Players to Watch:

Lee Chapple, So., Quarterback

After splitting time at QB with Antonio Henton for most of the 2008 season, Chapple took over the reins full time in the final week of the season when he completed 39-of-56 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns in GSU’s 17-10 win at Furman. That performance cemented Chapple’s spot under center and gives the Eagles optimism for an even more wide-open passing attack in 2009.

Darrell Pasco, Sr., Defensive Back

Pasco recorded 36 tackles and eight pass breakups as a junior and will be called upon to cover some of the country’s top receivers in 2009. Pasco’s top game in 2008 was a five-tackle (four solo), three-pass breakup performance against Chattanooga.

Preview:

Georgia Southern enters year three of the Chris Hatcher era in 2009, and the transition from a rushing-oriented team to a high-flying passing attack looks to become even clearer this season.

GSU’s offense broke nearly every school passing record in 2008 as it fought its way to a 6-5 season and a 4-4 finish in the Southern Conference. Much of the Eagles’ trouble came at home as they dropped all four home SoCon games, including three by a total of four points.

With sophomore quarterback Lee Chapple leading the offense, Adam Urbano should handle the duties at tailback with a number of underclassmen seeing the field as wideouts, following the departure of Raja Andrews.

Defensively, linebackers Dion Dubose and J.B. Shippy, two of GSU’s seven all-Freshman team members from 2008, will man the middle while Derek Heyden, K.R. Snipes and Darrell Pasco cover the secondary.

The Eagles face a tough road slate in conference play in 2008, as they will look to avenge losses at Appalachian State, Elon, Samford and Wofford.