Being a parent, especially if you’re a first-time parent, to a new baby is hard.
The joy you get from the coos and cuddles is mixed in with the hard work of infant care. It’s normal to feel frustrated and exhausted. If your baby, for example, cries all the time or won’t sleep parenting is even harder.
A new parent has to deal with sleep deprivation, emotional stress and adjusting to new responsibilities. It can wear you down physically and mentally in a hurry.
Throw in the fact the new Dad is an FBS football player—a team captain to boot--and full-time student and the stress level can go right off the barometer.
Josh Dallas faces those challenges on a daily basis and fortunately for Georgia Southern it has not impacted his level of play. Nor his performance in the classroom.
The Eagles inside receiver got married in May 2025 and he now has a four-month-old son so his is not the life of the normal athlete or student.
Dallas leads the Sun Belt Conference in receptions with 41 as he has become quarterback Max Johnson’s go-to target. This week the pair will be going against an Appalachian State pass defense that, while it ranks 11th best in the Sun Belt Conference while allowing 231.1 yards per game, leads the conference in interceptions with 10.
Becoming a father, while it can be trying, is another blessing from God according to Dallas who has a strong faith.
“In James 1:17 it says every gift comes from the Father so I got to see the blessing of God and his hand on my life, getting married this past year and having our first little boy about four months ago,” Dallas said. “It’s been really special seeing the Lord’s hand on my life and even more than that I feel it’s taught me to be intentional in my life.
“It’s carried over to football as well, being intentional with the guys, with the staff.”
This season has marked a comeback for Dallas who missed practically all of last season. He played in and started two games. After catching five passes in the opener at Fresno State, he caught three against Southern Cal before suffering an injury and missing the rest of the season.
Relegated to being a cheerleader from the sidelines while rehabbing Dallas was determined to come back and play one more season. Along the way he also fathered Titus and life took on a big change.
A SBC academic honor roll every year he has been at Georgia Southern his success on the field has not suffered. If nothing else it has only gotten better.
“I would not be able to do it without Ashlyn,” Dallas said. “Through the night she’s a super mom, through the day she’s taking care of me. I go home and she’s got breakfast, lunch and dinner cooked for me.
“She does everything she needs to do to support me. So, any amount of success I have on the field is directly owed to her.”
That’s not to say he doesn’t share those mid-night duties with Titus, either.
“After one game, I think from about 4 a.m. until 5:30 a.m., I was sitting there like this,” said Dallas, simulating the rocking of a baby in his arms. “I’m bruised up, sore, whatever. My brain is still going 80 miles an hour but for about an hour I’m bottling up trying to get him to sleep. It’s wonderful.”
Dallas, along with his twin brother David who was forced to give up football due to injuries, were part of Coach Clay Helton’s first recruit class after the two had led Trinity Christian, coached by their father Kenny, to the Class 1A Private state championship.
Dallas and Johnson have obviously developed an on-field connection but that relationship began before the football season. Dallas played a role in recruiting Johnson to Georgia Southern and the two have developed a close personal relationship.
“A lot of people don’t know it but Max’s cousin, Elijah Hynes, was a safety here for a couple of years and he was actually my best friend on the team,” Dallas said. “I had never met Max but I had known him through face time and hearing about him.
“When he went in the portal, we were looking for a quarterback with JC (French) having gone in the portal,” Dallas said. “I had never spoken to Max directly but I called him and said, ‘Get your butt to Statesboro, Ga., come to God’s country.’
“He goes, ‘Man, I got a lot of opportunities. Georgia Tech and a lot of other schools are talking to me.’ I told him if he came here, he would never want to leave. He took a visit here and I told him I wanted him to be my quarterback.”
Johnson came and the relationship became stronger when they went on a mission trip together to Colombia.
“We really hit it off that week,” Dallas said. “I think every game this season we have meshed more and more till where we’re having that connection. The best way I can describe it is I feel our relationship is very similar to how me and my brothers were growing up. It’s not a chore but fun.”
