Mark Speir Named Head Coach at Western Carolina

This morning's 11:00AM press conference confirmed the rumors that have been circulating for weeks, as Appalachian State linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Mark Speir was named head coach at Southern Conference rival Western Carolina. What remains to be seen is whether any fellow ASU staff members may be joining him in Cullowhee as he attempts to re-build the struggling WCU football program. Although the lasting impact of Speir's departure from the Appalachian football program has yet to be determined, he has been a large part of the Mountaineers' success during his 9-year tenure in Boone.

Speir was recognized by the American Football Coaches Association in 2009 as the FCS Assistant Coach of the Year, has served as Appalachian's recruiting coordinator since 2004 and was an integral part of all three National Championships from 2005-2007. Along with taking on the exhausting task of recruiting players throughout the country, Mark has served as the position coach for All-Americans Marques Murrell, Jason Hunter, Gary Tharrington, Jabari Fletcher, Anthony Williams and Jeremy Kimbrough.

As coach Speir leaves his long-time post as ASU's recruiting coordinator, defensive backs coach Scot Sloan will now assume those responsibilities. The next few weeks will be very interesting, as this is prime time for recruiting and there are rumors of more impending departures from the Appalachian coaching staff. It appears almost imminent that one way or another, there will be some new faces in Boone next season and the selections that are made in the coming weeks will go a long way in determining the immediate future of Appalachian State football.

After serving on the Western Carolina staff from 1991-1996, Speir is very familiar with the Western Carolina community and football program. WCU alumni and Carolina Panthers legend Brad Hoover credits coach Speir as a primary reason for choosing the Catamounts when he was being recruited out of high school. There is a lot of work to be done in order for Western Carolina to be a contender in the Southern Conference but they have certainly taken a great first step in getting there.

Coach Speir's resume speaks for itself in terms of his knowledge of the game and ability to not only recruit good athletes but motivate them to be their best. However, his contributions outside of football will be missed equally among the Appalachian family. Along with being an active member of the local community in Boone, coach Speir ran the 2008 Music City Marathon, 2009 Boston Marathon and 2010 Flying Pig Marathon to raise more than $30,000 for Samaritan's Purse in their efforts to build the Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh. He also traveled to Bangladesh to volunteer his time and meet the missionaries who run the facility that he helped make possible.

Upon hearing of Mark's hiring at Western Carolina, Coach Moore echoed the sentiments of many ASU fans by stating "WCU is very, very fortunate to get Mark Speir. He is a great coach and a better man; he is the kind of guy that you would love your son to go play for." Losing a valued member of the coaching staff is always a tough pill to swallow but this opportunity could not have come to a more deserving person. Congratulations to coach Speir and good luck in Cullowhee.

2011 Appalachian State Season in Review

The Appalachian State football season ended with a whimper on Saturday as the Mountaineers' championship hopes came to an end with a resounding 34-12 defeat at the hands of the Maine Black Bears. ASU was dominated in every aspect of the game, as the offense was smothered and only able to muster 3 yards on the ground. Defensively, Maine was able to continually gouge the Appalachian defense for big plays, posting two touchdown runs of 30 yards or more and three touchdowns through the air that covered at least 20 yards. Special teams were no better for the black and gold, as Appalachian inexplicably failed to convert both extra points and Sam Martin shanked a punt, netting only 17 yards and setting up the Black Bears with a short field. Maine took advantage and found the end zone, taking a 20-6 lead from which they would never look back.

Although the season began with an embarrassment in Blacksburg and ended with an equally shameful performance in Boone, there were several accomplishments to accompany the adversity on the roller coaster ride that was the 2011 Appalachian football season. Brian Quick etched his name all over the ASU record books, leaving Boone as the all-time leader in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns. Jamal Jackson took the reigns of the Mountaineer offense mid-season, showing the physical ability and poise to  be a leader on this team during his two remaining years in Boone. In the process of the quarterback transition, DeAndre Presley was a joy to watch as he seemed to play every position on the field during the second half. DeAndre split his time between wide receiver, cornerback, kick returner, punt returner, gunner and quarterback, leaving a legacy of unselfish leadership that will not soon be forgotten by the Appalachian faithful.

On the other side of the ball, the young Appalachian defense progressed nicely throughout the season and flashed the potential to be a very good, if not downright dominant unit in the coming years. Jeremy Kimbrough, Demetrius McCray, Troy Sanders and true freshman Ronald Blair each had breakout seasons, earning all-conference recognition from the Southern Conference. With 10 of 11 defensive starters coming back along with the return of Justin Wray to the linebacking corps, the future is very bright. Dan Wylie and Chris Aiken will graduate which leaves a large void at defensive tackle, but if that position can be addressed in the off-season, we should expect to see a stout ASU defense in 2012.

The Mountaineers' streak of six consecutive conference championships came to an end in 2011 but ASU still managed an 8-win season, a seventh consecutive trip to the postseason, a second place finish in the SoCon and a victory at home over arch-rival Georgia Southern, something no other FCS team has accomplished to this point. Considering all the injuries, personnel changes and off-field issues that plagued Appalachian throughout the year, winning 8 games was no easy task.

Linebacker Justin Wray and running back Rod Chisholm were lost for the 2011 campaign before the season began. Both were projected to be major contributors for the Mountaineers. Things did not get easier once the season began, as starting offensive guard Kalan Jones went down early in the season opener with an ankle injury and never saw the field again. Shortly afterwards, defensive starters and former all-conference performers Ed Gainey and Lanston Tanyi were suspended for disciplinary issues, forcing inexperienced players to step up in their absence. Just when the defense had appeared to stop the bleeding, Demery Brewer suffered a season-ending knee injury against The Citadel, further thinning the linebackers and special teams units. Adding to the struggles of a young offensive line already dealing with the loss of Kalan Jones and overall inexperience, both Dylan Bostick and Kendall Lamm left the team during the season, which left vacancies at both spots on the 2-deep at left tackle. Adversity is part of football and the Mountaineers certainly had to fight through more than their fair share. One positive that will hopefully come from all the instability is the experience gained by those young players who were thrown into the fire much earlier than expected. There is no substitute for logging minutes in a meaningful game and I expect this year's frustrations to pay future dividends for the Mountaineers.

