As the Georgia State football program prepares for the 2020 season, we look back to 10 years ago today, when the Panthers' inaugural team of 2010 opened preseason practice on Aug. 4, 2010 at the GSU Practice Complex at 188 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Under founding head coach Bill Curry, the Panthers had practiced 60 times during the fall of 2009 without playing any games and then conducted their first spring practice in the March and April of 2010. But now it was time to prepare for actual games.

After that first workout, Curry had this to say:

"I saw the beginning of something. I saw a skill set that indicates we could be a good football team. But I also saw that in 29 practices, we've got to learn to perform when we're tired. Our overall conditioning level is probably a little better than I expected, but our mental and physical toughness is not. Not yet."

Curry's bunch not only won it's opening game in resounding fashion, 41-7 over Shorter before 30,237 fans at the Georgia Dome on Sept. 2, 2010, but the fledgling team posted a winning season with a 6-5 record in 2010. 

Amazingly, that first practice for a startup program featured three players who went on to play in the National Football League and two others who spent time on NFL rosters.

Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi, a junior college transfer, was the first Panther to be drafted, selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, and the first to play in an NFL game, appearing in the Raiders' season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

A pair of true freshmen at practice that day also went on to play in the NFL. Wide receiver Albert Wilson was an instant star for the Panthers. After finishing his career in 2013 as Georgia State's career receiving leader, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kansas City Chiefs, for whom he played four years before moving to the Miami Dolphins in 2018. In six NFL seasons, Wilson has 193 receptions for 2,286 yards and 12 touchdowns.



Also at his first practice that day was offensive lineman Ulrick John. He played sparingly as a backup tackle in 2010, then started games at three different positions in 2011 before becoming a two-year starter at left tackle in 2012-13. He became Georgia State's second draft pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, going to the Indianapolis Colts. That began an NFL career that has seen him play for five NFL teams.



Tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi was a Georgia State student majoring in chemistry when he participated in a tryout for the new football team in 2009. Not only did he make the team, but he caught the first touchdown pass in GSU history against Shorter and started three years. His career as an NFL free agent saw him spend time with five different teams, including practice squad stints during the regular season.

Outside linebacker Jake Muasau, another junior college transfer, spent significant time on the New York Giants roster in the 2012 and 2013 off-seasons.