Georgia State’s Grant King wins NCAA appeal

Grant King will be eligible to play for Georgia State in the fifth game of the season after the NCAA granted his appeal Tuesday.

King didn’t fully participate in most of August’s practices as well as last week’s season-opening 31-21 loss to Samford because of an academic-related issue. The Panthers play host to Tennessee-Chattanooga on Saturday at the Georgia Dome.

King started every game at right tackle in Georgia State’s first three seasons. A.J. Kaplan started last week’s game.

Coach Trent Miles said King, 6-foot-5, 295 pounds, will be given a chance to earn back his starting spot during the team’s bye week, which begins Sept. 22. The first game King would be eligible to play would be at Alabama on Oct. 5.

If King earns his starting job back, it would allow Miles to create more competition at the guard positions because Kaplan can play there.

Citing privacy laws, Georgia State declined to provide any details about King’s issue. However, the four-game penalty is similar to the NCAA’s commonly issued decision for students who don’t complete nine hours in a fall semester.

Evans glad to be back: Running back Travis Evans said he learned that while he needs football, football doesn't need him. Evans learned that lesson after he was suspended from Friday's season-opening loss to Samford because of an undisclosed violation of team rules dating to the spring.

After the Panthers’ rushing game struggled against Samford, totaling 72 yards on 25 attempts, Miles reinserted Evans atop the depth chart. Evans (5-11, 190) is the second-leading rusher in school history with 1,095 yards. He has scored seven touchdowns and also has 48 catches for 306 yards.

“I’m excited to get back out there and compete with my teammates,” he said.

Miles said Evans is listed No. 1 because of two factors: Miles likes Evans’ speed, and Gerald Howse, who started the first game, has a minor ankle injury. Miles said the injury shouldn’t prevent Howse from playing Saturday.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said the line has to be more physical, and Miles said the backs need to hit the holes that are created with more urgency for the running game to improve.

Davis' big game: Freshman wide receiver Robert Davis caught almost as many passes last week (seven) as he caught as a senior (11) at run-heavy Northside High in Warner Robins.

“It’s not something I’m used to, going out and catching passes,” he said of the difference between high school and college football.

Davis has shown excellent hands in practice and an ability to use his size (6-3, 190) to break tackles and gain extra yards.

His first catch came on a spot route in which he found a hole in the defense. He said it’s something he will always remember because not only was it his first catch, but his parents were there to watch.

“When I caught that first pass and I was able to look up on the big screen and see myself, that’s what I’ve been waiting to do my whole life,” he said.

Davis finished with 66 yards, second-most for the Panthers in the game. Miles said he was very pleased with Davis’ effort.

“Those young guys will get better and better and better,” offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said. “No idea of the speed; come Saturday it will be another opportunity for improvement.”

Pressure, no worry: Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said that because Samford ran the ball so frequently (36 attempts), particularly on first and second downs, he was satisfied with the pressure that the defense was able to apply to the passing game.

“On third down, we did a decent job getting pressure and forcing bad throws,” Minter said.

Tennessee-Chattanooga, which lost toTennessee-Martin 31-21 last week, will present a different type of challenge.

Unlike Samford’s pocket-passing quarterback Andy Summerlin, Mocs’ quarterback Jacob Huesman is a two-way threat. He completed 17 of 30 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 90 yards last week. He was sacked three times.