ASHEBORO — The Randleman Tigers traveled to Central Davidson to face the Spartans in a non-conference volleyball match. In the opener, the Tigers junior varsity team handled the Spartans 2-0 for their first win of the season.
In the nightcap, Randleman’s varsity team won 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-18). Hannah Hinshaw led the way with 18 kills and 11 digs. Chloe Dixon had 15 kills and nine digs. Gabi Carter added five kills and 14 digs. Karli Kennington had three aces and 26 digs. Kenzie Roach had 29 assists and 14 digs.
The varsity Tigers improved to 4-1 on the season. The Tigers host Oak Grove Tuesday night. The JV game begins at 5pm.
ASHEBORO — Six of the county’s seven varsity football programs begin the second week of the season undefeated following a high-scoring opening week of high school football. Here’s a look at the game outcomes from the first week of the season.
Asheboro players and coaches give head coach Blake Brewer an ice bath after they beat Randleman 20-7 giving him his first win as a head coach. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Asheboro Blue Comets 20 Randleman Tigers 7
RANDLEMAN — The Blue Comets of Asheboro shocked the Randleman Tigers Friday night in the season opener for both teams. The in-county rivalry game, which was a non-conference game, pitted two teams coming off vastly different seasons last year. The Blue Comets were 0-7 last season while the Randleman Tigers played an undefeated regular season before bowing out of the state playoffs in the first round against St. Pauls. The Tigers entered the game with a regular season winning streak that spanned 37 games and dated back to 2017. The Tigers had roughed up the Blue Comets 43-7 slightly more than four months ago at Lee J. Stone Stadium during the COVID-altered 2020-2021 campaign.
This time the Blue Comets never trailed scoring 20 points while holding the Tigers, who were without several key starters due to injury, to just 7 points. The Blue Comets will play their home opening Friday against in-county foe Eastern Randolph and Randleman will host its second-straight home game Friday at 7:30 against Central Davidson.
RAMSEUR — The Eastern Randolph Wildcats jumped out to a 28-6 halftime lead against the Eagles of Eastern Alamance and cruised to a 34-6 win in their non-conference home opener. The Wildcats will visit Lee J. Stone Stadium this week to face the Asheboro Blue Comets in a non-conference county rivalry game.
Wheatmore Warriors 34 West Davidson Dragons 13
LEXINGTON — Wheatmore High School opened its 2021 gridiron campaign on the road against the West Davidson Dragon. The Warriors of Wheatmore never trailed in the game after opening a 14-0 lead over the Dragons and ultimately winning 34-13. The Warriors will play their first home game this Friday against the East Davidson Golden Eagles who dropped their home opener to Providence Grove 42-0.
Providence Grove Patriots 42 East Davidson Golden Eagles 0
THOMASVILLE — The Providence Grove Patriots were on the road Friday for their season opener against East Davidson. The Patriots led wire to wire to take home the 42-0 non-conference win. The Patriots will again be on the road Friday with a 7:30 pm tilt against Southern Guilford.
Southwestern Randolph Seth Baxter points to were the play is going during their first day of football practice for the 2021 season at SWR in Asheboro, NC on August 2, 2021. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
SILER CITY — The Southwestern Randolph Cougars walloped the Jordan-Matthews Jets in the season opener for both teams. The Cougars led the entire game — which took two days to play due to lighting that halted the game in the second quarter Friday night. Southwest picked up where they left off when play resumed Saturday at high noon, scoring 26 more points and preserving the shutout. The Cougars will play their home opener at Ivey B. Luck Stadium Friday against the Rowdy Rebel Bulls of South Stanly at 7:30 pm.
Chatham Central Bears 12 Trinity Bulldogs 22
TRINITY — The Trinity Bulldogs opened their season with a 22-12 home win over Chatham Central. The Bulldogs will be on the road this Friday night to face Forbush High School in non-conference action.
RANDLEMAN — Asheboro’s football team won for the first time in more than 600 days to open the season.
