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Offensive
fails to convert as GSU
escapes with win
Andy
Morris
Once
again, the Appalachian State University offense failed to back up the
defense.
One week after holding Furman University Paladin Louis Ivory to 40 yards
rushing, the Appalachian defense came up big again against another premier
ball-carrier.
The Mountaineers held Georgia Southern University Eagle Adrian Peterson
to 73 yards, snapping his 48-game streak of games with over 100 yards
rushing.
However, the Mountaineer offense failed to capitalize as it did the previous
week against Furman when the defense held Paladin tailback Louis Ivory
to just 40 yards on 18 carries in a 28-22 Mountaineer loss.
Three Georgia Southern turnovers were converted into zero Appalachian
points.
On the third play of the game, the Mountaineer Remi Awolowo picked up
a fumble by the Eagles’ quarterback J.R. Revere and returned it to
the Georgia Southern 11-yard line.
But the Appalachian offense could not punch the ball in and turned it
over on downs.
In the second quarter after the Mountaineers made the score 14-7, another
Georgia Southern fumble led to a three-play drive that went for negative
25 yards.
In the third quarter, Mountaineer K.T. Stovall forced Peterson to fumble
and Appalachian’s Justin Seaverns fell on it at the Georgia Southern
29-yard line. But that drive ended with an interception.
Each time, the defense would trot back out to the field after the offense
could not produce points. One might think the defense did not play well
because it conceded 27 points.
But against a team like Georgia Southern, the two-time defending national
champions, the chances to score are going to be limited. Plus, with offensive
weapons such as J.R. Revere and Adrian Peterson, a defense can only keep
the Eagles out of the end zone for so long.
The Appalachian defense provided the offense with ample opportunities
to put the Eagles away and it did not happen.
The situation is similar to a baseball team whose pitcher throws a no-hitter.
He can keep the other team off the scoreboard, but if his team does not
get the runs, there will be no win.
Seaverns said the team will not start blaming any unit for the loss and
that it is just part of the game.
“The offense may have blown a couple of opportunities, but we’re
a team and if you start point fingers at each other and start bickering,
your whole season is going to go down the drain real fast,” he said.
“You just have to go with the flow, deal with it, and go back out
there to stop the ball.”
Besides a few big plays by Revere that put points on the board for the
Eagles, the Appalachian defense really put the stops to the Georgia Southern
offensive machine.
Revere was 0-5 passing and at times, the Eagles’ offense appeared
to be out of sync. The Mountaineers could not have asked for a better
defensive performance against the No. 4 offense in the nation.
Georgia Southern literally snuck out of Kidd Brewer Stadium with the win
on Saturday.
The defense seems to know what they want for the season. It is playing
with intensity and remains solid on a consistent basis.
But as far as the offense, consistency remains a big question mark. The
offense needs to come up with an answer before the playoff light at the
end of the season goes dim.
Paul
Sherar - Chief Photographer
A bill
passed by the Appalachian State Faculty Senate and one currently being
reviewed by a Student Government Association committee both support any
decision by ASU officials to terminate or not renew Appalachian’s
athletic contracts with Liberty, a list that includes football.
Contract
termination with Liberty University up for debate
James
Nix - Sports Beat
The
Appalachian State University Department of Athletics has a controversial
decision before it.
It must decide whether or not Appalachian athletic teams will continue
to play Liberty University.
The Student Government Association (SGA) will vote on a bill to support
any administrative decision to terminate or not renew sporting contracts
with Liberty.
The bill was introduced by Ian Mance, a senior representative of Appalachian
Heights, and Paul Funderburk, a sophomore representative of Winkler Residence
Hall.
The bill is a response to the Sept. 14 public remarks of Dr. Jerry Falwell,
chancellor of Liberty, regarding the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11.
Falwell said he could point a finger at pagans, abortionists, feminists,
homosexuals and anyone who has tried to secularize America, and say, “you
helped this happen.”
Falwell later retracted his statements, but there are still people who
feel Liberty should be held accountable for the remarks.
Funderburk and Mance hope if their bill is passed, it will help persuade
the Department of Athletics to cut all ties with Liberty.
The Athletic Department, however, is not certain that this is the best
way to handle the situation.
Roachel Laney, Appalachian’s Athletic Director, said using students
to make a political statement is the cause for his hesitation.
“I feel like our student-athletes who are going out and competing
against other student-athletes are doing that for the right reasons, not
because of the diversities of people and for what someone else stands
for and a personal belief,” he said.
Laney said he does agree that when someone in a public position makes
public statements, he or she must face the repercussions.
“If we choose to no longer compete, we should do that in our own
way and not go public with a statement that makes it political in nature,”
said Laney.
Laney said other universities have chosen not to compete with Liberty
any longer, and each has done so in a private manner.
Furman University is one of those institutions, said Laney.
Football, men’s basketball and men’s tennis are the only ASU
teams with future games scheduled with Liberty, said Laney.
