More details about that in Friday’s Winston-Salem Journal.

Gary and Rizor emerged as viable options to start at defensive end during spring practice with returning starters Jabari Fletcher and Lanston Tanyi out with injuries, and they solidified their status in preseason camp with their performance coupled with the fact that Fletcher and Tanyi both missed more practice time because of short-term ailments.

Mark Speier, the Mountaineers’ defensive ends coach, expects all four to rotate and get plenty of playing time.

Rizor has bulked up from 228 pounds last season to 242.

“Our strength coordinator has gotten us all stronger and bigger in the weight room,” Rizor said. “When you have a big ol’ offensive lineman coming to kick you out, having the extra weight is going to help.”

Gary, a former tight end, switched to defensive end right before the playoffs last season.

“I played mostly defense in high school and that’s something I wanted to get back to,” Gary said. “I love this side of the ball.”

The Mountaineers appear set to begin the season with quality depth at defensive end, which includes a fifth player in Jason Jones.

“We feel good about the rotation,” Rizor said. “In our case, you always have someone coming in off the bench who can make plays.”

Gary said: “It’s a strength of our defense to have this many defensive ends that can play.”

Speir said: “It’s a great ‘problem.’ We have a bunch of guys wanting to start, and a bunch of guys capable of starting. They’ll all have their opportunity to go out and produce and win the job.”

Devon Moore returns for his senior season after rushing for 1,374 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. Travaris Cadet, former quarterback and receiver, will now add his elusive running ability to the mix.

And the Mountaineers can also turn to Devin Radford, the former Virginia Tech transfer whose speed, when healthy, is an asset; Cedric Baker, a dependable back who has accounted for 416 yards as a backup and always seems to get the job done; as well as Rod Chisholm, who remains a candidate to break through with three seasons left to play.

Coach Jerry Moore was asked this week if he has ever had this much depth at running back.

“Probably not the quality of depth we have right now,” Moore said. “I feel like we have four or five guys that are all pretty good football players.”

Moore was also asked if the backups can get enough playing time to be content.

“Those kids are good with it,” Moore said. “There’s not a player in that bunch that is selfish. They’re all about our team. They don’t care who is blocking, who is catching and who is running. They’re great kids that way.”

Get your questions and comments ready as the Mountaineers head into their season opener against Chattanooga!

Butts, a 6-10, 285-pound senior who has career averages of 7.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, had surgery Aug. 13 to repair damage to his left knee sustained in a pickup basketball game.

“He is in the process of rehabbing right now,” Capel said. “We have explored the possibility of red-shirting him but we have not come to a complete decision yet, but it’s definitely a conversation we’re having.”

The best case for Butts for this coming season?

“He could be back in about 3 to 3½ months,” Capel said, which would put Butts back in action by December. But Capel said the decision will be put off as long as possible, to be sure if Butts is ready.

“Last year and he limped around quite a bit because of his other knee,” said Capel, referring to surgery that Butts had on his right knee last August after an injury in practice. “He wasn’t healthy at all last year. I don’t want to put that kid what he went through last year. I want him to be healthy. If he’s healthy, he’ll play. If he’s not, we’re going to make sure he gets healthy.”

The site, PlayAtTheRock.com, will feature videos, virtual tours, photos, news and highlights. It is designed by Frogman Interactive of Winston-Salem and is up and running as a template and is expected to be fully functional this fall.

He and other former Appalachian State players seem to have a knack for coming up with big plays against some of the NFL’s biggest names.

Last season, Jason Hunter sacked and Corey Lynch intercepted Brett Favre, and Murrell sacked and stripped the ball from Michael Vick.

On Thursday, Murrell, playing in his first preseason game with the New England Patriots, sacked Drew Brees for a nine-yard loss on the opening series.

“I just knew I needed to get on the edge to get to the quarterback as fast as I could,” Murrell told the Boston Herald. “I just hit him with a move up front and tried to cut the corner. And there was Brees.”