A hot topic of discussion among the Mountaineer fans this year has been the performance of the coaching staff, specifically with regard to the offensive line and play-calling. The disappointment of an uninspiring loss to conclude the season has only heightened these rumblings and in taking an objective look at their overall body of work, these concerns are not without merit. The mistakes of youth and inexperience that come with starting three freshmen on the line due to injury and graduation cannot be blamed on the coaches but the concerns go much deeper than that. Losing two physically gifted offensive tackles with immense potential due to what appear to be conflicts with their coaches is a trend that absolutely cannot continue. I have no inside knowledge of the situation and am in no position to allocate the blame between the coaches and players but this is a disturbing issue that must be addressed. Jerry Moore has my full support and respect but whether it is a change in assistant coaches, coaching philosophy or recruiting strategy, an adjustment will have to be made before this program can move forward.

Throughout the season, the problems of the offensive line were regularly compounded by passive, predictable play-calling. I believe that the largest contributing factor is the lack of a true offensive coordinator on the ASU staff. The coaches currently handle play-calling duties by committee, which make rhythm and cohesion difficult to attain. The offense needs an unquestioned leader with experience calling plays and the flexibility to make adjustments that play to the team's strengths. Establishing a running game is vital to any team but the Mountaineers simply did not have the personnel this season to pound the ball up the middle. However, the frequency of hand-offs up the gut on 1st down continued all year long and left the offense playing against down and distance entirely too often.

The last word that any rabid football fan wants to hear is patience, but we will have to wait and see what transpires in the coming months before losing confidence in the future of our team. The Mountaineers have an unforgiving schedule waiting for them in 2012 but the cupboard is far from bare. We have a stable of great athletes returning and a quarterback with much-needed experience under his belt and full summer with the first team awaiting him, which should allow him to be more comfortable running the offense going forward.

The Appalachian State football program has enjoyed unparalleled success over the last seven seasons and with success comes expectations. Mediocrity will not and should not be accepted by the ASU fans, players, coaches or administrators. Falling short of expectations is always difficult but it can also provide the greatest form of motivation. I have faith that the Mountaineers will have a productive off-season and give us all a reason to cheer for another year. Although this season did not turn out the way we hoped it would, I genuinely appreciate all that the team has done. The graduating seniors have poured their hearts and souls into this program over the last 4-5 years and deserve the appreciation of all the fans who have the privilege of watching them play on Saturdays. Thank you for all of your hard work and best of luck as you move on with your lives in football or elsewhere. As fans, we often lose perspective but this is only a game and regardless of wins or losses, I am proud to wear the black and gold.

Go App!

*Photo from MountaineerIllustrated.com

2011 Playoff Preview: Maine Black Bears

After earning a bye week with a road win over Elon that saw Appalachian State erase a 21-0 first quarter deficit, the Mountaineers turn their focus to the Maine Black Bears as they prepare for their 2nd round match-up in the 2011 FCS Playoffs this Saturday. Most ASU fans would rather forget the last time that the Bears paid a visit to Boone, when Maine engineered a 14-13 upset at Kidd Brewer Stadium in the first round of the 2002 postseason. The Mountaineers hope to exact some revenge, even the all-time series with the Black Bears and most importantly, advance to the National Quarterfinals for the seventh consecutive season. Kick-off is set for 2:00 PM at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Maine (8-3, 6-2 CAA) and Appalachian State (8-3, 6-2 SoCon) enter the postseason from power conferences with matching overall and league records, but the similarities do not stop there. The Maine passing attack focuses heavily on first team all-CAA wide receiver Maurice McDonald, who leads the Bears in catches (58), yards (591) and touchdown receptions (5). The Maine passing game will go as far as McDonald takes them, much the same as the Mountaineer aerial attack relies on production from fist team all-SoCon performer Brian Quick. Quick finished the 2011 regular season with 64 receptions, 1,055 yards and 11 touchdowns, all of which are tops on the team.

Edit: It has been brought to my attention by one of our friends in the Maine crowd that McDonald is suffering from a foot injury and may not be able to play this weekend. His status is currently listed as doubtful, which is certainly a story worth watching between now and kick-off. It would be a shame to see such a valuable player miss time in the postseason and I hope his health allows him to participate. Here's to a quick recovery for Maurice.

Both teams boast very strong play from the secondary, as each placed a representative on their conference first and second teams. Ball-hawking cornerback Demetrius McCray earned Southern Conference first team recognition after finishing the regular season with 43 tackles, 2 sacks, 9 pass break-ups and a league-leading 5 interceptions. Safety Troy Sanders landed on the Southern Conference second team with 68 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 tackle for loss and 3 pass break-ups. Black Bears' strong safety Jerron McMillian racked up 83 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 1 interception, which placed him on the CAA first team. Trevor Coston, his counterpart at free safety, was voted to the league's second team with 75 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 6 interceptions and 8 pass break-ups. With each defense possessing a tandem of defensive backs that can disrupt the line of scrimmage and sniff out an errant pass, ball control will be a focal point for both quarterbacks.

These duties will fall on the shoulders of senior Warren Smith for Maine and sophomore Jamal Jackson for the Mountaineers. While Smith certainly has the advantage in overall experience, both signal callers will be making their first postseason starts on Saturday. Jamal took over the first team offense mid-season, has started 6 games and enters the playoffs with 1,729 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He has also rushed for 379 yards and 7 scores on the ground. Warren Smith has started all 11 games for the Black Bears and earned a spot on the CAA second team with 2,643 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, along with 396 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Quarterback play is always of the utmost importance in the playoffs when any mistakes are magnified and both teams have talent at the position. Smith and Jackson have both shown the ability to make plays in the air and on the ground throughout the season. There is not a large statistical gap between the two and the difference will likely come down to poise with the season on the line.

Both rushing attacks will be led by senior running backs as the Mountaineers will turn to Travaris Cadet and the Black Bears lean on Pushaun Brown. Cadet has tallied 706 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground, while Brown ran for 994 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season. Both players lead their team in each category and have one receiving score as well. A bright spot for the Mountaineers will be the return of senior running back Cedric Baker Boney, who has missed the last 5 games after a shoulder injury suffered against The Citadel. Having an experienced runner return with fresh legs for the postseason could be a key difference, as Baker Boney has proven to be a strong runner between the tackles.

