After five years with the team… Georgia Southern head football coach Chad Lunsford has been fired. This comes after a slow one and three start to the 2021 season.

Athletic director Jared Benko held a press conference Monday to provide some clarity

”Our current performance does not match our vision of comprehensive excellence,” Benko added

“What I can share with you is everything up to the time the decision was factored in.”

And by everything, Benko was talking about a now-viral video showing nose tackle Gavin Adcock atop the iconic yellow school bus chugging a beer thrown to him from a fan. 

“That process is working its way through the student code of conduct right now. Now I will say Gavin Adcock is suspended indefinitely,” explained Benko

College football analyst Reggie Walker Jr, believes that the 11-second video will leave a lasting impact on the next hire.

“I think the video means that the new coach is going to be somebody that you’re going to hear a lot of the words like discipline, focus, standard,” said Walker. 

Adcock did take to Twitter Monday afternoon to apologize to eagle nation. Saying in part, quote “What I did was very selfish” adding that he would work to reassure his commitment to the team

While a grey cloud still looms over the program, Walker told us the job is still a good one.

“You’ve got a solid foundation in terms of financial gain as a coach.You’ve got  good proximity to players as a coach that helps you as well. Then you’ve got a fanbase that’s focused and wants to win and will support that. So if you add all those things up I do think that this is a quality job,” said Walker. 

Cornerbacks coach Kevin Whitley has been named interim head coach. He’s been on the staff since 2019. But he’s no stranger to the ‘Boro. Whitley played for the eagles winning two national championships in 1989 and 1990. 

For Whitley, sending the seniors out right—just like he was—is a goal of his.

“I want these seniors to leave with a good experience like I left. When I left, Georgia Southern didn’t owe me anything. They gave me everything and I gave them everything” 

While there remains a lot of uncertainty about the future of the program. Coach Whitley is just focused on this Saturday

“Cause like I said right now it’s us. It’s us against us. We just happen to play Arkansas State on Saturday,” said Whitley. 

Georgia Southern is now in the process of searching for a long term solution to fill the head coaching position.