Now the Blue Comets will have their sights set on more conquests.
Asheboro players and coaches give head coach Blake Brewer an ice bath after they beat Randleman 20-7 and giving him his first win as a head coach Aug. 20 at Randleman. PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD
After a winless record in seven games when the 2020 season was shifted to this past spring, Asheboro might have been largely dismissed as a factor entering the new campaign.
That was far from the case in Friday night’s season-opening 20-7 conquering of Randleman.
“We proved that we got the talent,” linebacker / running back Qamelo Butler said.
Asheboro plays its home opener Friday night against Eastern Randolph, another highly regarded team.
“We proved we could step it up and fix our mistakes,” Blue Comets defensive end Charles Perry said.
Randleman cheerleaders hold a sign up prior to the season-opening game against Asheboro. PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD
The first-week result was jarring in many respects, particularly given that Randleman hadn’t lost a regular-season game since 2017. The Tigers roughed up Asheboro 43-7 slightly more than four months ago in Asheboro.
“All they’ve heard about is how good Randleman is, how good ER is,” Asheboro coach Blake Brewer said. “They have a lot to prove.”
It turns out that the Blue Comets entered the season with a certain fatigue – though not of the physical variety.
“We’ve got a lot of kids who are tired,” Brewer said, referring to players he described as fed up with losing. “They’ve had enough.”
Now, they want more of this winning.
“Just hard work and dedication,” Perry said. “No lollygagging.”
Butler began the scoring on a 9-yard run right after a successful fake punt late in the first quarter.
Asheboro’s Hakemme Butler makes a jumping catch for the touchdown over Randleman’s Nick Connor in the second quarter during the first game of the season. PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD
“I got the first touchdown of the season,” Butler said, noting it was the first time he ever scored against Randleman.
A 65-minute lightning-related delay followed, but it didn’t distract the Blue Comets.
They scored in the second quarter on Markell Graham’s 60-yard pass reception on a toss from Khyland Hadley-Lindsay on the first play following the Blue Comets’ fourth-down defensive stand. Asheboro went up 20-0 with 1:53 left in the first half on Hakemme Butler’s 28-yard catch from Hadley-Lindsay.
By game’s end, Hadley-Lindsay threw for 98 yards and rushed for 80.
There was a relentless nature to Asheboro’s defense.
“We were able to finish no matter how tired we were,” Perry said. “We had to keep pushing.”
For Randleman coach Shane Timmons, he figured a new season would bring certain challenges.
“Did I see it coming to this level? No,” he said.
Part of the issue was that the Blue Comets didn’t budge along the line of scrimmage.
“They were strong where we were weak,” Timmons said.
Randleman quarterback Christian Long throws on the run against Asheboro in the first quarter. PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD
Still, the Tigers reached the Asheboro 14-yard line in the final minute of the first half. They were stopped on downs after moving inside the Asheboro 20 early in the third quarter before finally scoring on Errvod Cassady’s 11-yard run with 5:07 to play in the quarter.
Then Randleman threatened again later in the quarter, but Quamelo Butler intercepted Christian Long’s fourth-down desperation pass.
“Our defense, they were so confident,” Brewer said.
The Tigers have turned to Long at quarterback. The sophomore has switched positions after lining up as a receiver last season.
Timmons said he liked the determination that Long showed. He said the quarterback kept a positive outlook that a turnaround would come despite possessions that fizzled. His 12-for-33 passing for 102 yards with one interception is something to focus on improving.
“There’s going to be growing pains.” Timmons said.
There were just 93 rushing yards for the Tigers, who were 0-for-6 on fourth-down conversions.
“Failure is never fatal,” Timmons said. “But it better get your attention. … There’s going to be a different atmosphere in practice. We haven’t tasted this in a while.”
Aside from Asheboro, county schools clustered together
ASHEBORO — Randolph County schools largely got what they’ve been hoping for in the latest realignment involving the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
The new sports season begins this week and that means the area teams are clustered together in one conference, with the exception of Asheboro High School.
But with seven in-county schools all in the same league, the benefits are numerous.
“We have wanted this for a while,” said Charlie Chapman, a longtime athletics administrator and coach in the county. “This worked out real good.”
Chapman will be the commissioner for both the Mid-Piedmont Conference and Piedmont Athletic Conference.
Asheboro’s Khyland Hadley-Lindsay throws a ball during their first day of football practice for the 2021 season at SAMS in Asheboro, NC on August 2, 2021. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
As a Class 3-A school, Asheboro will be in the Mid-Piedmont Conference, joining out-of-county schools.
The other Randolph County schools are in the Piedmont Athletic Conference, a combined Class 1-A / 2-A league. The big shift there is the addition of Uwharrie Charter Academy, which previously hadn’t been slotted with other Randolph County schools and often had issues scheduling games against area teams.
In some past NCHSAA realignments, Randolph County schools squawked about being assigned to various conferences. So this Piedmont Athletic Conference could work out to their liking.
“It should be pretty competitive in most schools,” Chapman said. “I think it will be great for travel, the gates will be good.”
Regardless of what happens in competition, Uwharrie Charter Academy could be the big winner.
“It’s pretty exciting, being able to keep within the surrounding area,” said UCA superintendent Sharon Castelli said. “We can compete within our own district.”
UCA has about 680 students in high school, so Castelli said that makes the school a good fit for this level even with larger schools in the mix. No longer will a league commitment require a roundtrip commute of more than two hours.
“The logistics, that common community,” she said. “At least now it’s going to be more local.”
Castelli, whose background includes time in schools in Montgomery County and Scotland County, began her stint at UCA last October.
UCA doesn’t compete in football and it has fielded golf teams off and on, but Castelli said the Eagles intend to be regular participants in most PAC sports.
“All the Randolph County schools have welcomed them with open arms,” Chapman said.
Chapman, an ex-football coach at Southwestern Randolph who previously held roles overseeing athletics at Southwestern Randolph and Asheboro, said Southwestern Randolph should have significantly reduced travel with its new conference partners.
Asheboro will have conference matchups for the first time with Oak Grove and Montgomery Central.
“We had decent crowds with our last conference, but these Davidson County teams travel,” Asheboro athletics director Steve Luck said. “Everyone is biting at the bit to get out and see some high school sports.”
None of Asheboro’s conference members from the past four years remain in a league with the Blue Comets.
Gone are Southwestern Randolph, Eastern Guilford, Southern Alamance, Southeast Guilford, Southern Guilford and Burlington Williams. Southern Alamance and Southeast Guilford moved to 4-A (though not in the same conference). The others remain in 3-A, though Burlington Williams no longer is in a league with Eastern Guilford and Southern Guilford.
“I think Asheboro is in a very good league,” Chapman said. “Those people travel well. It will be good competition.”
From a gate receipts standpoint, the Blue Comets also should benefit from some of their non-conference matchups. Those will largely come against Randolph County schools in the PAC.
“They want to play us. We want to play them,” Luck said. “That generates interest and people show up.”
Meanwhile, the Randolph County schools in the 2-A level are no longer joined by High Point Andrews and Jordan-Matthews.
Chapman said coming off a school year that included restructured schedules because of the pandemic that there will be different types of challenges with the new conference set-ups.
“First year in any conferences there are changes to be made,” he said, though noting the bylaws are generally similar for most leagues.
Meanwhile, the goal will be keeping things on a regular path this school year.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed that everything will stay normal,” Chapman said.
Piedmont Athletic Conference (Class 1-A / 2-A): Eastern Randolph (1-A), Uwharrie Charter (1-A), Providence Grove (2-A), Randleman (2-A), Southwestern Randolph (2-A), Trinity (2-A), Wheatmore (2-A).
Mid-Piedmont Conference (all Class 3-A): Asheboro, Central Davidson, Ledford, Montgomery Central, North Davidson, Oak Grove.