Here’s how former ASU players fared this weekend in their first NFL preseason games of the season:

Matt Dodge (P, Giants) –  Dodge, who punted for ASU in 2005 before transferring to East Carolina, will make his NFL debut Monday night against the Jets.

Armanti Edwards (WR, Panthers) – Two catches for 13 yards, one kickoff return for 17 yards and a 7-yard average on four punt returns in a 17-12 loss to the Ravens.

Jason Hunter (DE, Lions) – One tackle and one assist in a 23-7 loss to the Steelers.

Dexter Jackson (WR, Panthers) – Two catches for 35 yards, including a 25-yard reception, in a 17-12 loss to the Ravens.

Corey Lynch (FS, Bengals) – Four tackles and a blocked punt in a 10-7 loss to the Dolphins.

Marques Murrell (OLB, Patriots) – Two tackles and a sack in a 27-24 victory over the Saints.

Elder, a popular quarterback at ASU from 2004 through 2007, is now the Mountaineers’ receivers coach, replacing Lance Taylor, who took a job as an offensive assistant with the New York Jets.

“He’s right for the job,” Moore said. “He knows so much about our offense for one thing. I also gave a lot of consideration to the fact that we’re opening up against Chattanooga (a Southern Conference opponent), in terms of sending plays in and getting them done right and quickly. Trey has been through that. He is a perfect fit.”

Elder was a graduate assistant at ASU in 2008, and last season was receivers coach at Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C., where he was a standout quarterback.

“It’s great to be back,” said Elder, whose goal is to someday be an offensive coordinator and eventually a head coach.

The job as ASU receivers coach is a jump start toward that, one that came sooner that he expected.

“I had talked to Coach (Moore) a little bit after Coach Taylor left but I didn’t think much about it at that point,” Elder said. “I wasn’t expecting this. He called me a couple of weeks ago and offered me the job.”

Elder said it didn’t take long to say “Yes”.

“There was no second thought for me,” Elder said. “I jumped at the idea of coming back.”

He said that going from a relatively new coach on the high school level to a college assistant might be a big jump if not for the fact that he is so familiar with ASU’s offense and program.

“It’s been an easy transition knowing the offense inside and out,” Elder said. “And the group I have is deep and experienced. They work hard. It really has been an easy transition for me.”

He knows most of the receivers, one of which is his brother, Blake Elder.

“The first person I called after Coach Moore called me was Blake,” Elder said. “I told him about the job and asked him if he thought we’d be able to do this and he said, ‘Get your butt up here, man.’ Our relationship has always been strong, we’re like best friends as well as brothers, but we both understand the dynamics of a coach. We understand that on the field I’m his coach and off the field I’m his brother.”

Blake Elder said: “It’s going to be different, but it’s going to be good. It’s going to be good for our team. That’s what I’m most excited about. Trey knows football, he knows the guys, and he knows how to motivate and get the most out of people.

“When we’re in the meeting room, he’s the coach and I’m the player. He’ll criticize and push me just like the other players. I’ll do what he says because he’s the coach.”

Daniel Wilcox, a former ASU tight end who played eight seasons in the NFL before being released by the Baltimore Ravens last year, is back in Boone as an assistant strength and conditioning coach.

He looks as if he could still play, and was holding out some hope he would be picked up as a free agent last season, but said that it’s time to move on and coaching could be in his future.

“I’m looking forward to helping here in any way I can,” said Wilcox, who is taking classes toward completing a bachelor’s degree.

His presence alone will help, Coach Jerry Moore said.

“Daniel is someone these guys will look up to,” Moore said.

Wilcox said: “That was a big part of the reason I’m back here, I want these guys to know, ‘if you believe it, you can achieve it.’ If you put your mind to something, you can do it. A lot of people told me I couldn’t play in the NFL, that I wasn’t big enough, fast enough or tall enough, but I pulled it off for eight years. I want them to know what it takes to get there.”

