Appalachian St play-calling, formations?

[Pard4Life]

What formations does App St. use, both offense and defense? Both their QB and RB seem to have solid rushing numbers. Is it option? I was reading the linebacker stats and they are just ridiculous. This Marques Turrel has me quite worried, as does 97 Hunter... many sacks and TFL. Also a solid kick returner.

On that note, where have they show some questionable play, and what did Furman do well when they beat ASU? I noticed their TOP is a half minute less than their opponents, but I'm guessing that's because their score quick. At least one positive is on our side.. Furman's conditioning coach was ours the past few seasons.

[youwouldno]

App runs a pretty standard offense, good amount of shotgun but they'll mix in some other sets. Williams rarely runs the option but they'll call QB draws and Williams scambles effectively when the play breaks down. Doesn't actually throw on the run as much as you might think though. He's a superb decision-maker, one of the best in I-AA and college football generally... doesn't try to do too much. Lacks elite arm strength but it doesn't matter, he can make the throws he needs to.

Furman tried to slow App St's offense by making their receivers catch underneath, thus limiting big plays and forcing Williams to execute. Lots of nickel formations on defense. However, Williams responded by breaking off many big runs. Richardson is an effective back but a lot of the credit has to go to App's O-line, which is very good in pass protection and solid in run blocking.

Furman won by outscoring App, which requires excellent execution and timing, because App has a disruptive pair of DEs and good athleticism generally. Hunter and Murrell are vulnerable against the run because of their size-- App also is a little small at LB-- but they use their speed to make big plays against opposing offenses, which then force the opponent to pass more than they would like.

Furman played very well to win a tight game... Lafayette is playing in Boone and is inferior to Furman at practically every offensive position. Lafayette has a nice defense, but it won't be enough. Not by a long shot.

[Saint3333]

ASU runs a no-huddle spread offense, with Richie calling plays out of the shotgun. ASU's QB has the best run-throw attack going these days (2K+ passing, 800+ rushing) and our 1,000 yard rusher also has 40 catches for almost 500 yards. On any given down you might see 5 wide or 2 TE, 2 splitback formations, it's a lot of fun to watch. The defense plays a 4-3 and likely has more speed than the pards have seen all year. Watch out for Hunter, Murrell, Lynch, and Wiggins on defense.

Furman had a balanced attack, and from what I've seen one of the top 5 offenses in 1-AA.

[*****]

... Lafayette has a nice defense, but it won't be enough. Not by a long shot.Yeah, just ask Marist, Richmond, Fordham, Georgetown, Columbia, Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lehigh.

[Saint3333]

I'll be sure to ask Marist, Fordham, and Bucknell ASAP... :bang:

[Mr. C]

App runs a pretty standard offense, good amount of shotgun but they'll mix in some other sets. Williams rarely runs the option but they'll call QB draws and Williams scambles effectively when the play breaks down. Doesn't actually throw on the run as much as you might think though. He's a superb decision-maker, one of the best in I-AA and college football generally... doesn't try to do too much. Lacks elite arm strength but it doesn't matter, he can make the throws he needs to.

Furman tried to slow App St's offense by making their receivers catch underneath, thus limiting big plays and forcing Williams to execute. Lots of nickel formations on defense. However, Williams responded by breaking off many big runs. Richardson is an effective back but a lot of the credit has to go to App's O-line, which is very good in pass protection and solid in run blocking.

Furman won by outscoring App, which requires excellent execution and timing, because App has a disruptive pair of DEs and good athleticism generally. Hunter and Murrell are vulnerable against the run because of their size-- App also is a little small at LB-- but they use their speed to make big plays against opposing offenses, which then force the opponent to pass more than they would like.

Furman played very well to win a tight game... Lafayette is playing in Boone and is inferior to Furman at practically every offensive position. Lafayette has a nice defense, but it won't be enough. Not by a long shot.
Hunter vulnerable against the run? Teams have avoided his side of the field like the plague this season. Hunter also draws plenty of double teams and other interesting blocking schemes. That helps free Murrell, who is another NFL-caliber athlete, to make a lot of plays. It's kind of choose your poison. ASU's secret on defense is playing their base 4-3-4 most of the time and stopping teams without having to blitz. Also don't overlook ASU's safeties, Corey Lynch and Jeremy Wiggins. They are hard hitters and can force a lot of turnovers.

Furman and Kansas scored 30-plus points to beat Appalachian. That's probably what it will take to beat the Mountaineers in the playoffs. Also, ASU is a totally different team at home. Even when they struggled on defense last season, nobody other than Furman really put up much of a challenge in Boone.

