Tag Archives: 2011

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Maine FCS Playoffs 12/3/2011

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Here we go with the 2nd Round:

 #13 Maine (8-3) @ #9 Appalachian State (8-3)

Time: 2:00pm

TV: ESPN Gameplan

Live Video: ESPN3.com       

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 23,150 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 61.62

Maine: 60.85

Home: 2.37 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 3 points (rounded).

Series: Maine leads 1-0

Last Meeting: Maine 14, Appalachian 13, November 30, 2002, Boone, NC

WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

8 AM: Clear Mid 30’s (ish)

Noon: Mostly Sunny Mid 40’s

Kickoff: Mostly Sunny Upper 40’s to Lower 50’s

End of Game: Mid 40’s 

            Nine years ago today, I witnessed my last Appalachian football game as a college student. At that point in time, I thought it was a significant occurrence. I had no idea where my life would take me, and when I was going to see my next Appalachian football game. I sat in the stands, listening to North Carolina’s Band of Distinction play their final notes of the season and reflected to the sounds of the Tennessee Waltz. It was tough walking out of Kidd Brewer Stadium that day with memories of Florida A&M and Stephen F. Austin dancing in my head. It was Appalachian’s fifth playoff loss at home in 16 years that included 12 appearances and 10 home games. In the nine years since, including seven straight playoffs appearances and 14 home games, Appalachian has only lost twice at home, each time in the quarterfinals, to CAA teams. One of those losses was avenged in the following postseason on the opponent’s home turf (Richmond 2008-09). We will have to wait for Villanova to make the playoffs again. The 2002 Maine team that won at Kidd Brewer was the third team ever, and the last, to win a first round playoff game in Boone. The first team to do it was Nicholls State in 1986 and the second was the aforementioned Florida A&M in 1999. Those games stand as the only meetings between the schools. So whether Maine fans like it or not, there are a lot of people that have tagged this game as a revenge game. Until recently with Richmond and South Carolina State, it was rare that such rematches occurred in the playoffs.  This one has been nine years in the making.

             The Maine Black Bears were projected to finish ninth out of eleven teams in the CAA this year. Four other CAA teams remain in the playoffs. James Madison was projected to finish second. New Hampshire was projected fourth. The other two teams, Old Dominion and Towson were projected to finish behind Maine at tenth and eleventh respectively. To say the CAA was flipped upside down is an understatement. Towson was the conference champion. Can you imagine the same thing happening in the Southern Conference? Exactly. You can not, because it would never happen. Projected CAA champion William & Mary finished 5-6. Every CAA team that was playoff eligible, meaning having seven Division I wins, made the playoffs. Wrap that around your brain for a few moments.

            This Maine team reminds me of James Madison teams of years past. They don’t do anything particularly great, but they do it just good enough to be successful. They like to throw the ball quite a bit and that has lead to some nice numbers, but nothing compared to Appalachian’s last opponent Elon. If there is a comparison in the SoCon, I would like to think of a team like Samford. The Bulldogs kind of came out of nowhere, with a senior quarterback who suddenly became a high frequency passer and a ground game that kept the defense honest. Samford was much more balanced by year end, where Maine clearly prefers to pass the ball more often.

            For Maine, it all starts with their quarterback Warren Smith. In his previous two seasons with the Black Bears, Smith threw more interceptions than touchdowns in both years. Smith has had a much better senior campaign, with 17 touchdown passes to only ten interceptions. However, Smith has somewhat reverted back to his old form in his last three games. Six of his ten interceptions were thrown during those three games, two of them being losses. Also, Smith only managed three touchdown passes in those three games as well, his fewest TD passes in any three game stretch of the season. Despite the declining numbers, Maine still scored 89 points in those final three games, good enough for 29.6 points per game, which is actually higher than their season average of 29.5 points per game.

            Pushaun Brown is the main running threat for Maine. The senior is only 56 yards away from his first 1,000 yard rushing season. Brown is very similar in statistics to Samford’s Fabian Truss, and Furman’s Jerodis Williams. Brown and Williams both finished in the top thirty-five in the nation in rushing, but Pushaun Brown did it in only ten games. The difference between Pushaun Brown and most running backs in the Southern Conference is their size. The top running backs in the SoCon include Williams, Truss, Georgia Southern’s Robert Brown, The Citadel’s Darien Robinson, and Wofford’s Eric Breitenstein. Williams and Truss are both only about 180-185 pounds. The triple option backs are very noticeable in Robert Brown, Robinson, and Breitenstein, and are all at least 5’10” and over 200 pounds. Pushaun Brown is 5’10 and 210 pounds. It is tough to compare what is basically a triple option sized back in a spread offense. Imagine a running back that is roughly twenty pounds heavier than Kevin Richardson, and that is what you get in Pushaun Brown. It will definitely be a tough matchup for Appalachian. Pushaun Brown has been dealing with a nagging thigh injury in the second half of the season and it has certainly shown in box scores. Before his injury, Brown gained 67% (639) of his rushing yards in 60% of the games he played. After his injury, Brown managed 32% (305) of his yards in 40% of the games played. Let’s dig deeper. In those first 6 games of the season, Brown was facing stiffer rushing defenses than the final four games he played. The average rank of the rushing defenses he played in the first six games was 49th. The last four team’s average defensive rushing rank was 82nd. It is a given that teams will focus more on a player as the season goes on if he is being successful, but the injury to Brown has obviously hampered his play. If the week off has helped his thigh heal, than we could expect numbers similar to what he put up after not playing against Towson: 26 carries, 144 yards, one touchdown.

            Hopefully, for Appalachian, the week off will be as successful as their week off before The Citadel game earlier this season. The Appalachian offense came out on fire, racking up 49 points and well over 500 yards of offense before eventually holding off the pesky Bulldogs. Appalachian has played well in the second half of the season besides the Furman game, where nothing went right. It has been a totally different team since starting the season 3-2. Jamal Jackson has averaged 267 yards a game passing in his six starts. He is 5-0 as a starter when he has thrown at least one touchdown pass and one interception or fewer. He has completed 64% of his passes in the last six games as well. Jackson also leads the team in rushing touchdowns with seven, which is not uncommon in Appalachian’s spread attack. This is Jackson’s first playoff start and first game with any real playoff action. If he can overcome the moment, play consistently in the running and passing game and take care of the football, the Mountaineers should be in good shape.

            The Mountaineer receivers will have to help Jackson. It has been evident all season that the running has not been as potent as in years past. Travaris Cadet averages just shy of sixty yards a game, but does have 30 receptions on the season. Twenty-two of those receptions have been in the last six games, when Jamal Jackson was starting. Along with Cadet, Appalachian needs steady games from Andrew Peacock and Tony Washington as well. These guys are responsible for moving the chains, especially Peacock. Twenty-nine of Peacock’s 42 receptions are in the last six games. Twenty-four of Washington’s 31 receptions have come in the same six game stretch. Brian Quick is the only Mountaineer receiver that is the exception to the “last six games” rule. Quick is a matchup problem for any secondary in the FCS. Maine is no exception. Every player in the Black Bear defensive backfield is listed 6’0” or shorter. Getting the ball to Quick is necessary. Appalachian is 18-2 when Quick scores a touchdown. The two losses were to Virginia Tech and Villanova

             Obviously there is a lot at stake in the playoffs. For the seniors on both rosters, it could be their final game as a collegiate athlete. Appalachian is accustomed to the postseason, this being their seventh consecutive year in the playoffs. For Maine, their last playoff appearance was in 2008. The experience factor is heavily in Appalachian’s corner. Appalachian has also won 61 of its last 65 home games, but two of those losses have come in the playoffs to CAA opponents, and three came to non-conference foes. Both teams seem fairly even when it comes to offenses and defenses, so the intangibles will certainly come into play. Maine kicker Brian Harvey has converted seven of his twelve field goal attempts, but four of his five misses have occurred in Maine’s last three games. Appalachian placekicker Drew Stewart has eight of his ten attempts, and has been the placekicker in the second half of the season. Sam Martin has connected on three of nine attempts and is probably considered the long distance kicker. Martin has hit two 51 yard attempts earlier in the season, and would have hit another one from 50 yards if it were not for a penalty last week against Elon. In all seriousness, I think game comes down to one possession, which may or may not be a field goal. Colder weather is generally not good for the kicking game. If Appalachian plays to its potential, it can beat this Maine team. I am expecting a great college football game, and hopefully another Brian Quick touchdown.

