Tag: Appalachian State

Appalachian State Battles Coastal Carolina In The Sun Belt Bowl

The Old School Marshall duels the Young Gun Chanticleers this Saturday when Coastal Carolina hosts Appalachian State

The Old School Marshall duels the Young Gun Chanticleers this Saturday when Coastal Carolina hosts Appalachian State

Contact @astatefanrules

[jwplayer PkCtjTd4-boEY74VG]

At the start of this stupid season, if you had told me that Coastal Carolina would be undefeated and ranked #15 in the nation after 12 weeks of football, I’d have probably said, “Yeah, okay” because Lord Entropy is the Sun Belt’s only master. If you told me Rip Torn would also lead in rushing, I’d have believed it, too.

Yet, the Sun Belt’s Sheriff’s badge still shines on the chest of the Mountaineers, its only blemish a loss to currently undefeated Marshall. Appalachian State may be a bit longer in the tooth than the Chants, but Zack Thomas is still a unit behind center, the defense is as stingy as ever, and the citizens of Boone are plenty surly that anyone would dare question their legitimacy.

Short story shorter, Appalachian State wasn’t letting anyone besmirch the supremacy of the Mountaineers. Respect and fist bumps, App fans.

However, to dismiss the Chanticleers is to make a very big mistake; they are legit good. The Chants shut-out a Georgia State offense that puts up 39 points per game. They’re a member of the Sun Belt’s 2020 Big XII Massacre Squad. They’ve defeated #21 Louisiana in Lafayette. Coastal’s freshman QB, Grayson McCall, has been added to the Maxwell Award watch list.

Coastal Carolina’s proficiency on both sides of the ball reminds me of…Appalachian State.

The Mountaineers are also legit good – and well-rounded. The offense and defense both rank second in the Sun Belt. QB Zac Thomas is having another elite season behind center. And they made Arkansas State look like a division two school in Jonesboro.

Yet, while the Mountaineers have been solid, they haven’t been dominating. Comparing apples, Appalachian State struggled in a 17-13 win at Boone over Georgia State – the same Georgia State that Coastal demolished 51-zero in Atlanta. Sometimes, the Mountaineers’ offense stalls. Coastal always seems to coast.

Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina enjoy an early tee-time in Boone this Saturday on ESPN 2. Whoever wins gets to pin the Sun Belt Sheriff Star on their chests, even if Lord Entropy remains the law of the conference.

A former notary public, Jeremy Harper is a professional writer and Chief Instigator for Storm the Castle Creative. He spends much of his free time staring blankly into space. 

[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]

The picks are in, analysts select their winners from todays games

Find out who the experts picked to win this weeks slate of games.

It has become a right of passage at the end of collegiate pregame shows, the picking of the day’s slate of games. Take a look at who the experts selected, along with celebrity picker comedian Bill Murray.

Troy at MTSU

Kirk Herbstreit – Troy

Lee Corso – MSTU

Desmond Howard – MTSU

David Pollack – Troy

Bill Murray – MTSU

 

App. St. at Marshall

Herbstreit  – App. St.

Corso – App. St.

Howard – App. St.

Pollack – Marshall

Murray – App. St.

 

Tulsa vs Oklahoma St.

Herbstreit – OSU

Corso – OSU

Howard – OSU

Pollack – OSU

Murray – OSU

 

UCF at Georgia Tech

Herbstreit – UCF

Corso – UCF

Howard – UCF

Pollack – UCF

Murray – UCF

 

Miami at Louisville

Herbstreit – NO PICK

Corso – Miami

Howard – Miami

Pollack – Louisville

Murray – Louisville

The picks are in! Analysts predict Irish vs. Duke outcome and more

ESPN’s College Gameday crew picks this weeks slate of games with Wake Forest alum and NBA star Chris Paul.

It’s become a Saturday tradition at ESPN, as their analysts pick games with a celebrity guest. Find out who picked Notre Dame to beat Duke along with the other big games of the day.

ESPN College Gameday with Wake Forest alum and NBA star Chris Paul

Costal Carolina at Kansas

Lee Corso – Kansas

David Pollack – Kansas

Kirk Herbstreit – Kansas

Desmond Howard – Kansas

Chris Paul – Kansas

 

Charlotte at Appalachian State

Lee Corso – App St.

