Georgia Southern Football: Can Eagles make fourth straight bowl game?

New starting QB headlines list of new faces for Georgia Southern Football

Shai Werts had been one of the more consistent starting quarterback in the country and was very good at orchestrating the Eagles’ option attack. Now that he is gone to Louisville, the offense is going to have a new face under center for the first time in a while. But it is not just a quarterback change that is significant for Georgia Southern, as this will be the first full season with Doug Ruse as the offensive coordinator.

New starting quarterback Justin Tomlin is not exactly a new face for the Eagles. Tomlin started twice for Georgia Southern football last season and has been decent in his spot duty. Tomlin had 197 yards rushing in 2020 and threw for 161 yards.

The biggest thing for Tomlin in running this offense is to make smart decisions and not turn the ball over. If Tomlin struggles, look for Georgia Tech transfer James Graham or redshirt freshman Sam Kenerson to get time.

At running back, the Eagles will have some familiar faces in the backfield. JD King was the second leading rusher last season with 625 yards and he only played in seven games. Logan Wright is another big-time runner for the offense and he had over 600 yards on just 99 carries. Look for Tulane transfer Amare Jones to get some carries as well. The running game will be just fine as long as Tomlin is an effective runner at QB and makes good decisions. This is a strong position group for the Eagles.

The wide receiver position is always unheralded in an option offense, but the Eagles have some playmakers on the outside and at tight end. Khaleb Hood was the second leading receiver last season and will need to take on a bigger role. NaJee Thompson and Jjay Mcafee are also expected to start. The offensive line returns all five starters and will be a strength of the team. If the QB gets settled in, this offense should be fine.