Georgia States dynamic rushing Georgia States loaded backfield

TIM GAGE Staff Reporter

The 2022 Georgia State Panthers have had a rough start to the season. They are 3-5 to begin the year but have gutted out the most challenging part of their schedule and are 2-2 in conference play. The Panthers go as far as their dynamic rushing game duo takes them. The Panthers have rushed for over 200 yards in all three of its wins this season.

They are at their best when the whole stable of weapons in the backfield is rotating and getting multiple touches. The backfield is loaded with talent. Tucker Gregg and Jaymest Williams are among the best one-two punches in the nation, but quarterback Darren Grainger’s ability to use his legs has earned him an honorary spot in the running backs room.

“I’m glad to be a part of that group, they make big plays, and I just want to make big plays for the team, so just to be considered in both of those groups is fun,” Darren Grainger said. “Having a bunch of carries just like them. It is always fun just to go out there and try to win.”

The three rushing threats make it almost impossible for an opposing defense to key in on one guy. The rushing game, paired with the play-action passing game that the Panthers utilize, puts defensive coordinators in a blender.

They can stack the box to sell out for the run, but the Panthers have the talent at the quarterback position to make a defense pay for creeping up with play-action shots over the top of the secondary.

It all starts with the ability to win the battle in the trenches, move the opposing front seven off the ball and create wideopen running lanes for the playmakers to work with. The Georgia state offensive line is at its best when they can go downhill and get to the defenders at the second level.

Tucker Gregg is the lead back for the Panthers. His relentless downhill rushing style makes him the perfect bell-cow back. His combination of toughness, speed and strength helps him carry a large workload. Gregg has 605 yards on 131 carries, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and eight touchdowns in just eight games this season. Gregg became the all-time rushing leader at Georgia State with 2,165 career rushing yards. He has been an integral part of the success of the Panthers program since he joined the team as a walk-on in 2018.

Jaymest Williams is the number two back on the depth chart, but the Panthers have two starting-caliber backs. Williams has 447 yards on 85 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per carry and two touchdowns. Williams has the speed and shiftiness to create extra yardage and break off chunk plays. The Panthers have the luxury of possessing two dynamic running backs that can take over a game with their running style. The tandem of Gregg and Williams can handle a tremendous amount of carries per game. Georgia State needs workhorses like those two to run the offense the way the coaches envisioned it.

On top of their dominant one-two punch, the Panthers quarterback Darren Grainger is a serious threat with his legs and is a massive part of the success of the Panther’s rushing attack. Grainger has 513 yards on 105 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and four touchdowns. He is the team’s second-leading rusher behind Gregg and is a true dual-threat quarterback. His prowess in the passing game and his elite speed and playmaking ability create so many different issues for opposing defenses.

The Panthers are looking for a late-season win streak to salvage their hopes of making a bowl game and ending the year with a winning record. The team has an increasing sense of hope within the locker room. Even though they are 3-5, the team is still .500 in conference play and has a much easier schedule to finish the year. They will look to emulate the 2021season in which they won seven of their last eight games.

Why are the Falcons so slept on?

The NFC South is up for grabs, can the Falcons take it?

SKYLER HILL Staff Reporter

From wild overtime thrillers to games being decided by four points or less to bad refereed games - this season has been a wild ride for the Falcons. The craziest part about it: people are falling asleep on the ride and it’s just getting started.

The Falcons are sitting atop the NFC South through the first eight weeks of the season with a 4-4 record. Sitting under the Falcons are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have had a season from hell. Tom Brady can’t seem to click with his offense, especially his offensive line which doesn’t seem to have the chemistry it should midway through the season. The Bucs have one of the highest-ranked defenses in the league, but with their lackluster performance thus far, does Tampa have what it takes to win another championship?

Tied with the Buccaneers are the New Orleans Saints. They also maintain a great defense but have struggled throughout the year to put wins on the board as they sit at 3-5. Go down another level and you meet the Carolina Panthers. A snooze fest. They have a great defense on paper, but it hasn’t translated into wins as they sit at 2-6 on the year.

So there you have it, the Falcons have a one-game lead on the Bucs and the Saints, but why are people still sleeping on them?

In the past, the Falcons have been known to blow leads in just about every game. For God’s sake, people literally dress up as the Super Bowl score when the Falcons had a 28-3 lead on the Patriots only to blow it a quarter and a half later back in 2016. For a more recent example, head back to the divisional rival game back on Sept. 11 when the Falcons faced off against the Saints. They maintained a 16-point lead at one point only to lose the game 27-26 in a heartbreaking loss. The past miscues haunt the Falcons every day and the rest of the league ridicules them for it.

The passing game for the Fal- cons has been lackluster all year. The team doesn’t have a true franchise quarterback yet the Falcons spent its most recent first-round picks on Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Most would think the team would have a solid passing game as both pass catchers have shown the upper-echelon plays they can make, especially Pitts last year. The ball has often been taken out of Marcus Mariotta’s hand and put into the run game. In the blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Mariotta only threw the ball 19 times. In the matchup against the 49ers, Mariotta threw the ball an even lower 14 times, yet he completed 13 of them and went on to earn the victory. Head Coach Arthur Smith loves his run-first dependent offense and to say it’s not the right way to run this team, just wouldn’t be fair. The team has been competitive all year and has displayed bright spots highlighting the progression made.

So how are the Falcons winning? Well, to put it all on the run game would be a stretch, but it does explain a lot of the reasons the Falcons have seen success this season. The run game has been the main thing keeping this team afloat through the first eight games. The Falcons are averaging 158.1 rushing yards per game ranking them fifth across the league in overall team rushing stats. They also have 1,265 rushing yards on the season. The Falcons ranked 29th in the league in passing game. It’s obvious this is a run first team, but when your quarterback is mobile and your running backs are getting it done, it all works out.

With the halfway point of the NFL season coming up, this is a crucial part of the year for the teams like the Falcons to break away with a lead in the division. The Buccaneers will most likely get their affairs in order and will begin to win games. If the Falcons want to win this division the players have to keep their foot on the pedal.