Preparing to stop these talented backs will be a pair of second team all-conference linebackers, as junior Jeremy Kimbrough anchors the ASU front seven and senior Vinson Givans quarterbacks the Maine defense. Kimbrough had an excellent 2011 campaign with a team-leading 93 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and a game-winning interception returned for a touchdown against Chattanooga. Givans led the Black Bears with 85 total tackles, while also notching 4.5 tackles for loss and 2 interceptions. These young men will each be asked to not only get off their blocks and make plays, but also to read the opposing offense and ensure that their teammates are properly aligned. As is the case in several other positions, the linebacker position is a strength for both teams.

In analyzing the full body of work for both teams, this is a very even match-up across the board. Each team has talent on both sides of the ball with experienced runners in the backfield, talented secondaries that can change the game by forcing turnovers, quarterbacks that keep the defense honest with their rushing ability and a pair of stars at the wide receiver position that must be accounted for at all times. I would give Maine the slight edge at quarterback due simply to experience, while the talent of Brian Quick tilts the receiving corps in Appalachian's favor. Pushaun Brown may be the best individual back in this game but the depth of the ASU backfield will be valuable as Travaris Cadet, Steven Miller and Cedric Baker Boney each figure to be key contributors. Both defensive units have considerable talent but have also been prone to inconsistent play throughout the season.

Given the comparable level of talent, I think there are three keys for each team that will go a long way in determining the outcome: the ability of the offensive line to provide a pocket for the quarterback, protecting the ball against a pair of opportunistic defenses and the home-field advantage in Boone. If the young ASU offensive line can hold up against a stout Maine front seven, allowing Jamal Jackson time to make good decisions and get the crowd involved, ASU has a great chance to advance. For Maine to come in and knock off Appalachian once again, they will need to score early and keep the crowd quiet. This game will not be televised, the weather looks to be gorgeous and free admission has been granted to ASU students. These factors should make for a good turnout at Kidd Brewer Stadium, where the Mountaineers have been a different team all season. For that reason, I like ASU to start off fast and hang on for a close win against a very talented, formidable opponent.

My prediction:

Appalachian State 31

Maine 27

*Photo from GoBlackBears.com

ASU Cruises Past the Catamounts on Senior Day

On what turned out to be a record-setting day for two Mountaineers, Appalachian continued their dominance of Western Carolina with a decisive 46-14 victory on Saturday. ASU has now won 25 of the last 27 contests against the rival Catamounts and the Old Mountain Jug will remain in Boone for another year. The Mountaineers (7-3, 5-2 SoCon) are now in position to receive a seventh consecutive playoff berth while Western Carolina (1-9, 0-8 SoCon) has stumbled to another winless conference season and will now begin the hunt for yet another head coach tasked with righting the ship in Cullowhee, as Dennis Wagner announced his resignation on Sunday morning.

Senior Day proved to have additional significance for Brian Quick, who surpassed Rick Beasley as Appalachian's all-time leader in receiving yards on Saturday. Ironically, the reception that set the record came off the arm of DeAndre Presley as he spelled Jamal Jackson for one series while he was taped up on the sidelines. A short bubble screen to Quick followed by a 33-yard scamper solidified his position as the most decorated receiver in ASU history. If he is able to record 16 more receptions before season's end, Brian Quick will leave Boone as the black and gold's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. If this was indeed his last game at Kidd Brewer Stadium, he gave the Mountaineer faithful a memorable exit.

Brian was not the only ASU player to reach a milestone this weekend, as a newcomer joined him in the record books. Place kicker Drew Stewart connected on 6 field goal attempts and scored 21 kicking points, both of which are new school records. In what has become a disturbing trend the last two weeks, the Mountaineer offense stalled out inside the 30 yard line on their first four possession. However, Stewart split the uprights on kicks from 44, 32, 29 and 21 yards out to give ASU a 12-0 advantage midway through the 2nd quarter. With kicking troubles haunting the Mountaineers all season, Stewart's success served as a silver lining to ASU's early red zone woes.

Staked to a 12-point lead with 2:29 remaining in the first half, ASU finally put together a complete drive as they needed only 1:34 to march 59 yards down the field in 6 plays, capped by a 2-yard Jamal Jackson touchdown run. The next snap from scrimmage resulted in a Dominique McDuffie interception of Brandon Pechloff, setting up Jackson's second rushing score in under a minute to stretch the ASU lead to 26-0 at the intermission.

A 28-yard touchdown pass from Jamal Jackson to Brian Quick on the opening drive on the second half erased any doubt about the outcome, as ASU coasted through the remainder of the game. Jackson seemed to shake off last week's dreadful performance against Furman as he finished the day completing 22 of 34 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown, along with 48 rushing yards and two scores. Brian Quick paced the receiving corps 7 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Steven Miller led the way on the ground with 76 yards on 11 carries. As a unit, the Appalachian offense racked up a season-high 553 yards of total offense.

However, the real story of this game was yet another dominating performance by the Mountaineer defense, as they held WCU to 236 total yards and forced 2 turnovers. The Catamounts were only able to muster 20 rushings yards on 22 carries as they were smothered all day and possessed the ball for only 19:32. In addition to Dominique McDuffie's key interception before halftime, Rodger Walker notched his 4th pick of the season, tying him for the Southern Conference lead. After bouncing around between offense and defense his first two years in Boone, the redshirt sophomore seems to have found his permanent home in the secondary.

As inconsistent as the Mountaineer offense has been, the defense was impressive for the fourth consecutive week and looks like a unit that will be leaned on when the postseason rolls around. The next challenge on the horizon is the regular season finale at Rhodes Stadium against the Elon Phoenix. Elon is coming off an impressive win on the road at Furman, now sitting at 5-5 overall and 3-4 in the conference. Facing a team with renewed confidence on their Senior Day will be a serious challenge and in order to secure their spot in the playoff bracket, the Mountaineers had better be up for it. Although the postseason is not in the cards for Elon, they would love nothing more than to send their seniors out with the program's first victory over ASU since joining the SoCon and another winning season.

As the regular season home schedule ends on a positive note, the Mountaineers have plenty to be proud of and almost as many areas to improve as they prepare for a strong finish the conference slate.

