Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Appalachian State Mountaineers season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Appalachian State Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in Sun Belt
Head Coach: Eliah Drinkwitz, 1st year
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE APPALACHIAN STATE OFFENSE
– The offense that finished second on the Sun Belt in yards and first in scoring isn’t slowing down. Head coach Eliah Drinkwitz knows how to get an attack moving – bombing away with the passing game at NC State last year and balancing things out the year before – and now he inherits a loaded attack. ASU underwent a youth movement last year with eight sophomores starting in bowl games, and now, just about everyone is back.
– All QB Zac Thomas had to do was step in for heart-and-soul starter Taylor Lamb, and he came up large throwing 21 touchdown passes with just six picks. The 6-1, 200-pounder added ten scores, too. The depth is more than solid with 6-3 junior Jacob Huesman seeing a little time. These guys will look even better because …
– The receiving corps is loaded. All-star junior Corey Sutton is back after leading the team with 44 catches for 773 yards and ten scores. In all, eight of the top nine pass catchers – including the running backs – return, including second-leading midrange target Thomas Hennigan – he made 29 grabs, along with speedster Malik Williams. Tight ends Collin Reed and Henry Pearson are back after combining for 26 catches with five scores.
– The ground game that finished second in the Sun Belt averaging 240 yards per game is excellent, too. There’s a chance Darrynton Evans works more at receiver, but he’s the leading returning rusher averaging close to seven yards per pop with 1,187 yards and seven scores. Jalin Moore is gone, but junior Marcus Williams was second on the team with 561 yards and four scores. 6-2, 202-pound redshirt freshman Camerun Peoples brings a little thump.
– Four starters are back on a line that was fantastic in pass protection and led the Sun Belt in fewest tackles for loss allowed. First Team All-Sun Belt star Victor Johnson leads the line at left tackle, Noah Hannon is a rock at center, and the guards are set. All-star Chandler Greer is done at right tackle, and now his understudy Matt Williams is set to slide in.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE APPALACHIAN STATE DEFENSE
– There isn’t as much talent and experience returning on defense that the offense enjoys, but seven starters and four of the top five tacklers return. Defensive coordinator Ted Roof is a veteran who knows how to bring the heat, with his main job to not screw things up for a defense that finished sixth in the nation allowing just 288 yards and 15.5 points per game.
– The defensive front should be a killer. All-star NT Myquon Stout is done, but junior end Elijah Diarrassouba and Chris Willis are back. They’re just okay at getting to the quarterback, but they’re ready to do more after stepping into the rotation and making an impact late in the year. 305-pound redshirt freshman Jordon Earle and 258-pound sophomore George Blackstock will be a part of the interior combination to replace Stout.
– The linebacking corps loses second-leading tackler Anthony Flory, but leading man Akeem Davis-Gaither is back after coming up with 105 tackles, and Jordan Fehr is back on the inside coming off an 85-tackle, 5.5 sack season. Throw in 212-pound Noel Cook and his 75 stops, and the corps is really, really good. In all, five of the top six linebackers return – this group will be fantastic.
– It stinks to lose NFL-caliber CB Clifton Duck and Tae Hayes on the other side, but the safeties are terrific. 200-pound seniors Josh Thomas and and ball-hawking First Team All-Sun Belt talent Desmond Franklin return. The corners are the one big question mark on the defense – you don’t just replace Duck and Hayes. It’s a young, green group that needs to find the right rotation in fall camp.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP APPALACHIAN STATE PLAYERS
Best Appalachian State Offensive Player
QB Zac Thomas, Jr.
All he did was step in with the pressure on to lead the loaded Mountaineers, and he ended up taking the team to the Sun Belt title and became the conference player of the year.
He’s not all that big at 6-1 and 200 pounds, but he’s got a live, accurate arm hitting 63% of his passes for 2,039 yards and 21 touchdowns with just six picks, and ran for 504 yards and ten scores. Best of all, everyone is back around him.
2. OT Victor Johnson, Sr.
3. RB/WR Darryton Evans, Jr.
4. WR Corey Sutton, Jr.
5. C Noah Hannon, Jr.
Best Appalachian State Defensive Player
LB Jordan Fehr, Sr.
