Odds and ends heading into ASU-Elon
Jason Swepson, Elon’s first-year head coach, spent two days visiting with Appalachian State’s offensive staff and observing practice in the spring of 2010 when he was an assistant coach at N.C. State.
Swepson, whose Elon team will play ASU on Saturday, liked what he saw.
“I was just very impressed with the way they practice, how physical they practice and their attention to detail,” Swepson said.
“I remember watching practice, and every drill they tackled. I asked Coach (Jerry) Moore after practice and said, ‘Coach, are you concerned about guys getting hurt?’ He said, ‘Well, they get hurt they’re not tough enough.’”
Swepson said that he’s tried to incorporate similar traits in his practices.
“That’s something we’re trying to get done here at Elon – to be physical every time you put the helmets and shoulder pads on, even in practice,” he said.
Starting guard Matt Ruff, who sustained a head injury against Western Carolina, is considered questionable for Saturday’s game at Elon. Regan Dufort, a backup tackle, is also questionable with an ankle injury.
Running back Cedrick Baker Boney, who has missed the last four games with an a shoulder injury, could be available for the Elon game. He has been upgraded to questionable.
The Mountaineers are a bit healthier overall than they were midseason, and Moore said that being able to spread out the playing time among a lot of players in last Saturday’s 46-14 victory over Western was helpful.
“We’re 10 games into the season, and we’ve redshirted quite a few kids this year, so we’re a little bit thin in some spots but for 10 games into the season we’re probably about as good (health-wise) as anybody else is,” Moore said.
Two players got their first start and another his first game action for ASU last Saturday against Western Carolina. Running back Steven Miller started in a two-back set, and safety Jamill Lott, a former receiver, made his first start when the Mountaineers opened with five defensive backs.
Miller led the Mountaineers in rushing with 76 yards on 11 carries. Lott had three tackles.
Reserve quarterback Kalik Barnes made his playing debut. He had five carries for 29 yards in fourth-quarter duty.
Brian Quick, who last Saturday became ASU’s all-time leader with 3,227 receiving yards, has been added to the official watch list for the 2011 Walter Payton Award. Quick is one of 20 players under consideration for the award, which is given annually to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision.