2021 FOOTBALL GAME NOTES APPSTATESPORTS.COM @APPSTATESPORTS @APPSTATESPORTS @APPSTATESPORTS #GOAPP @APPSTATE_FB @APPSTATEFOOTBALL @APPSTATE_FB #BEATECU 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 SUN BELT CHAMPS | 2015, 2016 CAMELLIA BOWL CHAMPS | 2017 DOLLAR GENERAL BOWL CHAMPS | 2018, 2019 NEW ORLEANS BOWL CHAMPS 2020 MYRTLE BEACH BOWL CHAMPS | 2005, 2006, 2007 FCS NATIONAL CHAMPS | 12-TIME SOCON CHAMPS (1986-2012) | 6-TIME NORTH STATE CHAMPS (1931-56) GAME 1 Date: Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021 Adam Witten, Play-By-Play Time: 7:30 p.m. Noah Hannon, Analyst Location: Charlotte, N.C. Molly Cotten, Sideline Radio affiliates: FLAGSHIP Venue: Bank of America Stadium (FieldTurf) 97.3 FM (North Wilkesboro), App State in the National Rankings: 96.5 FM/1450 AM (Boone), 102.5 FM/610 AM (Charlotte), App State Coaches Poll: Receiving Votes (4 pts) East Carolina 1320 AM (Greensboro), 107.7 Series History: App State leads 19-12 FM/1450 AM (Hendersonville) MOUNTAINEERS PIRATES (9-3, 6-2 SBC in 2020) App State & ECU as FBS: First meeting (3-6, 3-5 AAC in 2020) Also listen on The Varsity Last meeting: L, 35-13 (at ECU, 2012) Network app or online at Mike Couzens, Play-by-Play Coach: Shawn Clark Coach: Mike Houston appstatesports.com Dustin Fox, Analyst Career: 10-3/2nd full year Last App State win: 41-25 (home, 1975) Career: 87-39/11th year At App State: Same Future games: 2023 (H), 2024 (A), 2026 (A) At ECU: 7-14/3rd year APP STATE COACHING STAFF APP STATE STATISTICAL HEADLINERS On the sideline: Pat Washington, WRs PASSING RECEIVING Shawn Clark, Head coach Justin Watts, TEs Chase Brice | #7 | Gr. | Grayson, Ga. Thomas Hennigan | #5 | S-Sr. | Greensboro, N.C. Dale Jones, DC/ILBs 2020 (at Duke): 193-for-352 passing, 2,170 yards, 10 TDs 2020: 47 catches, 616 yards, 3 TDs Nic Cardwell, OL In the booth: Brian Haines, RBs/SPT Frank Ponce, OC/QBs RUSHING DEFENSE Camerun Peoples | #6 | Jr. | Lineville, Ala. D’Marco Jackson | #52 | Sr. | Spartanburg, S.C. David Lockwood, Safeties Mark DeBastiani, OLBs 2020: 168 attempts, 1,124 yards, 12 TDs, 6.7 YPC 2020: 91 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 6 PBUs Robert Nunn, DL Rod West, CBs East Carolina Thursday, Sept. 2 APP STATE STORYLINES Charlotte, N.C. 7:30 p.m. ESPNU • App State opens the 2021 season with its first appearance in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, Bank of America Stadium playing in-state foe East Carolina for the 32nd time but the first with both schools as FBS members. at Miami Saturday, Sept. 11 • Played two hours from Boone at the location of App State’s biggest alumni base, the Duke’s Mayo Miami Gardens, Fla. 7 p.m. ESPN2/U Classic opener will be the 18th national TV appearance in the last 28 games for the Mountaineers, who are 36-11 all-time in games on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. ELON Saturday, Sept. 18 BOONE, N.C. 3:30 p.m. ESPN+ • App State will open the season with back-to-back games in NFL stadiums, as it plays a road game against Miami on Sept. 11. The only current NFL stadium where App State has played to date is the MARSHALL Thursday, Sept. 23 Superdome — the Mountaineers posted New Orleans Bowl victories in 2018 and 2019 to contribute BOONE, N.C. 7:30 p.m. ESPN to the program’s record-setting bowl record of 6-0 in six postseason-eligible FBS seasons. at Georgia State* Saturday, Oct. 2 • Shawn Clark was the only first-year FBS head coach in 2020 to win nine-plus games. Four teams have Atlanta, Ga. TBA won at least nine games in each of the last six seasons: App State, Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma. at Louisiana* Tuesday, Oct. 12 Lafayette, La. 7:30 p.m. ET ESPN2 • App State is one of just 12 schools to finish in the top 26 of AP Poll voting in each of the last three years. COASTAL CAROLINA* Wednesday, Oct. 20 • App State led in-state FBS programs in wins during each of the last three seasons and at least tied for BOONE, N.C. 7:30 p.m. ESPN2 the most wins among in-state FBS programs during each of the least six seasons. ULM* Saturday, Oct. 30 • App State’s 63-15 record and 80.8 win percentage since the start of 2015 is No. 5 nationally behind just BOONE, N.C. 3:30 p.m. Alabama (79-6, 92.9%), Clemson (79-7, 91.9%), Ohio State (68-8, 89.5%) and Oklahoma (67-12, 84.8%). at Arkansas State* Saturday, Nov. 6 Jonesboro, Ark. TBA • App State returns 10 defensive starters, seven offensive starters and 80 percent of the letterwinners from 2020, including 14 “super seniors” taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by SOUTH ALABAMA* Saturday, Nov. 13 the NCAA. Those 14 players have combined to play 454 games for App State and make 206 starts. BOONE, N.C. 