Prince McJunkins, who was competing to become Georgia Southern’s backup quarterback, has left the football program and is no longer enrolled at the university, GSU sports information director Barrett Gilham confirmed Thursday.
    “He is no longer on the roster. He transferred to a Division II school,” Gilham wrote Thursday, responding to an email inquiry from the Statesboro Herald. “I am not sure if the school is actually set yet. I just know he plans to play closer to home and at the Division II level so that he can play immediately.”
    The departure of McJunkins, a graduate of Wagoner High School in Wagoner, Okla., leaves GSU with seven quarterbacks going into fall practice. The competition for the starting QB job is between Ezayi “Izzy” Youyoute and Jerick McKinnon.
    McJunkins, a 5-foot-11, 171-pound freshman last season, was competing with backup quarterbacks Russell DeMasi and Aaron Griffin.
    McJunkins also would have competed this fall against three incoming freshmen who signed with the Eagles: Vegas Harley from Mount Dora (Fla.) High School, Matt Dobson from North Florida Christian in Tallahassee, Fla., and Kevin Ellison from Habersham Central High School in Cornelia.
    In the annual Blue & White spring game April 14 at Paulson Stadium, McJunkins was 1-for-1 passing for 42 yards. He also ran three times for 4 yards for the White team. After the Eagles’ first scrimmage March 31, GSU head coach Jeff Monken indicated that McJunkins might be moved to a different position.
    “I think the other two are clearly ahead of him,” Monken said of Youyoute and McKinnon. “But I hope that he’s developing enough that he can be a backup because I do think the two guys ahead of him are two of our best athletes. And I think Prince is a good athlete. Perhaps maybe Prince needs to move to another position, and he might have to once the freshmen get in here. We’ll figure that out in fall camp.”
    McJunkins started for three seasons at Wagoner High School and led the Bulldogs to a 13-1 record and to a state championship appearance as a senior.
    McJunkins was ranked as one of the top players in Class AAAA in Oklahoma. He had more than 4,500 passing yards and 51 touchdowns in his high school career, and he ran for 1,700 yards and 27 touchdowns.

    Eagles No. 7 in Lindy’s poll
    GSU's football team is ranked seventh in the Lindy’s Football Magazine Preseason FCS Top 25 poll.
    It is the second consecutive season the Eagles are ranked in the magazine’s preseason top 10.
    Lindy’s ranked Sam Houston State No. 1, followed by North Dakota State, Montana State, Towson, Montana and Appalachian State. Old Dominion is No. 8. Eastern Kentucky and Wofford round out the top 10.
    GSU last season finished third in the FCS Coaches poll after making its second consecutive FCS semifinal appearance.

    Noell Barnidge may be reached at (912) 489-9408.