David Pollack – App St.

Kirk Herbstreit – App St.

Desmond Howard – App St.

Chris Paul – Charlotte

 

Louisiana at Iowa State

Lee Corso – Iowa St.

David Pollack – Iowa St.

Kirk Herbstreit – Iowa St.

Desmond Howard – Iowa St.

Chris Paul – Louisiana

 

Florida State at Georgia Tech

Lee Corso – Florida St.

David Pollack – Florida St.

Kirk Herbstreit – Florida St.

Desmonds Howard – Florida St.

Chris Paul – Florida St.

 

Syracuse at North Carolina

Lee Corso – North Carolina

David Pollack – North Carolina

Kirk Herbstreit – North Carolina

Desmond Howard – North Carolina

Chris Paul – North Carolina

 

Duke at Notre Dame

Lee Corso – Notre Dame (BIG)

David Pollack – Notre Dame

Kirk Herbstreit – Notre Dame

Desmond Howard – Notre Dame

Chris Paul – Notre Dame

 

Clemson at Wake Forest

Lee Corso – Clemson

David Pollack – Clemson

Kirk Herbstreit – Clemson

Desmond Howard – Clemson

Chris Paul – Wake Forest

Shocker: Notre Dame named best college football team in Indiana

CBS Sports has named the best football team in each state and in a shocker, Notre Dame reps the state of Indiana.

In a complete stunner on Friday morning, Notre Dame was named the best college football program in the state of Indiana entering the 2020 season.

Alright, I hope despite not using any italics or bold or anything else, that you were at least able to pick up on the sarcasm of this very predictable determination.

CBS Sports put together a list of the best football team in 48 of the 50 states as Alaska and Vermont didn’t have a program that qualified by their standards.

Notre Dame was named the best college team in the state of Indiana, hardly a surprise as it was pitted against the likes of Ball State, Indiana and Purdue.  Here is what Barrett Sallee had to say about college football in the Hoosier State:

Indiana — Notre Dame: Notre Dame has double-digit wins in four of its last five seasons, made an appearance in the College Football Playoff in 2018 and should be one of the favorites to unseat Clemson now that it’s a quasi-member of the ACC for 2020. Indiana, Purdue and Ball State can’t hang with the Fighting Irish. — Barrett Sallee

It’s not a surprise whatsoever as outside of a couple years in the late-nineties and early-2000’s that has been the case.

The interesting part of that list comes from other states however.

Virginia overtaking Virginia Tech, Appalachian State taking home the Tar Heel State’s honors and Baylor representing the state of Texas all stand out a bit in the piece.

This writer just wishes Division III programs would have been considered so reigning champion North Central College would have gotten the national love over Northwestern in Illinois.

College Football Bowl Projections Harder than Ever

Where does Jerry Palm see Notre Dame going this post-season? A place they’ve been a bunch before to play a blue blood.

If you think trying to figure out a college football season in the middle of a global pandemic is difficult, think for a second about how hard it will be to plan out college football’s postseason this winter.

The Big Ten, Pac-12, Mountain West and MAC have all canceled their seasons, leaving FBS with just over half of their normal 130 teams even playing this fall.

Jerry Palm of CBS Sports gave his best effort in projecting who will end up where this post-season and for as insane as some games might look, take an LSU vs. Appalachian State Outback Bowl for instance, where he has Notre Dame headed is hardly a rare destination for the Fighting Irish.

And their opponent is hardly a stranger in the post-season, either.

Jerry Palm’s Notre Dame Bowl Projection on August 26, 2020:

Cotton Bowl – December 30, 2020 – Arlington, Texas
Notre Dame vs. Texas

A trip to the Cotton Bowl would mean Notre Dame likely went either 11-1 with an ACC Championship Game loss or 10-2 on the regular season.

It would also mean a familiar post-season destination for both Notre Dame and Texas. The Irish have played in the Cotton Bowl eight times in program history, the most of any bowl game.