It may be best if individual coaches make the decision rather than an
official university decision, he said. “I have no problem if certain
coaches choose not to continue playing [Liberty],” said Laney.
The basketball team is in the middle of a contract with Liberty and is
scheduled to play the university the next three years. This year’s
game is scheduled for Dec.1.
“The contract was done before Jerry Falwell ever opened his mouth,”
said Houston Fancher, head basketball coach. “So it’s not really
fair for the student-athlete for us to back on out.”
Appalachian’s football team has played Liberty since 1987. The Mountaineers
have defeated Liberty five out of seven encounters. Its current contract
has one more year remaining.
“If [Falwell] said those things and he has retracted them, I certainly
don’t think not playing them in any sports makes any kind of statement,”
said Jerry Moore, head football coach.
“If you’re going to make a statement, it needs to come from
the university and not the Athletic Department,” he said.
Moore, however, said playing Liberty is awkward for the football team.
Appalachian traveled to Liberty in 1999 and there was no support, said
Moore. The team dressed far from the stadium and spent halftime in “a
little barn down at the end of the field.”
Appalachian’s football contract with Liberty is clear that the next
time the Mountaineers travel to Liberty, there will be locker rooms.
“Those things bother me more than what somebody says,” said
Moore, and is the only drawback the coach sees in playing Liberty.
The question to continue playing Liberty still remains up in limbo. If
the athletic department decides in favor of it, it must find teams to
replace Liberty.
Laney said he couldn’t name specific universities to replace Liberty
because no agreements have been made.
Laney, however, has spoken with and extended letters with universities
in hopes to work out arrangements.
Paul
Sherar - Chief Photographer
Georgia
Southern University quarterback J.R. Revere (9) attempts to slip past
Mountaineer linebacker Sam Smalls (36) and Josh Jeffries (58) during
the Eagles’ 27-18 win Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Revere rushed
for 124 yards on 25 carries in the Eagles’ key SoCon win.
Revere
a one-man show as Eagles hand
Mountaineers second straight SoCon loss
Chris
Boyce - Sports Beat
Adrian
Peterson may hold the records, but it is Georgia Southern University
quarterback J.R. Revere who runs the show.
The Eagles’ senior signal-caller burned the Appalachian State defense
without ever completing a pass, running for 124 yards on 25 carries
for four touchdowns en route to a 27-18 victory over the eighth-ranked
Mountaineers in Boone Saturday.
For the second consecutive week, the Appalachian State (3-3 2-2 in SoCon)
defense held a premier NCAA Division I-AA running back under 100 yards
and still lost the game.
The Southern Conference’s leading rusher and Heisman candidate
Peterson was held to 73 yards on 19 carries, ending his streak of 48
straight games with over 100 yards rushing.
It was Revere, however, who tormented the Mountaineers for the second
straight year, including a 72-yard scamper that put the Eagles (6-0,
4-0 in SoCon) up 27-18 with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
After an eight-play, 69-yard drive capped by a 20-yard field goal brought
the Mountaineers within two points of Georgia Southern, 20-18, the nimble
Revere put Appalachian State down for good.
On a third and one from the Eagles’ 29-yard line, Revere took a
short draw up the middle and turned it into a huge back-breaking touchdown
play.
It was the same sad story for the mistake-prone Mountaineers who had
two punts returned for touchdowns called back because of penalties.
Missed opportunities killed Appalachian State early in the game. The
Mountaineers failed to reap the benefits of a fumble by Revere on GSU’s
first possession at its own 11-yard line and DaVon Fowlkes punt return
for a touchdown on the Mountaineers’ second possession was called
back because of a penalty.
The Eagles meanwhile, made the most out of the Mountaineer’s mistakes.
Jerry Beard’s fumble from the Mountaineer 37-yard line on the same
possession was recovered by Michael Ward, setting up a 23-yard touchdown
run by Revere giving Georgia Southern a 7-0 lead.
Revere struck again on the Eagles’ next possession with a 1-yard
touchdown run, putting Georgia Southern up by 14 points.
The Mountaineers responded with 15 unanswered points including a 17-play
80-yard drive that ate up over seven minutes of clock and was highlighted
by a four-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burchette to tight end Jason
LeMay at the 8:58 minute mark in the second quarter. A safety four minutes
later put the Mountaineers down 14-9 at the half.
Appalachian State took its opening drive of the second half 63 yards
for a seven-yard touchdown run by Jerry Beard, giving the Mountaineers
a 15-14 lead, but Revere made it a short-lived ASU advantage.
An interception at the Mountaineer 20-yard line by Mike Youngblood set
up another J.R. Revere touchdown run, putting the Eagles up again, 20-15
with 9:27 left in the third quarter.
Perhaps the most unlucky and costly mistake for the Mountaineer offense
came with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.