Getting the offenses going could be the main mission for Randolph County football teams as the season begins this week.
The scheduled openers come Friday night.
The 2020 season was wiped out in its traditional manner because of the pandemic. Teams played that season during the spring semester of 2021, so the offseason was shortened.
Area teams will hope that was enough to figure out how to crank up the offenses.
RANDLEMAN
Randleman was an exception to the sluggish offenses for area teams. The Tigers had nine players score at least one touchdown a year ago.
Randleman is 32-3 across the past three seasons.
The Tigers went 7-1 in the spring in the first season under coach Shane Timmons, who had been an assistant on the staff. However, the season ended with shortcomings on offense in a 35-9 setback to St. Pauls in the first round of the Class 2-AA state playoffs.
Still, Randleman eclipsed the 35-point mark in five of its games.
Yet the Tigers will have to find production to replace Harrison Moffitt, who racked up 15 touchdowns (all on rushing plays). He also passed for six touchdowns as a senior, ending up as the PAC-7 Offensive Player of the Year. On defense, he was third on the team with 10 tackles for loss.
Randleman has been undefeated in the past three regular seasons.
Asheboro’s Michael Brady cuts up field during the first day of football practice for the 2021 season on Aug. 2. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
ASHEBORO
Asheboro was winless in the 2021 spring edition, scoreless in four of those seven losses and reaching a double-digit point total only once.
The Blue Comets, in their spring finale, dropped an April 9 decision by 43-7 at home to Randleman. So for Asheboro, Friday night’s game will mark back-to-back games against the same opponent – albeit several months apart.
EASTERN RANDOLPH
Eastern Randolph made it to the state playoffs in the spring in Class 2-A – though it has dropped down in the new alignment – and finished with a 5-2 record.
Both losses (17-0 to Randleman and 41-0 to Northeastern) came via shutouts.
Yet the Wildcats reached or exceeded the 30-point mark in four of their games.
Providence Grove kicker Tucker Batten boots an extra point after a touchdown against West Davidson in a scrimmage Aug. 13. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
PROVIDENCE GROVE
Providence Grove was 4-3 in the spring, scoring more than 40 points in each of its victories.
The Patriots won four of their last five, the exception a 14-7 loss at High Point Andrews in a game with their lowest point total of the season.
Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter points to where the play is going during the team’s first day of practice for the 2021 season. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL
SOUTHWESTERN RANDOLPH
Southwestern Randolph posted nine points per game in its three spring losses.
Of Southwestern Randolph’s last eight defeats dating to the 2019 season, only one of those teams (a loss to Asheboro in a 2019 game) is on this year’s docket.
WHEATMORE
Wheatmore went 2-3 in the spring, though it didn’t record a double-figure point total in any of its defeats.
TRINITY
Trinity scored only 27 points total across five games in the spring season, winning 19-12 against Jordan-Matthews. That’s the team’s lone victory since 2019.
The Bulldogs were shut out in three games last season.
In Trinity’s past 23 games, its two triumphs came against Jordan-Matthews.
ASHEBORO — Tyler Parks says he has lots of things he needs to do regarding baseball across his final two years of high school with Southwestern Randolph.
Selecting a college destination isn’t one of them.
Southwestern Randolph’s Tyler Parks makes the throw to first base against Asheboro on May 31, 2021. Tyler Parks committed to UNC to play baseball. (PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD)
Parks made a verbal commitment to play for North Carolina, a choice that was solidified Friday.
“When they offered, I took it the next day,” Parks said of his goal to play for the Tar Heels. “It has been a dream of mine ever since middle school. I grew up watching Carolina play.”
Parks, a member of the Class of 2023, is primarily an infielder. He plays shortstop for Southwestern Randolph, but his high school coach, Ethan Marsh, said he envisions Parks playing as a second baseman in college.
Parks has been a starter for the Cougars since he was a freshman, though that 2020 season was abbreviated because of the pandemic.
“I still think (the interest) in him really started as a freshman,” Marsh said. “This past fall I think it really picked up with his travel ball.”