The First Pick:

Bananas?                     28                   

Mountaineers              35

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian @ Elon 11/19/2011

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Here we go with Week 11:

 #9 Appalachian State (7-3, 5-2 T2) @ Elon (5-5, 3-4 T6)

Time: 3:00pm

TV: SoCon Sports Network

Live Video: ESPN3.com       

Rhodes Stadium         

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 11,250 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 61.85

ELON: 50.76

Home: 2.41 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 8 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 29-9-1

Last Meeting: Appalachian 34, Elon 31, October 9, 2010, Boone, NC

WXAPP’s Elon(e) Gameday Weather Trends:

A few clouds. Dry.

10 AM: Mid 40’s

1 PM: Mid 50’s

Kickoff: 55

End of Game: Lower 50’s 

            We all knew the chances were very slim that Appalachian would win its seventh consecutive conference title. It was a feat that will remain unprecedented for a few more years to come. If there is any consolation in not bringing home the trophy for the first time since 2005, was that the team that did win, their only conference loss came to Appalachian. Georgia Southern held the record, Appalachian tied it, and Georgia Southern was there in the end to ensure one of their many records was not broken at the hands of their biggest rival. All is not lost for the 2011 season. The Old Mountain Jug was returned to its cozy shelf on the fourth floor of the Appalachian Athletics Complex and there is a playoff home game possibly on the line. What we do know, is that a win over Elon puts Appalachian in the playoffs. There has never been a Jerry Moore coached team that finished the regular season at 8-3 that did not make the playoffs, and most of those years it was when there were only 16 teams invited. We also know that one home game in the playoffs is just that – its one game. What happens throughout the rest of the country on that day will determine if there are more games to be played at Kidd Brewer Stadium. In 2007, Appalachian was guaranteed one playoff game, yet hosted three before eventually lifting the national championship trophy for the third straight time. Anything can happen in college football and that is why we must all stick behind our beloved Mountaineers in Burlington this Saturday and not allow the Phoenix to spoil our season any further.

             Most knew that Elon was going to be in a transition year after losing record setting quarterback Scott Riddle. What they didn’t know was that head coach Pete Lembo was going to run out of the south as fast as he could and grab the first Division I-A job that came available. Lembo is now with Ball State. Insert first time head coach Jason Swepson, the former running backs coach at NC State and Boston College graduate. He has the Phoenix’ record all even at 5-5 and would love nothing more than to finish his first season as a head coach with a winning record, and victory over Appalachian. Swepson has been quite vocal about what his goals were coming into the Southern Conference. To paraphrase, Swepson said that he wants his team to brush their teeth better, dress better, study in classroom better and practice harder than Appalachian State.

            I don’t know what kind of toothpaste Elon junior quarterback Thomas Wilson uses, but whatever the brand, it has allowed him to step in to the starting role quite nicely at Elon. Wilson has amassed 2,713 passing yards on the season. Last week against Furman he threw a career high four touchdown passes in Phoenix’ 41-34 win. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game this season, but has thrown an interception in nine games this season while averaging an interception every nineteen passing attempts. Only Brad Attaway of Stephen F Austin has thrown more interceptions on the season (21) than Wilson (19). To compare, Jamal Jackson has thrown an interception every 35 attempts.

            Without a doubt, Wilson’s favorite receiver is Aaron Mellette. Upon the graduation of Terrell Hudgins, another holder of several Elon records, Mellette has posted back to back 1,000 yard seasons and has also eclipsed double digit touchdowns for the second straight year. Mellette leads the country in receiving yards per game at 140 and is second in catches per game at 9.9 per contest and also has scored eleven touchdowns, good enough for second in the country. He is responsible for 51% of Elon’s receiving yards and 39% of their receptions. 

            It was a great day for records this past Saturday at The Rock. DeAndre Presley ceremoniously threw a screen pass to Brian Quick that he turned into a 33 yard catch and run and surpassed a record that stood for thirty one years. Quick now has 53 catches for 905 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Quick has never had a season with 1,000 yards receiving or double digit touchdowns, but is well within reach of that this Saturday. In three career games against Elon, Quick has 20 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

            The other record that was broken was one that a lot of fans felt pretty indifferent about. Freshman kicker Drew Stewart drilled six field goals and added three extra points for a 21 point performance. As much as Appalachian likes to see field goals going through the uprights, the fans have not come to expect points in the kicking game in that fashion. Maybe six extra points and a couple field goals would be more like it. Regardless, field goal kicking problems may have cost Appalachian at least once conference game this year, whether it be Wofford or Furman. One conference game is going to be the difference between home field advantage throughout the playoffs and one home playoff game. That is, of course, if Appalachian can beat Elon.

             When it comes to the Elon road game, it always makes Mountaineer fans a little wary. For reasons that I cannot determine, besides being the closest Southern Conference school to their campus that has a football team, Elon fans really want to beat Appalachian. It is the one game all season where they pack their stadium. Elon has averaged 9,021 fans this season per game at home. In the four games Appalachian has played at Rhodes Stadium, an average 11,029 fans were in attendance. The last time I checked, about 1,000 grass seats had been sold in a stadium that seats 11,250. Add in stadium personnel and participants in the game, we shall see close to 13,000 this weekend. I understand that we played Elon regularly from 1937-1971 before the Southern Conference so graciously invited them into the conference for the 2003-2004 athletic calendar. I just don’t understand the fascination. Anyway, back to the game. What will Appalachian have to do to guarantee its seventh straight playoff berth? First off, it is all about scoring touchdowns. When Appalachian beat Elon in 2009, they raced out to a 21-0 lead fueled by interceptions by Scott Riddle. We touched on interceptions earlier, but Elon has also lost more fumbles this season than all but 15 schools in the country. Statistically, they are the worst in the nation in turnover margin. Not only are they giving it up, but they are not forcing the turnovers either. When Appalachian ends those Elon possessions, they must make them pay. Field goals are great and all, as long as they all go in, but nothing hurts an opposing defense more than a touchdown. That’s why they are worth twice as much on the scoreboard. Appalachian cannot sleep on the running game either. Even though the Phoenix only average 108 yards a game on the ground, they burned Furman for 163 rushing yards last week. Appalachian only mustered 87 rushing yards on Furman a few weeks ago. Appalachian is only 1-3 on the road this season, a true testament to the youth on this team. Elon is 2-2 at home, but have only scored 50 points at home against SoCon competition in three games. I think this Appalachian team will find a way to win. Elon just turns the ball over way too much for my liking. Mountaineer corners Rodger Walker and Demetrius McCray are tied for the SoCon leading in interceptions on the year, and at least one of them will add to their total.

 

The First Pick:

Elonkers                      14                   

Mountaineers              30

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Western Carolina 11/12/2011

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Here we go with Week 10:

Western Carolina (1-8, 0-7 9th) @ #10 Appalachian State (6-3, 4-2 4th)

Time: 3:30pm

TV: None

Live Video: GoASU TV       

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 23,150 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 61.74

WCU: 38.93

Home: 2.55 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 25 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 56-18-1

Last Meeting: Appalachian 37, Furman 214, October 23, 2010, Cullowhee, NC

WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

9 AM: Mostly Clear Upper 30’s

Kickoff: Mostly Sunny Mid 50’s

End of Game: Mid to upper 40’s  

            For the second time this season in South Carolina, Appalachian could not capitalize in the red zone and found itself driving back to Boone with dreams of a seventh conference title almost certainly dashed. In both situations, their opponents, Wofford and Furman were not flashy in victory, but scored just enough points to keep a turnover prone Appalachian State team from winning the game. It was almost the exact same circumstance. Four trips inside the twenty yard line against Wofford scored two touchdowns. Three missed field goals did not help either. Against Furman, it was six possessions inside the Furman twenty-five yard line that scored ten points and gave up the ball four times. I am convinced that this Appalachian can beat anyone in the country on any Saturday afternoon. I am also certain that if this team continues to turn the ball over and misses short field goals, that any decent team can return the favor. Talent can only take a team so far. In the end you have to play well. Hopefully, with the Old Mountain Jug on the line, the team that wears black puts a few points on the board.

