Georgia State’s building football team continued with a disappointing 2014 season.
The Panthers won their season-opening game and then lost their next 11 in an odd season.
One week, the team set a few records for offense in a 69-31 loss to Georgia Southern. A week later, the team set a new school-low for offense with 64 yards in a 44-0 loss to Appalachian State.
The constant throughout was the poor play of the defense, which gave up averages of 43.3 points and 497.1 yards per game. The defense has been the focus of recruiting efforts.
The squad lost 14 seniors, five of whom were starters.
2014 record: 1-11, 0-8 Sun Belt Conference
Key players returning: Quarterback Nick Arbuckle; wide receivers Robert Davis and Donovan Harden; tight end Joel Ruiz; offensive linemen Michael Ivory, Alex Stoehr and Taylor Evans; defensive lineman Jalen Lawrence; linebackers Joseph Peterson and Mackendy Cheridor; defensive backs Bruce Dukes and Tarris Batiste; kicker Wil Lutz.
Key players who left: Offensive linemen A.J. Kaplan and Tim Wynn; wide receiver Lynquez Blair; linebackers Jarrell Robinson and Sean Jeppesen; punter Matt Hubbard.
Old reliables: Quarterback Nick Arbuckle didn't disappoint in his first season, averaging 273.6 passing yards per game on a 60.4-percent completion rate. However, he also threw 17 interceptions, a total he vowed to work hard to reduce. Because the offense returns most of its skill-position players and three starting offensive linemen, Arbuckle could be poised for a breakout season if he can stay healthy and reduce the mental mistakes that contributed to the turnovers.
Linebacker Joseph Peterson is undersized for an inside linebacker on the FBS level, but all Peterson continues to do is make plays. For the second consecutive year, he led the Panthers in tackles (97) despite missing two games. He may be pushed for playing time by Payne, Malik Ricks and junior-college signee Kelvin Rainey. But when a defense plays as statistically poorly as the Panthers last season, competition is necessary at every spot.
Who may emerge: Wide receiver Glenn Smith is a do-everything player who can create matchup problems for opposing defenses. As a freshman last season, Smith caught seven passes for 83 yards, rushed one time and returned 13 kicks for 241 yards. He also can play quarterback, should Georgia State go with an unconventional look on offense. An offseason in the conditioning program and another cycle of other offseason work should see Smith blossom.
The Panthers had only 12 sacks last season, an anemic number considering the front seven returned intact from the 2013 season. Part of the problem was that linebacker Michael Shaw, counted on to be a edge rusher, was forced to sit out the season because of an academic issue. Coaches have repeatedly said that the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Shaw has the best pass-rushing instincts of anyone on the team. Spring will be an opportunity to show the coaches that they were correct.
Spring practice: March 9-April 11.
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