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ASU to face struggling N.C. Central
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Published: October 10, 2009
Appalachian State hasn't had an easy time in any of its four games this season, but will gladly take a two-game winning streak into today's first meeting with N.C. Central.
Coach Jerry Moore said he thinks that his team benefitted from winning a game last Saturday that it nearly lost, defeating The Citadel 30-27 in overtime.
"It was a great experience, and I don't mean experience in the way of a thrill," Moore said. "I'm talking about learning experience to be involved in a game like that -- to go down to the wire, to come back and tie it and then go win it in overtime."
After four games and mixed results, how close are the Mountaineers (2-2, ranked No. 9 and 10 in the FCS polls) to being where they want?
"We're gaining on it," Moore said. "That ballgame (at The Citadel) helped us a lot. You could tell in the locker room after the ballgame. We had a nice win the week before over Samford, which I think is another good football team, but there was a feeling of accomplishment being down there, winning like we did at The Citadel.
"I think we're beginning to get a little better as a team…. We bounced back after some negative things happened to us. It's more philosophical things than it is running, catching, blocking, tackling as far as the way I see our team right now. We're going to work hard on all those fundamentals, but there's something also about a team's spirit. I've been more concerned about that from the very beginning because of our youth (in a few positions)…. I think we're growing up a bit."
N.C. Central is 0-5, with losses to Duke (an FBS team), Liberty (which has been ranked in the FCS polls), Morehead State and N.C. A&T (both in overtime) and Hampton (by a touchdown). Today's game will be Central's fifth on the road, partly the result of the school's move from Division II to the Division I FCS. The transition is scheduled to be complete by 2011.
Coach Mose Rison of Central said that that his team welcomes the opportunity of another challenge in facing Appalachian, a program Central studied in planning a move to Division I.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for us, playing a team of this caliber," Rison said. "We took a trip up there a couple of years ago and had a chance to look at a lot of things they were doing. Obviously they have a very successful athletic program, and they're another in-state school as well.… We appreciated the opportunity to go up and visit, and a lot of things that they do we're trying to instill in our athletics program as well."
The Eagles will have the challenge of containing quarterback Armanti Edwards, the Southern Conference's all-time leader in total offense and the reigning FCS player of the year.
"I don't think we'll see anybody else like him for the rest of the year that's going to be able to do the things that he can do from a quarterback standpoint," Rison said. "But I think we've had a good week of practice. We've prepared well…."
N.C. Central's starting lineup includes two players from North Forsyth -- defensive tackle Teryl White, who leads the Eagles with 2.5 sacks, and safety JaQuez Canty, who ranks among the team's top four in tackles.
"Teryl has turned out to be an outstanding football player for us," Rison said. "He has grown up a lot since his high-school days. He's 290 pounds, runs extremely well and has done a marvelous job for us. JaQuez Canty has come a long way. We've moved him back and forth trying to find a (position)…. He's our starting strong safety, has made some adjustment for us learning how to play in the secondary, and he's having a good year."
tbowman@wsjournal.com | 727-7320
Game day
• Teams: N.C. Central at Appalachian
• Time: 3:30
• TV/Radio: WKBC 97.3; WBLO 790
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