             Just when you think the going could not get any tougher for Western Carolina, it seems they always surprise you with another awful football team. Western has one win this season, which was in September over Mars Hill. The Lions are 7-2 on the season and were just this past week ranked as the #22 team in Division II football. The last time Western defeated any college football team that ended the season with a winning record was Shorter, in August of 2008. A win over Eastern Kentucky in September of 2006 was the last time Western defeated a Division I team that finished with a winning record.

            The Catamount offense is sometimes the best part of their team, and can also be the worst part, which sounds similar to Appalachian. The Western offense is modestly ranked seventh in the SoCon, at 364 yards a game, and has the second best passing offense in the conference. The problem for the Catamounts is they have turned the ball over 23 times this season. This has held the Catamounts to only scoring 28 touchdowns in nine games. Seven of those touchdowns came against Mars Hill. The Catamounts have used two quarterbacks this season to score those touchdowns. Senior Zac Brindise has played exclusively the last three games without relief. Brindise has thrown for 622 of his 780 yards on the season in those three games, with all six of his touchdown passes also coming in the last three weeks. Sophomore Brandon Pechloff received the majority of the playing time in the first six games for Western. Pechloff is a lanky 6’7” weighing in at 220 lbs. Pechloff has 1280 yards on the season, but throws his interceptions in bunches. All nine of his interceptions were thrown in a four game stretch against Georgia Southern, Furman, Elon and Chattanooga. Brindise offers more mobility for the Cats and runs their pistol offense much better than the slow-footed, statuesque Pechloff.

            Beyond the turning the ball over, the other Achilles heel for Western is their defense. They have given up at least five touchdowns in every game this season besides Mars Hill. In only two games have they held their opponents under 400 yards of total offense. They have allowed 250 yards rushing or more in eight of their nine games while giving up 634 yards to Georgia Southern, 500 to Wofford, and 435 yards on the ground to the Citadel. Statistically, they are the nation’s worst rushing defense, and only Valparaiso gives up more points (45.6) or yards (506.7) per game. The Catamounts are also last in the conference in tackles for loss, sacks, interceptions, third down conversions allowed, time of possession and penalties.

            We have already discussed what put Appalachian in the loss column for the third time this season, so I will not force us all to relive it again. I’ll try and focus on the positives. Quarterback Jamal Jackson set a career high in completions (29), attempts (44) and yards (312) against Furman, but did not record a touchdown pass. That gives Jackson 1184 yards passing on the season with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Jackson also has 241 yards rushing this season on 57 attempts, and five rushing touchdowns. Receiver Brian Quick needs just nine yards to break Rick Beasley’s school record for receiving yards in a career. Hopefully, Quick will break that record on the first offensive play for the Mountaineers. Quick already holds the school record for touchdown receptions and is dangerously closed to breaking Appalachian’s yards per catch record as well. Quick has averaged 17.5 yards per catch through his career, while Beasley averaged 17.6 yards per catch.

            The Appalachian defense did about all it could do on Saturday minus a couple of big mistakes. They held Furman to 365 total yards, which was below their average. They held the SoCon’s second leading rusher to 48 yards and 3.7 yards per carry. The defense forced two turnovers and only allowed four third down conversions, which were all later in the game. Appalachian should have been credited for a third turnover, but a very controversial call at their own one yard line kept the ball in Furman’s possession, which led to a Paladin touchdown. Sederrik Cunningham’s long touchdown reception proved to be too much for the Mountaineer offense to overcome. Douglas Middleton bit hard on a play action fake from Chris Forcier and didn’t have enough speed to catch one of the SoCon’s leading kickoff returners. Furman was also able to hit their tight ends repeatedly for big plays.

            It should not take too much of an effort from Appalachian to dispose of Western Carolina. If we were playing this game in Cullowhee I would really be concerned. Most likely it would be senior day for Western, with their biggest rival coming to town, who is reeling from an unexpected loss. Appalachian is 1-3 on the road this year, and did everything they could to give away that one road victory. However, Appalachian is playing in Boone, where Western Carolina has not won since 1984. Western has not even won in the establishment currently named Kidd Brewer Stadium. Western Carolina’s football program is in bad shape currently. The interim athletic director recently fired the defensive coordinator, for good reasons, and current head Dennis Wagner’s job will only be saved for another year if Western Carolina can not come up with the funds to buyout his contract. Football has not been pretty left of Asheville for some time now. Western’s last win in this series was in 2004, when Appalachian football was arguably at its lowest point in the Jerry Moore era. As good as Appalachian has played at home for the past several seasons, Western has been equally bad on the road. In four road defeats this season, the Catamounts have been defeated by an average of 36.5 points. On top of that, they have also given up 57 points a game on the road. I can not describe it many more ways. Western is not very good, but they will be playing for the Jug, and nothing would be sweeter for Western Carolina in any season to capture it in Boone.

 

The First Pick:

Mount a Cat                17                   

Mountaineers                   42

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian @ Furman 11/5/2011

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Here we go with Week 9:

#3 Appalachian State (6-2, 4-1 T2) @ Furman (5-3, 4-2 4th)

Time: 1:30pm

TV: None

Live Video: www.furmanpaladins.com        

Paladin Stadium         

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 16,000 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 66.65

FU: 61.55

Home: 2.64 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 2 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Furman leads 21-17-3

Last Meeting: Appalachian 37, Furman 26, October 30, 2010, Boone, NC

WXAPP’s Greenville Gameday Weather Trends:

Sunny

9 AM: Mid 40’s

Kickoff: Low 60’s

End of Game: Mid 60’s

APPTASTIC Football Weather!  

            In the biggest game of the season, the Appalachian State Mountaineers put up on their best show of the season. Is this thread on repeat? We could have said that for each game the last three weeks. Fortunately, it is a true statement. Appalachian is currently on a three game winning streak where it has played better and better with each passing week. The opponents have also been a little better with each game, from Citadel to Samford to then top ranked Georgia Southern. This week, the script changes with a road trip to Paladin Stadium against a team that is less talented than last week’s opponent. I say less talented based solely on the result between those two schools, a 50-20 Georgia Southern win. Furman used to own Appalachian in the early years, but since, Appalachian has won six straight in the series. Take it further, and Appalachian has defeated a Furman football team in nine straight seasons. In 2005, Furman won the regular season game while Appalachian won the national semifinal at home. However, the last four wins for Furman in this series were all played in Greenville in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2005. For only the second time in this series, Appalachian and Furman will play in November and recently, the later this game is played in the season, the better the results are for Appalachian. Furman has not beaten Appalachian in the third week of October or later since 1992.

             For two seasons, Appalachian was able to avoid dynamic Paladin quarterback Chris Forcier. In 2009, the Mountaineers received a taste of Forcier in the fourth quarter of a blowout game. Forcier was unable to complete a pass, but did run seven times for forty-one yards, including a twenty-five yard touchdown run. In 2010, Forcier was injured early in the season and was unable to suit up against Appalachian. This year, Forcer is healthy, leads the country in passer efficiency and manages the game very well for the Paladins. Forcier is at his best when the running game is working for Furman, and they are not forced into playing a game of catch up. That is a real nice way to say, Furman is better when Forcier does not have to win the game for the Paladins. The fewer passes Forcier throws has shown to help Furman. Forcier has thrown 23 or more passes twice this season, both were losses. When throwing 21 passes or fewer, the Paladins are 5-1. Forcier has thrown 17 touchdown passes and four interceptions. In Furman’s three losses, Forcier has thrown all of his interceptions and four touchdowns. Two of those losses were to Samford and Georgia Southern, who are tied the SoCon lead with 12 interceptions. The conferences third leading team in interceptions: Appalachian with 11.

            On the defensive side of the ball, Furman has perhaps two of the SoCon’s best players in Kadarron Anderson and Ryan Steed. Anderson leads the conference in tackles per game with 11.75 per contest. Anderson has registered thirteen or more tackles in five of his last six games. Anderson has landed on the All-SoCon first team in each of the last two seasons. Anderson’s only interception of his career was DeAndre Presley’s first interception thrown of the season in 2010. Ryan Steed is your typical shutdown corner who is considered a top NFL prospect in 2012. Steed has twelve career interceptions, three of them returned for touchdowns. Steed’s two interceptions this season have come in the last two games against Chattanooga and Wofford.

