FCS playoffs: Appalachian State vs. Richmond, 8 p.m. Friday

Showdown

at The Rock
Mountaineers seek return trip to championship game
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

If Richmond has its way, it will feed Appalachian State a steady diet of Tim Hightower.

The Spiders would like to give the ball a lot to the 6-foot-0, 225-pound running back during their FCS playoff showdown with the Mountaineers at Kidd Brewer Stadium Friday night.

“Tell (Mountaineers) coach (Jerry) Moore that we’re going to throw it every down,” Richmond coach Dave Clawson joked on his conference call Tuesday.

The winner of Friday’s games gets their ticket punched to go to Chattanooga, Tenn. and will play in the national championship game. Appalachian State, the two-time defending national champion, is a veteran to this.

Richmond hopes Hightower can help the Spiders keep the Mountaineers from a return trip. The senior runner has gained 1,829 yards in 13 games. He’s scored 20 touchdowns and averages 6 yards per carry.

“Hightower is going to get his carries, but we try to be a balanced team,” Clawson said. “At this point of the year, you try to be true to what you are and we are a team that likes to run the football. We like to be balanced, but we are going to turn around and hand the ball to Hightower.”

Moore knows that the Mountaineers (11-2) have their hands full in stopping Hightower. Appalachian State has struggled stopping the run for most of the season and gives up 200 yards on the ground per game.

“He’s a big back and 6-0, 225 pounds, so he’s a load,” Moore said. “He doesn’t have that track-type speed, but he’s fast and he’s durable. They run him a bunch. He’s like our backs in that they’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”

Appalachian State’s top running back, Kevin Richardson, missed much of the Mountaineers’ 38-35 win over Eastern Washington because of an injured ankle. Moore said Richardson did not practice Monday, but practiced the rest of the week and should be ready to play Saturday.

Richardson gained 69 yards and scored a touchdown against Eastern Washington. He has 1,154 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

“He’s good to go,” Moore said. “I thought he played well Saturday.”

Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards has played well since returning to the Mountaineers’ lineup. The sophomore was named the Southern Conference’s Player of the Month for November for piling up 1,243 yards and either running or throwing for 16 touchdowns during the month.

Edwards rushed for 615 yards and scored 12 touchdowns during November. He was 26-of-31 passing for 295 yards and ran for three touchdowns in Appalachian State’s 79-35 win over Western Carolina.

“They certainly look like the most dynamic team we’ve played all year,” Clawson said. “It starts with their quarterback. Edwards is a great player. He can throw the ball and he’s very elusive. The guy weighs about 175 pounds, but he’s not afraid to lower his shoulder and get the tough yards. He’s as dynamic as anybody we’ve played.”

Defensively, Appalachian State linebacker D.J. Smith was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Month. Smith had 49 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups in November.

Smith’s biggest game was against The Citadel when he returned an interception for a touchdown. He also reached double-digits in tackles.