Offensive game ball: Brian Quick

Defensive game ball: Rodger Walker

*Photo from MountaineerIllustrated.com

ASU Looks to Rebound Against Western Carolina

After a disappointing setback to Furman that saw the Mountaineers convert 6 trips inside the Paladins' 25-yard line into only 10 points, Appalachian looks to rebound against long-time rival Western Carolina. Last weekend in Greenville, the ASU offense could not get out of their own way as they turned the ball over 4 times and committed 7 penalties for 60 yards. However, points should be easier to come by this weekend for Jamal Jackson and the Mountaineer offense against the league's worst defensive unit.

The Catamounts enter the 2011 Battle for the Old Mountain Jug allowing a staggering 45.7 points per game. At 1-8 overall and 0-7 in SoCon play, WCU is still without a Division I win. Their sole victory came at home against Division II Mars Hill, who managed to put up 31 points in a losing effort.

The Mountaineers should be anxious to get back into the win column as they recover from a disheartening loss that put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. With only 6 Division I wins, Appalachian needs to finish the season strong in order to secure a postseason bid. This sense of urgency combined with the confidence that comes along with facing a winless rival could be prove to be fatal for Western Carolina.

No conference opponent should be taken for granted and ASU must come to play on Saturday, but this match-up has the potential to get ugly. If Western is unable to force some early turnovers and make big plays in the passing game, an angry Appalachian team with their backs against the wall should make quick work of the Catamounts. With all that is on the line, I expect an ASU onslaught that will put this one away early.

My prediction:

Appalachian State 52

Western Carolina 17

*Photo from GoASU.com

Game Preview and Prediction: ASU Prepares to Collide With the Paladins

In what has seemingly become a weekly occurrence, Appalachian faces a tough Southern Conference opponent riding a win streak as they continue their hunt for an unprecedented seventh consecutive conference title. After snapping the winning streaks of Samford (3 games) and Georgia Southern (7 games) at Kidd Brewer Stadium the past two weeks, the Mountaineers now must hit the road to face the Furman Paladins. Furman is currently riding the momentum of handing Wofford their first conference defeat and taking down Chattanooga on the road in consecutive games.

After losing their season opener to Coastal Carolina, the Paladins reeled off victories against The Citadel, Presbyterian and Western Carolina. The hot streak came to a somewhat surprising halt with a home defeat at the hands of Samford, which was followed by a 30-point setback to then #1 Georgia Southern. After suffering two disheartening losses, the Paladins have shown considerable toughness in putting together impressive wins over Wofford and Chattanooga, as they now find themselves in the position to build a solid case for a playoff bid with a win over ASU.

Offensively, Furman is led by quarterback Chris Forcier, who leads the FCS in passer efficiency rating. Forcier has thrown for 1,531 yards and 17 touchdowns, while being intercepted only 4 times. He also has 159 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Forcier's top targets are tight end Colin Anderson and wide receiver Tyler Maples. Although Anderson leads the team with 30 receptions, 495 yards and 6 touchdowns, Maples is not far behind with 29 receptions, 479 yards and 3 scores. Both of these young men figure to be the focus of the Paladins' passing attack and at 6'4", Anderson will create match-up problems with the ASU safeties and linebackers. He will have to be accounted for at all times, especially in the red zone.

Furman's ground attack centers around one man, Jerodis Williams. The junior running back has nearly 100 more rushing attempts than his primary back-up and leads the Paladins with 838 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Despite taking on quite a heavy workload, Williams is a very efficient runner as he comes into the game averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He rushed for 59 yards on only 7 carries in Boone last season and the Mountaineers can expect a much heavier does of Jerodis this time around. The past two weeks, the ASU defense has faced two of the top backs in the SoCon in Fabian Truss and Robert Brown, holding each of them well under their season average and minimizing their impact on the game. If Appalachian is to get out of Greenville with a win, they will likely need a similar performance against another elite runner this week.

Defensively, Furman is anchored by a couple of preseason All-American selections in linebacker Kadarron Anderson and cornerback Ryan Steed. Anderson leads the Southern Conference with 94 total tackles, including 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 pass break-ups and a forced fumble. Steed comes in with 30 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions and 6 passes defended. However, Steed's biggest impact on the Paladins' defense is his ability in man coverage, which does not always show up in the stat sheet. He is easily the premier cover corner in the conference and likely in the entire nation at the FCS level. He is expected to be given the unenviable burden of covering Brian Quick and although I'm not sure there is one individual who can make Quick a non-factor, Steed should contain him and force Jamal Jackson to utilize other weapons in the passing game. For that reason, the play of Andrew Peacock, Tony Washington and Ben Jorden could factor heavily into the outcome on Saturday.

Although Furman is the only Southern Conference team to boast a winning record all-time against Appalachian State as they currently hold a 21-17-3 lead in the series, it is ASU that has dominated this game in recent years. Appalachian has won 6 straight and 9 of the last 10 in the rivalry and has not lost to the Paladins since 2005, when Furman blocked a Julian Rauch field goal as time expired to secure the 34-31 victory.

In order to continue their recent success in Greenville, there are several keys for the Mountaineers, the biggest of which is the ability of the defense to match Furman's physicality in the middle. The FU offense is not designed to be tricky or fancy. They do not want to run around you, they want to run at you. It will be the responsibility of middle linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough, nose tackle Dan Wylie and the rest of the ASU front seven to plug up the middle and force Furman to stray from their power running game. The Paladins rely on the ground attack to open up opportunities for Forcier in the air and if the Mountaineers are able to contain the run without having to bring their safeties up to help, they should be able to get stops.

Offensively, ASU will need to constantly locate Ryan Steed in the passing game and anytime Brian Quick draws a different FU defender, Jamal would be wise to look his way. Those opportunities may be limited however, and it is up to the young Appalachian receiving corps to step up and make plays. Throughout the year, Furman has been susceptible to the run and it is up to Travaris Cadet, Steven Miller and the offensive line to take advantage. As vital as both players are as running threats, I am looking for both of them to be heavily involved in the passing game. Brian Quick should draw a lot of attention on passing plays and in the Paladins' attempt to take away the big plays through the air, there should be space for short yardage throws, allowing the talented ASU backs to use their abilities in the open field.

