STATESBORO, Ga. () — The Georgia Southern football team has completed about two weeks of fall camp as they continue preparations for their first game of the season against Fresno State.

The Eagles had a very spirited practice. Coach Clay Helton said he loves honoring the Georgia Southern tradition of holding a practice at Eagle Creek.

The head coach also said Eagles living legends Adrian Peterson and Tracy Hamm spoke to the team before the day started. Coach Clay Helton referred to Eagle Creek as holy ground.

On the offensive side of the ball, this is the first time Clay Helton returns a starting quarterback since he has been the head coach. The fourth-year head coach says he saw a lot from the red-shirt junior, JC French, at the most recent scrimmage.

“There’s just a calmness,” Helton said. “Once you get a chance, reps and experience matter. When you have those reps and experience and the whole world is spinning around you and chaos, you calm it down as a quarterback and that’s what I felt in the first scrimmage. Everything was so calm, so relaxed and really good decision making, really good timing about getting the ball out and accuracy. You look at each of the top three quarterbacks were 75 percent or higher completion ratio.”

Georgia Southern starts the season in California. They open the season against Fresno State at 9:30 p.m. EST.