Gary Hahn's Scouting Report: Appalachian State
Courtesy: NC State
NC STATE (0-0, 0-0) vs. No. 1 APPALACHIAN ST. (0-0, 0-0)
DATE: Saturday, September 2, 2006
TIME: Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. (EDT) Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC (57,500)
RADIO: Wolfpack Sports Network: 5:00 p.m. (EDT)
TELEVISION: None
OPPONENT--Appalachian State will be playing its first game ever as the nation?s top-ranked NCAA Division I-AA team. The defending national champions return 16 starters (seven on each side of the ball and two on special teams) and five All-Americans. However, much of the focus will be on a player with only two college starts.
Junior Trey Elder (6-1, 190) will take the reigns at quarterback from the graduated Richie Williams-- the holder of every single game, single season and career record for a signal-caller at ASU. However, Elder has some big game experience. When Williams went down with an ankle injury in last season?s national semifinal against Furman, Elder came off the bench and led ASU to a 29-23 victory by throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown and scoring the winning TD on a one-yard run. He also started the national title game (a 21-16 victory over Northern Iowa) and a 2004 victory over Texas State.
Protecting Elder is an offensive line that returns four starters, including first-team All-American right tackle, Matt Isenhour (6-1, 275, Sr.). The only hole is at left tackle where true freshman, Mario Acitelli (6-2, 255), is the projected starter.
Elder?s receivers are also experienced. Juniors Dexter Jackson and Hans Batichon combined for 20 starts and last season had 50 catches for nearly 700 yards between them. Senior William Mayfield, who caught four TD passes last season, also returns. Sophomore, James Hill (6-0, 160) a transfer who led Rhode Island in receiving in ?04, is an exciting newcomer. Freshman walk-on Matt Cline (5-11, 180) was the surprise of preseason camp and redshirt freshman, Tavaris Washington, also has big play potential.
When the Mountaineers get in the red zone, senior tight end, Daniel Bettis (6-3, 245, Sr.), is a prime receiver. The sure-handed Bettis is a preseason All-America selection who has a knack for finding the end zone. More than one-fourth of his career catches have been for touchdowns.
Appalachian State uses a no-huddle, spread offense, but runs the football very effectively. The Mountaineers averaged nearly 194 yards a game on the ground last season. The featured back is junior Kevin Richardson (5-9, 190). The All-American?s 1,433 rushing yards were the most ever for an ASU sophomore and his 52 receptions led the team. Richardson, who is on the watch list for the Walter Peyton Award as the top offensive player in division I-AA, found the end-zone a school record 21 times and led the Southern Conference in all-purpose yards (2,038).
The national championship helped ASU secure a great recruiting class. It was so talented that two true freshmen are listed as the primary back-ups for Richardson after beating out more experienced players. One of them, Devon Moore (5-9, 190), ran for more than 6,000 yards and 42 touchdowns during his career at Cedar Ridge High School.
Fundamentally sound, Appalachian State rarely beats itself. The Mountaineers committed only 21 turnovers and averaged 7 penalties for 62 yards in 15 games last season.
Defensively, ASU lost some key players at linebacker and defensive end, but don?t expect any changes to the aggressive, blitzing scheme that was employed a year ago.
Bettis will play both ways and is listed as the starter at right defensive end. The other end, Marques Murrell (6-2, 245, Sr.) is the undisputed leader of the defense. A candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, Murrell was one of only three players to rank last season in the national top-10 in sacks (13), tackles for loss (26.5) and forced fumbles (7).
At linebacker, All-Southern Conference selection, Monte Smith (6-0, 215, Sr.), is the lone returning starter. Junior Cam Speer (6-0, 215), who recorded 40 tackles last season as a reserve, is ready to step up at middle linebacker. On the weakside, Byron Heath (5-11, 220, So.), saw little playing time a year ago, but is the projected starter.
The strength of the Mountaineers defense could be the backfield. The entire two-deep unit returns intact from a season ago, led by All-American safeties Corey Lynch (6-0, 205, Jr.) and Jeremy Wiggins (5-9, 190, Sr.). At cornerback, Justin Woazeah (5-10, 175, Jr.) and Jerome Touchstone (5-7, 155, Jr.) are both third-year starters. Touchstone is the team?s fastest player and best pass defender.
