After Breakout Season, Blake Carroll is Back for More

Anticipation is high for the 2021 football season as Georgia State returns 22 starters from last year's record-setting team and LendingTree Bowl champions.

Head coach Shawn Elliott's squad welcomes back 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.

Each week leading up to the 2021 season opener on Sept. 4 vs. Army at Center Parc Stadium, GeorgiaStateSports.com will feature one of the 22 returning starters.

BLAKE CARROLL
ILB, Senior, Lawrenceville, Ga.

Blake Carroll enjoyed a breakout season for the Georgia State in his first year as the starter at inside linebacker, leading the in tackles and earning All-Sun Belt Conference honors.

The Lawrenceville, Ga., native (Mountain View High School) collected 74 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss with one sack, along with four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and forced fumble. His average of 5.2 solo tackles per game ranked third in the Sun Belt.

More importantly, Carroll helped the GSU defense allow an average of 136.7 rushing yards per game (second best in program history), with a school-record average of 3.86 yards per rush, along with a GSU-record 35 sacks (No. 7 in FBS) and 21 takeaways.

Carroll made big plays throughout the season, including his 74-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Arkansas State for the second-longest defensive score in program history.

But he saved his best performance for the rivalry game against Georgia Southern, when he recorded a career-high 14 tackles and recovered a fumble in the final two minutes at the GS 21-yard line to help seal the win.

Carroll enters the 2021 season as a Preseason All-Sun Belt choice by Phil Steele's College Football and Athlon Sports as he looks to continue to wreak havoc for opposing offenses.

Get your season tickets now by visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/TIX or calling 404-413-4160.

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Players Mentioned

#42 Blake Carroll: ILB; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#42 Blake Carroll
: 6' 1"; Senior
: ILB

Players Mentioned

#42 Blake Carroll

Players Mentioned

#42 Blake Carroll