Parks, who turns 17 in September, plays travel ball for the Burlington-based Dirtbags. That has given him widespread exposure, playing in two tournaments in Florida and two in Georgia this year along with some more regional events.
He’s mostly a utility player on that team, logging time as a second baseman, third baseman and left fielder.
Parks said he likes having the recruiting part wrapped up.
“I definitely got it out of the way early and I don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “I want to focus on getting faster and stronger to be able play at the D-I level. It’s not easy to play at Carolina.”
He said improving defensively is among his goals.
North Carolina finished its first season under coach Scott Forbes in 2021 after last summer’s retirement of longtime coach Mike Fox. Parks said that coaching change didn’t impact his decision, with much of the staff remaining in place and Forbes promoted from within.
Southwestern Randolph’s Tyler Parks hits a long fly ball against Asheboro during an 11-2 loss at McCrary park on June 4, 2021. (PJ WARD-BROWN/North State Journal)
Parks also considered offers from Campbell, East Carolina and Wake Forest.
Parks batted .333 during the past high school season, which was reduced in length as most North Carolina High School Athletic Association sports were crammed into a few months in 2021. Almost half (7) of his 15 hits were doubles.
Marsh said Parks should grow into a key leadership role going into his junior season.
“He’s going to be special for us his last two years,” Marsh said. “I wish I had 15 of them (like Parks).”
ASHEBORO — Many of Asheboro High School’s teams will be on the move this school year, playing at alternate venues while a construction project is ongoing at the school.
The changes largely will impact volleyball, basketball and wrestling teams, though some teams that play at outdoor venues also will be affected.
“There’s a lot of moving parts right now,” athletics director Steve Luck said. “Everything is going to be OK, but we haven’t started doing anything yet other than practice. … There’s changes just about every moment. I feel like I have my head on a swivel like a linebacker.”
The volleyball team, with a schedule that begins this month, will compete in home matches at North Asheboro Middle School. Basketball and wrestling teams will have home events at Asheboro Recreation Center – often referred to as old McCrary Gym.
Capacity at the downtown facility is about 600-650, meaning less than half of the capacity of the high school gym’s 1,700. That’s the largest such facility in Randolph County.
“If we draw 600, that would be good,” Luck said. “Hopefully we’ll fill gyms up and have to turn people away. We could with girls’ basketball because of the interest after last year when they went to the state finals.”
The wrestling team will practice at Teachey Elementary School.
“Everyone is trying to chip in and help the high school,” Luck said.
Outdoor sports teams also will have to make some adjustments. The football team is practicing at South Asheboro Middle School, while several teams won’t have indoor options if there’s inclement weather.
Former Asheboro athletics director Charlie Chapman is the commissioner for the Mid-Piedmont Conference, so he’s aware of the various venues that the school’s teams will use during the coming year.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” Chapman said. “But I know the coaches at Asheboro and I know Steve Luck. They’ll get through it.”
Chapman said it will be important to communicate the sites being used to opposing schools so their fans know where to go for certain sports when Asheboro is the host.
The Blue Comets begin this coming school year with a new conference affiliation. That includes teams from Davidson County plus Oak Grove and Montgomery Central. Many of the non-conference competitions will be against schools in Randolph County. “This new conference we’re in, these teams travel,” Luck said of the potential for sizable crowds.
Asheboro teams played at old McCrary Gym in the 1950s. The renovation project will involve only minor work in the high school gym, though Luck said that space is mostly off limits because of the scale of the renovations and the type of work being done in other parts of the building. He said the gym will mostly be getting some “freshening up.”
This part of the project could make the gym unavailable for up to 18 months, meaning the 2022 volleyball team is likely to play off campus as well. Luck said he hopes the gym is available by the 2022-13 basketball season.
ASHEBORO — Randolph County Post 45 couldn’t repeat its recent success in American Legion baseball regional play. The host team for the Mid-Atlantic Regional was bounced after three games last week, unable to navigate the eight-team field and make it back to the American Legion World Series.
