The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Southern extends Lunsford contract
Agreement reached with head coach through 2023.
Georgia Southern coach Chad Lunsford has reached an agreement on a contract extension through 2023.
The agreement is pending approval from the Board of Regents, according to the school.
Lunsford led Georgia Southern to the biggest turnaround in FBS, from two wins in 2017 to a 10-3 finish in 2018, including a Camellia Bowl win over Eastern Michigan.
Georgia Southern said Lunsford, 10 assistant coaches and some staff members will receive raises and restructured incentive packages. The school said terms will be released when the deal is official.
Georgia Southern received votes in the final Top 25, a first for the program.
■ Texas is set at quarterback with Sam Ehlinger, who had a breakout season in 2018. It is the depth chart behind him that has suddenly become a concern for coach Tom Herman as the wave of players exploring their options to move has reached the Longhorns.
Experienced backup Shane Buechele entered the NCAA transfer database Thursday and could be playing somewhere else next season. Freshman Cameron Rising has left the team and plans to transfer. Another touted freshman backup, Casey Thompson, took to Twitter on Thursday to knock down a report that he had told the team he’ll be back next season and said he hasn’t made up his mind.
■ Tennessee has reported a minor NCAA violation that involved athletic director Phillip Fulmer instructing offensive linemen during a football practice.
This was one of eight Level III athletics violations that Tennessee reported during the past six months of 2018. They were obtained through a public records request and first reported by the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Fulmer was prevented from attending football practice for five days as part of the Southeastern Conference’s penalty.
■ Missouri hired former Texas Tech defensive coordinator David Gibbs as an assistant coach. Gibbs spent the past four seasons in Lubbock, and the Red Raiders in 2017 led the Big 12 and ranked sixth nationally with 29 forced turnovers. From 2013-17, Gibbs’ defenses at Tech and Houston forced a combined 140 turnovers, which was tied for most in the nation during the span.
Gibbs, a former defensive back at Colorado, also was defensive coordinator at Minnesota and Auburn and an NFL assistant in Denver, Kansas City and Houston.
■ Maryland coach Michael Locksley hired former East Carolina coach Scottie Montgomery to be his offensive coordinator and put John Papuchis in charge of special teams. Montgomery was fired at East Carolina in November after a threeyear run. He also coached at Duke and with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Montgomery takes over the Maryland offense from Matt Canada, who also served as interim coach for the Terrapins in 2018 after D J Durkin was placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired.