GATA Talk

S7 Ep2: Georgia Southern 2024 Season Preview - Defense & Special Teams

We're just weeks away from the start of the 2024 Georgia Southern football season. We kick off our four part Season Preview by breaking down the Eagles' defense and special teams. Head Coach Clay Helton had some high praise for this year's defense. Can they truly be a top 30 or even top 25 defense? What about special teams? A new kicker and new punt returner could have an immediate impact - positive or negative - on how this season goes for the Eagles. 

Show Notes: 

• Bold Claims About Defense at Media Days
• What Would It Take to Be a Top 30 Defense?
• D-Line: Best Position Group on Defense?
• Who Will Carry Linebackers Other Than Watson-Trent
• Secondary Needs Big Leap Forward for D to Dominate
• Biggest Threats from Opposing Offenses
• Special Teams: Question Mark at Kicker
• Smith Returns as Punter
• Even Without Hood, Returners Should Be Solid
• Long-Snapper: Yes, We Discuss the Long-Snapper
• Final Thoughts About Defense

S7 Ep1: Georgia Southern Football Offseason Recap

After our usual hiatus and ghosting after another embarrassing bowl loss to a MAC team, GATA Talk is back baby! Matt and Cody go through all the major storylines of a very eventful offseason for Georgia Southern football, complete with coaching changes, record donations, a fresh crop of transfers, and more. 

Show Notes: 

• Apologies, Not Excuses, for Hiatus
• Field Naming Rights Controversy
• ‘Adapt of Die’ Mentality
• New OC: Blessing in Disguise?
• O-Line Coach: Biggest Move of the Offseason?
• QB Development Is a BIG Need
• Under-the-Radar Coaching Hires
• Position Group We’re Most Excited About
• Coaching Carousel: Dell McGee Back in the Sun Belt
• 4 p.m. Kickoff for Boise: Advantage?
• Little Bit of Baseball Banter
• Tease for Season Expectations

S6 Ep17: Myrtle Beach Bowl Preview

Fun Facts are BACK for our Myrtle Beach Bowl preview. That's right, our short-lived, yet wildly popular segment returns! We also talk football as Georgia Southern prepares for their final game of the 2023 season as they face the Ohio Bobcats in Myrtle Beach...errr Conway...to kick off the bowl season. 

Show Notes: 

• Myrtle Beach Bowl a Good Selection, All Things Considered
• Changes: New CB Coach and Beau Allen Enters the Portal 
• Fun Facts: Famous Ohio Alumni, Drunken Jack and Cults
• Ohio Preview: Great Defense, with Top Offensive Player in Portal
• Who Will Our QB1 Be? Who Should It Be? 

S6 Ep16: Georgia Southern Football 2023 Regular Season Recap

November ends with zero wins, and Georgia Southern finds itself with its second straight 6-6 end to the regular season. Matt and Cody discuss what went wrong to close out the season, break down some stats from Clay Helton's two seasons in Statesboro, and predict where the program goes from here. 

Show Notes: 

• Winless Novembers Is Not the Standard Benko Promised
• App State Recap: Rival Pours Salt in our Wounds 
• Success and Turnaround of Peers Makes Our Regression Look Worse
• Breaking Down Some (Unfavorable) Stats from the Helton Era
• Where Do We Go From Here? QB, Coordinators, Transfers?
• Way Too Early 2024 Season Projections

S6 Ep15: ODU Loss, Now It Is HATE Week

After its third straight loss, Georgia Southern is looking for answers, and fans are looking for changes — change in attitude, game planning, play calling and overall offensive play. Matt and Cody discuss what needs to happen to salvage the season and give this program some momentum headed into 2024.

Show Notes: 

• Worst Offensive Showing of the Season
• Team Does Not Look Ready or Motivated to Play
• Who Is to Blame and What Needs to Change?
• Addressing Helton's Flippant Press Conference Comments
• Leadership Lacking, Especially on Offense
• Will Helton Make the Tough Decisions to Move Us Forward?
• Hate Week: App State Coming Off Biggest Win of the Year
• App's QB May Be One of the Most Efficient They've Had in a While
• Low Expectations for Saturday: Can We Avoid an 0-4 November?