[fuEMO]

Its been stated many times before… APP seems to be vulnerable against teams that run between the tackles. And have good offensive line schemes (Furman, UTC). Lynch is very good, but the Furman game showed the APP DBs can play unsound at times. I don't know many teams in 1AA that can run tailbacks and wide receivers from so many differnent formations as Furman does.

On offense you pick your posion, Williams can kill you with his arm and his feet. I like both their tailback and fullback. Their tightend will make great catches.

[youwouldno]

Yeah, just ask Marist, Richmond, Fordham, Georgetown, Columbia, Bucknell, Holy Cross and Lehigh.

Those teams wouldn't beat App in Boone either.

Frankly, I'm not sure who can. I think UNH and Furman could if they executed and App made a few mistakes. Maybe if Richmond had 10 chances they would win once in Boone.

I mean, we're talking about a team that went 8-1 against I-AA teams, with the loss a 3-pointer to Furman in Greenville. Lafayette is totally outgunned. Vegas doesn't see a contest, the GPI doesn't see a contest, and I don't either. And I like Lafayette.

[Mr. C]

For Lafayette fans, if you have seen the no huddle offense that West Virginia runs, Appalachian is virtually identical. A lot of shotgun with one-back sets and a slot formation to one side or the other to spread things out. They will also motion a slot man to a two-back set (seeing that more and more in recent weeks), occasionally two-TE sets, or a TE and a wingback to the same side, or trips to one side and twins to the other. You will also see a quad formation with four receivers to one side once or twice a game.

Look for Richardson to run counter draw plays perhaps 20 or 25 times. Williams will run on the QB draw, occasional option plays, or just scrambling when he is flushed from the pocket. He is seldom sacked, avoids turnovers, and, as another poster said, has developed into one of college football's best decision makers. This is a team with lots of offensive weapons (which makes them tough to stop on offense) and the Mountaineers have developed a couple of more in the past two weeks, lanky WR William Mayfield (one of the starting OLBs last year) and freshman T.J. Courman, who has taken on Little's role as a receiver and a runner on the reverse.

[Pard4Life]

Correct me if I'm wrong Patriot fans, but this offense sounds a lot like Lehigh in most aspects except the QB draws (before Threatt emerged), granted that App. St. is more talanted. We have some hope at least in that respect. I seriously think our defense is up for this challenge. If we fall, it will because our offense can't move the ball nor get a favorable TOP.

[Eagle22]

I don't have an ASU guide in front of me, but I'm fairly certain ASU's last loss at home was to Maine in the 2002 playoffs where ASU lost a 14-13 squeaker in the opening round of the playoffs.

Before that, ASU lost in the first round to FAMU back in 1999, 44 to 30 or something close to that.

With the exception of their game against Troy State in 2000 and Texas State last year, I don't think they've had any other team come in and score more than 30 points on them in the past five years. They play tough defense to begin with, and at their place it's even a bigger challenge.

Even when GSU and Wofford won in Boone during subsequent seasons (2001,2002 respectively) I'm pretty certain the winning point totals were under 28 points.

If your offense goes in there and puts up 28+ points, they've done an admirable job and you can't expect anything beyond that. Considering ASU is averaging over that, it becomes quickly apparent that you have to have a little luck fall Lafayette's way ...

28 points is the threshold, IMO. You either have to cross that or play some tremendous defense and take a potent offense off it's game. Opposition point totals above that in Boone, are rare.

National Championship caliber teams like Marshall's 1996 team and GSU's 1999 both had relative trouble there ... ASU played Marshall the closest of anyone that season, while ASU eeked out a 17-16 victory in a classic against GSU.

Not to even mention Furman's trips up there :)

[ngineer]

Correct me if I'm wrong Patriot fans, but this offense sounds a lot like Lehigh in most aspects except the QB draws (before Threatt emerged), granted that App. St. is more talanted. We have some hope at least in that respect. I seriously think our defense is up for this challenge. If we fall, it will because our offense can't move the ball nor get a favorable TOP.

agreed. a leopard win is contingent on the defense keeping it close. Gotta hold appy at 20 points or under. tough task, but nothing is impossible. it's why we play the game. good luck!

[Mr. C]

Correct me if I'm wrong Patriot fans, but this offense sounds a lot like Lehigh in most aspects except the QB draws (before Threatt emerged), granted that App. St. is more talanted. We have some hope at least in that respect. I seriously think our defense is up for this challenge. If we fall, it will because our offense can't move the ball nor get a favorable TOP.
Sedale Threatt is a similar athlete to Williams, but the difference is that Williams has three full years as a starter and a better support crew around him than Lehigh (whom I think most in I-AA have a tremendous respect for), particularly all those receivers.