2:30 p.m. • Last year was App State’s 36th straight season (seven in the Sun Belt, 29 in the SoCon) with a league at Troy* Saturday, Nov. 20 record of .500 or better. Among current FBS programs, counting seasons before and after any Troy, Ala. TBA transitions, it’s the longest streak by 14 years — Clemson, Oklahoma and Boise State are at 22 in a row. GEORGIA SOUTHERN* Saturday, Nov. 27 • App State posted a combined record of 33-6 from 2018-20 with three different head coaches, three BOONE, N.C. 2:30 p.m. different offensive coordinators and three different defensive coordinators in those three seasons. FBS SUCCESS: 6 STRAIGHT BOWL WINS, 4 SUN BELT TITLES 2020 RECORD: 9-3 63-15 App State’s 63-15 record since the start of 2015 ranks as the fifth-best mark in the country during that span, trailing just Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma. App State rushed for 500 yards in a 56-28 victory against North Texas in the first Myrtle Beach Bowl. 2019 RECORD: 13-1 Offensive linemen Ryan Neuzil (left) and Noah Hannon hold up Jordan Fehr (center) leads the celebration following App State’s the trophy after a 31-17 win over UAB in the New Orleans Bowl. 45-38 win against Louisiana in the 2019 Sun Belt title game. 2018 RECORD: 11-2 Led by interim head coach Mark Ivey, App State posted a 45-13 Team captain MyQuon Stout lifts the trophy following a 30-19 win against Middle Tennessee in the New Orleans Bowl. win over Louisiana in the first-ever Sun Belt title game. 2017 RECORD: 9-4 App State shut out high-scoring Toledo en route to a 34-0 victory The Mountaineers clinched a Sun Belt title by closing the regular in the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, Ala. season with a 63-14 win against Louisiana on Senior Day. 2016 RECORD: 10-3 Thanks to a tiebreaking field goal with 5:41 left, App State won Out in Las Cruces, N.M., App State earned a share of its first FBS 31-28 against Toledo in a return trip to the Camellia Bowl. league title with a win at former Sun Belt foe New Mexico State. 2015 RECORD: 11-2 Making its FBS postseason debut, App State kicked a 23-yard FG as time expired in a 31-29 win against Ohio in the Camellia Bowl. APPSTATESPORTS.COM STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS APP STATE MEDIA SCHEDULE JOEY JONES SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY Sr. Associate Athletics Director Primary Football Contact • Practice closed • Morning press • Practice closed • Practice closed • Game Day • Practice closed Email: [email protected] (No interviews) conference with (No interviews) (No interviews) (No interviews) Coach Clark, Cell phone: 828-964-7183 select players • Mountaineer Talk afterward BRET STRELOW • Practice open (no interviews) Communications Director (Select interviews Secondary Football Contact after practice) Email: [email protected] Cell phone: 828-963-3069 CHASE COLLITON Email: [email protected] ANDREW KORBA Email: [email protected] SHANE HARVELL WHEN REFERENCING APP STATE, PLEASE USE: APP STATE OFFICIAL MARKS Email: [email protected] • App State LAUREN EDGIL • Appalachian State University • Mountaineers Email: [email protected] • Pronunciation: app-uh-LATCH-in BOBBY NEAL Student Intern PLEASE DO NOT USE: • ASU Mailing Address • Appy State Primary (Block A) Secondary (Victory Yosef) App State Strategic Communications • Appy 425 Jack Branch Drive • AppState Boone, NC 28608 • App. State • Pronunciation: app-uh-LAY-chin MEDIA POLICIES/INFORMATION During a standard week with a Saturday game, App Per University policy, face coverings are required in Additionally, to ensure a safe environment for App State will have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all indoor campus locations. Inside and outside, face State’s student-athletes, coaches and staff, media media availabilities. coverings and six feet of social distancing will be members working on the sideline (photo/video) or required for media members who have not been conducting postgame interviews in the media inter- Head coach Shawn Clark’s appearances on the vaccinated. Face coverings while outside are optional view room will need to provide proof of vaccination weekly Sun Belt coaches teleconference are for media members who have been fully vaccinated. in order to work in those spaces. Mondays from 11:30 a.m. ET until approximately 11:37 a.m. Media members will be permitted to watch practice If you are requesting sideline and/or interview room from the West stands of Kidd Brewer Stadium. If access, please email a photocopy of your vaccina- After his appearance on the Sun Belt call, Clark will weather moves the team into the Sofield Indoor tion card to Joey Jones or Bret Strelow.