This is certainly one of the tougher games to predict, as both ASU and Furman come in with no shortage of momentum or motivation. The improvement of each team throughout the year has been remarkable and this game will tell whether ASU is truly ready to be named among the championship contenders. With the offensive balance that the Mountaineers have shown the last three weeks, along with very strong defensive performances against Samford and Georgia Southern, I think they have finally turned the corner. Furman has the ability to derail the ASU championship hopes and the atmosphere in Paladin Stadium should have a playoff feel to it, but I like the Mountaineers to hang on for the win in another classic in this storied rivalry.

My prediction:

Appalachian State 28

Furman 24

*Photo from GoASU.com

Black Saturday Recap: ASU Exacts Revenge at The Rock

In an ironic role reversal from the 2010 season, Appalachian State (6-2, 4-1 SoCon) handed #1 ranked Georgia Southern (7-1, 5-1 SoCon) their first loss of the season at Kidd Brewer Stadium with a 24-17 victory on Black Saturday. As most ASU fans will recall, the Mountaineers brought an unblemished 8-0 record and a #1 national ranking to Statesboro last season, where they left with a 7-point setback to the Eagles. Last year's win in Statesboro spring boarded the Eagles to a 6-game winning streak and a trip to the National Semifinals. Mountaineer fans can only hope a similar hot streak is in store for the black and gold.

Despite losing two starting offensive lineman in practice to ankle injuries, forcing Ian Barnard and Graham Fisher into unexpected starting duties at left tackle and left guard respectively, the ASU offense mustered a gutsy performance against the vaunted GSU defense. As is to be expected when two young lineman are making their first career starts against a powerful front seven, Jamal Jackson was under pressure on Saturday as the Georgia Southern defense registered 3 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries. However, Jackson showed remarkable poise and was able to complete 13 of 26 passes for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns, to go with a team leading 54 yards on the ground. Although he did throw one interception deep in ASU territory, the Mountaineer defense held strong and the sole ASU turnover did not prove to be costly. Brian Quick had another big day offensively despite being limited to 4 receptions as he went for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns, including the go-ahead score that put Appalachian in front for good with 9:24 remaining in the 4th.

Although the offense showed considerable grit in fighting through last-minute injuries and putting 24 points on the board, this game was clearly won on the defensive side of the ball. The Mountaineer defense has certainly learned from their previous struggles with triple option attacks, as they held the explosive GSU offense to 201 total yards of offense, 135 yards on the ground and 17 total points. Those numbers are staggering when you consider that Georgia Southern came to Boone averaging 487.3 total yards, 369.7 rushing yards and 44.6 points per game. Jaybo Shaw was also pressured into his first two interceptions of the season, both of which were snagged by junior Demetrius McCray.

The Mountaineer defense was again anchored by middle linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough, as he notched 16 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and a pass break up. Kimbrough was all over the field as was fellow linebacker Brandon Grier, as he racked up another 14 tackles including 1 for a loss. DeAndre Presley continues to impress in his duties at cornerback as he finished the day with 3 tackles, 1 huge 3rd down tackle for a loss and 2 pass break-ups, including one on 4th and goal that preserved the Mountaineer lead with only 4:33 left on the clock. As a team, the ASU defense stopped GSU with goal to go on two separate occasions in the 2nd half and disrupted the Georgia Southern triple option attack with closing speed that seemed to take the Eagles by surprise.

Their lack of confidence in the running game was evidenced late, as they uncharacteristically threw 3 consecutive passes inside the 10 yard line, the last of which was the aforementioned Presley break-up. Beating a team like Georgia Southern is impressive in itself but shaking their confidence in their ability to run the ball is something that nobody could have predicted. The ASU defense came to play on Saturday and put the GSU offense on their heels from the opening kick-off.

In spite of strong performances on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, the ASU special teams unit nearly cost the team a victory. Of the 17 points scored by Georgia Southern, 10 were directly attributed to poor coverage on special teams as Laron Scott broke off a 78-yard kick return that lead to a GSU field goal and Darrieon Robinson returned a Sam Martin punt for 46 yards and a score. Although the Mountaineers were able to overcome these mistakes and come away with a statement win at home, these issues have to be corrected going forward or ASU may not be so fortunate next time. While the fans will be riding high from a victory over arch-rival GSU, it figures to be a long week of practice for the ASU special teams.

All things considered, the Mountaineers put forth as impressive a performance as the most optimistic ASU fan could have hoped for. While the issues on special teams must be addressed, Appalachian State out performed the top-ranked team in the country on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Travaris Cadet, the Mountaineers' leading rusher and return man, was helped off the field late in the 4th quarter with a head injury and as of yet, there has been no announcement regarding his availability this week. As offensive lineman Kendall Lamm and Sherman Holt look to return for this weekend's game, the team now looks to get healthy, build on this performance and sure up their kick coverage before heading to Greenville to face a red-hot Furman team on Saturday.

Offensive game ball: Jamal Jackson

Defensive game ball: Jeremy Kimbrough

*Picture from GoASU.com

An Eventful Homecoming Sends the Crowd Home Happy

In front of a lively Homecoming crowd of 28,912 at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Appalachian State rolled to it's second consecutive win on Saturday as they topped the Samford Bulldogs 35-17, setting the stage for an even larger Black Saturday match-up with Georgia Southern this weekend. The win moved the Mountaineers to 5-2 overall, with a 3-1 mark in Southern Conference play. The offense topped 500 total yards for the second consecutive week, as Jamal Jackson set the tone with 290 yards passing, 40 yards rushing, 2 passing touchdowns and 1 score on the ground. Jackson finished the day completing 19 of 30 pass attempts, giving him a lofty 70% completion rate (40 of 57) after two career starts.


Jamal was hardly the only star on Saturday, as running back Travaris Cadet finished the day with 139 rushing yards on 22 attempts (6.3 yards/carry) to go with 11 receiving yards. Cadet also added 108 yards on kick and punt returns, earning him SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors and bringing his total to 258 all-purpose yards on the day. His stellar performance came on the back of his 133-yard rushing mark last week against The Citadel, as he became the first ASU back to surpass 100 yards in consecutive games since Devon Moore in his brilliant 1,374 yard 2009 campaign.