Texas has played in the Cotton Bowl 22 times with their conference tie-ins between the old SWC and now in the Big 12.

Notre Dame and Texas have met in three of those Cotton Bowl games all-time with the Irish winning the 1971 and 1978 meetings while the Longhorns took the battle in 1970.

Kyle Busch posts special Xfinity win for family of Joe Gibbs, Appalachian State

The colors of Appalachian State football were on the car Kyle Busch drove to victory Monday in the Xfinity series.

Football and auto racing have mixed big time through Pro Football and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, the three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Cup series champion as team owner of his eponymous race team.

A victory Monday was nowhere near as startling as when the Mountaineers upset Michigan in 2007, but Kyle Busch’s triumph in a car celebrating Appalachian State in the Xfinity Series Alsco 300 race hit home big time for the football family.

Getty Images

The victory came as Busch regained the lead on the last lap and took the checkered flag for a special victory. Two of the sons of the late J.D. Gibbs — Joe’s son — Jackson and Miller are players on the Appalachian State football team.

J.D. Gibbs, who followed his famous father’s path from football to stock-car racing, died in January of 2019. He was 49 and suffered “complications following a long battle with a degenerative neurological disease.

J.D. Gibbs played defensive back and quarterback at William & Mary from 1987-90,. He helped the school team to two Division I Football  Championship Subdivision appearances; the team won 10 games in his senior season.

He then transitioned to join his father’s race team after his college career.

Jackson Gibbs is a junior quarterback, who transferred from UCLA. Miller Gibbs is a redshirt sophomore tight end.

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

 

Titans showing interest in App State’s Darrynton Evans

Could Darrynton Evans be the Titans’ choice to backup Derrick Henry?

Running back might not be incredibly high on the Tennessee Titans’ list of priorities ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft, but it’s still a position of need for the upcoming season.

After all, they’ve got to have a game plan behind star rusher Derrick Henry.

One way they could do that is by adding former Appalachian State running back, Darrynton Evans.

Evans visited with the Titans before the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic hit — but he’s got an extensive list of potential suitors.

The running back has had virtual interviews with 16 other teams, including AFC South rivals the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. He also met with the Indianapolis Colts prior to the quarantine, according to Josh Edwards of CBS Sports.

The 5-foot-10, 203-pound back had some good production in his 2018 and 2019 seasons, accumulating 2,667 yards and 25 touchdowns between those two years. He caught 21 passes for 198 yards and five touchdowns in his junior year.

He’s also been effective as a kick returner, and could bring some versatility to the Titans on special teams, while also functioning in a backup role behind Henry.

Evans projects to be a Day 3 pick, and could go in the fifth round or later in this year’s draft.

[lawrence-related id=30911,30878,30828]

Lions 2020 Draft profile: Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State

Appalachian State RB Darrynton Evans is a good middle-round candidate to help the Detroit Lions at RB in the 2020 NFL Draft

Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans is a definite name to know entering the 2020 NFL Draft for Detroit Lions fans. Evans is a player who fits what the Lions want and need in adding another running back to the backfield mix.

Evans was one of three RBs to make the cut in the highly predictive Quinn Influenced Benchmarks, as laid out by Erik Schlitt. It’s a breakdown of speed, size and burst metrics in athletic testing.

His RAS score shows he’s elite in everything but size, and he’s not small for a speed back at 5-10 and 203 pounds. He’s very similar to Lamar Miller in size and athleticism.

Lamar Miller is a good player comparison for Evans, but it’s not a perfect one. Evans is faster in the open field and has more of a bounce to his legs, though Miller had better vision and more fortitude on inside runs.

Games watched:

Lousiana (played twice in 2019), North Carolina, South Carolina, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina (2018), MTSU (2018)

Pros

  • Getting up the field on edge/stretch runs. Evans is very good at finding the exact right time to floor the gas pedal and get around the edge. Decisive thrust forward off the outside block.
  • Exceptional change of direction and elusiveness. He can flash a target to a potential tackler and take it away instantly with very fluid hips, fast feet and body control.
  • Ball security and hands. Zero career fumbles in over 400 touches. Pass drop statistics are incomplete but he’s listed as having one in 2019 against 21 catches.
  • Passing game work. He flexed out to the slot comfortably on numerous occasions. Routes are fairly pedestrian but he can sit down against a zone and reliably catches everything thrown his way. Good outlet receiver who can make the first tackler miss on swings and screens. He runs wheel routes out of the backfield very well but almost never saw the ball on those plays thanks to iffy QB play.

