By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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Both figuratively and literally, Georgia Southern history will be on display on Saturday against the Catamounts

nThough certainly historic in context, this fall for Georgia Southern has been a major disappointment. The Eagles, with three games left to play, stand at 4-4, just 2-4 in their last season in the Southern Conference. Devastating injuries have been a frustrating theme for what was expected to be a meaningful year of transition. In their final pairings as FCS foes, Georgia Southern, after last weekend, has now lost to all three of its top rivals: Appalachian State, Furman and Wofford.xc2xa0

nOn the very field where six 1-AA national championship teams once played, the Eagles will host their final FCS home game this Saturday against Western Carolina. Though opened in 1984, famed Paulson Stadium has a legacy as storied as any. The venue itself was the home to the 1989, 1990 and 1991 playoff finals. Overall, Georgia Southern has gone an unfathomable 37-4 in postseason pairings played at the site deemed by Eagle fans as “Our House”.

nPaulson Stadium is where fans from Hawkinsville to Hazlehurst,xc2xa0 Vidalia to Vienna continue to gather under a banner of true blue and white. Legendary players like Adrian Peterson and Jayson Foster, Walter Payton Award winners, and College Football Hall of Famer Tracy Ham there celebrated their scores. Rings in hand, Iconic coaches like Paul Johnson and Erk Russell roamed its grounds. Erk, in memory and in bronze, still does.xc2xa0

nBoth figuratively and literally, history will be on display on Saturday against the Catamounts. In addition to this weekend being the end of the FCS era in Statesboro, the Western Carolina game stands as Homecoming, Senior Day and an all-sports reunion for Georgia Southern. The Eagles will also wear special throwback uniforms, an homage to the Georgia Teacher’s College football teams from 1924-1941.xc2xa0

n”We wanted a way to honor the beginnings of this University as well as our football team as we make the journey to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference, and this special jersey will allow us to do so,” noted Athletics Director Tom Kleinlein.

nThe grind of a college football season, especially one filled with adversity, doesn’t allow much time for reflection. With mounting misfortune, the storyline for the Eagles has simply been one of pushing through. Even in their final FCS home game, those sentiments aren’t likely to subside. Just over three decades ago, though, the faculty at Georgia Southern voted against the renewal of the football team. In some respects, it’s now leading the university forward. On the verge of an unprecedented move, a program that has defined itself by the constant pursuit of perfection should cherish just how far it has come.xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0

n”I don’t know that I ever take the time that I probably should to appreciate all of those things,” GSU head coach Jeff Monken explained on the Southern Pigskin Radio Network. “My job on a daily basis is to get our program in place for success each day. And certainly to get our staff, our team prepared for each game. This Saturday’s game is such an important one for us. We’re concentrating solely on trying to get prepared for Western Carolina and play the best that we can.”

nA football powerhouse still in its late 20s has won ten conference championships, a half-dozen national titles and, starting next year, will begin play as a member of the FBS Sun Belt Conference.

n”The great things that have happened in this program, and what an unbelievable story, I don’t know if there’s another story like it in college football. Just to be a part of this program is an honor and a privilege for me and I know what that means,” Monken continued. “I know what it means to be a part of this program.”

nAs he leads the Eagles onto the field at Paulson Stadium “one more time” in SoCon play, Monken, as acknowledged, understands the power and pull of his position.xc2xa0

n”There are a lot of people that would love to be a part of Georgia Southern football, to coach here, to have played here. And that’s something for everybody who has ever been a part of this program; a fan, someone who worked or attended college here. It’s a source of pride for everybody. It certainly is for me,” he added.

nThis season has not gone as expected. The Eagles have lost three out of four games and four of their last six. The patented triple-option offense has produced just 28 points the past two weeks. The unwavering direction for Georgia Southern, even after three consecutive runs to the national semifinals from 2010-2012, has long been forward. That mindset starts at the top.xc2xa0

n”There will be a time down the road where I will be able to appreciate and enjoy that, and maybe reflect,” Monken concluded. “I think as a coach we’re all probably guilty of just continuing to press on and move on to the next day, the next game and the next recruiting period. And that’s my job right now, not to smell the roses, but to make sure we get our program in a position where everybody else who watches us and appreciates us can smell the roses along the way.”

nDuring triumph and tribulation, the focus is always on the future; the challenges that exist and the opportunities that await. After all, this is a program that started from scratch with a varsity football team in 1984. The Eagles won a national championship in 1985 — and 1986. Three years later, they became the first college football team to go 15-0 in the 20th century. That next fall, Georgia Southern won the national title again. The Eagles never rests on their laurels or their past accomplishments.xc2xa0xc2xa0

nThe first official game at Paulson Stadium was scheduled for September 1st, 1984 against Florida A&M. Delays forced the game east to Savannah. Georgia Southern returned nearly a month later and promptly throttled Liberty 48-11. While setting records and a new status quo, the Eagles never looked back. Saturday, even if just for a moment, is a chance to do just that.