State colleges football notebook

At first Georgia Southern’s Jeff Monken deflected the question the way football coaches tend to do.

No, he didn’t have a timetable for how long it would take to get the Eagles winning at their high standards when he took over before the 2010 season. This year the Eagles are focused on their next opponent, Elon, and aren’t looking at the conference race or the polls or their playoff possibilities.

“If we lose sight of this week, the other goals won’t ever materialize,” Monken said.

But after the questioner persisted, Monken acknowledged that he did have some benchmarks in mind last season, which ended with Georgia Southern’s first FCS (formerly Division I-AA) playoffs berth since 2002.

“My goal was to win first game and every game and the national championship that year,” Monken said. “I don’t have any patience for rebuilding or reloading or any of that stuff, and neither do our fans. They want to win and so do I, and this is a place you can win.

“My goal as long as I am here is to win the national championship.”

The Eagles already are ahead of their 2010 pace.

Last year they started a six-game winning streak after a 4-4 start and surged to the playoff semifinals. This season Georgia Southern is 3-0 and ranked No. 1 in both major polls.

Etc.

Albany State (3-1) plays Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-foe Kentucky State in Indianapolis on Friday. That’s more than 350 miles from Albany, but it counts as a home game for the Golden Rams. ... Appalachian State linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough (Cedar Grove) will miss the game Saturday against Wofford after he was ejected from the 14-12 victory over Chattanooga on Saturday. Kimbrough was flagged for a pair of unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties, the first after his 46-yard interception for a touchdown. ... Elon kicker Adam Shreiner (Walton) was named the Southern Conference special-teams player of the week after he kicked four field goals in an 18-15 victory against The Citadel. Shreiner made a 36-yard field-goal attempt in overtime. ... Georgia Southern quarterback Jaybo Shaw (Flowery Branch) is expected to play Saturday after he left the Western Carolina game with a right knee injury. Monken told the Statesboro Herald that Shaw suffered a bone bruise. Monken told the Herald that safety Derek Heydon, a four-year starter, will miss the rest of the season after suffering a neck injury in Saturday’s game.

Quotable

“I don’t think we are the fifth-best team in the country right now. We’ve got a long way to go. We are making too many mistakes. We are not dominating any opponents. Rankings don’t mean anything in September.” — Valdosta State coach David Dean after the Blazers’ 38-21 victory against Southern Arkansas. The Blazers (4-0) moved up to No. 4 in the coaches’ poll.

By the numbers

1-2-3 National rushing ranks of Southern Conference teams Georgia Southern (416 yards), Wofford (355.7) and The Citadel (298.3)

Saturday’s schedule

Georgia Southern at Elon, 1:30 p.m.

Albany State vs. Kentucky State (Indianapolis), 2 p.m.