Complete Game Notes (pdf)
This week’s game
Following a much needed week off, the Terriers return to the field on Saturday to face Appalachian State at Gibbs Stadium ... The Terriers will be home for just the third time this season ... The game also marks Letterman’s Weekend at Wofford, as alumni from all sports are welcomed back to campus, including the 2009 class of the Athletic Hall of Fame ... In their last game, the Terriers were defeated 26-21 by Georgia Southern, while Appalachian State defeated North Carolina Central 55-21 on Saturday ... The Mountaineers have won four of the last five meetings, however the Terriers won the last game played at Gibbs Stadium 42-31 in 2007 ... Wofford has the nation’s fifth best rushing attack and Appalachian State is sixth in the nation in rushing and eighth in total offense ... The Terriers are not ranked for the second straight week, while Appalachian State is ranked ninth in the FCS Coaches Poll and tenth by the Sports Network ... The game will be televised by SportSouth.
About Wofford
Wofford is 1-4 so far in the 2009 season with a 40-7 loss at the University of South Florida, a 42-14 win at home against Charleston Southern, a 44-14 loss at Wisconsin and SoCon losses to Chattanooga and Georgia Southern. Wofford returns 44 letterwinners from last season, including four offensive starters, five defensive starters and three specialists. In addition, three other players with at least two starts return for Wofford. Wofford runs the wingbone offense, led by sophomore quarterback Mitch Allen and backs Mike Rucker and Sean Lees. The rushing offense is third in the nation with 232.0 yards per game, but the passing offense is last in the NCAA. The multiple defense is led by first team All-SoCon defensive lineman Mitch Clark and senior linebacker Gary Blount. Wofford had five players named to the Preseason All-SoCon Team. OL Pat Illig and DL Mitch Clark earned first team honors, while OL Trey Johnson, LB Gary Blount, DL Eric Eberhardt and DB Mychael Johnson were named to the second team. The Terriers were picked to finish second in the Southern Conference by the coaches and third by the media in the 2009 Preseason Polls.
About Appalachian State
Appalachian State is 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in Southern Conference play after wins over Samford and The Citadel. Head Coach Jerry Moore is in his 21st season as head coach with a 181-75 mark in Boone and a 208-122-2 overall record in 27 seasons. The Mountaineers return 45 lettermen and 18 starters from the 2008 season in which the team posted an 11-3 overall record. They were 8-0 in SoCon play on the way to winning the conference title. This season they were picked to finish first in the SoCon preseason poll. On offense, they are led by All-American quarterback Armanti Edwards, who has thrown for 993 yards on 77 of 111 passing with only one interception. Edwards also had 266 rushing yards on 46 carries with 7 touchdowns. Receiver Matt Cline had 26 catches for 282 yards, while Devon Moore leads the team with 488 yards rushing on 94 carries with four touchdowns. On defense, D.J. Smith leads the team with 56 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss. Ed Gainey has two interceptions.
The Appalachian State Series
Wofford and Appalachian State have faced each other 25 times, with Appalachian State holding a 15-10 advantage in the series. The teams first met in 1960, a 23-14 win by Wofford. Since both teams have been members of the Southern Conference, Appalachian State has an 9-3 lead in the series. At Gibbs Stadium, Appalachian State has a 4-2 record over Wofford. In the series, nine of the meetings have occurred when one team is ranked in the top 25. The Mountaineers have won four of the last five games.
Terrier-Mountaineer connections
The Terriers have 22 players from the state of North Carolina. The Mountaineers have 14 players from the state of South Carolina, including Armanti Edwards (Greenwood), Brett Irvin (Gaffney) and Blake Elder (Duncan). Wofford fullback Eric Breitenstein’s brother, Seth, won three national championships with Appalachian State. Breitenstein’s grandfather, Bob, was head coach of the Mountaineers in 1959 (6-4 overall) and spent six years total on the coaching staff.
Terrier Top Five
Here are the top five notes of interest heading into the Appalachian State game:
• The Terriers are third in the nation in rushing with 232.0 yards per game in 2009
• Fourteen players made their first career starts at South Florida and a total of 18 players have marked their first starts this season
• Wofford has four players among the top 20 rushers in the conference
• Mike Rucker is second all-time in kickoff return yards with 1,781 and secon in kickoff returns
with 78
• Wofford has opened the season 1-4 for the first time since the 1992 season
Injury Update
Wofford opened the season without running back Jeremy Marshall, who is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in the 2008 Appalachian State game. Freshmen HB Cody Burris (clavicle) and TE Kenny Barnes (knee) will also miss the season after injuries in August camp. LB Ricco Braxton (knee, out for season), FB Eric Breitenstein (knee), DE Mitch Clark (pectoral muscle) and LB Mike Niam (knee, out for season) were out of the Georgia Southern game due to injury, and several players were limited due to illness. During the GSU game, WR Devin Reed (ankle) was the only significant injury and will be limited in practice this week.