Not to be lost among the great offensive performers Saturday was Brian Quick, who turned in another big game with 4 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. His score was a back-breaker for the Samford defense, as it came with 1:14 remaining in the first half and just 84 seconds after Samford had crept to within 14-10 on a Riley Hawkins TD reception. Facing 2nd and 10 from the ASU 31, Jamal Jackson hit Quick in stride over the middle and let Brian do the rest, sprinting away from several Bulldog defenders for a 69-yard score that pushed the ASU lead to 21-10, from which they would never look back. Aside from the in-game significance, the score was the 26th of his brilliant career. Brian is now alone in first on the all-time ASU list ahead of Bob Agle, whose record 25 touchdown receptions had stood since 1968. Quick now sits at 615 receiving yards with 6 scores through seven games, pacing him for over 1,000 yards in what could be a career year. Enjoy him in Boone while you can, this young man will soon be playing on Sundays in a stadium near you.


While the continued resurgence of the offense is a pleasant site for all Mountaineer fans, the defense was up to the challenge on Saturday as well. Samford came into Boone averaging 33 points per game and were fortunate to get halfway there against the Appalachian defense. Troy Sanders and Jeremy Kimbrough continued their excellent seasons, leading the team with 9 tackles a piece. Jeremy also notched a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Sophomore Rodger Walked snatched two key interceptions deep in ASU territory, bringing his season total to three and keeping the Bulldogs out of the end zone.


In spite of all the great efforts put forth on Saturday, none impressed me as much as the gutsy performance by DeAndre Presley. After being injured in the Wofford game and then giving way to Jamal Jackson to run the offense, Presley returned to action this week as a starter at right cornerback. He began practicing his new position on Wednesday and after three days, the coaches were comfortable enough with his progress to give him the nod. DeAndre proved right away that their faith was not unfounded, as he stripped Samford star receiver Kelsey Pope on just the 7th play of the game and finished the day with 6 solo tackles.


I have never seen any player have as unique a college career as DeAndre Presley. He came to Boone as a quarterback where he backed up Armanti Edwards as a freshman, was moved to wide receiver as a sophmore and then returned to quarterback his junior year. In a full season as ASU's starting signal caller, he finished 3rd in the Walter Payton Award voting and became only the 4th player in FCS history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season.


The majority of athletes who achieve that type of success would never accept the coaches decision to replace him after struggling early this season. DeAndre, however, has been Jamal Jackson's biggest supporter and told the staff he wanted to help this team any way he can. Given his speed and the Mountaineers' injury problems in the secondary, it was decided that he could be of the most use in the defensive backfield where his performance speaks for itself. The unfortunate truth is that the selflessness shown by DeAndre over the past few week is rare. It is important that the sacrifices he has made for this team are fully appreciated by the Appalachian family. What could have easily been a distraction has become a learning tool for the younger players that look up to him. As great as his physical abilities may be, his leadership and character are what truly make me proud to be a Mountaineer.


Offensive game ball: Travaris Cadet
Defensive game ball: DeAndre Presley


*Pictures from MountaineerIllustrated.com

Homecoming Preview: Scouting the Bulldogs

After going nearly a month in between home games, Appalachian prepares to host Samford for Homecoming 2011. The ASU line-up will look significantly different from the last time they took the field at Kidd Brewer Stadium, as Jamal Jackson has been named starting quarterback and outside linebacker Demery Brewer has been lost for the season. While Samford is not a team that has given the Mountaineers trouble historically, this is easily the most formidable team the Bulldogs have fielded since the Chris Evans led 2008 squad that ASU defeated 35-24 in Birmingham.

Samford comes into Boone riding a 3-game winning streak and boasting the reigning Southern Conference defensive and offensive players of the week in safety Corey White and running back Fabian Truss. Truss has rushed for 589 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season, while White leads the conference with 3 interceptions and is also the Bulldogs leading tackler with 31. Samford is led offensively by an experienced quarterback in senior Dustin Tallaferro, who has passed for 1,273 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as holding the SoCon's second highest passer efficiency rating. As a team, the Bulldogs enter this contest 3rd in the conference in scoring offense at 33 points per game and 4th in points allowed with 23.5 points per game.

For the black and gold, the key will be building on the offensive momentum created with the 49-point outburst last weekend in Charleston, as well as making the mental adjustment necessary to defend a more prototypical offense after having the triple option pounded into their heads over the last three weeks. Jamal Jackson will face a tougher test this week, as the Bulldogs will almost certainly be able to apply more pressure than he faced last weekend against The Citadel. However, Jamal is a confident young man that plays very poised and I expect our offense to move the chains.

Last week, Steven Miller and Travaris Cadet each rushed for over 100 yards and found the end zone. The Mountaineers' multiple spread offense is very ineffective without balance, so the ability of our running backs to carry over their success from a week ago will factor largely in the outcome. If Samford is forced to respect the ground game, the passing lanes will open up and allow Jackson to pick apart the Samford secondary. Thus far in his very young career, Jamal has been impressive in his ability to make accurate passes deep over the middle, which is where Brian Quick is a very dangerous weapon.

I have no doubts that the ASU defense is happier than anybody to see an offense that is not a triple option. Based on their last performance against a very talented Chattanooga attack, Appalachian should again be able to spend a fair amount of time in the backfield and pressure Tallaferro into mistakes or incompletions. The availability of Ed Gainey and Lanston Tanyi due to off-field issues is still up in the air, but it is important to recall that ASU posted a dominating defensive performance in their last home game without the benefit of Tanyi or Gainey. James Robinson and Ronald Blair have been very impressive as pass-rushers off the edge as true freshmen, which could lead to another long day for a visiting quarterback making the trip up the mountain.

In my opinion, although improved, this Samford team is not quite on the level necessary to beat the Mountaineers in Boone. I expect a much closer game than the contest last season but between the spark given to the offense after handing the reigns to Jamal Jackson and the gradual improvement of the offensive line, ASU will be able to score enough points to find their way to a victory. The ASU defense is still very young and working on a learning curve but the 30,000 fans at Kidd Brewer Stadium will help them along the way. Appalachian State is 58-4 in their last 62 home games, making it arguably the toughest road win to get in the FCS. The Bulldogs will make a game of this and I expect nothing to come easy, but the speed and home-field advantage of the Mountaineers will prove too big an obstacle for this upstart Samford team to overcome.