Cons

  • Power between the tackles. Evans is not a banger on inside runs. He doesn’t drive hard into contact and always looks like he’s trying to escape it instead of just lowering the shoulder and maximizing yardage inside.
  • Has some hesitation to his runs when the hole isn’t where it’s designed. Better NFL backside pursuit will get him more often than it did in college when he shuffles waiting for the hole. Was noticeable vs. Louisiana.
  • Hit-and-run pass protection. Evans capably drops the shoulder or throws a hip check into rushers in pass protection but he makes little effort to sustain contact, and he lacks the strength to impact more powerful defenders.

Overall

Darrynton Evans nicely fits the role of a “lightning” back in an RB rotation, working with a heavier power back. His speed, acceleration, big-play ability as both a runner and receiver are all just as good as several RBs who will be selected ahead of him in the 2020 NFL Draft.

NFL Comparison: Lamar Miller

Where he’s projected: 4th-5th round

Where I’d take him: 3rd round

Ex-Giant Robert Nunn joins Appalachian State coaching staff

Former New York Giants defensive line coach Robert Nunn has been added to the Appalachian State coaching staff.

Robert Nunn, who won a Super Bowl ring as the New York Giants’ defensive line coach under Tom Coughlin in 2012, has been hired to Shawn Clark’s staff at FBS powerhouse Appalachian State.

From College Football Talk:

Nunn has spent the last 19 seasons of his coaching career in the NFL. The Oklahoma native has served as a line coach at that level with the New York Jets (2017-18), Cleveland Browns (2016), New York Giants (2010-16), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009) and Washington Redskins (2003). He was also the defensive tackles coach for the Green Bay Packers (2005-08). From 2000-02 he was the assistant line coach for the Miami Dolphins, then spent the 2004 season as a special assistant coach for that same organization.

Nunn stated he has long followed the ASU program and appears to be a natural fit for them.

“Ever since I started following App State Football in the summer of 1997, I’ve been up to visit 15 or 20 times and I just love Boone,” Nunn said in a statement. “From watching Coach (Jerry) Moore, I was always impressed by how well the Mountaineers were coached. It’s a great program that I’ve been attached to for a while, and I’m excited to join the staff and get started.”

Nunn spent six years with the Giants from 2010-2015.

[lawrence-related id=640616,640599,640591]

Notre Dame Football: Irish Move Up in Final Amway Coaches Poll

Notre Dame gets credit for a pair of Top 25 wins in the final Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA TODAY, as the Irish defeated both No. 20 Navy and No. 25 Virginia this season.

The final Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA TODAY has been released and Notre Dame comes in higher in it than they did when the final AP Top 25 Poll was released last night.

The Amway Coaches Poll goes as follows:

1) Louisiana State

2) Clemson

3) Ohio State

4) Georgia

5) Oregon

6) Oklahoma

7) Florida

8) Alabama

9) Penn State

10) Minnesota

11) Notre Dame

12) Baylor

13) Wisconsin

14) Auburn

15) Iowa

16) Utah

17) Memphis

18) Appalachian State

19) Michigan

20) Navy

21) Cincinnati

22) Boise State

23) Air Force

24) Central Florida

25) Virginia

Schools dropped out:

No. 23 Southern California

Others receiving votes:

Texas 42; Florida Atlantic 32; Washington 29; UL Lafayette 26; Texas A&M 26; Southern California 23; San Diego State 20; Southern Methodist 14; Louisiana Tech 9; Tennessee 8; Kentucky 5; California 4; Louisville 3; Kansas State 3; Hawaii 3; Oklahoma State 1.

Notre Dame gets credit for a pair of Top 25 wins in the final Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA TODAY, as the Irish defeated both No. 20 Navy and No. 25 Virginia this season.