            Although it was not a perfect offensive performance, Appalachian put enough points to defeat Georgia Southern. Appalachian was granted good field position for most of the first half which lead to a 17-3 halftime lead. Jamal Jackson had good moments, and others that would make one scratch their head. For the most part, all three of Jackson’s touchdown passes were to wide open receivers. Andrew Peacock scored on a twenty-five yard catch in the first quarter and Brian Quick scored twice. However, Jackson had several passes batted down, which is a great concern for a quarterback that stands 6’3” tall. Some credit must be given to Southern’s defensive line, which could be considered the best line in the conference. Jackson also threw an ill-advised pass out of his end zone in the fourth quarter that was intercepted. Luckily the Mountaineer defense was able to produce a goal line stand to keep the Eagles off the board.

            The Mountaineer defense did exactly what it was supposed to do against Georgia Southern. They attacked the point of the option and stayed home on the ends. Every time the Eagles went misdirection there were three black shirts waiting on Shaw and company. The Appalachian line all but took away the fullback dive. Southern did have some success with the pitches and options, but it was very limited. The Eagles had two drives that travelled further than fifty yards. One was their opening drive in the third quarter, and the other produced a turnover on downs at the Mountaineer two yard line on their next possession. The Mountaineers only allowed eleven first downs, four completed passes and 135 yards rushing. Appalachian accumulated seven tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions.

            Furman’s season can be looked at in halves. In their first four games, they played a much easier schedule than their last four games. Their first four includes their FCS non conference games in Presbyterian and Coastal Carolina, and SoCon games against The Citadel and Western Carolina. Their last four opponents were Samford, Georgia Southern, Wofford, and Chattanooga. The loss to Coastal Carolina was unexpected, even though it was a road game. The Samford loss might have put any other team over the edge. The playoffs looked bleak with games against Southern, Wofford and Appalachian on the horizon. As we mentioned earlier, the Paladins were trashed by Southern, but answered back nicely with a somewhat improbable win over Wofford and a gutsy win over Chattanooga. Now Furman is faced with having to win two of its final three to even have a chance at the playoffs. Even more interesting, is that Furman’s playoff hopes hinge solely on this game against the Mountaineers. After Appalachian, the Paladins will face Elon at home and Florida on the road. A 7-4 Furman team could sneak in as the SoCon’s fourth team, but it must share the conference title to do so. The Paladins have an outside chance of conference championship, but those hopes will be dashed with a loss this weekend. So there is a reason beyond just beating Appalachian for Furman to win this weekend. I think all of this could work in favor of the Mountaineers. All it takes is for Jerry Moore to tell the players, “They have a chance. Furman is playing for their season.” When all is said and done, I do not think the Paladins will have enough offense this weekend. The Appalachian defense is playing at the top of its game right now and I just can not imagine the Paladins scoring more than a couple touchdowns. The Mountaineers must treat the second leading rusher in the conference in Jerodis Williams the same way they did Robert Brown of GSU and Fabian Truss of Samford. Both backs were held well below their averages against Appalachian The Mountaineer offense is a mismatch for the Furman defense. Not only did the three option teams run on Furman, but so did Coastal Carolina and Samford. Appalachian will run the ball on Furman and will also mix in the short passing game with screens, which are basically running plays, substituting offensive lineman for blocking wide receivers. Furman is near the bottom of the conference in punting and punt returns, but keep an eye on Sederrik Cunningham, who averages 27 yards per kickoff return and has returned three for touchdowns this season.

 

The First Pick:

Bobby’s Lambs           20                   

Mountaineers              35

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Georgia Southern 10/29/2011

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Here we go with Week 8:

#1 Georgia Southern (7-0, 5-0 1st) @ #5 Appalachian State (5-2, 3-1 T2)        

Time: 3pm

TV: SoCon Sports Network

Live Video: GoASU TV & ESPN3  

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 23,150 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 67.23

GSU: 72.65

Home: 3.14 points

Georgia Southern is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 2 ½ points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 13-12-1

Last Meeting: Georgia Southern 21, Appalachian 14 OT, November 6, 2010, Statesboro, GA

WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

Early AM – Snow Flurry or two, Lower 30’s

Noon: Partly Sunny, Lower 40’s

Kickoff: Partly Cloudy, Mid 40’s

End of Game: Party Cloudy, Lower 40s

Breezy for the day, a bit of bite from the winds and cold  

            Imagine every cliché that comes to mind and it certainly applies to the Georgia Southern and Appalachian football series. In the nineteen games played in the SoCon era for both schools, only three have been decided by more than three scores. Ten wins for Georgia Southern and nine for Appalachian. The only games decided by more than three scores, Georgia Southern’s win in 2004, and Appalachian’s wins in 2005 and 2009. Black Saturday has not been bigger than this since the reincarnation of the “Black Saturday” game in 2002. Appalachian is 8-1 in those games, with the lone loss, to unranked Georgia Southern in 2007. Six times, Appalachian’s Black Saturday opponent has been ranked, with the Mountaineers winning them all. For the first time since the original Black Saturday game in 2002, both teams are ranked in the top five in the country, and for the first time ever, the opponent is the top ranked team in the country. On top of it all, the winner is in the drivers seat for the conference championship and the coveted automatic berth to the playoffs that comes with it. Rarely does a regular season game mean so much on the national scene. It just does not get much bigger than this Black Saturday.  

            What a difference a year has made for Georgia Southern. Before last years game in Statesboro, the Eagles were coming off of a loss to Samford, sitting at 4-4, and their playoff lives hung in the balance against #1 Appalachian. They could not afford a loss if they wanted to play football in December. They were squarely on the playoff bubble, even on Selection Sunday, when they were chosen to host a first round game. They have been on a tear ever since. Last year they averaged 260 yards rushing a game and were ranked as the 63rd best offense after the season was over. Fast forward to 2011, and the Southern triple option appears to be back to its old form of the 1990’s. Now averaging 369 yards a game on the ground, and throwing the ball with better consistency, the Eagles are now the 2nd ranked offense in the country, along with being the top scoring offense in the country at 44.6 points per game.

            It takes more than just one guy to rack up all those yards and points. Southern might be back, but they are not Adrian Peterson back as of yet. However the guy that plays the same position that Peterson did, Robert Brown, is making a good impersonation of the former All-American. Brown plays the B-back position, which in the triple option offense lines up about three to four yards behind the quarterback and begins the play similar to an old school fullback, with his hand usually on the ground at the snap. Brown is the Eagles leading rusher at 98 yards a game and has scored five touchdowns. Brown has hit the century mark three times season, but only has 17 carries for 84 yards in his last two games. Brown carried 20 times for 61 yards and a touchdown last year against Appalachian. Southern’s second leading rusher is actually backup quarterback Jerick McKinnon who has appeared in all but one game for the Eagles, toting the ball 48 times for 382 yards and seven touchdowns. JJ Wilcox is leading A-back for the Eagles, with 37 carries for 355 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Wilcox also has four receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown.

            For a second week in a row, the Mountaineer offense put on another show offensively. The Mountaineers racked up another 500 yard performance that was well balanced with 290 yards in the passing game and 229 yards on the ground. Travaris Cadet was a workhorse against Samford with 139 yards and two touchdowns and was also dynamic in the return game averaging 26.3 yards per kick return and 14.5 yards per punt return. Jamal Jackson was also impressive for the second consecutive weekend. Jackson completed nineteen of his thirty passes for 290 yards and two touchdowns and a very fluky interception. Jackson also ran well with seven carries for forty yards and another touchdown. Jackson hit six different receivers with four players catching at least three passes. Tony Washington caught six passes for seventy-eight yards, including an acrobatic forty-one yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Brian Quick added four catches for a hundred yards and sixty-nine yard catch-and-run touchdown at the end of the first half. Despite the turnovers the two teams traded in the first quarter, it was the most complete game the Mountaineers have played all season.

