Six for Fritz
In honor of Georgia Southern’s six FCS national championships (and the number of points awarded for scoring a touchdown), the editors of Georgia Southern magazine caught up with Eagle’s new head football coach Willie Fritz to ask him six special questions.
- Through the search process, and now after being immersed in the football program for several months at Georgia Southern, what one word would you use to describe the University?
Awesome! - What motivates you?
Competition - What is your favorite sports movie?
“Remember the Titans” - What is your favorite song?
“The Chair” by George Strait - What would you consider to be your most prized possession?
My family - What person in history would you like to have met?
Erk Russell
Former Sam Houston State coach Willie Fritz will lead the Eagles into their new era as a Football Bowl Subdivision team. Fritz, who was 40-15 in four years with Sam Houston State, succeeds Jeff Monken, who was named Army’s coach on Dec. 24.
Fritz, 53, led Sam Houston State to the Football Championship Subdivision championship game in 2011 and 2012, losing both years to North Dakota State. Georgia Southern President Brooks Keel said Fritz is a “perfect fit for this program.”
Fritz has a 176-67-1 record in 21 years as a head coach. He was named Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association in 2011, when Sam Houston State finished 14-1.
He previously coached at Central Missouri, where he was 97-47 in 13 seasons, as well as Blinn College.
Georgia Southern finished 7-4 in 2013, including a stunning 26-20 upset of the Florida Gators in Gainesville to close the season. Fritz said he was attracted to Georgia Southern by “the opportunity to compete at the highest level and to be at the ground level” of the move to FBS. “We want to continue the success at FCS at the highest level of college football,” Fritz said. “I want to be involved in that type of situation.”
The following is a full list of Georgia Southern’s assistant coaches:
- Jack Curtis, Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
- Doug Ruse, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
- Alex Akins, Offensive Line Coach
- Matt Barrett, Wide Receivers Coach
- Chad Lunsford, Tight Ends
- Johnny Jernigan, Defensive Ends Coach
- Dell McGee, Running Backs Coach
- Michael Mutz, Linebackers Coach
- Kevin Peoples, Defensive Line Coach