ASU’s offense reappears
The demise of Appalachian State’s high-powered offense seemed greatly exaggerated, for one game at least.
The Mountaineers “opened up” the offense Saturday and brought back old times, putting up 49 points in a victory over The Citadel. They totaled a season-high 552 yards, including a season-best 318 rushing.
“We used a lot of motion, and we wanted to see how they (Citadel’s defense) would adjust to that,” Coach Jerry Moore of ASU said. “We gave ourselves more opportunity to run a variety of plays like we used to. In 2005, ’06 and ’07 – even ’04 when we first started the Spread and went no-huddle – we didn’t change many plays. Today we changed a good many plays. We did what they gave us and we created some situations by the movement of people.”
Although the Mountaineers didn’t face as stout of a defense as they had in their previous two games, when Chattanooga and Wofford limited them to a combined total of two offensive touchdowns, they were sharp.
“We needed to show people we could still put points on the board,” said receiver Brian Quick, who tied Bob Agle as ASU’s leader with 25 career touchdown receptions.
The running game was notably effective. Two players, Travaris Cadet and Steven Miller, topped the 100-yard rushing mark. That hadn’t happened the last two seasons.
And sophomore Jamal Jackson was successful in his first start at quarterback. He completed his first 15 passes and finished 21 of 27 for 234 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions.
“He ran our offense well,” Moore said. “He watched Trey (Elder, assistant coach) on the sideline and he ran our offense. He executed. I thought a big play in the game was a third down and four play…when we were running clock out. We ran the zone play and he pulled it and kept it and dove up in there for about six yards and got a key first down.”
Moore said after the game that he hadn’t made a decision who will start next Saturday against Samford, whether it will be Jackson or DeAndre Presley.
“Thatt’s up to the coaches,” Jackson said. “I just need to keep preparing myself. DeAndre has been our starter, last year and this year, and if he comes back and is ready to go I’m fine with that. I’ve just got to prepare myself the best I can.”
Quick said of Jackson: “He did a great job. He was ready. But we still have two quarterbacks. We can go either-or.”
ODDS AND ENDS: One of Moore’s biggest issues this week will be getting players healed. He said that his team is as beat up as he’s seen it, particularly on defense, and that a lighter practice week might be in order…. Quick wasn’t the only receiver to tie a record Saturday. Ben Jorden caught his 14th touchdown pass, tying Daniel Bettis for most by a tight end in ASU history…. Sam Martin pinned The Citadel inside the 5-yard line with a punt, marking the seventh time in 24 punts this season that Martin has pinned an opponent inside the 5.