            Appalachian’s defense will have to perform as well against the triple option as it did last year against Southern. The Eagles entered last years game averaging right at 250 yards a game and the Mountaineers held them in check, to the tune of 195 yards rushing. A lot of those rushing yards came from Jaybo Shaw, who probably reads the defense as good as any Eagle quarterback ever has. Shaw ran 23 times for 86 yards last year, but the more interesting part of his game was how much he threw the ball. The statistics might not be flashy, (9/21, 106 yards 1 INT) but it kept the Appalachian defense guessing just enough. In his career, Shaw has thrown for more yards in games than he did against Appalachian last year, but he still has yet to attempt or complete as many passes as he did in the 2010 game. Last year, Shaw averaged 9.3 pass attempts per game, and this year he is also averaging right at nine attempts per contest. It will be interesting to see how Appalachian reacts to the Southern gameplan, especially what kind of defensive fronts the Mountaineers will show the Eagles.

            Georgia Southern’s defense has been impressive on paper, and in my feelings, it is just that. It’s all on paper. Yes, the Eagle defense is only giving up 101 yards rushing a game which is best in the conference, and 13th best in the country, but they have not really played many teams that I would say, prefers to run the ball. Of their seven opponents, five ranked 57th or worse in rushing yards per game. The other opponents are Furman who ranks 29th in rushing and Samford who ranks 42nd on the ground. A perfect example: Samford’s Fabian Truss. The Georgia Southern and Samford game was not decided until the second half. Truss ran 21 times for 74 yards, averaging 3.5 a carry. At that time, we thought Samford was a running team, but it is obvious they are getting the ball moved in their air this season. Truss against Appalachian: 16 carries 65 yards, averaging 4.1 a carry. Both fairly even examples. Now here is the good part. Georgia Southern could not contain Chattanooga in the second half at home when BJ Coleman went down with an injury. Moc QB Terrell Robinson sliced and diced the Eagle defense for 114 yards and three touchdowns, most of that coming in the second half. When mixing in the zone read play, that Appalachian employs, running backs Marquis Green and JJ Jackson were gashing the Southern defensive front. Both Green and Jackson averaged over 5 yards and carry for the game. This is where Appalachian will hurt Georgia Southern. Against The Citadel and Samford, Appalachian has dominated time of possession and has shown the ability this season to really milk the clock in the fourth quarter and preserve victories. If the Mountaineers can continue to be effective on offense, by possessing the ball like they have the last two weeks, it will tire out this Georgia Southern defense. Another stat I like for the Mountaineers this weekend is that this is only the third time the Eagles have hit the road this season. They have been racking up points at home, 48 a game to be exact. On the road, they average 12 fewer points. In their previous two road games, at Samford, and at Elon, there were 15,909 fans at both games combined. The Rock will probably double that this weekend. Last thing: the high/low temperature when Southern played at Elon four weeks ago: 62/46. The Eagles will be lucky to see 46 degrees on Saturday.

 

The First Pick:

The Stink                     34                   

Mountaineers              37

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Samford 10/22/2011

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Here we go with Week 7:

Samford (4-2, 2-2 T4) @ #6 Appalachian State (4-2, 2-1 3rd)        

Time: 3:30

Live Video: GoASU TV       

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 23,150 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 63.71

SU: 61.10

Home: 3.08 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 5 ½  points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 4-1

Last Meeting: Appalachian 35, Samford 17, September 25, 2010, Birmingham, AL            


WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

8 AM – Mostly Sunny, mid 30’s

Kickoff: Mostly Sunny, mid 50’s

End of Game: Mostly clear to clear, mid to lower 50’s

APPSTANDING Homecoming weather!!!  

            After defeating The Citadel last Saturday, it seems the Appalachian football team answered the questions of the critics, but at the same time, added more questions to the mix. It is obvious: Jamal Jackson was ready to run the offense. Against Wofford, the Mountaineers had eight possessions for the entire game. Against The Citadel, the Apps scored on seven of their first eight possessions. The one possession that did not result in the score was at the end of the first half. On the other hand, The Citadel exposed Appalachian like they always have. The numbers may not be there to support it, but one would think that the Bulldogs have run more fake punts and trick plays on Appalachian than any other team in the conference combined in the last ten years. They used those plays to stay in the game and keep it interesting into the fourth quarter. Sam Martin might be the best punter/kicker at our level, but has had two punts blocked for defensive touchdowns this season. Jamal Jackson went down with cramps in the third quarter and that injury basically forced another turnover for The Citadel that turned into points. Jackson’s skill set may have been ready for the starting job, but the conditioning was not there. It nearly cost Appalachian the game. To keep hope alive for a seventh straight conference title, the Mountaineers must correct these costly mistakes.

            The Samford Bulldogs should be a team that Appalachian faithful should be familiar with by now, but most likely, are not. This will be only the second trip to Boone for Samford and the first game was an absolute washout. Samford has played Appalachian as close anyone in the last three years within the Southern Conference. Only Elon has allowed fewer points to Appalachian in the last three seasons (2008-2010). Samford has also allowed the third lowest point total against Appalachian (20 in 2009), falling short just to Western Carolina’s 19 points in 2009 and Georgia Southern’s 14 in 2010 in the same time frame.                    

            In year past, I have really dogged on Samford quarterback Dustin Taliaferro, pun intended.  In his first three years as the signal caller for the Bulldogs, his passing yards per year actually regressed, from 1,745 yards his freshman year, to 1,692 yards his sophomore season, and finally to his junior season where he threw for 1,427 yards. Taliaferro did miss the better part of two games last season, but we are still talking about a guy who had thrown 27 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions coming into this season, and had only thrown for 200 yards only four times in his career. All of those stats are long gone. Taliaferro has already thrown for 1,273 yards this year, to go along with 10 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. Based on his past, he is throwing it all over the field.

            One reason for Taliaferro’s success is his supporting cast. He has multiple weapons besides the dependable Riley Hawkins. The Bulldogs have seen the emergence of young players such as Fabian Truss, who averages 98 yards rushing a game. Truss as lit up Furman and Elon the last two weeks to the tune of 327 yards on 52 carries. Kelsey Pope averages 6.5 catches and 75 yards receiving per game. Pope also garners anywhere from three to five rushing attempts per game, and is a threat to score whenever the ball is in his hands.

            We touched on the great performance put on Jamal Jackson last week, but in case you have not seen it through some medium this week, I will repeat. Jackson in first career start on the road in a conference game completed his first 15 passes in a row. He finished the day completing 21 of 27 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He also ran eight times for another 40 yards. It was a no brainer to start him this week against Samford. This Mountaineer team appeared to lack a spark this season, and Jackson worked wonders. His accuracy allowed the Mountaineer running game to also take off. Travaris Cadet ran 18 times for 133 yards and Stephen Miller also added another 102 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries.

            Now that two of three triple option teams from the Southern Conference are behind us, the Mountaineer defense can get back to aggressive football by attacking the passer. Samford has a very balanced offense, but Taliaferro is nowhere near the talent of BJ Coleman of Chattanooga. The two offenses of Samford and Chattanooga are very alike and I expect to see very similar results. Samford prefers a bit more of run oriented game than the Mocs and will force the issue, especially in a close game. The Mountaineer defense will be successful if they can contain the Bulldog rushing attack and force third down and long situations. We all remember the beating that the BJ Coleman received from Appalachian four weeks ago.

            Although the first half against the Citadel was great, Appalachian came down to earth a bit in the second half. I left the game not sure whether the win on the scoreboard should really count. Sure, the Mountaineers won, but it felt like we escaped danger more than won the game. This Appalachian team is still young and there is quite a bit of learning to come. I am not going to get too excited about a 49 point effort against The Citadel. This Samford team is coming into this game having beaten Furman and Elon and is riding a wave of confidence right now.  Their losses do not even look that bad, to Georgia Southern and Wofford. They have won games running and passing. They are a very complete team. They have scored more points per game and also allowed fewer than Appalachian has this season. They have made more and attempted more field goals than any team in the conference and also lead the conference in kick returns and punt returns. This Samford team is not a pushover. This is not your typical Homecoming opponent. It is going to take a complete sixty minute effort from Appalachian to win this game. The Mountaineers are going to need to take care of the football most importantly. Samford leads the conference in interceptions with ten. Appalachian lost both fumbles they put on the ground last week. The Mountaineers must be prepared. We must remember the fake punts and halfback passes from last weekend. In 2008, Samford pulled out all the stops in trying to beat Appalachian at home with attempting an onsides kick, a fake field goal, and direct snaps to the halfback. I truly believe Appalachian has the better team, but Samford is playing really well right now. Home field should be enough to win this one.