The five-day tournament concluded Sunday with Ridge (Md.) Post 255 defeating North Carolina state champion Fuquay-Varina Post 116 by 8-1 to claim the regional championship. That sends Ridge to the American Legion World Series, which begins Thursday in Shelby. Ridge went 5-0 in the regional, defeating Fuquay-Varina twice.
Randolph County (16-8), which captured regional crowns in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before the 2020 season was cancelled because of the pandemic, won its first game of this year’s regional before falling twice.
Post 45 opened by defeating Allentown, N.J., by 9-3 behind three RBI from Parker LaPlant. A seven-run fifth inning wiped out a 3-1 deficit. LaPlant and Tanner Marsh both had three hits. Coleman Burris was the winning pitcher.
The next day, Post 45 fell to Ridge (Md.) by 3-0 as it was limited to four singles. Hunter Hill took the loss. Robert Garner pitched 5 1/3 innings of shutout relief with seven strikeouts.
Then came elimination with Friday’s 4-2 loss to Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280. Blake Marsh was the losing pitcher. Harris Jackson, who had half of Post 45’s four hits, drove in two runs with a seventh-inning double.
Asheboro grad gives thumbs-up to season with Copperheads
ASHEBORO — A summer of baseball in his hometown was just the right thing for Trevor Marsh.
Marsh, an Asheboro High School graduate, took advantage of his role with the Asheboro Copperheads. He said it was well worth his time.
“It was more than I expected. I didn’t think the experience was going to be as good as it was,” Marsh said.
He was a make-up of sorts from last summer, when he was slated to play for the Copperheads before the 2020 season was scrapped because of the pandemic.
The Coastal Plain League turned out to be an ideal fit, he said, though he previously heard both pros and cons about the circuit from other college players.
He became like a hometown ambassador following his first full season for UNC Wilmington.
“They would always talk to me at the field – where’s a good place to eat or where’s a place to go hang out?” he said of teammates.
For Marsh, an outfielder who hit .289 in 34 games with four home runs and a team-best two triples to go with three stolen bases in five attempts, the opportunity to pick up pointers from college players from other teams was something he benefited from.
“Learned what works for them,” he said. “What they do that helps them. It was beneficial.”
Marsh said his goals included dealing better with offspeed pitches, improved hitting vs. left-handed pitchers and an uptick in stolen bases. Other than the base running, he said he accomplished the other two.
The Copperheads (23-21) missed the CPL playoffs, but Marsh provided a boost for the team, head coach Jeremy Knight said.
“He’s every bit as advertised,” Knight said, praising the player’s leadership as well. “Guys tend to follow his lead.”
Marsh started 12 of 15 games in the abbreviated 2020 season for UNCW. This past college season, he was slotted as a designated hitter much of the time while also playing in the outfield.
Marsh batted .259 for the Seahawks, starting in more than half of the team’s 54 games as a redshirt freshman. He hit three home runs.
Across the final 11 games, he checked in at a .333 clip. In mid-May, he was dubbed the Player of the Week for the Colonial Athletic Association.
“Toward the end of the year, I was kind of hot and a guy they depended on,” he said.
It was what he described as a heartbreaking finish for the Seahawks (32-22). They lost the final two games of the CAA Tournament – both in 10 innings to Northeastern — on their home field, needing to win just one of those to reach the NCAA regionals.
Marsh, previously a key member of Randolph County Post 45’s American Legion powerhouse teams, has spent many nights at McCrary Park. He said he’s most comfortable as a center fielder.
He said he thinks his college coaches will be pleased with what he accomplished the past couple of months.
“What they wanted me to do this summer, I did,” Marsh said. “It’s a grind, (up to) 46 games in two months.”
Marsh, previously a key member of Randolph County Post 45’s American Legion powerhouse teams, has spent many nights at McCrary Park. He said he’s most comfortable as a center fielder.
He said the Copperheads staff should be commended for handling a complex roster and making the season beneficial.
