Pregame notes from Chattanooga
Pre-game notes on Appalachian State at Chattanooga:
Lanston Tanyi, a junior defensive end who led the Mountaineers with 7.5 sacks last season, could be miss the entire season as result of a severe case of turf toe. Tanyi, who is eligible to redshirt, will likely have surgery in the next few weeks.
CoCo Hillary will be held out of today’s game for disciplinary reasons.
Devon Moore, the Mountaineers’ leading rusher, will dress for today’s game and be available to play if needed. Moore has a strained quadriceps.
ASU is wearing gold jerseys for today’s game. The Mountaineers were planning to wear the jerseys for the first time Sept.18 against N.C. Central, but with Chattanooga wearing white today, the Mountaineers choose not to wear black jerseys on a warm day.
Most of the fans arriving at Finley Stadium are dressed in white for today’s “Whiteout,” part of the “Restore the Glory” promotional campaign for Chattanooga Mocs football. Today’s game is expected to be one of the best-attended since the Mocs moved to Finley Stadium in 1997.
ASU has lost three of its last four season-opening games. The Mountaineers have lost to N.C. State, LSU and East Carolina and beaten Michigan in the last four years.
The Mocs are opening the season against a Southern Conference opponent for the first time. ASU last opened a season against a SoCon opponent in 1991, when it beat Marshall 9-3 in Boone.
ASU has won 20 straight SoCon games. The Mountaineers have won five in a row against Chattanooga, and 22 of the last 25 meetings.