Despite a pair of offensive touchdowns and a pair of field goals by Adrian Mora (45 yards) and Billy Greer (47), the defense looked to be in charge Saturday morning as the Georgia Southern Eagles scrimmaged at Paulson Stadium.

            Sophomore defensive linemen Brent Russell said the atmosphere at th stadium helped get the defense excited for the scrimmage.

            “It’s always different, riding the yellow busses out here and seeing the flags flying,” he said. It definitely gives you that extra little pump you need to get it going out here.”

            The first touchdown came from the defense, when a dropped snap exchange was scooped up by defensive lineman Josh Gebhardt and returned 13 yards for a score.

            The offense got its first touchdown when a pitch by freshman quarterback Jerick McKinnnon hit the ground, but was scooped up by slotback Jawaun Luckey and run 60 yards for a score.

            It was Luckey’s first practice in action after suffering a pulled hamstring after switching from quarterback to slotback the week prior to the scrimmage.

            Jaybo Shaw found wide receiver Tray Butler wide open in the end zone on 4th-and-short for the second offensive TD.

            The defense remained consistent, while the offense saw an assortment of different players running with the different groups.

            The backfield mixed it up throughout the scrimmage.

Quarterbacks

            With freshman quarterback Ezayi Youyoute out with a foot injury, Shaw and McKinnon were expected to take all of the snaps at the position in the scrimmage, and Shaw went down after rolling his ankle early on. He returned to compete throughout the scrimmage.       

            “I’m fine,” he said after the scrimmage. “I rolled it and had to go get it taped up. It’s not problem and it feels fine.”

Fullbacks

            Of the 15 different Eagles to record a carry in the scrimmage, six were fullbacks.

            Zeke Rozier went down after a big hit from Josh Rowe on the tail end of a screen pass, and didn’t return to the field. His status has yet to be determined.

            Robert Brown got a bulk of the carries at B-back, followed by Tobi Akinnirayne, Aaron Fisher, Brent Thomas and Lee Banks. Brown took a handoff up the middle 61 yards before getting brought down at the 4-yard line. The run set up Shaw’s touchdown pass.

Slotbacks

            Lucky had a pair of long runs, and freshman Darries Robinson added a long run that looked to be a touchdown before he ran into his own blocker, freshman offensive lineman Dorin Byrd.

            Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9408.