News
Email
Print
ASU's Edwards unsure if he will play this week
Presley, backup QB, says he will be ready to go
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 19, 2008
Armanti Edwards said yesterday that his bruised right hip is feeling better but that he doesn't know yet if he'll play in Saturday's regular-season finale against Western Carolina.
"It's just day by day," said Edwards, the Mountaineers' record-setting quarterback. "We'll see how it feels as the week goes on."
Edwards bruised a knee after being flipped by a defender in the first half of a 24-16 victory over Elon but said that the knee isn't bothering him. He is still feeling the effects of having a defender roll up onto his hip on a third-quarter tackle.
Coach Jerry Moore said: "He's a little bit dinged up, but when you get this late in the year that happens. That's just part of the deal. He just got bruised like every kid does, and I think he'll be OK."
Edwards hasn't missed a start this season, and he returned from an ankle sprain in a September game against Presbyterian to play the next week against The Citadel.
Edwards said that if he doesn't play, the Mountaineers will be in capable hands with freshman DeAndre Presley.
"He's proven to everybody that he can come in and lead the team down the field," Edwards said.
Presley took over for the ailing Edwards on Saturday and led Appalachian to a fourth-quarter field goal that provided an eight-point cushion against Elon.
"That was huge for him," Moore said of the 12-play, 68-yard drive. "I think it's huge for our football team that they know he can come in and do those things."
Presley rushed for 101 yards on 12 carries in the second half of a 49-7 victory over Chattanooga on Nov. 8.
"He's running the ball really well," Edwards said. "He hasn't had the opportunity to throw the ball much, but when he has, he's completed most of them.
"He's a speedy quarterback. We knew he was fast, but we didn't know for sure he could make people miss, but he's been showing that a lot this year."
Presley said he'll be ready, whether needed or not.
"I always practice as if I'm going to start," he said. "You never know when the opportunity will come."
■ Tommy Bowman can be reached at 727-7320 or at tbowman@wsjournal.com.
Email
Print
