Georgia Southern kickers register perfect week, 26 Sun Belt alumni appear in NFL week 3

Published 1:15 pm Tuesday, September 28, 2021

The Georgia Southern alumni tandem of Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass and Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo were a combined 4-for-4 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points this week. Bass connected from 21, 48 and 29 yards out, while Koo converted a game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired.

Eleven Sun Belt alumni combined for 27 tackles, four passes defended, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble on defense and special teams. Arkansas State product Demario Davis—a linebacker for the New Orleans Saints—contributed eight tackles, two passes defended and two tackles for loss, while App State alumnus Akeem Davis-Gaither—a linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals—tallied a season-high seven tackles. Coastal Carolina alum and San Francisco 49ers defensive back Josh Norman registered the forced fumble.

Tarron Jackson (Coastal Carolina, Philadelphia Eagles), Kindle Vildor (Georgia Southern, Chicago Bears), Penny Hart (Georgia State, Seattle Seahawks), Chandon Sullivan (Georgia State, Green Bay Packers), Nick Ralston (Louisiana, Dallas Cowboys), Christian Ringo (Louisiana, New Orleans Saints), Tracy Walker III (Louisiana, Detroit Lions) and Steve McLendon (Troy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) added to the Sun Belt defensive stat line.

Hart also had a seven-yard reception, his first catch of the season for the Seattle Seahawks and the longest reception of his NFL career. Ralston’s special teams tackle came in his NFL debut for the Dallas Cowboys after being elevated from the practice squad.

Offensively, Washington Football Team running back J.D. McKissic out of Arkansas State rushed for 23 yards on three attempts and added 15 yards on two catches. Seattle Seahawks tight end Gerald Everett out of South Alabama had a season-high five receptions for 54 yards.

App State alumnus and Denver Broncos punter Sam Martin accumulated 122 yards on three punts.

Shemar Jean-Charles (App State, Green Bay Packers), Kendall Lamm (App State, Tennessee Titans), Raymond Johnson III (Georgia Southern, New York Giants), Jerick McKinnon (Georgia Southern, Kansas City Chiefs), Kevin Dotson (Louisiana, Pittsburgh Steelers), Justin Hamilton (Louisiana, Dallas Cowboys), Robert Hunt (Louisiana, Miami Dolphins), Aaron Brewer (Texas State, Tennessee Titans), David Mayo (Texas State, Washington Football Team) and Mario Addison (Troy, Buffalo Bills) also saw the field in Week 3.

Jean-Charles earned his first NFL snaps on special teams for the Green Bay Packers, while Hamilton saw his first action of the 2021 campaign after being elevated from the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.

Through three games, Louisiana alumni offensive linemen Dotson of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Hunt of the Miami Dolphins have played every offensive snap for their respective teams.

Forty-nine Sun Belt alumni—representing all 10 football programs—earned NFL roster spots entering the 2021 season, with 32 on active rosters, 12 on 16-man practice squads and three on injured reserve lists during Week 3.

Sun Belt football alumni dot 24-of-32 NFL rosters.

App State
* Ronald Blair – DL, New York Jets
Akeem Davis-Gaither – LB, Cincinnati Bengals (1 G, 7 Tackles)
^ Darrynton Evans – RB, Tennessee Titans
Colby Gossett – OL, Atlanta Falcons (N/A)
Shemar Jean-Charles – DB, Green Bay Packers (1 G)
Kendall Lamm – OL, Tennessee Titans (1 G)
Sam Martin – P, Denver Broncos (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Punts, 122 Yards)
* Ryan Neuzil – OL, Atlanta Falcons
* Josh Thomas – S, Buffalo Bills

Arkansas State
Demario Davis – LB, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 8 Tackles, 2 TFL, 2 Passes Defended)
* Aaron Donkor – LB, Seattle Seahawks
J.D. McKissic – RB, Washington Football Team (1 G, 1 GS, 3 Rushes, 23 Yards, 2 Receptions, 15 Yards)
* Forrest Merrill – DL, Los Angeles Chargers
* Kirk Merritt – WR, Miami Dolphins

Coastal Carolina 
* Anthony Chesley – DB, Indianapolis Colts
Tarron Jackson – DL, Philadelphia Eagles (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Josh Norman – DB, San Francisco 49ers (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Tackle, 1 Forced Fumble)

Georgia Southern
Tyler Bass – K, Buffalo Bills (1 G, 1 GS, 3-for-3 FG, 4-for-4 XP)
Matt Breida – RB, Buffalo Bills (N/A)
Raymond Johnson III – DL, New York Giants (1 G)
Younghoe Koo – K, Atlanta Falcons (1 G, 1 GS, 1-for-1 FG, 2-for-2 XP)
Jerick McKinnon – RB, Kansas City Chiefs (1 G)
Kindle Vildor – DB, Chicago Bears (1 G, 1 GS, 4 Tackles)

Georgia State 
Penny Hart – WR, Seattle Seahawks (1 G, 1 Reception, 7 Yards, 1 Tackle)
^ Wil Lutz – K, New Orleans Saints
Chandon Sullivan – DB, Green Bay Packers (1 G, 1 Pass Defended)
Albert Wilson – WR, Miami Dolphins (N/A)

Louisiana 
* Ja’Marcus Bradley – WR, Cleveland Browns
Kevin Dotson – OL, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 G, 1 GS)
Justin Hamilton – DL, Dallas Cowboys (1 G)
Robert Hunt – OL, Miami Dolphins (1 G, 1 GS)
* Michael Jacquet – DB, Philadelphia Eagles
^ Elijah McGuire – RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Elijah Mitchell – RB, San Francisco 49ers (N/A)
Trey Ragas – RB, Las Vegas Raiders (N/A)
Nick Ralston – FB, Dallas Cowboys (1 G, 1 Tackle)
Christian Ringo – DL, New Orleans Saints (1 G, 1 GS, 1 Tackle)
Tracy Walker III – S, Detroit Lions (1 G, 1 GS, 2 Tackles, 1 Pass Defended)

ULM
* Josh Johnson – RB, Seattle Seahawks

South Alabama
* Kawaan Baker – WR, New Orleans Saints
Gerald Everett – TE, Seattle Seahawks (1 G, 1 GS, 5 Receptions, 54 Yards)
* Jeremy Reaves – DB, Washington Football Team

Texas State
Aaron Brewer – OL, Tennessee Titans (1 G)
David Mayo – LB, Washington Football Team (1 G)
Ty Nsekhe – OL, Dallas Cowboys (N/A)

Troy
Mario Addison – DL, Buffalo Bills (1 G)
Steve McLendon – DL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1 G, 1 Tackle)

* Practice Squad
^ Injured Reserve