By Bret Strelow for App State Sports. BOONE, N.C. — Saturday started with referees coming up the mountain to officiate the first preseason scrimmage and continued with sage advice being dispatched from a high-profile guest speaker in Jon Gordon.
Gordon, also a well-renowned author (including his best-selling book titled “The Energy Bus”), addressed the App State football team on a day when he also spoke to other student-athletes on campus. Gordon talked to a large gathering of Mountaineers in the Holmes Center at the same time the football team was conducting Fall Camp practice No. 8, which included a scrimmage with more than 100 plays.
Defense provides bookend highlights, but QBs throw TDs, too
The scrimmage began with a free-play deep throw (because of defensive offsides) that was intercepted in acrobatic fashion by cornerback Ethan Johnson and ended with outside linebacker Caden Sullivan delivering a sack on a fourth-and-goal snap.
There were plenty of offensive, defensive and special teams highlights in between, as Ryan Burger threw touchdown passes to Kaedin Robinson (a 7-yarder with six seconds showing on the clock to complete an end-of-half scenario that had begun at the 50-yard line) and Nate Noel (a 14-yard connection in a red-zone scenario). Burger scrambled for one touchdown.
Joey Aguilar also delivered a pair of touchdown passes, with Coen Sutton breaking a tackle on a 30-yard score to cap a 75-yard drive and tight end Kanen Hamlett scoring an 11-yard touchdown on a third down, a few plays after a 46-yard gain by receiver Makai Jackson.
The offense moved effectively under Burger’s direction after a strong start by the defense — Burger went through his progressions well on a patient check-down throw to Noel for 22 yards and then completed a 16-yard pass to Robinson before Robinson’s score — and Aguilar showed great accuracy in completing a high percentage of his throws.
The run game featured several productive carries from Ahmani Marshall and some open-field explosiveness from Kanye Roberts.
Defensively, in addition to the previously mentioned efforts from Johnson and Sullivan, officials credited sacks to defensive end Michael Fletcher (two solo sacks), safety Nick Ross, outside linebacker Nate Johnson and outside linebacker Brodrick Gooch with some of the Mountaineers’ top units on the field. Inside linebacker Jack Scroggs also had a sack, and redshirt freshman safety DJ Burks intercepted a deep pass.
Castle finds end zone against first team defense
Jordan Favors, a candidate to start at one safety spot, made several nice plays in run support and forced a fumble that was recovered by Derrell Farrar, a candidate to start at one inside linebacker spot. Defensive end Shawn Collins’ downfield tackle after continuing to swarm to the ball shows he’s fitting in with how App State wants to play defense.
Another takeaway came via Kevin Abrams-Verwayne’s fumble recovery, and Milan Tucker blocked a kick on special teams.
In addition to drives beginning with long fields, there were also instances of the offense starting inside the defense’s 5-yard line. Anderson Castle scored on a 1-yard run with first-team units going head to head, while freshman quarterback Mason McHugh threw a short touchdown pass to freshman tight end Max Drag. With penalties backing up one offensive group, the defense held strong, forcing a 36-yard field goal attempt that was made by Michael Hughes.
The regular season begins in three weeks, with App State welcoming Gardner-Webb to Boone for a Sept. 2 opener in Kidd Brewer Stadium.