My prediction:

Appalachian State 38

Samford 27

Appalachian Loses Demery Brewer for the 2011 Campaign

Despite coming off an encouraging win over The Citadel in Charleston, the Mountaineers' week began with some disturbing news. As expected, Cedric Baker Boney and Demery Brewer are not going to play on Saturday due to injuries suffered last weekend. Cedric is due for further evaluation on his shoulder and will hopefully be back on the field soon. However, the severity of Brewer's injury was not announced until today, when it was confirmed that he will miss the remainder of the season.


This is terrible news for a team already thin at the linebacker position and more importantly, for the young man himself. Demery is a 6-2, 225 lb. Senior from Lincolnton, NC and a captain of this team. He came into the program in 2008 and made an immediate impact on special teams, where he has continued to excel throughout his career. He has moved back and forth from a down lineman to linebacker during his tenure and in 2011, finally found a home as the starting outside linebacker in ASU's 3-4 defense. He is currently 5th on the ASU roster with 28 tackles, include 2.5 for a loss.


The success of the Appalachian football program is built on kids like Demery Brewer who came to Boone without a true position, surrounded by very talented players that had locked down the majority of the available playing time. In spite of that, he worked hard for four years as a reserve defender and key special teams player so that when his number was called, he was ready to contribute. After losing Justin Wray for the 2011 campaign in the offseason and the move of Lanston Tanyi back to defensive end, Demery stepped in at outside linebacker and the defense did not miss a beat. Although it is not likely, we can only hope that the NCAA will grant a hardship and allow him to return in 2012. My seats this season happen to be right next to Demery's family and they are as proud of him as you would expect. They love Appalachian State and provide very vocal support for our team, now all we can hope to do is give some of that support back. This young man has given all he has to our university, my thoughts are with him and his family.


*Photo from PlayAtTheRock.com

Mountaineers Hang On, Escape Charleston Victorious

In what was easily their most impressive offensive display of the season, Appalachian State piled up 552 yards of total offense and 49 points, led by the strong play of Jamal Jackson in his first start at quarterback for the Mountaineers. Although the game seemed out of hand early in the 3rd quarter, ASU ended up needing every bit of their offensive production as they held off a late rally by The Citadel to secure a 49-42 victory.


Yosef was dancing in the stands early, as Jamal Jackson completed his first 15 pass attempts with 3 touchdowns en route to a 35-14 halftime advantage. Jamal spread the ball around in the passing game as Brian Quick, Tony Washington and Ben Jorden all caught touchdown passes. In all, 7 different ASU players registered receptions on the day. The offensive balance was equally important in keeping The Citadel on their heels defensively. Steven Miller (18 rushes, 102 yards) and Travaris Cadet (18 rushes, 133 yards) each eclipsed the 100-yard plateau and found the end zone. Cedric Baker Boney also contributed 24 rushing yards and a score.


Jamal Jackson finished the afternoon completing 21 of 27 passes for 234 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers. He was poised in the pocket and despite fighting cramps in the 2nd half, came into the game to seal the victory by eating up the last 6 minutes of the 4th quarter. The final drive included two clutch 3rd down completions and a first down scamper by Jackson. The Bulldogs ran out of timeouts as ASU drove inside The Citadel 5 yard line and instead of running the score up to 56, the Mountaineers closed out the game in victory formation with just over a minute remaining.

In spite of the final score, the ASU defense did fairly well against The Citadel triple option offense. Several of the Bulldogs' big gains came on unorthodox plays including a fake punt and a double wide receiver reverse pass. A blocked punt returned for a touchdown and a late fumble by Steven Miller left the ASU defense on the field entirely too long in the second half as The Citadel made their late charge. These were big mistakes by the Mountaineers that easily could have cost them this game and put their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy. However, these problems are fixable and not an issue with their defensive scheme, which would be much more concerning.

Defensively, ASU was led by Jeremy Kimbrough who had 11 tackles in his return from a one-game suspension earned by 2 unsportsmanlike penalties in the Chattanooga game. Dominique McDuffie had his best game as a Mountaineer as he tallied 8 tackles (1 for a loss), a pass break-up and a fumble recovery. He was disruptive in the secondary all afternoon and looked as healthy and fast as I've ever seen him.


In spite of the second half lapse that nearly cost them, this game was a huge step forward for ASU. The offense looked like the Mountaineer juggernaut that we have been spoiled by for the last 6 years and the defense made enough plays to hang on for a victory.

The announced attendance at the game was 14,154 and the ASU faithful had a relatively strong showing. The picture above was taken from the home side of the stadium right after halftime. Both the cadets and ASU crowd were still in the process of returning from the concession stands, but the healthy amount of black and gold was refreshing.


Now, ASU turns their attention to a Homecoming match-up with the Samford Bulldogs, who enter the contest at 4-2 and riding a 3-game winning streak.


Offensive game ball: Jamal Jackson
Defensive game ball: Dominque McDuffie

Game Preview: The Citadel

We are at the midway point of the season and it is time to get to work. It has been an up and down season for the Mountaineers and in some ways, I'm not sure how much more I know about this team than I did before the season began. The team was overwhelmed and mistake prone in a blowout loss in Blacksburg to kick off the season, did some tune-up work against inferior competition in easy wins over A&T and Savannah State, relied on defense and special teams to pull out a heart-stopping win over Chattanooga in the SoCon opener, then followed that up with another flat offensive performance in Spartanburg. The black and gold now sit at 3-2 overall with a 1-1 conference record and plenty of opportunities to get the 2011 campaign back on track.


That starts this weekend when the boys (and myself) travel down to Charleston for a match-up with The Citadel. The Bulldogs are a tough team to figure out as well. They opened the season with an impressive 31-9 win over Jacksonville, then lost tight games against Furman and Elon to start their conference slate. This team seemed dead in the water and destined for another season in the cellar when they stood at 0-2 in conference play and trailed 27-0 on the road against Chattanooga, until they staged a furious comeback to score 28 unanswered points and rally to a 28-27 victory. A road win against a quality team like UTC initially altered my opinion of this team drastically, but that triumph was followed up with a 43-14 home loss to Wofford. As we know, there is no shame in losing to the Terriers but the game was even less competitive than the score would indicate. Only a couple of late TD's in garbage time prevented an embarrassing shutout at home. This Saturday, will we see the team that fought back to beat Chattanooga or the team that laid down against Wofford?


