Georgia Southern Football: 3 potential head coaching candidates

At the end of September, Georgia Southern football athletic director Jared Benko announced the Eagles would be moving on from their fifth-year head coach Chad Lunsford. Lunsford and the Eagles were off to a disappointing 1-3 start in 2021.

Coach Lunsford compiled a 28-21 record during his time in Statesboro, which included three straight trips to bowl games and a 10-win season in 2018. However, the team has not played well this season, and a loss to Louisiana at home prompted Benko to make a change to the football program.

There was also an incident that Saturday where a player stood on top of a team bus during a pregame event and chugged a beer, likely playing a part in Lunsford’s firing. Stone Cold Steve Austin would’ve appreciated it, but GSU officials did not, as the player was suspended for the incident.

Georgia Southern has been an FBS school since 2014. Prior to them making the jump, the Eagles were an FCS powerhouse, winning six national championships in school history.

They have had great coaches such as the legendary Erk Russell and former Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson. Current Army football coach Jeff Monken also coached at GSU.

It’s always fun to speculate who will be the next head coach at a school. With the tradition the Eagles have, combined with the phenomenal recruits across the state of Georgia, the Georgia Southern job might just attract lots of coaches.

Here are three names you will likely hear in the coming months.