Everything you need to know about the 2023 Georgia Southern Eagles
Wisconsin now turns the page after its 31-22 loss to Washington State and 1-1 start to the season. Next up are the 2-0 Georgia Southern Eagles, a team led by former Texas head coach Clay Helton who defeated Nebraska in Lincoln last season and effectively ended the Scott Frost era.
These Badgers should be much better than last year’s Cornhuskers. It’s matchups like these that allow a team to gel and gain momentum before conference play begins.
The Eagles enter Saturday as SP+’s No. 83 team in the nation with the No. 47 offense and No. 124 defense. Those numbers and the team’s track record point to one theme: this should be a massive day for the Wisconsin offense.
Here is everything you need to know about the Georgia Southern Eagles:
Coaching Staff
Head coach: Clay Helton
Offensive coordinator: Bryan Ellis
Defensive coordinator: Brandon Bailey
Key Players
Offense:
QB Davis Brin
RB Jalen White
WR Anthony Queeley
WR Derwin Burgess Jr.
Defense:
LB Marques Watson-Trent
LB Khadry Jackson
DE Isaac Walker
S T.J. Smith
Offensive Breakdown
Season Stats:
41.5 points-per-game
308.5 passing yards per game, five passing touchdowns, two interceptions, two sacks allowed
159 rushing yards-per-game, 5.4 yards-per-carry, five touchdowns
60% on third down
Georgia Southern has lit up the scoreboard through two weeks, though against The Citadel and UAB.
Veteran QB Davis Brin leads the offense after transferring in this offseason from Tulsa. He has more than 6200 career passing yards and 41 career touchdowns, so he has more experience than many quarterbacks at the Eagles’ level.
Look out on the ground for a two-headed running back rotation of Jalen White and O.J. Arnold, two players who have combined for 265 yards and four touchdowns so far this season.
Brin and this attack doesn’t rival that of Washington State, nor some of the offenses Wisconsin will face in Big Ten play. But it’s the strength of the Eagles’ team, so the Badgers defense will need a big bounce-back effort on Saturday.
Defensive Breakdown
Season Stats:
17.5 points allowed-per-game
344.5 yards allowed-per-game
199.5 passing
145 rushing
One interceptions, three forced fumbles
UAB hung 35 on the Georgia Southern in a loss last week, hopefully giving Wisconsin a blueprint to succeed.
The matchup lays out well for the Badgers: the Eagles’ defensive front isn’t in the same universe as that of Washington State, they don’t have a player the caliber of WSU S Jaden Hicks in the secondary and the unit gives up a lot on the ground.
LB Marques Watson-Trent is the leader of the unit with 21 tackles and three tackles-for-loss through two games. Aside from him in the middle, it isn’t a defense to be scared of. This should be a big offensive day for the Badgers.
