Kelton Hill will make his first start at quarterback for Georgia State on Saturday against South Alabama.
Hill said the start is a long-time coming, and that more than anything he just wants to help the team get a victory. The Panthers have lost their past five games and need to defeat the Jaguars to give themselves a chance at a second winning season.
“This program really needs a ‘W,’” Hill said.
Bo Schlechter, who started Saturday’s loss at South Carolina State, will back up Hill. Drew Little, who took over the starting job, but didn’t play last week because of injuries, also will sit out Saturday’s game.
Hill, who played at Lithia Springs High School, has passed for 83 yards this season, completing four of his 14 attempts in limited duty. But he has rushed for 127 yards, including 94 last week.
Hill found out Sunday in a phone call with offensive coordinator John Bond that he would be the starter. Hill said he’s looking forward to getting more opportunities to pass the ball and that he’s confident Bond will call plays that will spark the team, and he will make the right reads to execute those plays.
Hill said he’s not nervous, but expects he will be as the game draws closer. However, he doesn’t think the feeling will last.
“After that first hit, it’ll probably just wear off,” he said.
Hill beat Schlechter for the starting job after a solid set of spring practices. However, Hill encountered some legal trouble during the summer that has since been cleared up. As a result, he was suspended for the season opener and didn’t make his first appearance until the fourth game of the season against Houston.
The Panthers could use a spark on offense. They’ve surpassed 350 yards on offense one time this season and haven’t scored more than 24 points against anyone other than Division II Clark Atlanta.
“Everybody wants to stop losing,” Hill said. “Hopefully we will do that on Saturday.”
Running the ball
The Panthers set school records for rushing yards (244) and carries (45) in Saturday’s loss. Curry credited many things, including the offensive line, which played with its five first-string starters for the first time since the second week of the season.
“It had a lot to do with it,” he said. The Panthers had averaged 108.2 yards per game before Saturday. After the school-record output, they are averaging 130.8.
Curry also credited Hill’s running ability and the downfield blocking of the wide receivers for loosening things for the running backs.
Lastly, he said Donald Russell, who was healthy for the first time since the season opener, and Travis Evans broke a lot of tackles.
“All of those things figured into it and we have to build on that,” he said.
Like Georgia State, South Alabama runs a 3-4 defense. It has allowed 137.3 rushing yards per game.
Defensive issues
Linebacker Mark Hogan said the defense must learn to finish games if it hopes to snap the losing streak. He said the players are comfortable with the scheme, which has been simplified, and are being put in good positions, but they aren’t making the plays.
He said South Carolina State’s final drive, in which it went 80 yards, all by rushing, for the game-securing touchdown in the fourth quarter, is an example.
“One thing that [defensive coordinator John] Thompson stressed: It doesn’t matter if you play lights out if you can’t finish,” Hogan said.
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