And now . . . . another well written article on armanti

[DLS]

http://www.highcountrypress.com/weekly/2009/11-19-09/did-he-just-do-that.htm


god, edwards, and ditka in a pie eating contest. discuss.

[AppAlum2003]

"I think an Eating Contest is just the beginning of a ****ting Contest"

-Demetri Martin

[CrackerRiley]

Good stuff. I'll miss the little guy... xthumbsupx

[AshevilleApp]

I'll always think back to the Richmond game in '07 (Sorry Spider fans, but you got your comeuppance in '08). Huge playoff game, top notch defense - Armanti Edwards looked like he was playing another game.

[Bronco]

Last years ESPN Halloween game was amazing. I was thinking he was the best QB I'd ever seen and I've seen quite a few.

[ASUG8]

Reading stuff like this never gets old - he's been class on and off the field for 4 seasons now, and a great representative for the university.

Always remember not to swim by yourself, and pay someone to mow your yard - Armanti's words to live by. xlolx

[No Limit Mountaineers]

I hope Armanti's last game in App black and gold will be a on December 18th in a record setting crowd at Finley Stadium. 4 Moore!!

[ASUG8]

I hope Armanti's last game in App black and gold will be a on December 18th in a record setting crowd at Finley Stadium. 4 Moore!!

Still a long way to go, but I like where your head's at. xrulesx

[JMU Newbill]

To use a medium that maybe Boone, NC (past or current) occupants can understand, I will use nothing but emoticons for the rest of my post.

xblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahx


xbangxxbangxxbangxxbangxxbangx

xdeadhorsex

xshakingmadx

[AppAlum2003]

To use a medium that maybe Boone, NC (past or current) occupants can understand, I will use nothing but emoticons for the rest of my post.

xblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahx


xbangxxbangxxbangxxbangxxbangx

xdeadhorsex

xshakingmadx

Oh, this time last year, you'd be creaming in your pants if it was another Rodney Landers article. xnonox

[ASUG8]

To use a medium that maybe Boone, NC (past or current) occupants can understand, I will use nothing but emoticons for the rest of my post.

xblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahx


xbangxxbangxxbangxxbangxxbangx

xdeadhorsex

xshakingmadx


Wow, where did that come from? Bitter much?

[Mountaineer#96]

To use a medium that maybe Boone, NC (past or current) occupants can understand, I will use nothing but emoticons for the rest of my post.

xblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahxxblahblahx


xbangxxbangxxbangxxbangxxbangx

xdeadhorsex

xshakingmadx

One word describes you : troll

AE deserves the Payton....

[ThompsonThe]

Armanti Edwards for President.

I bet he would do a lot better.

[CrackerRiley]

My fondest memory of AE came not during one of his statistically amazing games, but in a loss. When App lost to GSU at home to end our 30-something home winning streak. Even when the game seemed completely over, it was 4th and long for our offense and it was our last chance to win the game. No one was open for AE to pass to so he just tried his hardest to run for the first down, he wasn't even close, but he dove and reached as far as he could to get to the marker. He gained a ton of respect from me and completely changed how I looked at him just for that single play. I'll never forget it.

[parr90]

Trying to compare Armanti and Tracy Ham I was trying to find some stats. Armanti has thrown for over 9000 correct? Ham threw for 9000 in his career but he was on a running team. How many yards has Armanti rushed for in his career as of now. I dont know Hams career rushing yards either.

[The Moody1]

Ham threw for 9000 in his career but he was on a running team.


"Tracy Ham (born January 5, 1965 in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida

He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback. In his college career with Georgia Southern he became the only quarterback to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 5,000 yards in a career."

He was great but Armanti's stats blow him away. Armanti has rushed for over 4,200 yards and passed for over 9,200 yards.

[MarchingMountaineer]

Trying to compare Armanti and Tracy Ham I was trying to find some stats. Armanti has thrown for over 9000 correct? Ham threw for 9000 in his career but he was on a running team. How many yards has Armanti rushed for in his career as of now. I dont know Hams career rushing yards either.

Ham had 3,212 rushing and 5,757 passing (8,969 total offense).