The First Pick:

Sammie                       27

Mountaineers              38

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian @ The Citadel 10/15/2011

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Here we go with Week 6:

#7 Appalachian State (3-2, 1-1 5th) @ The Citadel (2-3, 1-3 7th)        

Time: 2:00

Live Video: www.citadelsports.com 

Johnson Hagood Stadium         

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 21,000 


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 64.00


CIT: 51.64

Home: 3.08 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 10.5 points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 28-11

Last Meeting: Appalachian 39, The Citadel 10, October 16, 2010, Boone, NC        


WXAPP’s Charleston Gameday Weather Trends:

Sunny, Upper 70’s  

            The open week probably came at the best time for the Appalachian football team, coaches and fans. It has given fans time to sound off and get past a somewhat disappointing loss to Wofford two weeks ago. It has given the coaches time to reflect on what has and has not been working, and more importantly, given the players an extra week to rest, relax and focus on the remainder of the season. All is not lost on this season even at the midway point. Six conference games remain and last week we saw the results that prove just that. Chattanooga, a team that has lost all of its conference games by four combined points, gave everyone in the conference the blueprint on how to beat Georgia Southern. Samford travelled to Paladin Stadium, which was once a tough place to play, and picked up a statement win over Furman. The conference race will be the tightest one we have seen in awhile, and one measly conference loss is not going to knock anyone out of a race that will most likely be decided on the last week of the season.

            The Citadel has always given Appalachian teams trouble in Charleston, especially in the last ten years. Despite owning a 4-1 record against the Cadets in that time frame, only the 2006 win can be categorized as being an easy win for the Mountaineers. Two years ago, Jason Vitaris saved Appalachian by kicking three field goals in the second half and overtime to seal the win. Four years ago, The Citadel scored ten third quarter points to pull within a touchdown before Armanti Edwards finished off the Bulldogs with his 291 rushing yards. In 2004, Appalachian had just switched offenses and lost all of their road games. In 2002, place kicker Erik Rockhold led Appalachian with his right foot to an 8-6 victory.

            The 2011 Citadel Bulldogs are nothing to laugh at either. In the second year of going back to the triple option offense, they have held Pioneer League front runner Jacksonville to their lowest scoring output of the season. Two weeks ago, they stormed back from being down 27 points at Chattanooga and won 28-27. They also lost to Furman where they were only down one touchdown in the fourth quarter and also lost a tough one in overtime at Elon. The Bulldogs tout the fourth best rushing offense in the nation, behind only Georgia Southern, Wofford and Portland State. The difference between those four schools is putting the ball in the end zone. The Bulldogs have only scored eleven touchdowns on offense and average only 18.8 points per game and have yet to score in the first quarter all season long.

            Preparing for Wofford and The Citadel are two different animals. Wofford runs a wingbone offense, which has some spread tendencies with shotgun formations, while The Citadel is strictly a triple option attack that resembles Georgia Southern. If you are on the roster, chances are you are going to get a couple carries. The triple option depends heavily on quarterback Ben Dupree of The Citadel. Dupree has carried the ball twice as much as any other teammate, with 431 yards and four touchdowns on the season, despite only gaining 4.1 yards per carry. Darien Robinson is the “B” back, which generally lines up directly behind the quarterback when under center, for the Bulldogs and has rushed 320 yards at 7.4 yards per carry and three touchdowns.

            For Appalachian, another good omen for the timing of the bye week, was to forget about distractions that caused several defensive players to miss some time. Ed Gainey and Lanston Tanyi emerged in the second half against Wofford after being sidelined by off the field accusations. Jeremy Kimbrough served his time for an ejection way back in the win over Chattanooga. Having those three veteran players back, especially linebackers Tanyi and Kimbrough will certainly be a boon to the Mountaineer defense.

            The Mountaineer offense has been a different story, if you can call it that. For the first time in the spread era, Appalachian is averaging less than 400 yards offense a game. Against quality opponents, the Apps have only scored 13.6 points per game. Across the board, the Mountaineer offense has just looked average. The inexperience of the left side of the offensive line has yet to open enough holes in the running game or provide enough protection in the passing game. Outside of Brian Quick (26 catches, 384 yards 4 TD’s), and maybe Andrew Peacock (13-163-1), the receiving corps has yet to live up to lofty expectations. On top of that, mix in the inconsistency of DeAndre Presley, and that is a recipe for blandness. Presley has been unable to run the ball like last year and his passes have been erratic all season long. Now, there is doubt about who starts at quarterback this weekend as well. In garbage time, redshirt sophomore Jamal Jackson has not been impressive, but neither has he been unimpressive. We all know he can run well, and has the frame to stand in the pocket, but what we do not know is if he can handle the pressure. For his career he is 12 of 28 passing for 270 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has 180 yards rushing on 39 carries and five touchdowns on the ground. Yet it still remains, that Jackson has yet to take a meaningful snap in his career. The uncertainty of Presley’s injury and Jackson’s inexperience is very troubling. If Presley has not practiced, he should not play. However, it is a scary thought to add yet another young player on an offense that has been downright tough to watch.

            With The Citadel’s history of playing Appalachian tough in Charleston, and the Mountaineers recent offensive struggles, this is almost a very tough game to pick. The Citadel has only been running the triple option for two years now, and it shows. The Bulldogs are last in the conference in third downs, fourth downs, first downs gained, red zone scoring and red zone touchdowns. Appalachian’s defense will play better, based on having an extra week to prepare and getting back the services of Tanyi, Gainey and Kimbrough. Appalachian has not been scoring a lot, we all know that. The Citadel has been scoring a lot less. It is tough to look at common opponents sometimes and judge scores and statistics based on matchups, but is what we have to compare with. Chattanooga had the Citadel beat, but let them back in the game. Wofford never let Citadel in the game. Appalachian was able to defeat Chattanooga, despite an interesting method to reach the result. Appalachian was in the game with Wofford until the fourth quarter, but could not overcome being dominated at line of scrimmage and in time of possession. Appalachian had its chances against Wofford with several possessions inside the Wofford 20 yard line. Sam Martin uncharacteristically missed all three of his field goal attempts. When you only have eight possessions like Appalachian had against Wofford, you must take advantage of your opportunities. Appalachian cannot allow another team with a running mission to simply eat up clock and shorten the game. This Appalachian team, whether it is Presley or Jackson starting at quarterback on Saturday will need possessions in order to find a rhythm and hopefully put points on the board. I think this game simply comes down to the Citadel’s offense against Appalachian’s defense. Until further convinced, every game from here on out will be a tight one.

The First Pick:

El Citadel                    15

Mountaineers              23

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian @ Wofford 10/1/2011

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Here we go with Week 5:

#3 Appalachian State (3-1, 1-0 T2) @ #8 Wofford (2-1, 1-0 T2)        

Time: 3:00

TV: SoCon Sports Network on PBS

Gibbs Stadium         

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 13,000


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 66.40


WC: 62.39

Home: 3.08 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 1 point (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 17-10

Last Meeting: Appalachian 43, Wofford 13, November 13, 2010, Boone, NC         


WXAPP’s Spartanburg Gameday Weather Trends:

Sunny, Mid to upper 60’s  

Funny thing happened last Saturday. The Mountaineer offense forgot to score any points. The last time Appalachian was shut out offensively, the entire country turned their heads and noticed a Mountaineer team that was ready for the big stage. That game was played in Baton Rouge, LA against the Louisiana State Tigers. The Mountaineers lost that game 24-0, but it was a statement loss, if there is such a thing. One can argue that the win over Chattanooga was a statement win; for the Appalachian defense. For the first time, Appalachian unleashed its blitz package from the new base 3-4 defense. And once they were done blitzing, they blitzed some more. Moc quarterback BJ Coleman was hurried seven times, sacked four times, intercepted twice, one returned for the game clinching touchdown, and had ten of his passes defended. The Mountaineer defense did all the work. That recipe will not work this weekend. The Appalachian offense must show up and Wofford’s defense should be the cure to what ails the black and gold attack.

