Rashad Byrd is a name that Georgia Southern football fans have learned to remember, especially this season. The redshirt-sophomore inside linebacker from North Augusta, South Carolina has made his mark in Paulson, and continues to play to his fullest.

“I know I got mentioned about my dance moves during the game,” said Byrd. “This past Thursday was great, but also a lot of pats on the back from people in my classes along with my teachers on congratulating us on beating App since 2014 which is a great accomplishment for us.”

A dynamic player and teammate, his personality reflects that of his teammates and their ability to love what they do, have fun while doing it, and accomplish the goals that they have set out in front of them, knowing what has to be achieved.

Byrd was looked at by other universities but on Feb. 3, 2016 he committed to be an Eagle and hasn’t looked back since. His record quickly escalated, and it didn’t take long for him to lock into becoming the player that we see now.

{{tncms-inline account=”Michelle Jones” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Y’all wait for it… <a href="https://twitter.com/rashadtbyrd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rashadtbyrd</a> <a href="https://t.co/RZoGkrkXGg">pic.twitter.com/RZoGkrkXGg</a></p>— Michelle Jones (@mblubaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/mblubaugh/status/1056000858620653568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2018</a></blockquote>” id=”https://twitter.com/mblubaugh/status/1056000858620653568″ type=”twitter”}}

“I feel like our defense, what we need to improve on is just to get more people to the ball and just rotate more,” Byrd said. “That will definitely help with some of the injuries that are going on right now as well.”

With 17 solo tackles and eight assists on the season, Byrd has learned his way around the field. With a hungry spirit, he is ready to fully return to play after being out for the last three weeks due to injury.

Byrd has the ability that defensive players should possess, he gets to the ball. If nothing else, that is his one objective and making sure that the offensively stronger teams the GS has come in contact with, do not enter the red zone.

“We have got to make sure that we got our mind right,” said head coach Chad Lunsford. “One game at a time, trying to figure out how to go 1-0 this week.”

This is the mentality that Lunsford has instilled in each of his players and for people like Byrd, it is taken very seriously. He makes sure that no other weeks matter, only the game ahead and the upcoming opponent.

“We really just focus on what we can control,” said Byrd. “Yes, it would be cool to be ranked, but just knowing that we don’t control what the votes do, we just go out there and play every game like we can.”

Bethany-Grace Bowers, The George-Anne Sports Candidate, gasports@georgiasouthern.edu