Georgia Southern is a Group of Five program with a proud fan base and rich history dating back to their days as an FCS powerhouse.
Chad Lunsford was named the team's interim head coach back in 2017, when he led the team to a 2-4 finish following the dismissal of Tyson Summers midway through the season. Lunsford had never been an offensive or defensive coordinator, but what Lunsford had in his favor was nine years as an assistant under four different head coaches and that experience is ultimately what won decision makers over and prompted him to lose the interim tag.
In his first full-season leading the team, Lunsford led the Eagles to a 10-3 season and win in the Camellia Bowl, followed by back-to-back bowl trips after 7-6 and 8-5 seasons, respectively, in 2019 and 2020.
This season, the team has gotten off to a bit of a slow 1-2 start with some tough early season match ups. The Eagles won their first game of the year over FCS Gardner-Webb, but have dropped their last two contests to Florida Atlantic (38-6) and Arkansas (45-10).
At his presser yesterday, Josh Aubrey of the Statesboro Herald asked head coach Chad Lunsford about the fans reaction to the team's 1-2 start. Lunsford's answer, which was posted on Facebook by Aubrey, is a testament to the coach's character and faith.
"I am a man of faith. I feel that my steps are ordered, and I feel that God has a plan for me. God has a plan for my family." Lunsford starts by sharing after a brief pause to collect his thoughts.
"So why worry about things that you can't control? I control how we practice. I control the different things that we do at practice. We control the depth chart. We control who plays. I have to focus on the things that I do have control over."
"If the product on the field is not to the liking of our fan base, they have every right to get upset about it. We are a form of entertainment. We are a production. That's my job. It's our job to go out there and perform for our fan base, so for them to get upset...thank you! Because if you're part of a group that doesn't care, or doesn't want you to be great, that doesn't want you to win championships, then I don't want to be there. So the way I look at it is, they've got every right in the world to get upset."
"But I'm not going to let it bring me down. I'm going to do the best I can do. I'm going to believe in my guys. I'm going to believe in my coaches, and we're going to go to work, and we're going to go to work every day. We're going to do the best we can do, and if it's meant to be, then it's meant to be."
"That's how I look at it. I'm not defined by football. I love football. I love to win. I love to compete. I don't want to lose...heck I probably hate to lose more than I love to win. But it's not going to define my life."
"If people don't like that, it is what it is. I got one person to please, and that's God."
Lunsford, who is 28-20 overall leading the program, and his squad get Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State at home these next two weekends before trips to Troy and South Alabama the next few weeks.
Hear his full response to the question in the clip.