            The Wofford Terriers are coming off a very impressive home victory over Samford. No, it was not a surprise that Wofford beat the Bulldogs, but it was the matter in which they won that was eye-opening. The Terriers controlled the clock for just under 38 minutes and amassed three 100-yard performances from their ground game. Quarterback Mitch Allen ran 16 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Boone native and fullback Eric Breitenstein ran 29 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns. Backup fullback Donovan Johnson ran ten times for 173 yards and a touchdown. That is 410 yards between three players. Those three are in the top seven in the conference in rushing. On the season, Breitenstein has averaged just over 4 yards a carry, and usually runs in between the tackles. Johnson is a little bit smaller, but quicker, and averaging 9.7 yards a carry. As a team, Wofford is second in the nation in rushing, averaging 355 yards a game on the ground.

            It seems pretty simple. Contain the running game of Wofford and you can be successful. It is not that simple. For the first time in recent memory, Wofford has an all conference receiver in Brenton Bersin. The Terriers have made an effort to throw the ball a little more this year, and with that brings more uncertainty. No matter how hard any team tries, whenever Wofford is ready to throw, they always seem to have a player wide open behind every defender. It happened against Clemson. Wofford only completed two passes against Clemson, both of which went to Bersin, who took one of those in for a touchdown. Bersin caught those two passes for 127 yards. For the season, Bersin has caught seven of Wofford’s fifteen completions.

            For the past three seasons, Appalachian wide receiver Brian Quick has absolutely crushed the Terrier secondary. In three games, Quick has 17 catches, 426 yards and seven touchdowns. To compare, there are four conference schools that Quick has yet to score a touchdown against. Thirteen of Quick’s twenty four career touchdowns have come against conference opponents. It does not matter which defensive back or backs Wofford deploys on Quick, it is a physical mismatch against the smaller secondary of the Terriers.

            As much as there was a lack of offense for Appalachian last week, when the Mountaineers needed to grind some clock, they did. The late drive by Appalachian that consumed 4:26 of clock was most crucial. At the beginning of that drive, Chattanooga had two timeouts, and needed to force a three and out in the worst way. Appalachian converted two third downs into first downs, and forced the Mocs to use the last of their timeouts. When Appalachian punted, the Mocs received the ball on the 20 yard line and most likely had to go about 55 yards in 42 seconds, without a timeout, to attempt a game winning field goal. Without those timeouts, Chattanooga was forced to throw the ball near the sidelines, or for first downs, which meant longer routes for the Moc receivers. The Appalachian defense dialed up the pressure as Dan Wylie tipped Coleman’s final pass which hung in the air forever, long enough for Doug Middleton to cradle it and end the game. In all, you can say in a very perverted way that Appalachian’s offense played a pivotal part in securing the win on Saturday.

            We all know what Wofford is going to do. They are going to do their best to control the clock by running the football and making this game very short. The fewer possessions for Appalachian, the better Wofford’s chances are of winning. That is basic football knowledge, but we have to examine this a little further. Turnovers have killed Wofford in their last three games against the Mountaineers. Wofford lost four fumbles last year in Boone, with three of them leading to three Mountaineer touchdowns. In 2009, after gaining a fourteen point second half lead, Wofford once again turned the ball over twice in the second half that led to two touchdowns for Appalachian. And finally in 2008, Wofford turned the ball over on downs once, fumbled once and had two interceptions that Appalachian turned into twenty eight points. We just saw it last week. Two turnovers by Chattanooga were all Appalachian needed to win the game. The Mountaineer defense has always been an opportunistic bunch, and has scored just about every way you can think of recent history. Even last year, the Chris Aiken blocked a Wofford extra point and Troy Sanders returned it for two points. I believe the point has been made. Wofford must take care of the football and they must move the chains. Wofford does lead the conference in third down conversions, but their lack of discipline is completely uncharacteristic of a Wofford team. The Terriers have committed a league high, 26 penalties for 250 yards, while their opponents have been flagged only 13 times for 109 yards. Wofford can not afford to have costly penalties that set them back on offense. It is an offense that is based on getting positive yardage on each play. Another concern I have is for the Wofford defense. We touched on this briefly in the opening statements. The Terriers have only played three games, against Clemson, Samford and Presbyterian, but have given up points in each game. They allowed 28 to the Blue Hose, 35 to Clemson, which really isn’t that bad, and 23 to Samford. That is bad enough for 8th in the conference. Only Western Carolina has allowed more points. The Mountaineer offense will get back on track this week. Last week was extremely uncharacteristic of the Mountaineers, and maybe there was not enough credit given to the Chattanooga defense. If I were Wofford, I would not feel good about Appalachian having a bad offensive game last week, and surely would not feel good about Appalachian’s ability to score points in bunches on Wofford in the past. I also wouldn’t feel good about how well Appalachian held down the Chattanooga rushing attack. The Mocs only gained 32 yards on 30 carries. Appalachian held Wofford to 113 yards below their average on the ground in 2010. I really believe the offense will begin to find its groove this week, and there is no way Wofford is as successful running the ball as they were last week against Samford.

The First Pick:

Wooferd                      20

Mountaineers              31

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Chattanooga 9/24/2011

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Here we go with Week 4:

#13 Chattanooga (2-1) @ #3 Appalachian State (2-1)        

Time: 3:30

TV: GoASU TV

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 23,150


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 61.51


UTC: 60.57

Home: 3.08 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 4 points (rounded).

Series: Appalachian leads 24-10

Last Meeting: Appalachian 42, Chattanooga 41, September 4, 2010, Chattanooga, TN       


WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

Should be APPTASTIC! Sunshine with a few clouds

Kickoff: Mid 60’s

Winning a championship is a step by step process. This Saturday, for Appalachian State and Chattanooga, will be step one of eight toward achieving that goal. Appalachian has completed the process for six straight years and is looking to make history in 2011 with an unprecedented seventh straight title. The Chattanooga Mocs gave Appalachian all it could handle last year in both teams’ season opener, before falling in the final minute on a failed two point conversion. In 2009, Chattanooga also gave Appalachian fits with converted onsides kicks in the second half before falling in the fourth quarter after two interceptions by current Moc quarterback B.J. Coleman. In each of the last two years, the Mocs have been on the doorstep of beating the Mountaineers, but have been turned away. The question is: Can Chattanooga get over that hump? That question and several others will be answered this Saturday at The Rock.

What we know about Chattanooga is that last year they were 6-5, and came very close to being 8-3. They started the season 0-2, first losing the heartbreaker to Appalachian, and then giving up a 17-0 lead to Jacksonville State in the second half before losing 21-17. An 8-3 record might have put Chattanooga in the playoffs, but they finished the season very poorly. The Mocs lost three of their last four, to Elon, BCS champion Auburn, and Wofford. This season has started differently for Chattanooga. After losing to FBS ranked #10 Nebraska, they followed with wins over then FCS ranked #10 Jacksonville State and Eastern Kentucky.

Chattanooga is most known for their quarterback BJ Coleman. In his third year as a starter, Coleman has put up the numbers we have expected. Coleman has completed 64% of his passes for 747 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. The 2:1 touchdown-interception ratio has been commonplace for Coleman. In 2009, he was at 17-9 and 2010, he was at 26-13, touchdowns to interceptions, respectively. He is well known for his passing yards, but he has thrown his fair share of picks. In his career against Appalachian, Coleman has thrown four touchdowns and three interceptions. His game against Appalachian in 2010 was arguably his best game of the season, completing 23 of 37 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for two touchdowns.

            Coleman’s go to receiver is easily Joel Bradford, who has hauled in 25 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns. The All-SoCon first team selection caught 81 passes for 1284 yards and eight touchdowns last season. No other Moc receiver has caught more than eight passes this season, but there are five Mocs with six or more catches. Bradford is far and away Coleman’s favorite target as he has caught 36% of all of Coleman’s completions. The Mocs have four receivers ranked in the top twenty in yardage in the Southern Conference.

