SoCon48
October 9th, 2006, 10:55 AM
IMOPGood article on ASU vs Chatt. By Tommy Bowman in the Winston-Salem Journal. No digs at a QB contoversey nor snips at freshman mistakes:
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Appalachian roars past Chattanooga 56-21
Mountaineers are unstoppable on way to fifth straight win
By Tommy Bowman
JOURNAL REPORTER
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.
After winning its previous three games by an average of 33 points, Appalachian State was looking for more of a test last night.
It didn't get one in a 56-21 blowout of Chattanooga at Finley Stadium.
The Mountaineers led 35-0 before halftime.
Marques Murrell, an All-America tight end for the Mountaineers, said that past struggles against the Mocs helped his team practice and prepare well.
"The coaches put a little hot sauce in our food this week," Murrell said.
Armanti Edwards, a freshman making his fourth start at quarterback, completed 12 of 14 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns in less than three quarters. William Mayfield caught seven passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. And Kevin Richardson topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in a road game, gaining 101 yards on 10 carries. He also scored three times.
Appalachian, returning to the stadium in which it won last season's NCAA Division I-AA championship with a neutral-field victory over Northern Iowa, wound up with 594 yards last night. The Mountaineers have scored 40 points in four consecutive games for the first time in school history.
ASU had struggled against Chattanooga in its three previous games at Finley, losing twice, including a 59-56 decision in 2004. Last night was no struggle.
The Mountaineers (5-1, 2-0 Southern Conference) scored on five of their six first-half possessions and gained 399 yards in the first half.
Edwards connected with Mayfield for gains of 61 and 49 yards to set up the first two touchdowns. He later hit Dexter Jackson in stride for a 78-yard touchdown pass.
Jerry Moore, the Mountaineers' coach, said that his team's game plan included attacking the Mocs' secondary, which he felt was vulnerable.
"We wanted to make them defend the field," Moore said.
Mayfield, who made it a long night for free safety Brandon Golder on two of his long gains, said: "They came out and didn't seem too aggressive, so we took advantage."
Jackson also scored on a 27-yard run on a reverse, and Richardson had two first-half touchdown runs.
Mayfield made his second touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half, snagging a 17-yard pass from Edwards. On the Mountaineers' second series of the half, Richardson took a handoff on the first play and ran 71 yards for a touchdown.
The Mountaineers, leading 49-0 with 8:33 left in the third quarter, unloaded their bench on their next possession.
Chattanooga, hoping for a breakthrough season after its first winning season in eight years last fall and after beating Georgia Southern two weeks ago - fell back on hard times. A week after losing to previously winless The Citadel, the Mocs fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon.
Coach Rodney Allison of the Mocs apologized for his team's play last night.
"It's not acceptable," he said. "It's not indicative of the caliber of team we have.... They're the No. 2 team in the country but ... I thought this was a step back. I'm about as disappointed as I've been in three years. We're not coaching well enough, and we're not playing well enough."
ASU held Eldra Buckley, the SoCon's leading rusher, to fewer than 100 yards for the first time this season. Buckley, who ran for 210 yards against the Mountaineers last season, had 51 yards on 18 carries last night.
"He's a good back," Moore said. "He makes people miss. We emphasized all week wrapping up and not letting him break tackles."
Safety Jeremy Wiggins of ASU said: "He made a statement last year that their offensive line was better than our defensive line. I think we showed tonight that's not the case."
The Mocs ended the Mountaineers' bid for a second shutout this season with 4:34 left in the third quarter, when Emanuel Hassell hauled in a tipped pass from Matt Lopez for a 14-yard touchdown.
Murrell said he doesn't think that the Mountaineers will become complacent after four straight one-sided wins.
"As a team, we could get used to this," Murrell said. "We could get comfortable. But we're not that way."
• Tommy Bowman
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Appalachian roars past Chattanooga 56-21
Mountaineers are unstoppable on way to fifth straight win
By Tommy Bowman
JOURNAL REPORTER
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.
After winning its previous three games by an average of 33 points, Appalachian State was looking for more of a test last night.
It didn't get one in a 56-21 blowout of Chattanooga at Finley Stadium.
The Mountaineers led 35-0 before halftime.
Marques Murrell, an All-America tight end for the Mountaineers, said that past struggles against the Mocs helped his team practice and prepare well.
"The coaches put a little hot sauce in our food this week," Murrell said.
Armanti Edwards, a freshman making his fourth start at quarterback, completed 12 of 14 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns in less than three quarters. William Mayfield caught seven passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. And Kevin Richardson topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time in a road game, gaining 101 yards on 10 carries. He also scored three times.
Appalachian, returning to the stadium in which it won last season's NCAA Division I-AA championship with a neutral-field victory over Northern Iowa, wound up with 594 yards last night. The Mountaineers have scored 40 points in four consecutive games for the first time in school history.
ASU had struggled against Chattanooga in its three previous games at Finley, losing twice, including a 59-56 decision in 2004. Last night was no struggle.
The Mountaineers (5-1, 2-0 Southern Conference) scored on five of their six first-half possessions and gained 399 yards in the first half.
Edwards connected with Mayfield for gains of 61 and 49 yards to set up the first two touchdowns. He later hit Dexter Jackson in stride for a 78-yard touchdown pass.
Jerry Moore, the Mountaineers' coach, said that his team's game plan included attacking the Mocs' secondary, which he felt was vulnerable.
"We wanted to make them defend the field," Moore said.
Mayfield, who made it a long night for free safety Brandon Golder on two of his long gains, said: "They came out and didn't seem too aggressive, so we took advantage."
Jackson also scored on a 27-yard run on a reverse, and Richardson had two first-half touchdown runs.
Mayfield made his second touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half, snagging a 17-yard pass from Edwards. On the Mountaineers' second series of the half, Richardson took a handoff on the first play and ran 71 yards for a touchdown.
The Mountaineers, leading 49-0 with 8:33 left in the third quarter, unloaded their bench on their next possession.
Chattanooga, hoping for a breakthrough season after its first winning season in eight years last fall and after beating Georgia Southern two weeks ago - fell back on hard times. A week after losing to previously winless The Citadel, the Mocs fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon.
Coach Rodney Allison of the Mocs apologized for his team's play last night.
"It's not acceptable," he said. "It's not indicative of the caliber of team we have.... They're the No. 2 team in the country but ... I thought this was a step back. I'm about as disappointed as I've been in three years. We're not coaching well enough, and we're not playing well enough."
ASU held Eldra Buckley, the SoCon's leading rusher, to fewer than 100 yards for the first time this season. Buckley, who ran for 210 yards against the Mountaineers last season, had 51 yards on 18 carries last night.
"He's a good back," Moore said. "He makes people miss. We emphasized all week wrapping up and not letting him break tackles."
Safety Jeremy Wiggins of ASU said: "He made a statement last year that their offensive line was better than our defensive line. I think we showed tonight that's not the case."
The Mocs ended the Mountaineers' bid for a second shutout this season with 4:34 left in the third quarter, when Emanuel Hassell hauled in a tipped pass from Matt Lopez for a 14-yard touchdown.
Murrell said he doesn't think that the Mountaineers will become complacent after four straight one-sided wins.
"As a team, we could get used to this," Murrell said. "We could get comfortable. But we're not that way."
• Tommy Bowman