“They made it work and made it fun,” Marsh said.
Marsh, 20, has been working this summer for the City of Asheboro in water maintenance. He said his main responsibility has been painting fire hydrants. “That holds me accountable,” he said.
So it was a well-rounded time back in his hometown.
“When I came here, I was glad to be with my family,” he said.
RALEIGH — Appalachian State has quietly built one of the nation’s top programs outside of the Power Five. Now the Mountaineers will look to take the next step.
App has gone to six straight bowls, winning them all, sent their last two coaches to ACC and SEC head jobs, respectively, and last year snapped a string of four straight Sun Belt titles.
This year, the Mountaineers return 17 starters, add veteran talent and have a schedule that could put them on the national radar, if things go well.
Quarterback: Chase Brice arrives after a disappointing year as the Duke starter. The former Clemson backup had a full offseason to learn the system and hopes to make a better showing than he did in his last stop. Last year’s backup, Jacob Huesman, returns as well to provide depth.
Running back: Camerun Peoples is back after an incredible 300-yard, five-touchdown outing in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. He’s joined by Daetrich Harrington and Nate Noel, who return from last year, and Notre Dame transfer Jahmir Smith.
Receiver: Corey Sutton returns after opting out of last season. Thomas Hennigan and Malik Williams also return for a second senior season, and Brice will have plenty of other targets at receiver and tight end.
Offensive line: Three starters return, including all-conference candidate Baer Hunter.
Defensive line: The Mountaineers had 26 sacks and 67 tackles for loss last year and return Demetrius Taylor. The super senior was responsible for six sacks and 13 TFL last year. Super senior Caleb Spurlin also returns at the other end.
Linebacker: This unit may not have the star power of the other defensive positions, but App returns plenty of experience here as well, led by Trey Cobb and D’Marco Jackson.
Secondary: App had 15 interceptions last year and held foes to 177 passing yards a game. The Mountaineers return cornerback Shaun Jolly and safeties Kaiden Smith and Ryan Huff to the fourth-most efficient secondary in the nation last season.
Special teams: App returns all the key skill players on special teams, although the unit was the team’s shakiest last year. Return men Malik Williams and Jalen Virgil are playmakers on punt and kicks, respectively. Kicker Chandler Staton was just 13 of 19 on field goals, however, including several short misses. Punter Xavier Subotsch was also inconsistent.
Key players to watch: The offense is loaded with experienced playmakers, but it will all begin and end with Brice. He was one of the biggest pickups from the transfer portal a year ago, but his struggles at Duke were a surprise as he helped the Blue Devils lead the nation in turnovers by a large margin. He’ll need to find his confidence to lead a group of established players who are used to scoring and winning.
Sutton was the team’s best receiver the last time he played a full season, but that was 2018. He missed much of 2019 with an injury and opted out last year. He’ll need to show he’s found his old magic.
On defense, with Taylor up front and Jolly in back, the spotlight will be on the linebackers to avoid being the weak link on a unit that returns 10 of 11 starters, including all seven of the top tacklers from last year.
Key game: App State has won at North Carolina and South Carolina, put scares into Penn State and Tennessee at their stadiums, and traveled to Georgia and Clemson. This year, the team could post a program-defining win when it goes to Miami on Sept. 11. The Hurricanes should be highly ranked and always have a spotlight. A win in South Florida could send a message to the national press that App has arrived.
To achieve its goal of regaining the Sun Belt crown, App will also have the game against Coastal Carolina circled on the calendar. The Chanticleers come to Boone on Oct. 20.
X-factor: It sounds like coach-speak, but consistency will be the key to App’s season. Last year, the losses that cost the Mountaineers the Sun Belt were due to missed field goals, turnovers and empty red zone trips. Much of that comes back to Brice. If he finds his mojo, App could point to 2021 as its breakthrough season. If his struggles from Duke follow him to the mountains, it could be a long, frustrating year for a team that’s built to succeed at virtually every other spot.