In my opinion, it does not matter. If ASU plays their game, they should escape Johnson Hagood Stadium victorious this weekend. Appalachian will enjoy the full-time return of 3 defensive starters as Jeremy Kimbrough, Ed Gainey and Lanston Tanyi all return from suspension. Their experience against the triple option should allow the defense to get The Citadel offense off the field, as they are one of the worst 3rd down teams in the country. As important as it is to get a win in this game and not fall any further behind Wofford and Georgia Southern in the standings, it is equally important for a strong defensive showing against an option attack before the Eagles come to town in two weeks. Struggling to stop The Citadel offense could foreshadow serious struggles on Black Saturday, as Jeff Monken and the Georgia Southern triple option have far superior athletes at their disposal.


The offensive output this weekend will go a long way to showing what type of team we will have in the second half of the season. DeAndre Presley injured his shoulder in the Wofford game and has not practiced since. There has been no official statement from the staff, but it sure looks like Jamal Jackson will be making his first career start for the Apps. Coming off a bye week and having two weeks to work out with the first team is the best possible way to put Jamal in a position to succeed. We have seen Jamal in very limited game action but from what I have observed in the small sample, he throws a very tight ball, is deceptively quick and seems very confident on the field. Also, having a taller quarterback in the pocket should reduce the amount of balls batted at the line. My hope is that some time to observe from the sidelines will help DeAndre get a fresh perspective and regain his confidence, because he has not looked like the same player to me since the second half of last season. An impressive enough performance by Jamal could force a difficult decision for the coaching staff next week.


Of course, there will be much more to the offensive success than quarterback play. The young offensive line needs to come together and hold a pocket in order for anybody to have success in the passing game, which has been a problem to this point. The bread and butter of the ASU offense has always been the ground game, and a strong performance from the offensive line and running back corps will be essential. The Citadel is not as strong defensively as Wofford or Chattanooga, but is good enough to shut us down if we become one-dimensional. I hope to see the coaching staff incorporate some swing passes to the tailbacks and quick slants to Ben Jorden, Brian Quick and the other ASU receivers to keep the Bulldogs' defense honest and take some pressure off of the young offensive line. The speed advantage should be decidedly in ASU's favor, so pitches to the outside to allow Travaris Cadet, Cedric Baker Boney and Steven Miller to hit the edges could result in big plays or at the very least, spread out the defense and create openings for big plays over the middle as the game progresses.


This is a young, inexperienced team learning as they go but this bye week could not have come at a better time. The defense is as healthy as they've been all season and has had two weeks to watch tape of the Wofford game in preparation for more assignment football against a disciplined option team. The offense has also had time to correct mistakes, make adjustments and get acclimated to the idea of a new signal caller. It is crunch time and the margin for error is now very small. In my time watching ASU football, this staff and team always seems to come ready in conference play when it has it's back against the wall (remember the 0-2 start in '09?) and I expect more of the same this weekend. I think the Apps come out focused, hungry and ready to take care of business. The Bulldogs keep it close early until ASU pulls away in the 2nd half.


My prediction:
Appalachian State 31
The Citadel 17


*image courtesy of the Winston-Salem Journal

Feasibility Committee Recommends FBS Move, Appalachian Announces Michigan Re-match

It has been an eventful week in Appalachian State athletics to say the least. On Monday, the feasibility committee hired by the university handed down a recommendation to pursue a move to the football bowl subdivision. Only three days later, a 2014 re-match with Michigan was announced. These two consecutive announcements were no coincidence and it has become a very exciting time to be a Mountaineer fan.


The announcement to pursue membership in a FBS conference came as no real surprise and it is a decision that I fully support, as long as it is handled properly. This cannot be a decision made in haste. Before making a move, ASU must secure an invitation from a conference that makes sense both financially and geographically. I would rather stay in the FCS than move to a conference with no rivalries, limited financial benefit and an enormous travel increase. For that reason, ASU should avoid the MAC and Sun Belt conferences, even if no other offer seems imminent. Making a move to Conference USA's Eastern division to join Marshall and East Carolina would be an excellent move for our program. The rumored possibility of an FBS conference consisting of regional programs such as ASU, ECU, Marshall, James Madison, Old Dominion, etc. could also be intriguing. Both of these options are discussed in the Winston-Salem Journal's article about the decision at hand.


In that article, ASU Athletic Director Charlie Cobb says a few interesting things, but the most encouraging is this: 


The process, which would involve a two-year NCAA transition, isn't about tomorrow or next month, Cobb insisted. "This might be three to five years down the road."


The fact that Cobb is showing patience gives me even more confidence that the will bide his time and make the right move for Appalachian. He has done a great job with this program, and I have no doubt he will continue to do the same. Speaking of which, the announcement of a second trip to Ann Arbor could not have come at a better time.


In the process of evaluating a move up, once thing is certain: Appalachian State athletics needs more exposure and more funding in order to move forward. This game provides both. ASU could have scheduled a game with a handful of large FBS opponents, gotten a decent pay day and been happy with that. However, there is NO other opponent that would have had Appalachian on the front page of ESPN within an hour of the announcement.


This game will be talked about to a very small degree now, but it will be a headline when the 2014 season rolls around. Aside from the exposure, ASU is guaranteed $850,000 if we are still an FCS program at that time and $1 Million if we have transitioned to FBS. You cannot buy the kind of exposure this will give our program, much less turn down a $1 Million offer for it. The article mentioned that the deal was brokered by a 3rd party (most likely ESPN), so the TV revenue should increase the pay further and also place ASU directly in the spotlight on opening day 2014. In a perfect world, this will be our first game as an FBS program and will start that chapter in our history with a bang. Worst-case scenario, it is a great tool to use in recruiting and courting a possible FBS conference.


I have no insight as to exactly where the next few years will take us, but I am sure as hell excited to find out. As we look to move our program to the next level, I will enjoy our time in the Southern Conference and get ready for another great football season. Go App!