics, NCAA Final Fours, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowls, and major concerts.
16. The Medicine Chest: A Football Team’s First-Aid Needs
A football team requires an extensive medicine chest and first-aid kit. This includes items like 6,400 rolls of white tape, 3,200 rolls of elastikon ankle wrap tape, 2,000 rolls of Powerfast tape, 3,200 rolls of Powerflex tape, and 2,000 rolls of Powertape.
The chest also contains 162 ace wraps, 100 knee braces, wrist wraps, calf sleeves, thigh sleeves, elbow pads, arch supports, blister pads, and turf shoe insoles. The team keeps around 250 mouth guards for players to wear at every practice or game, as well as 1,000 tubes of antibiotic ointment, 20 boxes of alcohol pads, and thousands of bandaids and gauze strips.
17. Video Department: Lights, Action, Camera!
A new era of needs was created for football with the advent of a video department.
To film practices and games, the GSU football program purchased three cameras. They obtained 14 XOS computers to break down the videos for each coach. The building and offices were re-wired with cabling, requiring over 100 cables for the cameras and computers. The department used 50 DVDs a week, totaling over 1,000 in a few months.
18. Lake Worth Connection: A High School Trio
Georgia State had a trio of key members from Lake Worth (Fla.) Community High in 2007. Assistant coach Anthony Midget was an All-America player at Virginia Tech and an NFL draft pick. He was an assistant coach and assistant head coach at Lake Worth, where Errick Lowe, a former WR at Auburn, was the head coach.
Midget joined Coach Curry’s staff in 2008 and recruited Roosevelt Watson, a star running back from Lake Worth. Watson ran for 1,125 yards with 17 touchdowns in his senior season. Star Jackson, the QB of that Lake Worth team, transferred to Georgia State after initially signing with Alabama.
19. The Inaugural Season Opponents: A Preview
Georgia State played 11 opponents during its inaugural season.
Let’s take a quick look at some of those opponents:
- Alabama Crimson Tide: The defending national champions under coach Nick Saban. Georgia State’s coach, Bill Curry, was the Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year at Alabama in 1989.
- Lamar University Cardinals: Playing their first season in Division I FCS after halting football in 1989.
- South Alabama Jaguars: Starting a football program to transition to Division I FCS in 2011.
- Old Dominion Monarchs: One year ahead of Georgia State in starting a football program and moving into the CAA schedule.
- North Carolina Central Eagles: Playing their fourth year in reclassifying to Division I FCS.
- Savannah State Tigers: Making the drive from Savannah to play the Panthers in the Dome.
20. The Coaching Staff: Former Players Turned Leaders
Georgia State’s coaching staff had an outstanding record as coaches and were accomplished players. Coach Bill Curry was a 10-year NFL center and two-time Pro Bowl pick.
Todd Perry played 11 years in the NFL with the Bears and Dolphins. Anthony Midget was an All-America CB at Virginia Tech and drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. George Pugh played on a national championship team at Alabama under Bear Bryant.
21. What’s In A Name? The Roster Breakdown
The Georgia State roster went from A to Z with first names (Aaron Gambrah to Zach Jones) and A to Y with last names (Omotayo Akintoye to Cade Yates). The shortest last name was three letters (Lee), while the longest was 10 letters (Burkhalter and Schlechter).
The shortest first name was two letters (Bo), while the longest were 11 letters (Rontaverous and Demetreious). There were three players named Davis (Hubert, Michael, Ramell) and a pair of brothers named Muasau (Louie and Jake).
22. Practice Facility: From Groundbreaking to Reality
Georgia State purchased land and an existing structure at 188 Martin Luther King Dr. for its practice facility. The school broke ground on Nov. 20, 2008, and held its first practice on the 100-yard artificial turf field on March 27, 2010.
During the 2009-10 school year, the football team used the converted swimming pool facility beside the Sports Arena. The new practice facility was two blocks from the State Capitol building.
23. Playing as an Independent: The 2010 and 2011 Seasons
Georgia State played football as an “Independent” for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, allowing them to play any team they wanted but making them ineligible for postseason games. In 2012, Georgia State began its conference play in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association).
The CAA had a reputation as the FCS power, with GSU becoming the 12th team. The CAA produced 5 National Champions in the past 12 years.
24. Chair Alert: The Size of the Team
With several players weighing over 300 pounds, the Georgia State team needed special accommodations. The initial football roster had six 300-pound players, topped by 6-foot-5, 340-pound Ladeven Kirkland.
There were also 10 more players who weighed over 280 pounds. That made 21 players at 270 pounds or more who wouldn’t be sneaking quietly into the campus atmosphere.
