Redshirt freshman Ben McLane will start at quarterback for Georgia State Thursday in the Panthers' season opener against South Carolina State. During spring practice, McLane earned the faith of his coaches and teammates before eventually being named the team's starting quarterback, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"That's the job of a quarterback," McLane told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "You have to make other people believe in you and make them believe in themselves. And then the whole team can start believing and win some football games."
Since winning the job, McLane has taken on more of a leadership role.
"I've told him, ‘This is your football team and you have to be more aggressive in your leadership,'" offensive coordinator John Bond told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He's done that."
Led by McLane, Georgia State will make its FBS debut -- the Panthers joined the Sun Belt Conference during the offseason -- against South Carolina State in a nationally televised contest on CBS. The Panthers and the Bulldogs face off in the Georgia Dome at 7:30 p.m. ET.