The perception of Georgia State’s football program seems to be dismal so far since its inaugural season in 2010 if one were to ask students.
The homecoming game is around the corner as the Panthers will battle against Arkansas State.
However, some students seem not to care.
Football at Georgia State has improved since its first years but is still encountering its share of growing pains as it continues its foray into Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) competition.
Students of Georgia State have various opinions as to how they see the football program while some seem to not be interested at all about its status.
The first few weeks of the fall season so far has seen the support from the student body fluctuate for football.
The opening game of the 2014-2015 season against Abilene Christian brought a huge crowd that filled up the student section in the Georgia Dome.
However, some students at Georgia State say that the opening game of the season is the only one they will attend all year.
Sophomore student LaReesa Threatt explains, “Honestly, I’m not going to support a horrible team and waste my time, but I haven’t seen them play yet, so I can’t determine if they’re a good team or not. I think the team needs to work on playing better as a team. Obviously our defense sucks, so that’s why we’re losing.”
Threatt says that she would make the time to come see the Panthers football team if they were consistent winners. However, she does expect to attend to the homecoming game to show school spirit.
As Georgia State’s program continues to grow and victories become a more frequent occurrence, the program will likely gain more respect not only from the student body but from other football programs around the nation.
Former Georgia State quarterback and wide receiver Kelton Hill weighed in on his outlook of the program, now looking from the inside out.
“They’re still learning. They still have a ways to go. It was good to get that first win into the season to build momentum. Outside looking in, it’s a work in progress,” Hill said. “I guess you can say they’re putting more points on the board.”
Hill believes the reason games are not being won is because they don’t really know how to finish out a game yet. However, Hill believes Head Coach Trent Miles has the capabilities to turn this new program into a competitive team.
“I actually kind of wish he was there my junior year so I could have two years with him, “Hill said. “He’s a player’s coach and he seems like a fun coach to be around if the team’s winning.”
Georgia State football remains, at this point, a young program. Coaches and players have hopes of continuing to build and improving it as time goes on. As the team finds itself in the win column with increased consistency, the support from students on campus may also become more consistent.
This year’s homecoming game is this Saturday against Arkansas State Red Wolves, last year’s co-Sun Belt champions. The Panthers suffered a slight defeat against the Red Wolves last year by a score of 35-33 with the margin of defeat only occurring via a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Over 17,000 were in attendance at the Georgia Dome for last year’s Panthers homecoming game against Troy. Georgia State was defeated by its Sun Belt rivals with a final score of 35-28.
If Panthers football is to be successful as time goes on, successfully sustaining support from the student populace can potentially be one ingredient for a winning recipe.
