Shamarious Gilmore set the bar for the Georgia State football team yet again, as he closed out his college football career this past season.
While the Panthers knocked off the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the LendingTree Bowl on Dec. 26, Gilmore enjoyed individual success after the season.
Three years after becoming the first lineman in program history to score a touchdown in 2017, he became the first four-time all-conference Panther.
Undoubtedly, the redshirt senior offensive guard deserves the recognition. His presence and leadership on the field have impacted several current and former members of the team.
The four-year starter had back-to-back years of recognition for his role on the field as a Panther.
He earned All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention recognition in 2017 and 2018. The next year, in 2019, he garnered Third-Team All-Sun Belt honors.
The 2020 season capped off his illustrious career: he captured first-team honors, his final as a college football player.
This year, Gilmore became the No. 2 block rusher leader in the Sun Belt Conference after leading the conference in 2019.
“I know my skill set and what I can do,” Gilmore said. “We go to work every day, and we give it all we got, so just getting the recognition for not just myself, but the community, and the Georgia State family, is just an amazing feeling.”
Gilmore’s success on the field has earned him a grave amount of recognition. But there was another Panther whose work went unseen.
Noel Ruiz, an FCS All-American placekicker graduate transfer from North Carolina A&T, was selected alongside Gilmore on the first-team All-Sun Belt honors.
Georgia State alumni and current NFL players Wil Lutz and Brandon Wright inspired Ruiz’s decision to commit to Georgia State. Ruiz led the Sun Belt in points per game and field-goal percentage during the 2020 season.
His hard work and accomplishments on the field helped move Georgia State higher up in the ranks.
“[Ruiz] came in during the summer, and we [welcomed] him with open arms. As soon as he stepped on the team, it was like he was already a part of the family,” Gilmore said, “It’s just great to see that all of his hard work is paying off. I can’t expect anything else from him.”
Offensive lineman coach and former NFL player Thomas Austin has tremendously strengthened Georgia State’s offensive line since getting hired last January. During his first season, his offense set program records for rushing yards per game, scoring average and first downs.
Gilmore’s, or “Quion’s” success, reflects all of the work and dedication that Austin puts into his offensive line day in and day out.
“Quion’s production on the field speaks for itself: a four-year starter, four-time all-conference and a team captain,” Austin said. “But what he has done off the field is what has impressed me the most. He earned his degree in four years. He is a leader and mentor to younger players, and he is a major reason that Georgia State’s football program is trending upwards.”
Gilmore’s four years as a Georgia State Panther is a prime example of truly loving the game and giving it your all to be the best you can be.
“Coaching a student-athlete like Quion makes my job easy, and I look forward to going to work with a man like him every day,” Austin said.
