Eagles play final scrimmage of fall camp

STATESBORO, Ga. (WTOC) - Just two weeks away from their first game of the 2021 season, the Georgia Southern Eagles held their final scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday.

Georgia Southern redshirt sophomore cornerback Derrick Canteen ended the Eagles final scrimmage of fall camp with an interception. It was fitting, as the Eagles have said repeatedly that the defensive continuity will be a strength for the team this year.

“That’s the best defense I ever played against. Throughout the Sun Belt, that’s the best defense I’ve played against in a while,” said Logan Wright, a redshirt senior running back. “It’s hard to find open gaps against them.”

“I feel like we’re getting our swag back, we’re getting our confidence, and we’re playing how we’re supposed to play,” Tyler Bride, a sophomore cornerback added. “Today, you know, felt how we usually play, so I’m glad feeling like that going into the season in two weeks.”

Canteen himself agreed.

“I feel like today was probably one of the most important days of camp... I feel like today was the final day to show what we have, for young guys to show what they have,” the redshirt sophomore CB said. “Today was just collectively as a team, you know, the most important day to get better.”

That tough defense will be without one of their key veterans as Head Coach Chad Lunsford announced that sixth-year inside linebacker Todd Bradley-Glenn tore his left bicep in last Saturday’s scrimmage and will be out for the entire 2021-2022 season.

“That is a huge blow for us at the linebacker spot, but more importantly that is a huge blow for us, because what an awesome leader he was for us, on the field for us,” Lunsford said, “Now I will say this about Todd, Todd’s mindset is to be a huge leader for us off the field.”

On the other side of the ball, Lunsford said the team is pretty far along in installing their new offense.

“We threw a lot of mud on the wall and see what would stick, so we’ve thrown a lot at them.”

The quarterbacks are currently rotating first-team snaps.

As for COVID-19 vaccination rates, 74 percent of the Eagles football players had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, up ten percent from Thursday. Lunsford said that 100 percent of the coaching staff had received at least one dose as of Saturday.

The team has Sunday off, and Lunsford said next week the team begins personnel assignments and prepping for opponents.

The Eagles open their season at home inside Paulson Stadium against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, September 4. They’re set for 6:00 p.m. kickoff.

Copyright 2021 WTOC. All rights reserved.