How focused is Georgia Southern's coach during football season? Check out the 'submarine'

To shut out distractions, all the noise that can prevent a team from its primary focus of winning football games, Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton and his staff board a submarine — figuratively, anyway.

"We call it going down in the submarine," Helton explained of this figure of speech. "When you start a season, you go down in the submarine, and the submarine doesn't come back up until the end of the season."

Helton was asked if he has paid any attention to the chatter about his first season in Statesboro during a guest appearance Monday on the "Georgia Southern Extra" podcast produced by the Savannah Morning News/savannahnow.com.

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When Georgia Southern upset three-touchdown favorite and host Nebraska on Sept. 10, some in Eagle Nation were inspired to post on social media warnings to Power 5 programs to keep their hands off of their favorite new coach.

When the Eagles improved to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference last Saturday by winning at Old Dominion, Helton's popularity shot up even further.

Remember, the Eagles were coming off of a 3-9 campaign in 2021 and went through an almost complete makeover of the coaching staff.

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At least one fan wanted Georgia Southern to give Helton a contract extension. He's in the first year of a five-year agreement.

Not that he reads a lot of social media posts. The submarine commander is submerged in his work.

"You're so ingrained on going 1-0 each and every week. That's your primary focus," Helton said on the podcast. "In this league, to be honest with you, if your focus is on anything else — a week ahead or what can happen a month or two months ahead — you're gonna get your butt beat.

"My time in Statesboro has been magical," he continued. "I've absolutely adored the community, this alumni and these players and so focused on serving them each and every week, and that will be my continued focus."

Helton also discussed the importance of quarterback Kyle Vantrease, a sixth-year transfer who is posting program-setting passing numbers, to the fate of the Eagles this season; and efforts to shore up a defense that ranks near the bottom of the FBS in total, rushing and passing defense.

Helton, a career working coach from a football-coaching family, experienced an interruption in 2021 when Southern Cal fired him two games into the season. Georgia Southern hired him in November 2021 and he took charge following the season.

When the Eagles opened this campaign with a home win over Morgan State on Sept. 3, Helton held a game ball and addressed the team, his voice cracking with emotion. He reflected on that moment, nearly a year since he had last coached in a game.

"When you do something that's been your life — this is my 27th year of college coaching. And all of us have been fired before, and it's usually at the end of the season," Helton said. "This time it was at the beginning of the season after Game 2. It was the first time I was truly away from the game and away from the kids (college players).

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"And when your whole life is about being servant to young men, and being a part of their lives, and that's taken away, you realize how important it is to you. You would do this anywhere, any time, any place, just to have the opportunity to lead, to be an educator, and to be a part of their lives.

"As one great door closed for me at USC, another great door opened for me in Statesboro," Helton continued. "And it was the right time, the right place and such a special opportunity with kids I truly adore coaching. I wake up every day and smile just because I get to walk in this building with this staff and these players and have the opportunity to be a servant to them."

Nathan Dominitz is the Sports Content Editor of the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow.com. Email him at ndominitz@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @NathanDominitz

On the web

For the complete podcast with guest Clay Helton and to listen to previous episodes, go to https://omny.fm/shows/georgia-southern-extra/playlists/podcast

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Clay Helton exclusive Q&A: Georgia Southern coach on first eight games