Team speed helps

ASU to victory
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — It seems the only thing that can stop the Appalachian State offense is a broken bus. Anything that is slower than a machine that rides on an interstate had a lot more trouble.

Appalachian State’s bus, with head coach Jerry Moore aboard, broke down on the way back from the Football Championship Subdivision championship game. Just hours earlier, Appalachian State blasted Delaware 49-21 after taking a 49-14 lead late in the game.

“Our only defensive advantage is our speed,” safety Corey Lynch said. “We do not necessarily have the size, but our guys have speed. They look like a swarm of bees out on the field.”

Delaware proved to be just as effective at stopping the Mountaineers’ offense as any other team this season. In fact, fellow Colonial Athletic Association member James Madison had the most success against the Mountaineers, holding them to 28 points. Appalachian State scored 21 of those points after getting field position inside the 50-yard line.

That wasn’t the case Friday night in front of 23,010 at Finley Stadium. By the time the Mountaineers arrived in Chattanooga, they were a juggernaut that only a multi-ton bus could stop.

“Hats off to App. State,” Delaware defensive tackle Jeremy Kametz said. “Their offense was really speedy.”

Ah, yes. The magic word in the Southern Conference is speed. It holds true, especially at Appalachian State.

Appalachian State has used fast players to win three straight championships. Quick players, such as Richie Williams and defensive ends Jason Hunter and Marques Murrell, won a championship in 2005.

Appalachian State skill position players such as quarterback Armanti Edwards, running back Kevin Richardson, receiver Dexter Jackson and just about everybody else on the Appalachian roster who handles the ball, took the torch from that trio and helped the Mountaineers win in 2006 and 2007.

“We don’t even look at height,” Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore said. “We look at speed and if they are good students.”

Michigan found out just how fast the Mountaineers were when Jackson, the SoCon’s defending 200-meter champion, sped his way to two touchdown receptions against the Wolverines.

Michigan’s lack of team speed on defense was exposed not only by Appalachian State, but also by Oregon the following week.

The Mountaineers overwhelmed Delaware, which resembled Michigan and not only because they have similar blue and gold winged design on their helmets. Delaware wanted to grind out long drives with 6-foot-5 quarterback, and NFL prospect Joe Flacco, and with talented running back Omar Cuff.

The Blue Hens’ offensive line is huge. The lightest guy was left tackle Kevin Uhll, who weighs 250 pounds and also is listed as a tight end.

The next lightest is left guard Corey Nicholson at 285 pounds. Grinding out long drive after long drive, with Cuff running and Flacco working short passes in the mix, would have kept Appalachian State’s high-octane offense off the field.

It didn’t work that way. The Mountaineers scored on their first three possessions and their defense bent a lot — they gave up 432 total yards — but only broke by giving up two touchdowns.

It forced Delaware into thinking that it had to score touchdowns, instead of settling for field goals, to keep up. It was why Blue Hens coach K.C. Keeler went for a fourth-and-one early in the first quarter instead of kicking a field goal.

Flacco was flushed out of the pocket and threw an incomplete pass. Five plays later, Mountaineers running back Devon Moore scored on a 46-yard run, capping a 99-yard drive.

“We had to be disciplined, and some of our miscues cost us,” Delaware defensive tackle Jeremy Kametz said. “They have a great offense. They got out on top and ran their plays.”