STATESBORO - Georgia Southern University Director of Athletics Tom Kleinlein announced Sunday that head football coach Tyson Summers has been relieved of his duties, effective immediately.

 “I thank Tyson and his family for their contributions to Georgia Southern,” Kleinlein said. “Being the leader of a college football program is more than just coaching games; it’s managing academics and leading 120 young men. Tyson did a great job in areas that the public doesn’t see, but at the end of the day, the results on the field weren’t where we needed them to be as we continue our growth as an FBS program. I wish he and his family all the best moving forward in their future endeavors.”

A national search for the next head coach will begin immediately.

 In the interim, Kleinlein has appointed current Eagle assistant head coach Chad Lunsford to lead the program. The 2017 campaign marks the ninth season overall, and fifth in his current stint at Georgia Southern for assistant Lunsford, who has worn many hats in his time in Statesboro. 

After working with the wide receivers in 2013, Lunsford worked two seasons with the tight ends and served as recruiting coordinator in 2014 and 2015. As he has since 2014, Lunsford continues to coach the Eagle H-Backs/tight ends and serves in the role of special teams coordinator, a title he added in 2016. He was also named the program’s assistant head coach in 2017.

“Chad is as ‘True Blue’ as they come and I’m excited to have him lead our team for the remainder of the 2017 season,” Kleinlein said. “The players respect him and I have full confidence in his abilities as we head into the final six games of the season.”

Summers, who was in the second year of a four-year contract, was 5-13 at the helm of the Eagles, including an 0-6 start this season. Georgia Southern will play at Troy this upcoming Saturday.

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