Ham didn't have total 9000 career yards, let alone passing. He was the first to reach 3000/5000 and is 6th on GSU's all-time list.

Armanti has 4,257 rushing and 9,605 passing yards (13,862 total yards) with at least 2 more games to play and is 1st all-time.

[The Moody1]

In fairness to Tracy Ham, his stats don't include postseason play. He still wouldn't be anywhere close to Armanti.

[Skjellyfetti]

Armanti Edwards (so far):
4257 rushing yards
9605 passing yards
13862 total yards

Tracy Hamm:
3,212 rushing yards
5,757 passing yards
8969 total yards

[boonegoon]

In fairness to Tracy Ham, his stats don't include postseason play. He still wouldn't be anywhere close to Armanti.

Why can't they add the post season stats? We know what they are.

[Skjellyfetti]

Another great article:

http://media.gatewaync.com/wsj/photos/2009/11/27/edwards.jpg

The Gifts of Armanti Edwards: Appalachian State's multi-talented quarterback has set records that might never be broken
By Tommy Bowman

JOURNAL REPORTER

OONE -- A vendor peddling game programs as fans filed into Kidd Brewer Stadium before an Appalachian State football game a few weeks ago discovered a sure way to move inventory.

The sales pitch wasn't a simple "Get your game program."

It was "Get your game program with Armanti Edwards on the cover."

Edwards has become an icon for ASU football. He beats Michigan. He wins national championships. His game jersey nets $1,200 in an auction. He sets records. He makes ESPN highlights. He helps draw crowds in excess of 30,000. He draws chatter from fixated fans for everything from lawn-mowing accidents to Heisman dreams to NFL potential. He sells game programs.

They're going to miss him at App State.

Edwards, who will soon play his final game for the Mountaineers, will finish his career as one of the most prolific players in NCAA history. He is the only Division I player to pass for 9,000 yards and rush for 4,000.

"I never dreamed it would come out to be this way," said Edwards, now 21, who arrived in Boone from Greenwood, S.C., in 2006 as an unheralded and spindly freshman.

He turned out to be a perfect fit for a burgeoning Spread offense. He could run with the best, and he evolved into a great passer.

"He's been every coach's nightmare," Coach Mike Ayers of Wofford said. "You hold your breath every time the ball is snapped to him. He can beat you with his arm. He can beat you with his feet. He's probably the coolest guy there is when the ball is in his hands.

"He's one of those special players that God has gifted with a great deal of physical talent, mental talent and the toughness that it takes to be a great player."


Edwards, who has four Southern Conference and two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision titles under his belt, has a record of 40-6 as ASU's starting quarterback. He has taken tough hits to his 5-11, 185-pound frame and has endured injuries and knee surgery.

And he has set school, conference and national records along the way -- passing for a school-record 9,605 yards and rushing for 4,257. His 13,862-yard total ranks fourth in FCS history. His 72 touchdown passes are a SoCon record. His 63 touchdowns rushing are four shy of the ASU record.

"If you look at his numbers, it's pretty incredible what those numbers say," Coach Bobby Lamb of Furman said. "He's completing over 72, almost 73 percent of his passes, and he's doing that on the run, he's doing it sitting in the pocket, he's doing it in a bunch of different ways. He's the most versatile quarterback that's ever been in this league."

Pat Sullivan, a former Heisman Trophy winner now coaching at Samford, said: "I think the thing that sets Armanti or a Pat White apart is yes, they've got great running ability, and yes, they can throw the ball, but what they do is make their football team better. Armanti just puts them on his back. When there is a bad play, he escapes. The competitiveness with his athletic ability sets him apart. He has my utmost respect."
Driven to succeed



Edwards' memorable exploits include a 313-yard rushing performance against Richmond in 2007 -- which set a Division I record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback -- and a school-record 433-yard passing performance against S.C. State last season.

"A lot of people would like for their records to be held a long time, but you'd also like somebody to come through your school and do just as good if not better than you," Edwards said. "I will definitely remember the championships…. And, just like all seniors, I'd definitely like to be remembered coming out on top and getting another national championship."

