Vanderbilt Football 2024 Summer Opponent Preview: More interesting is the coaching staff
The Opponent: Georgia State Panthers
When: September 14, 2024, at 6:00 PM CT on ESPN+
Where: Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia (formerly Turner Field)
Last Year: The Panthers finished with a record of 7-6 (3-5 in the Sun Belt), starting strong at 6-1 but ending the season with five consecutive losses, averaging a 23.2-point margin in those defeats. Only one loss (25-24 against Old Dominion) was close to a two-touchdown defeat. They did manage to win against Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, preserving a winning season.
Series Record: This will be the first matchup between the two teams.
Head Coach: Shawn Elliott, who previously coached Army as South Carolina’s interim head coach in 2015, returns as head coach after serving as the offensive line coach at South Carolina. He has been replaced by Dell McGee, who was the run game coordinator and running backs coach at Georgia, and was named the Rivals.com National Recruiter of the Year in 2018. The coaching staff also includes experienced names like offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig, and running backs coach Will Healy, who some Vanderbilt fans may wish had been hired over Clark Lea.
Offense: In the current transfer portal era, the roster has seen significant turnover. Likely starting quarterback Zach Gibson, who previously played at Georgia Tech and Akron, is expected to lead the offense. Both last season’s top running back (Marcus Carroll) and wide receiver (Robert Lewis) are no longer with the team, having transferred to Missouri and Auburn, respectively. However, CJ Beasley from Coastal Carolina, along with wide receivers Tailique Williams and Cadarrius Thompson, joins the roster and adds depth.
Defense: Last season, the defense allowed an average of 30.1 points per game. The secondary features capable players like safety Jeremiah Johnson (73 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions) and cornerback Gavin Pringle (four interceptions). Outside linebacker Kevin Swint contributed eight tackles for loss and four sacks. Overall, the defense struggled with generating pressure and stopping the run.
Special Teams: Kicker Liam Rickman was 9-for-12 on field goals, with a long of 46 yards—decent but not outstanding. Punter Kade Loggins averaged 41.1 yards per punt, which is just average.
Schedule:
- 8/31 at Georgia Tech
- 9/7 vs. Chattanooga
- 9/14 vs. Vanderbilt
- 9/28 vs. Georgia Southern
- 10/12 vs. Old Dominion
- 10/17 at Marshall
- 10/26 at Appalachian State
- 11/1 at UConn
- 11/9 at James Madison
- 11/16 vs. Arkansas State
- 11/23 at Texas State
- 11/30 vs. Coastal Carolina
Outlook: While hiring a top recruiter like McGee seems smart for Georgia State’s future, the reasons for his availability raise questions. The roster is concerning, lacking depth at key positions, especially after losing top performers. This could be a challenging year for McGee, especially since he was brought on board late in the hiring season. This matchup is nerve-wracking because visiting a G5 team usually poses challenges for us, but the worry might stem more from our own team’s uncertainties than from Georgia State itself.