[Pard94]

I'll be sure to ask Marist, Fordham, and Bucknell ASAP... :bang:

Right, Lehigh, Richmond and Holy Cross don't count.

[APPST '93]

Please don't compare App to Lehigh. I'm sure Lehigh is good but the athletes that you will see on Saturday are not like any you have faced this year. We have had good teams in the past but this year we have Richie Williams. His decision making will carry us all the way to the title game.

A quick note on our defense:

LSU (most likely SEC Champs) had 163 yards rushing and 208 yards passing. The final score was 24-0 but will were only down 14-0 heading into the 4th quarter.

[Cincy App]

Right, Lehigh, Richmond and Holy Cross don't count.

Lehigh and Richmond are solid clubs. It's impressive to shut out Richmond - even early in the year before their QB emerged.

Still, I share Saint's frustration. Ralph just suggested that Lafayette could shut down ASU because they stopped those high-powered offenses like Marist, Fordham, Bucknell, Georgetown and Columbia. You've got to be kidding! LC's defense may slow down ASU's offense - but it won't be because they can stop Marist.

[B&G]

One thing you will see a lot is Richie Williams will make decisions on the fly after the ball is snapped. On many of their plays he decides as he gets the ball if he wants to hand off to the RB or if he wants to keep it. So a lot of ASU's runs come at you like a delayed handoff.

With the Furman game, App had a horrendous time trying to stop FB Jerome Felton up the gut. It seemed like Furman was converting a lot of 3rd downs which was the big killer. Another problem App has is their kicker is not good. They'll be hesitant to kick a 40+ yard field goal unless it is absolutely the best choice.

A friend of mine was in the airport after the Kansas game and he had a long conversation with one of the Jayhawk O-Linemen. That guy was very impressed with Richie and said he was really glad they got to play ASU b/c playing against Williams was a good preview of what they're up against when they played Vince Young. Pretty high praise.

[colgate13]

Please don't compare App to Lehigh. I'm sure Lehigh is good but the athletes that you will see on Saturday are not like any you have faced this year.

oh come on. Yup, Lehigh, Colgate, Richmond and Harvard are full of sub par Division III level athletes that Patriot League schools have had to resort to getting because we can't get the level of athletes that SoCon or A-10 schools can get. :rolleyes:

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If the Appy coaching staff is as dismissive of Lafayette as seemingly every Appy AGS poster regarding this game, I think they will be in for a big surprise.

I think the key of this game will be Appy's first offensive series. If Lafayette's "D" gets a 3-and-out, you'd better buckle yourself in for one heck of a game.

[*****]

If the Appy coaching staff is as dismissive of Lafayette as seemingly every Appy AGS poster regarding this game, I think they will be in for a big surprise.

I think the key of this game will be Appy's first offensive series. If Lafayette's "D" gets a 3-and-out, you'd better buckle yourself in for one heck of a game.Baiting App State fans by calling their school "Appy" won't help. The team probably isn't dismissive. The Lafayette coach watched the Mountaineers against Wofford this year so he is probably not dismissive either.

[AppGuy04]

If the Appy coaching staff is as dismissive of Lafayette as seemingly every Appy AGS poster regarding this game, I think they will be in for a big surprise.

I think the key of this game will be Appy's first offensive series. If Lafayette's "D" gets a 3-and-out, you'd better buckle yourself in for one heck of a game.

so, let me understand, stopping us on one 3 and out means that the game will be close, explain that one to me :confused:

no I-AA team has stopped APP, they have scored 24 or more points in every single I-AA game, so shutting them down on one series is not winning the war

on the contrary, Lafayette has only broken that barrier 4 times, against much weaker competition IMO(only 2 of those were against teams with winning records, those 4 games were against teams with a combined 16-28)

good luck :spank:

[youwouldno]

Every comparison comes across as an insult to some people. The reality is that App St. is a better team than Lafayette. It's not "dismissive," it's just a fact.

In Vegas, App St is a 17.5 or so point favorite. Coincidentally, UNH is similarly favored over Colgate.

[GreatAppSt]

If the Appy coaching staff is as dismissive of Lafayette as seemingly every Appy AGS poster regarding this game, I think they will be in for a big surprise.

I think the key of this game will be Appy's first offensive series. If Lafayette's "D" gets a 3-and-out, you'd better buckle yourself in for one heck of a game.

"Seemingly" Your key out word. Nice :rolleyes:

Seems to me that there has been a rather large contingent of non ASU posters calling this a blowout game. Most ASU posters, granted not all, esp some AGS young bucks, feel the Leapards are a better squad than AGS as a whole has given them credit for. IMHO

[*****]

5. #2 Seed Appalachian State (8-3) vs. No. 25 Lafayette (8-3)
Time: 2:00 p.m. EST.
TV: Local Lafayette.
Series: First-ever meeting.
Lafayette won a share of its second straight Patriot League crown with a 23-19 comefrom- behind win over Lehigh last Saturday. The Leopards won their last two games of the regular season and three of their last four. Lafayette is averaging only 22.7 points per game but leads the Patriot League in scoring defense, surrendering only 15.5 ppg. Appalachian State claimed its first outright SoCon title since 1995 with a 52-14 win at Elon on Saturday. ASU enters the game third in the league in scoring (30.3 ppg). QB Richie Williams is 137 yards of total offense shy of becoming the league’s all-time leader in total offense. Williams, who has 7,054 passing yards and 8.575 yards of total offense, is also 177 passing yards from moving into fourth place on the SoCon career list. Williams also needs 50 yards of offense to become only the sixth player to reach 3,000 yards of total offense in one season. RB Kevin Richardson rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns vs. Elon and also added another 52 receiving yards and a third score. Richardson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for this season on the ground, the fourth back in the league to do so this year and only the 14th ASU player to do so in one season. DB Titus Howard recorded his first career interception vs. Elon and returned it 70 yards for a TD. The ASU defense allowed the Phoenix only 138 yards of offense, their best defensive output of the season.

[ASU Kep]

Every comparison comes across as an insult to some people. The reality is that App St. is a better team than Lafayette. It's not "dismissive," it's just a fact.

In Vegas, App St is a 17.5 or so point favorite. Coincidentally, UNH is similarly favored over Colgate.

I asked a few days ago about where to find the Vegas odds on I-AA games but I've been away and forgot where I posted. :o . Where did you get that info?

[youwouldno]

Check your PM.

[GAD]

The Appalachian St. vs. LSU game was not replayed locally so I did not have achance to watch it. I did however listen to a few of the local LSU talk shows and the tiger fans where very very impressed with this Appalachian St. team

[ngineer]

Baiting App State fans by calling their school "Appy" won't help. The team probably isn't dismissive. The Lafayette coach watched the Mountaineers against Wofford this year so he is probably not dismissive either.
I never considered using the term 'Appy' as denigrating when I 've seen it used by a lot of SoCon posters, including Mountaineer fans themselves. :confused: "Appalachian" is just too long to type when you have the poor dexterity most of sus have. :D

[GreatAppSt]

"Appalachian" is just too long to type when you have the poor dexterity most of sus have. :D

Just typing App is even shorter. :D

[*****]

I never considered using the term 'Appy' as denigrating when I 've seen it used by a lot of SoCon posters, including Mountaineer fans themselves. :confused: "Appalachian" is just too long to type when you have the poor dexterity most of sus have. :DAppy is a derogatory term according to most every App person I know, like Furple for Furman. That opinion has been noted here numerous times. Just tweaking with LFN... :nod:

[APPST '93]

Appy's not bad. Had an older sisiter that went there with Dino Hackett #38 and everyone refered to ASU as Happy Appy. We get pissed when Jerry loses though!

[Black and Gold Express]

I'm already on the record thinking ASU will win by 21, and my reasoning is simple, I believe ASU is simply that much better a team than Lafayette. Since when is it smack or insulting to believe that about your team, especially when a seasons worth of games is solid evidence of that fact?

[ChickenMan]

I haven't seen either ASU or Lafayette play this year... so I really don't know too much about this year's Lafayette team. However I did see LC vs Delaware in last years 1st round and if the Leopards are as talented and play as well as they did vs the Hens last year... the game may be a lot closer then most people expect. I really don't know how this year's Lafayette squad stacks up vs their '04 version... but last year's LC team was a tough I-AA opponent. They were very well prepared... didn't make mistakes and while they didn't have the athletes that UD had... they played very well within their system gave UD a tough time. UD won the game 28-14... but it was really a lot closer than that... as LC was driving... down by seven in the 4th when an LC fumble was returned about 85 yrds for a Hen TD. A lot of fans here still seem to discount the quality of the top Patriot and Ivy League teams... they ARE better than you think. Remember Lehigh only lost by a point to last year's I-AA champ JMU in the Pat Leagues other '04 1st round game. As for today's game... I expect ASU will win... just as I expected UD to win last year... but don't be surprised if it's not as easy as some fans seem to expect.