ASU has operated from the Shotgun in recent seasons and will continue to do so, but Brad Glenn, the quarterbacks coach, said that quarterbacks will take some snaps under center.

“We’ll do both,” Glenn said. “We’ll sprinkle in a little under-center, to take a little pressure off the quarterbacks at time and be a little more solid in short-yardage, goal-line and play-action situations. But we’re not really going to change anything major in the offense. It will be largely what it’s been.”

There are two significant differences in the way ASU’s schedule unfolds this season.

The Mountaineers have often opened the season against a bowl-division opponent but this year will play Florida in the final regular-season game. And they don’t typically play a Southern Conference opponent until a few weeks into the season, but will open against league foe Chattanooga.

“There’s no margin for error on that one,” said Moore, whose team will be seeking a sixth straight SoCon title.

As for the late-season game against Florida, Moore knows that will be a challenge.

“Urban (Meyer) and I have been really good friends since he was at Utah,” Moore said. “I just hope that he doesn’t forget it.”

The Mountaineers will open the 2011 season at Virginia Tech. Also on next season’s schedule will be N.C. A&T, according to sources, and one home date against a non-conference opponent has yet to be filled.

Josh Dowdy, RP – Since being promoted to Frederick (Orioles) of the Carolina League (Class A advanced) earlier this month, Dowdy is 1-0 with one save in six appearances. He previously played in 25 games with Delmarva of the South Atlantic League (Class A) and had a 1.23 earned-run average and ranked third in the league with 15 saves.

Andrew Franco, C – Has played in 12 games with Traverse City of the Frontier League (Independent) and has a .171 batting average with two RBIs.

Wes Hobson, DH – He is batting .294 and has 11 RBI, one home run and four stolen bases in 22 games with the Giants of the Arizona League (Rookie).

Chris Patterson, RP – He is 2-1 with a 5.11 earned-run average and has one save for Johnson City (Cardinals) of the Appalachian League (Rookie). Patterson has struck out 16 and walked seven in 12 1/3 innings pitched.

Zach Quate, RP – Has made 34 appearances with Charlotte (Rays) of the Florida State League (Class A advanced). Quate ranks fourth in the league with 16 saves and is 2-2 with a 1.20 earned-run average. He has 67 strikeouts and 12 walks in 52 2/3 innings pitched.

David Rubinstein, RF – He is batting .302 in 81 games with West Virginia (Pirates) of the South Atlantic League (Class A). He has 37 RBIs, one home run and 15 stolen bases.

Garrett Sherrill, RP - Is 6-2 with a 3.96 earned-run average in 30 appearances, mostly in middle relief, with Lake County of the Northern League (Independent). Sherrill has 30 strikes in 36 1/3 innings pitched.

Rand Smith, OF – In 92 games with Greensboro (Marlins) of the South Atlantic League (Class A), Smith is batting .229 and has 33 RBIs, five home runs and 21 steals.

Riding, as in motorcycle.

“I got the itch,” Speir said. “I had never ridden a motorcycle in my life but some of my buddies had been talking about how much they enjoyed their motorcycle trips on Blue Ridge Parkway. So I went and did it.”

Speir borrowed a Kawasaki 550, got his license in May and took off.

“I don’t go fast, but I love it,” he said.

Two years ago, Speir, now 42, had never run so much as a 5K race.

But he jumped into it for a cause, gathering pledges and running marathons to raise money through Samaritan’s Purse to help equip Memorial Children’s Hospital in Bangladesh.

He has participated in four marathons to date, raising $65,000. His latest effort was in May, running the 26.2-mile Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati with Jason Blalock, an ASU assistant, and a several other Boone residents.

Speir will continue the fund-raising effort later this month, but will change gears in the method.

He is putting together a motorcycle charity ride and poker run from Boone to Asheville scheduled for July 31.

“If you want a scenic ride, come and do it,” Speir said.

The entry fee is $30, which includes a Chik-Fil-A lunch and plenty of Blue Ridge Parkway scenery. For more information, contact Speir at speirm@appstate.edu