BULLDOG8180
October 16th, 2006, 09:30 AM
Found this is the Spartanburg paper....
TODD SHANESY, Staff Writer
Published October 14, 2006
Appalachian State quarterback Trey Elder, recently demoted to second string, pulled head coach Jerry Moore to the side after practice earlier this week to make something understood.
Elder, from Byrnes High School, has publicly said all the right things since losing his starting job a month ago, but people just knew he was torn up about it inside. He had been groomed for this junior season.
He started last year's NCAA Division I-AA national championship game, which the Mountaineers won. Now he was being yanked from the lineup after two games, against N.C. State and James Madison, in favor of true freshman Armanti Edwards from Greenwood.
Elder was unhappy, they said. How could he not be?
In fact, there were already rumors swirling around the mountains of Boone, N.C., that Elder wanted to transfer. Moore was going to hear things.
Elder wanted to lay it all right on the line.
The grumbling, the whining, the sulking, he said, was not coming from him. Elder said he was perfectly fine being a quarterback -- if not THE quarterback -- on a team ranked No. 2 in the country and possibly headed for another I-AA title.
"Somebody told me that things were said to Coach about me complaining," Elder said. "I wanted to clear that up. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.
"I have nothing to complain about. There is no reason for me to be bitter. We're trying to win championships here. Armanti's making great plays for us. Last week, he threw two incomplete passes the whole game (12-for-14, 300 yards, two touchdowns).
Right now, he gives us the best chance to win. He deserves to be the starting quarterback. If Armanti goes down, I'll be ready. If not, it's his team."
Elder had shoulder surgery in late June -- "That was a little bit our fault, not getting on that quicker" Moore said, -- and it might have had something to do with his slow start, at least statistically. Elder was 9-for-29 passing for 137 yards combined in the first two games. Edwards started the third game, against Mars Hill, and quickly became the most dangerous quarterback in the Southern Conference. He has thrown for more than 900 yards, completing 68 percent of his passes, and is a averaging 5.8 yards per run.
Combined, he has 11 touchdowns.
Edwards has been the league's freshman of the week three straight times, and will surely win the yearly honor.
"I felt a little bad about it," he said of stealing Elder's thunder. "But I have to do what they ask."
Moore said the issue hasn't been even the least bit sensitive, mostly because of Elder's maturity level.
"I don't think it's a delicate thing if you're up front with it," Moore said. "Trey initiated the conversation (Monday night). My response to him was as candid as it could possibly be. Trey is well-aware of all the circumstances. He's so very much aware of his role as a leader on this football team. Our team has great respect for Trey Elder."
Elder was a backup last season, but came in to lead Appalachian State to victory in the national semifinals against Furman when starter Richie Williams, the Southern Conference player of the year, went down with an injury. Williams returned for the second half of the championship game.
"I'm OK with this role. Last year, I was in the same spot," Elder said. "I came from a great high school program (winner of the last four state championships) where we were told that winning is what you try to do. I played behind some good players at Byrnes. So I'm in this thing to win, no matter who is playing.":hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:
TODD SHANESY, Staff Writer
Published October 14, 2006
Appalachian State quarterback Trey Elder, recently demoted to second string, pulled head coach Jerry Moore to the side after practice earlier this week to make something understood.
Elder, from Byrnes High School, has publicly said all the right things since losing his starting job a month ago, but people just knew he was torn up about it inside. He had been groomed for this junior season.
He started last year's NCAA Division I-AA national championship game, which the Mountaineers won. Now he was being yanked from the lineup after two games, against N.C. State and James Madison, in favor of true freshman Armanti Edwards from Greenwood.
Elder was unhappy, they said. How could he not be?
In fact, there were already rumors swirling around the mountains of Boone, N.C., that Elder wanted to transfer. Moore was going to hear things.
Elder wanted to lay it all right on the line.
The grumbling, the whining, the sulking, he said, was not coming from him. Elder said he was perfectly fine being a quarterback -- if not THE quarterback -- on a team ranked No. 2 in the country and possibly headed for another I-AA title.
"Somebody told me that things were said to Coach about me complaining," Elder said. "I wanted to clear that up. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.
"I have nothing to complain about. There is no reason for me to be bitter. We're trying to win championships here. Armanti's making great plays for us. Last week, he threw two incomplete passes the whole game (12-for-14, 300 yards, two touchdowns).
Right now, he gives us the best chance to win. He deserves to be the starting quarterback. If Armanti goes down, I'll be ready. If not, it's his team."
Elder had shoulder surgery in late June -- "That was a little bit our fault, not getting on that quicker" Moore said, -- and it might have had something to do with his slow start, at least statistically. Elder was 9-for-29 passing for 137 yards combined in the first two games. Edwards started the third game, against Mars Hill, and quickly became the most dangerous quarterback in the Southern Conference. He has thrown for more than 900 yards, completing 68 percent of his passes, and is a averaging 5.8 yards per run.
Combined, he has 11 touchdowns.
Edwards has been the league's freshman of the week three straight times, and will surely win the yearly honor.
"I felt a little bad about it," he said of stealing Elder's thunder. "But I have to do what they ask."
Moore said the issue hasn't been even the least bit sensitive, mostly because of Elder's maturity level.
"I don't think it's a delicate thing if you're up front with it," Moore said. "Trey initiated the conversation (Monday night). My response to him was as candid as it could possibly be. Trey is well-aware of all the circumstances. He's so very much aware of his role as a leader on this football team. Our team has great respect for Trey Elder."
Elder was a backup last season, but came in to lead Appalachian State to victory in the national semifinals against Furman when starter Richie Williams, the Southern Conference player of the year, went down with an injury. Williams returned for the second half of the championship game.
"I'm OK with this role. Last year, I was in the same spot," Elder said. "I came from a great high school program (winner of the last four state championships) where we were told that winning is what you try to do. I played behind some good players at Byrnes. So I'm in this thing to win, no matter who is playing.":hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: