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Group of 5 program abruptly fires coach after 1-3 start
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Georgia Southern has reportedly parted ways with head coach Chad Lunsford.
That’s according to Yahoo!’s Pete Thamel, who reports the move was made in an effort for the program to establish a “clearer identity.”
Lunsford took over for Tyson Summers mid-way through the 2017 season. Summers went 0-6 to start that campaign.
Lunsford then led the Eagles to three consecutive bowl games, including a 10-win campaign in 2018. He went 28-21 overall during his tenure.
Georgia Southern has won 6 FCS national titles, but none since 2000. The Eagles moved to the FBS level for the 2014 season and have won 7+ games in five of their first eight years.
The program faces stiff competition in the Sun Belt, as schools like Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, and App State have all made big improvements in recent years.
The Eagles had suffered blowout losses to Florida Atlantic and Arkansas before losing 28-20 against Louisiana on Saturday. That defeat appeared to be the final straw.
Lunsford is the third FBS head coach to be dismissed already this season. UConn’s Randy Edsall and USC’s Clay Helton have also departed their respective programs.
Georgia Southern hosts Arkansas State next weekend.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.