Written by Gabe Burns, Sports Editor David Dean, the winningest coach in Valdosta State history, will not be winning any games for the Blazers in the foreseeable future. Dean’s departure to Georgia Southern came as a surprise to not just VSU, but to the entire community. As a result, Blazer fans wait with anticipation as the school continues its search ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Sports Editor  Last Tuesday, the landscape of Valdosta State’s sports scene changed.  Head football coach David Dean accepted a job offer at Georgia Southern University. Dean accepted a position as co-offensive coordinator for Tyson Summers’ new Golden Eagles staff. “I’ve been coaching for 28 years, and 20 of those were spent at Valdosta State,” Dean said. ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor A season that will forever be entrenched in the school record books came to a close on Saturday, as the Valdosta State Blazers (9-3) were eliminated by the West Georgia Wolves, 27-20, in the second round of the playoffs. VSU was unable to overcome UWG’s 292 rushing yards and six sacks while falling victim ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor Two weeks ago, Blazers football head coach David Dean achieved a feat no other coach in Valdosta State history has reached: 77 wins. Becoming the winningest coach in school history is the latest accomplishment for the coach that has been present for all three of VSU’s national championships. “It’s an honor, but to ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor It is common mantra in sports to say that good teams find a way to win close games. Saturday, in Cleveland, Mississippi, the Valdosta State Blazers did just that. The Blazers pulled out all the stops in a 40-34 triple overtime victory over Delta State. This season has not been short on record-setting ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor When the Valdosta State Blazers defeated West Alabama last Saturday, it meant more than just another conference win. The victory was the 76th of head coach David Dean’s career, tying him with Chris Hatcher for the most in program history. Hatcher, now the coach at Samford, developed VSU into a division two powerhouse. ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Writer Before his reelection on Tuesday, Mayor John Gayle addressed local issues during a press conference last week for Valdosta State University journalism students at City Hall, including a potential public transportation system and efforts to contain drug distribution. Gayle, who has now approached his second term in office, set aside time to address ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor The Valdosta State Blazers (5-2, 2-2) are presented an opportunity to move above .500 in conference play on Saturday when the team hosts the West Alabama Tigers (6-2, 2-2). The game is as pivotal as they come for both schools. The winner keeps pace with West Georgia, North Alabama and Florida Tech in ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor For the Valdosta State Blazers, Saturday’s Gulf South Conference matchup with Mississippi College is close to a must-win. The teams are each 0-2 in conference play, and both the Choctaws and Blazers share a loss to North Alabama. VSU is coming off a 49-28 road loss to West Georgia, whereas Mississippi College was ...

Written by Gabe Burns, Asst. Sports Editor A game that had the look of a back-and-forth affair turned into a blowout, as the West Georgia Wolves defeated the Valdosta State Blazers 49-28 in Carrollton on Saturday. VSU moved to 3-2 on the season after their second straight loss, and is now 0-2 in conference play. UWG  is 6-0 and 2-0 ...