After a rare fumble by Peterson was recovered by Appalachian State’s
Justin Seaverns at the Georgia Southern 29-yard line, the Mountaineers
took the gift and drove the ball down to the Eagle 7-yard line.
Then on a third-and-goal, Burchette’s pass was deflected up and
fell into the hands of Eagle safety Derrick Williams ending what seemed
to be a guaranteed score for the Mountaineers.
The Eagles came into the contest 10th in the nation in passing efficiency
but failed to complete any passes, a fact that Revere said made no difference.
“What I didn’t do passing the ball I made up with by running
it,” said Revere after the game.
“I thought they’d throw it a little more,” said Mountaineer
linebacker Justin Seaverns.
“We concentrated on Peterson and Revere. We knew Revere would be
their game breaker and he was. He ended up rushing for 124 yards out
of 254 yards. We stopped Peterson to under 100 yards but that’s
kind of a consolation prize when you don’t win the ball game.”
“I’ve said all along that Revere’s the guy that makes
their offense go. When we saw him for the first time last year and I
saw what kind of athlete he was and the way he handles their offense,
he makes the difference,” said head football coach Jerry Moore.
Revere wasn’t surprised the Mountaineers limited Peterson to under
100 yards for the first time in nearly 50 games.
“Sooner or later you’re gonna face a good defense and they
were especially keying in on him [Peterson]. It would’ve been really
hard for him to get 100 yards today.”
Peterson cared little about the record falling but was satisfied with
the victory.
“I go out and play,” said Peterson. “I’m not concerned
with the record. All I care about is the win. Football is a team sport
and I’m not gonna hang my head because I didn’t get 100 yards
today.”
Back-to-back losses have left Appalachian State fighting for its playoff
life for the remainder of the season.
The Mountaineers may have to run the table to have any chance at the
postseason this season.
The team gets its first chance Saturday at 6 p.m. against the Wofford
College Terriers in Spartanburg, S.C.
Outdoor
Programs’ sea-kayaking trip offers alternative Fall Break
Jared
Kavlock - Sports Beat
Outdoor
Programs’ Fall Break sea-kayaking trip departs for Capers Island,
S.C., on Thursday with 13 kayakers anticipating an exciting weekend
in the wilderness and on the ocean.
Nine participants and four instructors began the week on Monday with
a classroom session teaching equipment use.
After classes on Monday and Tuesday, the group will move to the Broome-Kirk
Gymnasium to practice techniques in the kayaks.
Rolling the kayak back over is taught, but it is not the standard technique
used in sea kayaking. In whitewater kayaking, the roll technique is
used to flip a submerged kayak.
Sea-kayaking, on the other hand, provides more options for turning the
boat, the easiest to get out of the kayak and pump the water out.
The group will leave early Thursday morning and drive to a campground
in Charleston, S.C., where they will camp for the night before leaving
Friday for Capers Island.
“It is a good opportunity to meet new people,” said instructor
and OP water-based coordinator Brent Cochran. “Sometimes we have
eight or nine strangers who leave as a group of friends.”
“It is going to be a lot of fun,” said Leah Colvin, an instructor
and a graduate assistant with Outdoor Programs.
The Fall Break trip last year was to Shackleford Banks at Cape Lookout
National Seashore.
This year’s trip location, Capers Island, was submerged in 20 feet
of water after Hurricane Hugo, and since it is still hurricane season,
the group is hoping for good weather.
“Weather-wise, it is usually a very stable time of year,”
said Cochran. “We have never had to change a trip because of weather.”
The instructors said the trip focuses on three key themes.
Naturally, sea-kayaking skills will be a major focus, teaching everything
from paddling to reading tide tables and navigating with a compass.
The instructors also teach the natural history of the area, with an
emphasis on wilderness living.
“One of the big things we teach is ‘Leave No Trace’,”
said instructor Kent Walker. “[Students] will learn outdoor etiquette
and what it means to be an outdoor person.”
The participants range from novices to experts but all look forward
to gaining more experience.
Junior Andrew Ray will be kayaking for the first time.
“I am looking forward to getting some experience,” said Ray.
“I
want to learn how to roll the kayak and get used to controlling it by
myself.”
Senior Amy Sturgill has a little more experience than Ray but has never
gone with OP.
“I’ve been sea-kayaking four or five times before, but I’m
looking forward to an organized trip with Outdoor Programs,” said
Sturgill.
Between Friday and Sunday, the group will paddle about 20 miles before
returning to Boone on Sunday night.
“We usually see a lot of birds, and we often have dolphins swim
alongside the kayaks,” said Cochran. “There are no developed
facilities where we go, and there are usually no other parties around.”
The next OP kayaking outing is to Watauga Lake on Oct. 27 and is designed
for beginners.
“A lot of people say they can’t do something like kayaking,
but they can learn,” said Colvin.
A Spring Break trip to the Florida Everglades is the next major sea-kayaking
event, with enrollment already open for the $375, nine-day trip.
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