            As much as Chattanooga likes to throw the ball, or is known for it, they have made an effort to run the ball more efficiently this season. Last year, Chattanooga averaged 71 offensive plays over the course of the season. On average, the run-pass ratio was pretty balanced, with 36 running plays to 35 passes. This season, averaging 75 offensive plays, the Mocs have run roughly 39 times a game to 36 passes. One can look and say they are passing about the same amount, but three more running plays a game is about two minutes of game clock, which is two more minutes the other team can not score. Last year, the Mocs only ran 29 times against Appalachian to 37 passes.

            The ring season is finally upon the Mountaineers with high anticipation. Each and every Appalachian game this season has been a blowout, with games being decided by halftime. Mountaineer fans are anxious to see what the 2011 team is really made of. Each game has seemed very predictable and plain. Fans are ready for the playbooks to be opened up on both sides of the ball. Despite giving up only 12 points in the last two games, the defense seems to have been giving up one too many third down conversions. Giving up an extra set of downs against BJ Coleman will spell disaster for Appalachian.

            DeAndre Presley had another turnover free game against Savannah State. The senior passed for 186 yards on 11 of 17 passing with a touchdown pass. Presley ran seven times for 21 yards and had a touchdown as well. Brian Quick had five catches for 81 yards and a touchdown while Appalachian rushed 44 times for 234 yards on the day. Cedric Baker Boney continues to lead the team with 59 rushing yards a game.

            Everything points to this game being one to remember, which will be quite an anomaly considering the series. The last four times Chattanooga beat Appalachian were all by less than 4 points, and all of those games were played in Tennessee. In fact, it has been since 1983, that a Chattanooga team has beaten Appalachian in Boone. Appalachian owns a thirteen game winning streak over the Mocs in Boone. Appalachian has also won their SoCon home opener each year since 1982. History does not bode well for the Mocs, but that is just that. History is in the past. Chattanooga is the most improved team in the conference in the last few years. Chattanooga has always been able to recruit well, but they have not been able to put it together on the field. They finally have a good coaching staff in place and are ready to return to the top of the conference. A win over Appalachian would provide a great boost of confidence to their players, and could spring them into having a very successful season. However, there are some concerns I have for them as a team, especially this week. Chattanooga is starting seven freshman and sophomores on the defensive side of the ball. Three of those freshmen are on the defensive line. We all know that Appalachian will maintain a very balanced offense, working the pass early in order to run as the game wears on. Appalachian has a variety of running backs that all have different qualities. Cedric Baker Boney is the more physical back, while Travaris Cadet is very elusive, and Stephen Miller has speed to burn. The Mountaineers will find out which one of those will work best against that young Moc defense and exploit it. Defensively, I believe the Mountaineers will come out of their shell a bit. BJ Coleman is not your typical dual threat quarterback, but he can buy time in the pocket. The front seven of the Mountaineers must contain the run and force Chattanooga to be one dimensional on offense, and then get in Coleman’s face. Field position can also be huge in this game. Appalachian has probably the best punter in the conference in Sam Martin and Chattanooga’s kicking game leaves a lot to be desired. They rank near the bottom of the conference in net yards per punt, and we all remember the missed extra points last year. This will be a good one, but I see the Mountaineers prevailing in the end.

The First Pick:

Blue Caboose             28

Mountaineers              38

Appalachian State Football: Appalachian vs. Savannah State 9/17/2011

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Here we go with Week 3:

Savannah State (0-2) @ #3 Appalachian State (1-1)        

Time: 6pm

TV: GoASU TV

Kidd Brewer Stadium         

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 23,150


Jeff Sagarin Ratings: 


ASU: 64.92


SSU: 18.27

Home: 3.08 points

Appalachian is favored by the Sagarin ratings by 49.5 points (rounded).

Series: First Meeting   


WXAPP’s Boone Gameday Weather Trends:

Clouds, Fog, Light Rain/Drizzle; “Wedge Event” STAY POSTED

Kickoff: Mid to upper 50’s

No matter the opponent, one of my favorite games of the year is the night game. It brings back great memories of previous night games in Appalachian football history. It is tough to remember them all, but the ones that stand out are the 1994 win over #1 Marshall, the semifinal victory over Richmond in 2007, and the 2008 Halloween thrashing of Wofford. Since then, the night games have not been as memorable, and probably because of the results in 2007 and 2008. The Mountaineers scored 125 points in those two games. The last two night games did not bring the same pizzazz, but you must consider the circumstances. Since then, Appalachian has played Presbyterian in 2008 on a soggy night, and the Citadel’s triple option last year. Unless you are a die hard football fan, sitting in the rain, or watching three yards and a cloud of dust, is not that exciting. Chances are it will not be too exciting this week either, but that does not diminish the opportunity to see the Mountaineers dressed in black under the lights. Now that is what I call a Black Saturday.

Savannah State is another program, much like last week, that is very tough to get a handle on. In their first game, they lost to Division II power Albany State by three, and last week got manhandled by Southeastern Louisiana, a middling program from the Southland Conference. The Savannah State Tigers have only won two games against Division I opponents in the last ten seasons. Just like A&T, Savannah State has a new coach in Steve Davenport, who is the 7th head coach for the Tigers since they moved to Division I in 2000.

Justin Babb is the primary running back for the Tigers. Babb has received 60% of the carries this year for the Tigers, but has only managed 70 yards on 29 carries. Babb has caught a touchdown pass, but Savannah State has yet to record a rushing touchdown as a team. Babb has also thrown a pass this season that fell incomplete. Keep a lookout for the halfback pass this weekend. Quarterback AJ Defilippis is not flashy, but has played mistake free football this season. Despite only completing 41% of his passes, he does have three touchdown passes without an interception, and threw for 315 yards against Albany State. 

Appalachian fans got what they expected last Saturday. The lopsided win over NC A&T was punctuated by a balanced offense that racked up 491 total yards. Brian Quick produced a career best game that included 11 catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Cedric Baker-Boney also ran 12 times for 111 yards and a touchdown. Baker-Boney might have made his case to be the starting running back when the conference season begins. Baker-Boney did have one carry that went for 48 yards, but when you take out that carry, and then take his average per carry, it turns out he averaged 5.7 yards per attempt. On the other hand, Travaris Cadet carried seven times for 71 yards. That ten yard average looks good until you take away his 50 yard run. Six carries for twenty-one yards turns into a 3.5 yard per carry average.     

DeAndre Presley bounced back and was extremely sharp against A&T. Presley completed 19 of 23 passes for 197 yards, and two touchdowns. The statistic I am most intrigued about Presley is the amount of running he has done while he has been the full time starter. We all remember last year against Elon when Presley suffered a head injury. Before that game, Presley had averaged 14.2 rushes per game. Throw in the East Carolina game in 2009, where he had 12 rushes, and Western Carolina in 2008, 25 rushes, all games that he started, that average goes up. Since the injury against Elon, Presley has averaged 11.1 rushes per game. In two games this year he has 20 carries. Before the injury, Presley carried 15 or more times in four of seven games. Since, he has carried 15 or more times twice in ten games. During this time, the receiving corps and offensive line has been fairly constant. Several questions could be asked about this statistic, but it is one I am going to keep an eye on all season.

We never want to look ahead to the next opponent, but the 2011 schedule is unique. It is fairly obvious that we could have played one of the best teams in the country in Week 1, followed by two of the worst teams the following weeks. The real litmus test will come against Chattanooga. We all know there is no reason to take these three games very seriously, but at the same time, we are hungry as fans, and we want to see something that will excite us. Throughout his glorious coaching career at Appalachian, Jerry Moore has always stressed to win the conference, and the rest, as in the playoffs, will take care of itself. Never before, have I felt like the first three games were like an NFL preseason. We all know about a young offense outside of our All-Americans, and a defense that is adjusting to a new scheme. However, I also get this feeling we are hiding something. We could see some of it this weekend as a teaser for things to come. We could also end up seeing a lot of Jamal Jackson and other younger players. I think it is extremely important to develop those without as much experience. You never know when they are going to be called onto the big stage. Savannah State knows what they are up against on Saturday. The Tigers were outmatched last week, and it will not be any easier this weekend at The Rock. The Mountaineers will be able to name their score and look for another defensive touchdown.

 

The First Pick:

Jungle Cats                  13

Mountaineers              70