Georgia Southern had a lot of issues to work on during its off week as it prepared for Thursday night’s Sun Belt Conference cross-division game with fast improving Southern Mississippi.
One of the Eagles’ priorities during this hiatus was getting better at protecting the quarterback and improving a run game that is averaging only 135.6 yards per game and 347.4 per game total offense.
In their last outing, a 35-10 loss at James Madison, the Dukes sacked quarterback JR French III seven times. The Eagles, after subtracting the 32 yards lost due to the sacks, netted 27 yards rushing on 26 attempts. That is not a winning combination in any league.
And now here comes Southern Mississippi, a one-win team last year that is suddenly 3-2, 1-0 in the Sun Belt, and tied with Marshall and James Madison for the conference sacks lead with 15 highlighted by four against Jacksonville State in its last game, a 42-25 win.
Caleb Cook, Georgia Southern’s biggest and one of its most experienced offensive linemen, said the Eagles are well aware of their problems and have worked to correct them over their open date.
“One of the main things has been communication,” said Cook a redshirt senior who starts at right guard. “That’s not only up front but with the running backs, too.
“We got together after the (James Madison) game and watched the game film together,” Cook said. “We got all the miscues addressed up front."
Cook, like his teammates, welcomes a return to Paulson Stadium for Thursday’s 8 p.m. matchup with the Golden Eagles who have been an early season surprise after being picked to finish fifth in the West Division.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. Thursday night games have not been kind to the Eagles under Coach Clay Helton. They are 1-3 in those mid-week affairs, 1-4 if you count last year’s loss to Sam Houston State in the R&L Carriers Bowl.
During Monday’s weekly press conference Cook was asked about playing at home where Georgia Southern is 2-0 this season as opposed to being on the road where it is winless in three games.
“We’ve got to be better players,” Cook said. “But honestly, I have no idea (difference in playing on the road) because even when we go on the road, we have great energy on the sidelines, on the field and everything like that.
“Even though we’re on the road it feels like we’re at home,” Cook said. “There is a power at Paulson and it helps in the intensity of the game. That’s true. That’s a very real thing.
“It makes no difference whether you’re at home, on the road or at a neutral site the mission of the game is to win. But when you’ve got thousands and thousands of fans behind you that’s power.”
Cook is somewhat of an anomaly in today’s environment in that he has spent his entire career at Georgia Southern after starring at Brunswick High School where he was an all-state lineman.
An outstanding student, Cook was a January enrollee at Georgia Southern where he has been a consistent member of the Dean’s List. He is also an annual member of the Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll and last year was on the College Communications Academic All-District team.
After being redshirted Cook played in all 13 games in the 2022 season but was limited to two games in 2023 due to a broken leg. He started 12 games last year and received what he called his greatest honor when he was voted a captain this season.
“I still remember when Coach Helton called out the names of the captains,” Cook said. “To get an honor like that it makes you feel alive.
“I can’t even get words to describe how happy I was, how proud of myself I was, just how thankful I was,” Cook said. “The coaches don’t choose that. The team votes on that and for the team to choose me to be one of those who have that C on their chest it’s amazing. It’s amazing.”
