Depth, Balance Should Make For Another Exciting Offense

ATLANTA -- Entering his third season at Georgia State after two record-setting campaigns, offensive coordinator Brad Glenn discussed two areas that have the Panthers poised for another productive season: depth and balance.

As Georgia State continued preseason drills with a very rainy workout Tuesday morning, Glenn is fortunate to work with an offense that returns every single starter and numerous key backups from 2020, when the Panthers averaged a school-record 33.3 points per game.

"The biggest thing is the depth that we've developed at each position," Glenn said. "We've got basically 100 percent of our offensive production returning. We've got quality guys as ones and twos, and even some threes, and for a lot of those guys, it's their third year in the offense."

As Glenn says, that depth "separates the men from the boys."

"First of all, you are going to have injuries," he explained. "It's a long season, it's a physical sport. To know that you have quality depth at each spot is huge.

"Also, depth breeds competition. Our ones know that if they're not locked in and focused and doing their job every day, there's a guy right there behind them who is going to push them."

Georgia State's 11 returning starters include preseason honorees at every position:

QB Cornelious Brown IV (Manning Award Watch List)
RB Destin Coates (Preseason All-Sun Belt, Doak Walker Award Watch List, Senior Bowl Watch List)
WR Sam Pinckney (Preseason All-Sun Belt, Biletnikoff Award Watch List)
WR Cornelius McCoy (Preseason All-Sun Belt)
TE Roger Carter (Preseason All-Sun Belt, John Mackey Award Watch List, Senior Bowl Watch List)
OG Shamarious Gilmore (Preseason All-Sun Belt, Outland Trophy Watch List)

But the Panthers' second unit also features plenty of potential play-makers, such as tight end Aubry Payne, running backs Tucker Gregg and Jamyest Williams and young receivers like Jamari Thrash.

Having so much experience returning has made for a fast pace in preseason camp.

"You really focus on the details," Glenn said. "We had practice 10 or 11 today, and we've probably got 95 percent of our offense in. We pushed the install a little bit faster, and now you can focus on the details of each position and each player."

Glenn is particularly focused on the details for the quarterbacks he coaches, including returning starter Cornelious Brown IV, who earned the starting nod last year as a redshirt freshman. The MVP of the Panthers' LendingTree Bowl victory amassed 2,278 yards passing and 301 yards rushing while accounting for 24 touchdowns.

"He had a solid freshman year, but obviously a lot of room for improvement," Glenn said of his signal caller. "The thing that we focused on is making better decisions with the football. In our offense the quarterback has a lot on him from a mental standpoint.

"Having gone through an entire season and understanding defense a little better, it seems like in spring ball and through the first 10 or so practices of fall camp, he's making better decisions and taking better care of the football. He is understanding how to distribute the football.

"Physically he's a little bit heavier, but he's had a lot of growth from a mental standpoint," Glenn continued. "And as long as he keeps doing that, the sky is the limit for him. He's understanding that it takes more than talent. He has all the tools, but he's understanding that to be great and to be all that he wants to be, it takes more than talent. And that's just part of the maturation process."

Glenn's first two seasons running the GSU offense have produced an averages of more than 32 points and 433 yards of offense per game. Those numbers have been achieved with a balanced attack featuring 220 yards rushing and 212 yards passing per game.

"Coach [Shawn] Elliott believes, and I believe, that to win at an elite level, you've got to be able to run the football when you want to run it," Glenn said. "We're going to play tough and we're going to coach tough and we're going to find ways and create ways each week to run the football when we want to.

'Having said that, you still want to be balanced. I don't think you can be a one-dimensional team, whether it's with rushing the football or passing the football. You want to be balanced, and we've got enough play-makers at each spot to spread the ball around."

Georgia State opens the season Sept. 4, when the Panthers host Army at Center Parc Stadium in a noon game that will be nationally televised on ESPNU. Season tickets are on sale now by calling 404-413-4160 or visiting GeorgiaStateSports.com/TIX.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

#26 Tucker Gregg: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

#83 Cornelius McCoy: WR; 5' 11"; Senior

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

#15 Sam Pinckney: WR; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#2 Jamari Thrash: WR; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore

#21 Jamyest Williams: RB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

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

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

#26 Tucker Gregg
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

#83 Cornelius McCoy
: 5' 11"; Senior
: WR

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

#15 Sam Pinckney
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: WR

#2 Jamari Thrash
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#21 Jamyest Williams
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: RB