By Peyton Ash. BOONE, N.C. — With 36,232 braving inclement weather, the Appalachian State Mountaineers hosted East Tennessee State University on Aug. 31, for a strong season opener at The Rock.
App State set the tone early, as Christan Horn caught a long ball down the middle from quarterback Joey Aguilar for an 83-yard touchdown. The score happened in the first three minutes of play and was the longest pass of Aguilar’s career.
“We had it planned out throughout the week for certain plays,” said Aguilar after the game. “Every play we got, we’ve got a deep shot somewhere and it’s just my alert… Today the safety jumped on K-Rob (Kaedin Robinson) and left the middle field open for C-Horn (Christan Horn), so I just threw it out there.”
The Mountaineers got the ball again after a short drive from ETSU and marched downfield with ease, throwing and running their way through the Buccaneers. Close to the goal line, a Christan Horn touchdown was called back due to an illegal block in the back by Horn himself, according to game officials. App State settled for a field goal by Michael Hughes to put the team up 10-0 as the first quarter came to an end.
After another juggle of possessions, Aguilar and the Mountaineer run-game set up a first and goal at the one-yard line, Kanye Roberts punched in App State’s second touchdown to make the score 17-0.
With 7:19 left in the second quarter, App State linebacker Derrell Farrar rocked ETSU quarterback Jaylen King. Farrar was penalized for the alleged late hit that left King off the field for a play. Initially ruled to be targeting, upon review that aspect of the penalty was overturned.
The Buccaneers did not go out of the half without a fight. ETSU running back Devontae Houston cracked an 80-yard run down the heart of the Mountaineers logo — and through a gaping hole in the Mountaineer defense — to shorten the App State lead to 17-7.
In his post-game press conference, App State head coach Shawn Clark was critical of his team’s penalties and the late-first-half 80-yard touchdown run.
“It’s one play. Anytime you miss-fit a gap and it goes to, you know, a 70-yard run, that stuff doesn’t look good for us and it’s not what we wanted,” Clark said.
Halftime arrived with the Mountaineers still holding the 17-7 advantage.
Following the intermission, ETSU rallied with back-to-back big plays that put them in prime scoring position, at App State’s 23-yard line. Tight End Cameron Lewis led the charge with a 28-yard physical catch and two other receptions during the drive.
App State’s defense buckled down and held ETSU to a field goal, led by inside linebackers Brendan Harrington and Jalik Thomas. ETSU capped off the drive with a 25-yard field goal to once again shorten the lead to 17-10.
Aguilar and the Mountaineers responded with eight consecutive passes. The Antioch, Calif. native delivered another deep ball to tight end Eli Wilson across the middle for a 34-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24-10. The catch-and-run was the longest of Wilson’s career.
“We’re going to use him a lot this year,” Clark said later. “We didn’t use him enough today but anytime we need a big fourth down he’s one of our first progressions.”
Back-to-back sacks put ETSU at the one-yard line, forcing the Buccaneers to punt the possession away. Outside linebacker Thomas Davis was involved with both sacks on QB Jaylen King.
“I feel like this game went really good for the D-Line,” Davis said. “If we stop the run, we get to have fun; That’s our ‘lingo’.”
App State capitalized on the next drive with Makai Jackson running for a 47-yard reverse and into the endzone to extend the Mountaineer lead. Just six minutes later, Aguilar punched in another touchdown from the one-yard line.
App State will travel down to Clemson next week, looking for yet another Power 4 FBS win. It has been nearly a decade since the two last met, with Clemson winning the past matchup, 41-10.
“We’re going to Death Valley. It’s a big game,” Clark said. “We’ll make sure we’re firing on all cylinders come Saturday.”