Edwards was recognized as the top player in the FCS last season, winning the Walter Payton Award, and he will graduate in December, completing his college degree in 3½ years.

Whether his impressive statistics will translate into a chance in the NFL isn't certain, and it's unclear if his 5-11 height will preclude him from being evaluated as a quarterback. Still, he will start training after the season with hopes of playing professionally.

Coach Jerry Moore of ASU said: "One player told me, ‘I don't know how he's done it, Coach. I don't know how he's handled all the media and all the great things that have happened to him and still be the kind of person he is.'

"He is a terrific person, an unbelievable student. He's a very, very competitive person. He's driven to do well at anything he does. He's certainly done a lot for us."
Program's new face



Charlie Cobb, ASU's athletics director, said: "Jerry has been the face of the program for so long, and there have been a number of great players that have come through here, but I don't think anyone would argue that Armanti has put himself up there as probably being the best that's come through here. So any time your best player graduates, you are going to miss him tremendously."

ASU has led all FCS programs in attendance for three straight years.

Certainly the success of the entire program, especially in the last few seasons with national championships and a landmark victory over Michigan, has been the prevalent factor in the attendance boom. Edwards has been a significant factor in the success. And his individual presence is an attraction, to an extent that can't be measured.

"The 2005 team kind of led (the attendance increase)," Cobb said. "Then for Armanti to come in and play at the level he did as quick as he did certainly kept our success rate strong, and the Michigan game threw things over the top.

"I think for him personally, if the Michigan game had occurred his senior year, you would be hearing more national publicity for him in terms of things like the Heisman Trophy for an FCS player.

"But the fact that it happened his sophomore year has certainly helped our program. It might have been better for him personally if the Michigan win had happened later in his career, but he'd be the first one to tell you that he's not in it for the individual awards. He's in it for the team awards."

http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/nov/27/appalachian-states-multi-talented-quarterback-has-/

[AppStateold299]

Not only is he the best player that I have ever seen personally, but he is the classiest player as well. He amazes me every year at how he can handle the target on his back and come through every week. He has never given excuses or said anything wrong in his 4 year career. He has never backed down from a hard hit or a tough pass. He is a true stand up guy that I hope gets a chance to prove all the negative comments wrong. Armanti has the intangibles that can't be measured or learned. He can make any team happy at the next level if given the chance. We will miss him terribly, but wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

[Skjellyfetti]

And another...

http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2009/11/26/21/armanti1126.ART0_GRBUQAK0.1+mtnview%20football%200 18.JPG.embedded.prod_affiliate.138.jpg


BOONE At first glance, the mosaic looks ordinary enough.

It features the image of Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards in the middle, his arms spread wide like a man trying to catch an avalanche. Behind Edwards is the image of Kidd Brewer Stadium, his football home these past four years.

At the bottom of the mosaic is one word: Passion.

The artwork was created by Edwards, but there's more to it than a simple image of a football player. The backdrop is made up of dozens of smaller images, each a moment associated with Edwards' Appalachian State career.

Edwards has an artist's touch, whether sketching a picture, creating computer images or with the football in his hands.

"With the superlative athletes, and he is a cut above the average good athlete at any level, there is an artistry about them," says former NFL coach Sam Wyche, who has seen Appalachian State several times in his work as an analyst for SportSouth.

"You could put classical music behind his running style and come up with a great video... It's like looking at a beautiful painting. You don't analyze every stroke but you enjoy the whole painting. It's what Armanti gives you."

For the past four seasons, Edwards has been the defining image of Appalachian State football. Leading the Mountaineers to national championships in 2006 and 2007 as well as the earth-shaking upset of Michigan two years ago, Edwards has established a legacy unmatched in the school's rich football history.

On Saturday, Edwards will lead Appalachian State (9-2) into the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs for the last time, needing four wins to capture a third national title in Boone. The pursuit will begin at noon Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium against S.C. State (10-1) in a rematch of a first-round matchup won by the Mountaineers last November.

"It's been fun with him," coach Jerry Moore says. "That's the bottom line with all of this."


