Coach Eubanks gives his assessment of his position group.
The 2024 football prep camp is underway and GSEagles.com will meet with each of the 10 position coaches in early August to get their thoughts on their positions. Next up is the linebacker coach Darius Eubanks.
Q: Which guys really stood out on the field this spring and then turned things around in the offseason and really hit their stride?
EN: I would start with By Gilmore. He’s a guy that has transformed his body. We’ve challenged him to go in a certain direction. He didn’t play much last year when you add up his reps, but he’s coming into his own and I continue to challenge him as far as conditioning and consistency. He’s been great and has become a leader this summer by just doing everything we’ve asked of him. He’s a guy that I’m excited to see who does well this offseason. Next up Jacob Hammond. Jacob is a guy that has gained some weight. I think he’s about 200 pounds or a little over right now. He’s a high energy kid and I love having him in the room. He does whatever you ask him to do. He’s a yes sir, no sir guy and can run well in today’s game. Even your linebackers have to be able to run sideline to sideline and still close the A gap, B gap or whatever. I’m excited to really be able to continue working with him in fall camp.
MJ Stroud is the last one that comes to mind because it was a transition for him. We moved him from our drop boundary end position to linebacker. That transition isn’t easy, but he’s embraced the coaching. Coach Helton and our staff take pride in developing guys. I think that’s the type of program we run as a development program and trying to get the best out of our kids. So I’m really happy with where MJ is from January to now. And I think he’s got high potential and my job is to help him reach his potential.
Q: Marques Watson-Trent didn’t practice in the spring after offseason surgery. You know what you have in him. First of all, what does he bring to this team?
EN: When Mar returned in a limited capacity the last few weeks of spring, you could tell the difference in his voice. But he can also show guys how it’s done. He did that even when he wasn’t on the field in the spring. He’s been an extension of me as far as coaching guys on the sidelines. That’s what you need in a leader. I’m excited to have him back. His name is on the wall; he’s an All-American. But I’m going to continue to coach him and continue to be strict with his technique. I know he can still take it to another level. Ultimately, I want to help every guy in this room reach their full potential before they leave as a graduate of Georgia Southern.
Q: And on the other hand, is it a blessing that Mar didn’t practice in the spring because it allowed you to evaluate the other players?
EN: You hit the nail on the head. It was a huge blessing. And I say that because when you look at the room outside of Mar, you see there’s not a lot of experience. So I think we were able to really get the guys going and challenge them in the spring with a number of reps that they normally wouldn’t have been able to get. I would have loved to have him out there, don’t get me wrong, but you know what you get with him. But guys like Gilmore, Reid DedmanMJ, Von Hicks and Jacob have all been doing more reps and are better because of it. If Mar had been out there, he would have been doing a lot of reps too. So it was definitely a blessing for the spring, but we’re happy to have him back here now.
Q: You’ve moved from coaching the secondary to coaching the linebackers. Is that more comfortable for you and how has it been going for you?
EN: I told Coach Bailey beforehand that it would be a change for me because I’ve never coached the position before. People will say I’ve played it, but I’ve also played safety, and playing and coaching are two completely different things. It’s helped me a lot to utilize my resources, including the people I know who have coached the position and an internship with the Dolphins. And I love this change. I’ve enjoyed coaching safeties and nickles, and I’ve coached cornerbacks in my career, but I feel at home as a linebacker. I believe that to be a good coach, you have to be a good teacher and take the effort and time to try to simplify things for your guys so they can understand it easier and play faster. But I enjoy it.
Q: You mentioned a few guys earlier, but who are some other younger guys that some fans may not know that you’re excited to see?
EN: I’ve talked about MJ before, but he’s a guy who has three years left and some time left after a position change. I think his potential is immeasurable. And then Jamari Whitehead is a different guy. If you talk about the look test, he’s going to pass it. He’s 6’2″ and currently weighs about 220 pounds. He’s a redshirt freshman next year, so we’ve got four seasons to get everything out of him and help him reach his potential. Again, he’s a yes sir, no sir kid who loves the game. He played for a really good program in Jacksonville at Raines High School, so he’s got some grit and I think he’s a guy that’s going to show up on game day on Saturday. You’re going to see 34 out there.
Q: Three of the four defensive coaches either played or worked for Georgia Southern football as students. How unique is that and what kind of connection and pride do you feel as all the guys at Georgia Southern?
EN: That means a lot to us because we know the culture and the standard here. Some things don’t change as far as the Georgia Southern way, no matter who the coach is. But then Coach Helton came in and imposed his culture and his standard, and we know we’re back on the right track. We had great leadership, but we still talk about those days at Eagle Creek. We were there recently for the team run, and I forgot about all the mosquitoes out there for a second. But that’s what makes it fun. This place is working class and tough; that’s what we’re about. We may not always be the most talented team on Saturdays, but we’re the toughest physically and mentally on Saturdays.
Q: What do you think about the communication aspect of the college game, especially coach-player communication, that will most impact your linebackers?
EN: Linebackers are generally known in football as the leaders of the defense. You have to be the most vocal player and speak confidently and with conviction. Even if you say the wrong thing, at the end of the day, if all 11 guys do the wrong thing together, it’ll probably be OK. I think it’ll be good for the game. The NFL does it, so I don’t think it would be bad for us college teams if we could do it. It’s going to take some practice and they’re going to have to learn a new skill, but our guys are going to adapt and have success.
Q: And finally, what are the top priorities for the linebacker group this preseason?
EN: We have to learn to communicate intrusively. When you communicate a lot of pre-snap and post-snap calls and all 11 guys are on the same page, you play fast and together. Their techniques and fundamentals are aligned. We have to focus on tackling, breaking blocks, having clear eyes and clear feet. It’s really simple. People can complicate the game, but it’s not complicated. I think it’s as simple as communication, playing with good eyes and feet, being able to tackle well in space and force turnovers. For us as linebackers, I want to improve and continue to be elite. I texted the guys a couple weeks ago and asked each of them individually to text me two to three things they want to get better at. So I’m going to print it out for each guy and challenge them to do that as well. This group is hungry and ready for the upcoming season.
Next: The Offensive Line