The 6-3, 226-pounder is the leader of another great ASU linebacking corps, He finished third on the team with 85 tackles, but he led the way with 5.5 sacks with 7.5 tackles for loss. With him on the inside and Akeem Davis-Gaither and Noel Cook on the outside, the Mountaineers are set at linebacker.
2. S Desmond Franklin, Sr.
3. LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, Sr.
4. LB Noel Cook, Sr.
5. S Josh Thomas, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Appalachian State Offense
Consistency with the passing game. Nitpicking time for one of the league’s strongest offenses – the ground attack will do most of the heavy lifting, but it will be a plus if the entire O is just a wee bit sharper.
QB Zac Thomas might be the Sun Belt’s best player, and the receiving corps should be the league’s best – or close to it. The pass protection will be there, too. Now the passing attack needs to be sharper.
There was a rough midsection to last season when the passing game couldn’t hit much of anything, hitting just 50% of its throws or fewer in a five game run, and was at the mark or worse seven times in the last ten games.
When Thomas was on, healthy, and everything was clicking – he missed most of two games – the offense was devastating. If the passing game can keep it around 60% every game … boom.
Biggest Key To The Appalachian State Defense
The corners have to produce. First Team All-Sun Belt star Clifton Duck is now a Chicago Bear, and fellow all-star corner Tae Hayes was picked up by Jacksonville. These two were lockdown machines on the outside for the nation’s third-most efficient pass defense, and now they leave massive shoes to fill.
Sophomore Shaun Jolly at least got on the field last season, and Shemar Jean-Charles and Steven Jones each made five stops, but Duck and Hayes were special – Duck was avoided at all costs at times. A No. 1 stopper has to emerge at one corner gig.
Key Player To A Successful Season
DE/DT George Blackstock, Soph.
Or 270-pound senior EJ Scott, or 305-pound redshirt freshman Jordan Earle. The defense is set to be amazing again if the new corners can rise up and be decent right away, and if someone can replace all-star MyQuon Stout on the interior. The 6-1, 258-pound undersized Blackstock will get a look on the inside, but Scott and Earle bring more bulk. there will be a rotation to keep everyone fresh, but Stout was fantastic.
Key Game To The Appalachian State Season
at Troy, Nov. 30
Arkansas State and Louisiana are good in the West, and Georgia Southern is dangerous again – the Eagles gave ASU fits in a 34-14 thumping last season – but the regular season ender against Troy might just be for the Sun Belt title.
The Mountaineers won 21-10 at home last year after losing at Troy 28-24 in 2016. Now that the two are in the same division, and with the season leading up to the finish, this will be must-see viewing.
– Appalachian State Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Appalachian State Fun Stats
– 4th Quarter Scoring: Appalachian State 122 – Opponents 38
– Onside Kicks: Appalachian State 2-for-2 – Opponents 2-for-3
– Rushing Yards Per Game: Appalachian State 240.4 – Opponents 125.9
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. APPALACHIAN STATE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
With 41 wins, four straight bowl victories, and a win in the first Sun Belt conference championship game, it’s been an amazing run for the program since moving up from the FCS ranks and getting its feet wet with a 7-5 first season in 2014. And now it’s up to Eliah Drinkwitz to keep it all going.
The new head coach has a terrific staff around him and the Sun Belt’s best team to work with. Yeah, there might be a few question marks at cornerback and defensive tackle, but there’s absolutely no excuse to not take a second straight championship game.
The offense gets back just about everyone and has depth, the defense gets back almost everyone from the dominant group and has depth, and the kicking game and special teams are either the best in the Sun Belt or a close No. 2.
In other words, new guy, don’t screw it up.
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 9
Last year’s team came really, really close to beating Penn State on the road, and couldn’t handle the funky Georgia Southern offense – ASU was without QB Zac Thomas in that one. That was it. Those were the two losses.
This time around, though, the Mountaineers have to go to North Carolina and South Carolina. They’re good enough to win at least one of those – most likely against the Tar Heels – but they have to go on the road to face Louisiana and Troy, too – arguably two of the top four teams in the league along with ASU and Arkansas State – making it hard to get to the ten-win mark again in the regular season.
It’ll come down to the regular season finale against Troy to get to the Sun Belt title game. the Mountaineers will come through and be off to another bowl game with another double-digit win season.
The Mountaineer machine keeps rolling on.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
