When it comes to the Georgia State defense this season, the players say it’s “go” time.
Whether it is familiarity with the expectations set by second-year coach Dell McGee or the addition of new defensive coordinator Travis Pearson, the defense is playing faster and eager to distance itself from last season’s poor showing.
“Instead of guessing, we’re just doing it now,” sophomore inside linebacker Damaine Wilson said. “We’re just going. There’s no second thoughts. It’s just go.”
The Panthers have plenty of room for improvement.
The defense ranked 113th in the nation last season in total defense and 116th in scoring defense, allowing 33.8 points per game. Defensive coordinator Kevin Sherrer did not return, and Deron Wilson was hired.
He had the job for about 10 minutes before Florida called to offer him a position as defensive backs coach, so McGee turned to Pearson, a veteran who had spent the three previous seasons at Troy.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
The new blood has revitalized the GSU defense.
“When we come in for a meeting, (Pearson) comes in with the best energy,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is, he comes in ready to work, so that makes us ready to work.”
Wilson and Josiah Robinson are two regulars with the most experience at inside linebacker. Both played a lot in 2024 and could end up in the starting lineup.
They will help fill the holes caused by the graduation of Justin Abraham, a three-year starter and emotional team leader, and Xavier Robinson, who ranked third on the team with 60 tackles, along with five tackles behind the line and one sack.
Josiah Robinson, a junior who transferred to GSU from Coastal Carolina in 2023, filled a void while Abraham dealt with injuries all season. He finished with 63 total tackles (second on the team), seven tackles for loss and 3½ sacks.
Wilson, a sophomore from Pompano Beach, Florida, had 39 tackles and one interception last year as a freshman.
“Everybody has their own strengths,” Wilson said. “Coming back from a 3-9 season, I know I don’t ever want to do that again, and I know they don’t ever want to do it again, so it’s more of a ‘we’ thing now. Whoever’s the best at what they do, you just try to help out the other guy.”
A lot of young guys will get an opportunity at inside linebacker this season.
Of the 11 on the roster, eight are freshmen — Tyler Moore, Kedrick Walker, Zachary Davis, Brent Washington, Christon Jones, Sean Ademokun, Chandler Covington and Antonio Wesley. The other is Coby Owens, a sophomore transfer from Northeast Mississippi Community College.
The inside linebacker room has a new coach, too. Juwan Taylor played four seasons as an inside linebacker at Georgia and was a member of the 2018 that played for the national championship. He was a graduate assistant last season at GSU and was promoted to a full-time assistant coach this year.
“Coach JT has been helping me look at film, how to watch it, how to dissect it, how to know what’s coming,” Wilson said. “Instead of checking a motion, we’re checking into a coverage that we’re going into. It just slows everything down so we can know exactly what to do.”
It has created a new competitive environment between the young players and the holdovers. The result should be helpful.
“We want to bring competition at every single position,” McGee said. “It really pushes the depth chart. We’re just repping guys, and (the depth chart) will be determined by how the guys play, how they pick up on the mental game. The best players that have the least number of mistakes will be the ones that play. We’ve got to make sure we play guys that we trust, and you earn your trust in camp.
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