In the kicking game, the top returnee is Julian Rauch. The junior place-kicker made only 9 of 17 field goal attempts in ?05 and was 0-4 beyond 40-yards. However, he made all his kicks in last season?s playoffs (15 PATs and 3 field goals). Rauch also punted 14 times for a 34.5 yards average last year, but probably won?t do much double-duty this season. Sophomore, Neil Young, a transfer from Wingate University, is listed as the Mountaineers punter. He?s never played in a college game, but averaged 42 yards a punt as a high school senior.
Dexter Jackson is ASU?s most experienced return specialist. He averaged 8.4 yards per punt return and 17.2 yards per kick return in 2005.
NOTES: ASU is 3-3 in its last six matchups against ACC competition...The Mountaineers are
0-5 against NC State...This is the first meeting between the Wolfpack and Mountaineers since a 35-10 NC State victory in 1992...Former Wolfpack center, Charlie Cobb, is ASU?s Director of Athletics...The Wolfpack has won 8 of its last 9 season openers...NC State is 23-3 against non-conference opponents under Chuck Amato, including 14-1 at home...Wolfpack kicker, John Deraney, has never missed an extra point kick at NC State (62-62)...Of Deraney?s 51 career kickoffs, 49 percent have not been returned...Last season, tailbacks Toney Baker, Andre Brown and Darrell Blackman combined for 95 percent of the team?s rushing yards and 53 percent of its all-purpose yards. Blackman will line up at wide receiver this season and is expected to be a major contributor...Blackman led the ACC in kickoff returns in ?05 with a 29.1 yard average...NC State has won 5 of its last 6 games, dating back to last season, including 3 straight at home. In the last 6 games of the 2005 regular season, NC State allowed opponents an average of 71 rushing yards a game...ASU averaged nearly 194 rushing yards a game in ?05...Wolfpack quarterback Marcus Stone is 5-1 as a starter.
INJURIES--NC State: C Luke Lathan (concussion)-questionable; WR Lamart Barrett (hamstring)-questionable; LB Ernest Jones (knee sprain)-questionable.Appalachian StateOT Kyle Knox (ankle)-out; WR William Mayfield (knee)-day-to-day; WR Josh Johnson (ankle)-day-to-day.
Courtesy: NC State
NC STATE (0-0, 0-0) vs. No. 1 APPALACHIAN ST. (0-0, 0-0)
DATE: Saturday, September 2, 2006
TIME: Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. (EDT) Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC (57,500)
RADIO: Wolfpack Sports Network: 5:00 p.m. (EDT)
TELEVISION: None
OPPONENT--Appalachian State will be playing its first game ever as the nation?s top-ranked NCAA Division I-AA team. The defending national champions return 16 starters (seven on each side of the ball and two on special teams) and five All-Americans. However, much of the focus will be on a player with only two college starts.
Junior Trey Elder (6-1, 190) will take the reigns at quarterback from the graduated Richie Williams-- the holder of every single game, single season and career record for a signal-caller at ASU. However, Elder has some big game experience. When Williams went down with an ankle injury in last season?s national semifinal against Furman, Elder came off the bench and led ASU to a 29-23 victory by throwing for 165 yards and a touchdown and scoring the winning TD on a one-yard run. He also started the national title game (a 21-16 victory over Northern Iowa) and a 2004 victory over Texas State.
Protecting Elder is an offensive line that returns four starters, including first-team All-American right tackle, Matt Isenhour (6-1, 275, Sr.). The only hole is at left tackle where true freshman, Mario Acitelli (6-2, 255), is the projected starter.
Elder?s receivers are also experienced. Juniors Dexter Jackson and Hans Batichon combined for 20 starts and last season had 50 catches for nearly 700 yards between them. Senior William Mayfield, who caught four TD passes last season, also returns. Sophomore, James Hill (6-0, 160) a transfer who led Rhode Island in receiving in ?04, is an exciting newcomer. Freshman walk-on Matt Cline (5-11, 180) was the surprise of preseason camp and redshirt freshman, Tavaris Washington, also has big play potential.
When the Mountaineers get in the red zone, senior tight end, Daniel Bettis (6-3, 245, Sr.), is a prime receiver. The sure-handed Bettis is a preseason All-America selection who has a knack for finding the end zone. More than one-fourth of his career catches have been for touchdowns.
