One game left for Georgia State before big offseason

But first the coaches will get one more chance to learn a little more about a team that will lose only 14 seniors, each of whom will be honored before the game.

“It’s a good bunch of kids, really young, that want to win and have learned how to compete at this level,” coach Trent Miles said. “Now we have to learn to win at this level. That’s going to come.”

There is more than just learning how to win, and Miles, his coaches and his players know it. There must also be a continued infusion of talent, which depends upon recruiting, which can depend upon facilities.

The two most important things that can be accomplished between the end of Saturday’s game and the beginning of spring practice in April are the signing of the maximum of 25 quality players, with a focus on defense, and breaking ground on a new strength-and-conditioning facility, which is the lure that brings in those needed recruits.

The athletic department is working with the university to create a strength-and-conditioning facility. There is no set date for construction. A spokesman for the university said because the final cost hasn’t been determined, they can’t say how much it will cost or how much money they have at hand.

“Our administration is on it,” Miles said. “(Athletic director) Charlie Cobb is all over it. Feel very confident that they will be doing something.”

At one point earlier this year, the university had raised around $800,000 and the facility had an overall construction budget of $2 million, but would done in phases. However, the Turner Field proposal, which may involve moving all of football operations to the site where the Braves currently play, may have caused that plan to change.

“We have to have a weight room to give ourselves a fighting chance,” Miles said.

Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said recruiting typically comes down to two elements: playing time and facilities.

By virtue of its 1-10 record this season and 0-12 record last season, playing time is up for grabs at most positions. So, that box is checked.

But comparing Georgia State’s facilities with those of Georgia Southern or Appalachian State, Sun Belt members that the Panthers compete against for recruits, is a box that can’t be checked.

The Eagles recently opened a $10 million facility that includes meeting rooms, a strength-and-conditioning area, a training facility and coaches offices.

Appalachian State finished in 2009 a 120,000-square foot facility that has some of the same functions as Georgia Southern’s. It was part of a $50 million facility upgrade that started in 2006.

“Teams we compete against in recruiting, right now a kid would say they have better facilities than us,” Minter said. “We need to get to where that’s not such a disadvantage, that it’s at least comparable so now we can recruit a kid based on you can come and play, come to Atlanta. This place has a lot of great things to sell.”