MIC'D UP with Tight Ends Coach Josh Stepp

Entering his fifth season at Georgia State, tight ends coach Josh Stepp works with a pair of All-Sun Belt Conference performers in Roger Carter and Aubry Payne.

Both seniors, Carter and Payne have combined for 74 receptions, 894 yards and 13 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

With those veterans returning, Stepp spent a lot of time in the spring working with redshirt freshmen tight ends Ahmon Green and Kris Byrd.

Stepp joined coach Shawn Elliott's staff after a highly successful run as a high school coach. In four seasons at Lexington (S.C.) High School, he posted a 36-17 record, highlighted in 2015, when he led his squad to a 13-game winning streak and a berth in the state championship game.

He was chosen for the 2019 American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Leadership Academy.

A college quarterback, Stepp began his career at Furman before transferring to Newberry (S.C.) Colleg, where he enjoyed a record-setting three-year career (2004-06), including All-America and National Player of the Week accolades.

Stepp's twin brother, Justin, is the wide receivers coach at South Carolina.

MORE ON GEORGIA STATE FOOTBALL

Head coach Shawn Elliott's squad returns 22 of 24 starters, including all 11 starters from an offensive unit that averaged a school-record 33.3 points per game, nine starters from a GSU defense that ranked No. 7 in FBS with a program-record 35 sacks, and their placekicker and punter.

The 2020 LendingTree Bowl champions welcome back 12 All-Sun Belt Conference players, led by first-team selections in left guard Shamarious Gilmore and placekicker Noel Ruiz, as well as the LendingTree Bowl Most Valuable Player in quarterback Cornelious Brown IV, along with numerous other playmakers on both sides of the ball.

GSU will enter the 2021 season on a three-game winning streak after ending 2020 with victories over South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky in the LendingTree Bowl.

The Panthers will face the most exciting and challenging schedule in program history with non-conference games against Army, North Carolina, Auburn and Charlotte along with a Sun Belt Conference slate that features three straight road games against rival Georgia Southern and 2020 co-champions Coastal Carolina and Louisiana.

GSU will play seven teams that played in bowl games, including six foes who won eight or more games in 2020.

Georgia State has earned back-to-back bowl berths and posted consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history.
The Panthers have earned three bowl berths in the last four seasons.

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Players Mentioned

#84 Kris Byrd: TE; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman

#5 Roger Carter: TE; 6' 2"; Senior

#75 Shamarious Gilmore: G; 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior

#85 Ahmon Green: TE; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#88 Aubry Payne: TE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#92 Noel Ruiz: PK; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#84 Kris Byrd
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman
: TE

#5 Roger Carter
: 6' 2"; Senior
: TE

#75 Shamarious Gilmore
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Senior
: G

#85 Ahmon Green
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: TE

#88 Aubry Payne
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: TE

#92 Noel Ruiz
: 5' 11"; Senior
: PK