Jags Face Tough Test Against Appalachian State In Boone
South Alabama (1-3, 1-0 SBC) travels to Boone, North Carolina to take on Appalachian State (2-1, 0-0 SBC). The Mountaineers destroyed Garner Webb and the students will be out in force for homecoming.
The Jags tried to upset Memphis on the road last week but had problems stopping their high-powered offense down the stretch and couldn’t keep up with them on the scoreboard, 52-35.
The one and only time the Jags played in Boone, USA brought home a big win 47-21 win. The next season the Mountaineers got some revenge with a 34-27 win in Mobile to make the all-time series tied at one win each.
Fast forward a couple of seasons and the Jags have a new coach and App State has been a steady winner since that loss in Boone. After starting that season 1-4 and 0-2 in conference play, they have compiled a 38-11 record overall, 27-3 conference record and three consecutive bowl wins.
South Alabama, one way or another, has finally found someone to go with at quarterback in the senior Evan Orth. He’s been very efficient too going 66-of-96 for 789 yards, six touchdowns and only one interception. Kawaan Baker emerged early as a great outlet but he’s been complimented, if not overshadowed, by the play of Jamarius Way lately. After back-to-back 170-yard plus games, Way is 7th nationally in receiving yards per game.
Mountaineers quarterback Zac Thomas has also been efficient for the Mountaineers going 50-of-67 for 750 yards, six touchdowns and one interception.
South Alabama has struggled running the ball. From the 2017 season to the 2018 season, under the new coaching staff, the playcalling has flipped the run/pass ratio from being pass heavy to being more run heavy, but have not been as successful as they have hoped.
Baker, the slot receiver, is the teams leading rusher with 134 yards on the season with a 6.4 yard per rush average with four touchdowns. Tra Minter is right behind him with 120 yards rushing on the season and three touchdowns. The only other runner in triple digits rushing is Evan Orth with 113 yards.
While Way is putting up big numbers receiving, Way has three receiving touchdowns on only 12 receptions. He’s scored over 1/3 of Jags total points this season!
Orth has had success in the quick-release passing offense. It keeps the offense simple for him, takes pressure off of the offensive line who has had a hard time protecting him this season (nine sacks, seven hurries).
After being quite futile on third down for the season, the Jags were 8-of-15 last week against Memphis. Each and every week third-down conversions are a telling fact because they extend drives and rests your defense. If the Jags reverts back and has problems sustaining drives then it will be a disadvantage for the Jags defense.
While the Jags have focused on and have been successful lately in getting some big-plays on offense, the Mountaineers are 2nd in the FBS with four offensive plays of over 60 yards and is the only team with multiple plays of 80+ yards. But defensively the Jags have allowed 15 plays of 30+ yards which is 125th nationally and allows an average of 6.2 yards per play, which is 104th nationally.
The Jags defensive scheme is to create negative plays to put the offense behind the chains by bringing a heavy rush with frequent man-to-man coverage in the secondary. While it has worked often against opponents with allowing less than a 30% conversion rate on third-down (19th nationally), they have also allowed lots of big plays and scoring with the previously noted 6.2 yards per play and almost 14 yards per completion.
App State’s defense prides itself on its run defense on making opponents one-dimensional. The Jags have been pretty one-dimensional all season and they have have played pretty well the last couple of weeks. The Mountaineers will lean on that then disguise their coverages against an inexperienced quarterback.
With a 25.5 point spread, I think the Jags will cover but I’m not sure they can start off 2-0 in the conference. But historically the Jags, when a heavy underdog in the points spread, they have risen to the occasion. I’d love nothing else than getting started 2-0 in conference but the Mountaineers are really good. Hopefully homecoming week festivities has been distracting as the Jags can sneak a win.
Go Jags!
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