"He's in the top 1percent of students I've had," says Howell, a professor at Appalachian State since 1995.

"I've not seen any kids as well-rounded on the academic side and having to deal with the pressure he does."

Edwards was a student in Howell's class on leadership styles and strategies through history.

Having seen Edwards in the classroom and on the field, Howell says Edwards has a transformational leadership style.

"It's getting more out of the puzzle than what the pieces give you," Howell says. "There's a synergistic effect."

Dr. Kenneth Peacock, chancellor of Appalchian State, has seen something similar.

"He tells to me an Appalachian story," Peacock says. "He came to campus and wasn't the most sought-after athlete in the nation. He wasn't the most academically talented student.

"You watch him now and see the change from three years ago."


The case can be made that Edwards is among the best and most productive college football players in N.C. history.

He has led the Mountaineers to two FCS national championships with his skinny legs, braided hair and creativity.

Last season, Edwards won the Walter Payton Award, the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy. He might win it again this season.

Because he was considered small - he's now 6-foot and 180 pounds - Clemson, South Carolina and other Football Bowl Subdivision programs didn't think he could play quarterback. Their recruiting interest in Edwards was as a defensive back, something he wasn't pursuing.

Edwards is the only player in Division I football history - that includes the big-time programs - to pass for 9,000 yards and rush for 4,000. By comparison, Florida's Tim Tebow has accounted for more than 2,000 fewer yards than Edwards.

Bobby Lamb played quarterback at Furman during the 1980s and is now the Paladins' coach, having been around Southern Conference football for three decades. Lamb long believed former Georgia Southern quarterback Tracy Ham was the best he ever saw.

Then Edwards came along.

"He is without a doubt the best quarterback I've ever coached against or played against," Lamb says. "He's as good or better than Pat White," a former West Virginia quarterback who's a rookie with the Miami Dolphins.

"The thing that truly separates him is his toughness. He's as tough as any kid I've ever seen. And when Appalachian State seems a little vulnerable, he wills them to victory."

There is an athletic artistry to what Edwards brings to football. In a scripted game of assignments, play calling and reading defenses, Edwards injects an uncommon flair. He can improvise and create, salvaging broken plays and turning ordinary plays into extraordinary ones.

"It's just another part of being an artist," he says.

Headed to the NFL?

Stories of Edwards' toughness have become part of mountain lore around Boone.

Steve Brown, an Appalachian State quarterback from 1978 to 1981 and now commentator on the team's radio broadcasts, remembers seeing Edwards run over a Georgia Southern defensive back who had laid out the quarterback earlier in the game. Rather than try to outrun the defender to the corner of the end zone, Edwards took him on, knocked the tackler backward and popped up, flexing his biceps after his touchdown.

"It gave me chill bumps and I hadn't had those since I was playing," Brown says.

Against Elon last season, Edwards was playing on a knee that had been required arthroscopic surgery during the season and he suffered a hip-pointer during the game. Struggling to walk, Edwards kept playing.

"How in the world could you not want to line up beside that guy when you see what he does," Moore says.

"I'd love to play just one play with Armanti."

After four years of coaching against Edwards and the Mountaineers, Lamb and his staff never came up with a suitable plan for containing Edwards. The first two years, Furman would use a controlled rush to keep Edwards in the pocket and force him to throw.

As he became a better passer, Edwards was capable of picking apart defenses that gave him time to throw. An aggressive rush, however, allowed Edwards to improvise and create open-field running opportunities.

"You're danged if you do and danged if you don't against him," Lamb says. "We always said that when you're playing against Armanti, you're playing against 12 players."

There are questions about whether Edwards has the size to be effective in the NFL. If he's drafted, it will likely be in the later rounds and it will be because of his explosiveness more than his projected future as a quarterback.

"I've had a lot of quarterbacks in training camps over my career that weren't close to as good as he is," says Wyche, who coached Cincinnati to the Super Bowl that followed the 1988 regular season. "I would have given anything to have a quarterback like him.

"He's a true NFL passer, not a runner who can change it up with the throw. There's no way you can watch him play and say 'I don't know.' You know right away."

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/423/story/1077680.html