NEW ORLEANS -- One week before the start of preseason camp, Georgia State participated in Sun Belt Conference Football Media Day as head coach Shawn Elliott, quarterback Conner Manning and cornerback Chandon Sullivan represented the Panthers at the annual gathering in New Orleans.
Elliott, GSU's first-year head coach, and the Panthers open preseason practice on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to begin preparations for their Aug. 31 season opener, when Georgia State hosts Tennessee State in the inaugural game at Georgia State Stadium.
Manning and Sullivan, both seniors, are among the 17 starters returning for the Panthers.
Head coach Shawn Elliott:
It is an exciting season for Georgia State University and our football program. I am sure many of you have heard we are moving into Georgia
State Stadium and August 31 is first game there, formerly known as Turner Field. This is a huge thing for us with a new stadium and of course myself being a new coach. We have a great group of young men that have worked very, very hard throughout the spring and summer. We are looking forward to getting started here on the 31st as they report, and then starting camp on August 1st. This is an exciting time and I am thrilled to be here with the Sun Belt Conference. When you look at this media day that the Sun Belt Conference has put on, I did not expect anything like this coming in. I think that is a tribute to what our conference has built, how it has grown, and where it is going to go.
Q: Coach, you guys start the season against Tennessee State, who is a ranked FCS team. How do you keep your players focused on them and not looking ahead to Penn State?
A: Well, have you seen us play? We need to get better in a lot of areas. They understand that. Our team understands that. We need to develop a strong run game, a physical pass rush, so many things that our football program needs to get better at. So for us to go out and overlook
anyone would be foolish to tell you the truth. Tennessee State is all we are worried about. I think our fans and our university are all focused on opening that new stadium up. And our football team is focused on Tennessee State.
Q: Talk about the contribution of Penny Hart being back and hopefully healthy for a
full season. And also Conner Manning who was a transfer last season, and now has a full
offseason with the team and what do you expect to see from him overall?
A: Well, anytime you have one of the most dynamic, electric receivers in the conference back it is going to benefit
your football team. I think Penny coming back and full speed will of course help our offense tremendously. And then you take Penny and add him with Conner Manning who led our conference in passing a year ago that is just an added bonus and something Conner did not have the advantage of working with a year ago. So when you kind of look at that combination and you think there is big things to come. I’ve said all along and they understand this, we are going to build this from inside out. We have to develop a strong running game, but we need a playmaker like Penny on the outside that Manning has the opportunity to get the ball to that will certainly open up our running game.
Connor Manning (Georgia State, Sr., QB)
Q: How has the offseason been different compared to last year when you were coming from
Utah and just getting adjusted to the program?
A:I think for me it’s been the mentality of a different approach. When I first came in to Georgia State last year, I was trying to earn the
respect of the guys, and kind of not really step on anyone’s toes. I think this yearI have stepped up a lot more as a leader. Coach Elliott, he’s been tremendous so far in what he’s trying to sell to this team, you know we all bought in and we’re very excited to see what this
turns into.
Q: How has the staff done so far with you guys in the spring and through the summer?
A: The staff has been tremendous, right away the whole mentality was being physical and playing fast, everyone has bought into what they they’re sell. Spring practice - it was tough, they put us through brutal workouts and brutal practices, but the guys handled it really well. We attack each day and I thought we got a lot better as a team. Even throughout summer workouts, coach was right on all the time but as leaders of the team we stepped up and took ownership of the role, building this program up in the summer.
Q: Did you do anything different than normal as far as on the field or off, any camps or anything like that?
A: This summer I was obviously focused on football while I was doing an internship, so I wasn’t really able to go out and do any of the camps or anything like that. But as a team we focus on what we did in the spring and how we can build off that and I feel like we’ve done a
great job so far and I’m very excited to get back up and clock in cause you know it’s about a week away where we get those pads back on.
Chandon Sullivan (Georgia State, Sr., DB)
Q: How does it feel to be a leader with a lot of returning guys?
A: It feels great. I remember being the young guy, waiting my turn. Now I am in a position to teach the young guys and be a leader
by example and a verbal leader.
Q: Do you like it in New Orleans? Do you like the culture?
A: Yes, I love it here, walking up and down the street is really fun.
Q: What NFL player do you feel like your game translates to?
A: I try to model my game after Patrick Peterson. He’s good at man and zone. He’s one of the best players around.