Appalachian State uses a no-huddle, spread offense, but runs the football very effectively. The Mountaineers averaged nearly 194 yards a game on the ground last season. The featured back is junior Kevin Richardson (5-9, 190). The All-American?s 1,433 rushing yards were the most ever for an ASU sophomore and his 52 receptions led the team. Richardson, who is on the watch list for the Walter Peyton Award as the top offensive player in division I-AA, found the end-zone a school record 21 times and led the Southern Conference in all-purpose yards (2,038).
The national championship helped ASU secure a great recruiting class. It was so talented that two true freshmen are listed as the primary back-ups for Richardson after beating out more experienced players. One of them, Devon Moore (5-9, 190), ran for more than 6,000 yards and 42 touchdowns during his career at Cedar Ridge High School.
Fundamentally sound, Appalachian State rarely beats itself. The Mountaineers committed only 21 turnovers and averaged 7 penalties for 62 yards in 15 games last season.
Defensively, ASU lost some key players at linebacker and defensive end, but don?t expect any changes to the aggressive, blitzing scheme that was employed a year ago.
Bettis will play both ways and is listed as the starter at right defensive end. The other end, Marques Murrell (6-2, 245, Sr.) is the undisputed leader of the defense. A candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, Murrell was one of only three players to rank last season in the national top-10 in sacks (13), tackles for loss (26.5) and forced fumbles (7).
At linebacker, All-Southern Conference selection, Monte Smith (6-0, 215, Sr.), is the lone returning starter. Junior Cam Speer (6-0, 215), who recorded 40 tackles last season as a reserve, is ready to step up at middle linebacker. On the weakside, Byron Heath (5-11, 220, So.), saw little playing time a year ago, but is the projected starter.
The strength of the Mountaineers defense could be the backfield. The entire two-deep unit returns intact from a season ago, led by All-American safeties Corey Lynch (6-0, 205, Jr.) and Jeremy Wiggins (5-9, 190, Sr.). At cornerback, Justin Woazeah (5-10, 175, Jr.) and Jerome Touchstone (5-7, 155, Jr.) are both third-year starters. Touchstone is the team?s fastest player and best pass defender.
In the kicking game, the top returnee is Julian Rauch. The junior place-kicker made only 9 of 17 field goal attempts in ?05 and was 0-4 beyond 40-yards. However, he made all his kicks in last season?s playoffs (15 PATs and 3 field goals). Rauch also punted 14 times for a 34.5 yards average last year, but probably won?t do much double-duty this season. Sophomore, Neil Young, a transfer from Wingate University, is listed as the Mountaineers punter. He?s never played in a college game, but averaged 42 yards a punt as a high school senior.
Dexter Jackson is ASU?s most experienced return specialist. He averaged 8.4 yards per punt return and 17.2 yards per kick return in 2005.
NOTES: ASU is 3-3 in its last six matchups against ACC competition...The Mountaineers are
0-5 against NC State...This is the first meeting between the Wolfpack and Mountaineers since a 35-10 NC State victory in 1992...Former Wolfpack center, Charlie Cobb, is ASU?s Director of Athletics...The Wolfpack has won 8 of its last 9 season openers...NC State is 23-3 against non-conference opponents under Chuck Amato, including 14-1 at home...Wolfpack kicker, John Deraney, has never missed an extra point kick at NC State (62-62)...Of Deraney?s 51 career kickoffs, 49 percent have not been returned...Last season, tailbacks Toney Baker, Andre Brown and Darrell Blackman combined for 95 percent of the team?s rushing yards and 53 percent of its all-purpose yards. Blackman will line up at wide receiver this season and is expected to be a major contributor...Blackman led the ACC in kickoff returns in ?05 with a 29.1 yard average...NC State has won 5 of its last 6 games, dating back to last season, including 3 straight at home. In the last 6 games of the 2005 regular season, NC State allowed opponents an average of 71 rushing yards a game...ASU averaged nearly 194 rushing yards a game in ?05...Wolfpack quarterback Marcus Stone is 5-1 as a starter.
INJURIES--NC State: C Luke Lathan (concussion)-questionable; WR Lamart Barrett (hamstring)-questionable; LB Ernest Jones (knee sprain)-questionable.Appalachian StateOT Kyle Knox (ankle)-out; WR William Mayfield (knee)-day-to-day; WR Josh Johnson (ankle)-day-to-day.
