"Dan Reeves gave stirring talks about what the potential is for football. ... If we can get behind this, it's going to happen, and I think it's going to happen."
Added McElroy: "The support to this point indicates we can do this and should do it for strategic reasons."
McElroy said the football program would not have to make money to be a success.
Publicity generated by football can help boost enrollment and possibly create more funds for other athletic programs, including men's basketball, according to McElroy.
But McElroy said she won't force the addition of football if there is not sufficient support.
"I'll be OK either way," she said. "This is not a mandate from me or Dr. Patton.
"Some have said we're taking baby steps. Well, this is a big task and we would be ill-advised to just jump into it.
"We've seen it does make sense to pursue it, but it does not make sense to pursue it if the support is not there."
McElroy says Georgia State would play its home games at the Georgia Dome but has not found a potential site for practice fields and a football building.
--Associated Press
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