25. Experienced Hands: Leadership on the Team
Coach Curry’s first team had many freshmen but also experienced players to lead the way. Players from Division I FBS major programs included QB Star Jackson (Alabama), offensive linemen Joseph Gilbert and Clyde Yandell (Georgia Tech), and TE Bailey Woods (Auburn).
Other experienced players came from Division I FBS programs and could start: C Ben Jacoby (Ball State) and WR Sidney Haynes (UCF).
26. The Rule Book: Mandatory Equipment
The rule book dictates what a player may and may not wear during an NCAA football game. Mandatory equipment includes knee pads, a helmet, body pads, a protective mouthpiece, a jersey, a number, socks, and shoes.
A player not compliant with these regulations wouldn’t be allowed in the game. Uniform violations could result in team timeouts.
27. Football Field Dimensions: More Than 100 Yards
A football field is 120 yards long because each end zone is 10 yards in depth. It’s also 160 feet across, or 53.33 yards. It is 60 feet from a sideline to a hashmark and then 40 feet between the two sets of hashmarks.
All plays start from within those 40 feet of hashmarks. If a play goes out of bounds, the ball is brought back in to the nearest hashmark.
28. Play Toys: Equipment for Practice
Before the team goes out to practice, the equipment staff gathers items like 24 Step-Over Dummies, 18 Hand Shields, 5 Pop-Up Dummies, 2 Linemen Chutes, a 2-Man Blocking Sled, an Offensive Lineman Sled, a Defensive Tackle Sled, Pass Rush Dummy Bags, and Arm Pads for Coaches.
They also need a Passing Machine, 2 Linemen Hoses, 100 Cones, down markers, chains, a bull horn, a whistle, and stop watches.
29. Player Origins: Recruiting Across Borders
Georgia State’s players came from 12 states and Canada. 30 members of the team came from outside Georgia. Besides the Georgians, the state with the next most Panthers was Florida, with 12 players.
Other states represented included Arizona, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. One player, Christo Bilukidi, hailed from Canada.
30. The Footballs: From One to 140
When Coach Bill Curry was hired, Georgia State athletics did not have a football. Today, the team has 140 official Wilson GST NCAA footballs ready to use for the inaugural season and practices. A game football weighs 14-15 ounces and is inflated to 12 1/2-13 1/2 psi.
The equipment department also maintains football drying racks to dry out footballs, shoes, and gloves.
31. New Football Teams in 2010: Joining the Ranks
Georgia State wasn’t the only football team to play its first game in 2010. The University of South Alabama and Lamar also fielded teams. CAA rival Old Dominion began the previous year, while the University of Texas at San Antonio would start the following year.
The NCAA includes Division I (FBS and FCS), Division II, Division III, and NAIA teams. Georgia State played a full spectrum of NCAA teams, starting with an NAIA team (Shorter) and finishing with the FBS national champion (Alabama).
32. The Uniforms: Suiting Up the Team
Equipment Manager Jay Bailey prepared to suit up the inaugural football team with new uniforms.
Georgia State had 120 blue game day jerseys, 120 white game day jerseys, 120 blue practice jerseys, 120 white practice jerseys, 150 game day pants, and 160 practice pants. The team’s facility had 107 lockers in the former swimming pool.
FAQ Section
Q1: When did Georgia State University start its football program?
Georgia State University officially launched its football program in 2010.
Q2: Who was the first head coach of Georgia State’s football team?
Bill Curry was the first head coach of the Georgia State University football team.
Q3: What conference did Georgia State join in 2012 for football?
In 2012, Georgia State joined the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for football.
Q4: Where did Georgia State play its home games initially?
Georgia State played its home games at the Georgia Dome.
Q5: Did Georgia State have a football team before the official 2010 launch?
Yes, a student-led club football team existed before the official program.
Q6: What was unique about Georgia State’s football jerseys?
The jerseys featured a special font called “Sparks,” created for the university’s branding.
Q7: How many states did Georgia State recruit players from for its inaugural team?
Georgia State recruited players from 12 states and Canada.
Q8: What was the significance of Georgia State’s practice field location?
The practice field was located in an area with significant Civil War history.
Q9: What was the name of the radio station that served as the flagship for Georgia State football games?
WCFO-AM (NewsTalk 1160) served as the flagship radio station.
Q10: How did Georgia State prepare its players for college life?
The coaching staff, led by Bill Curry, emphasized academics and character development alongside football.
These amazing football facts highlight the unique story of Georgia State’s football program, from its humble beginnings to its rise as a competitive team. For more information, visit CAUHOI2025.UK.COM.
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