Mountaineer Football

[TheMoody1]

Maybe Montana and A&T will play for the FCS National Championship.

[DaphneUrquhart]

I loved watching Jamal be the first one on the field to congratulate Kam on the TD pass. Someone else alluded to his sulking on the sidelines. I didn't see that at all.

These guys really do seem to pull together well. They all want to win. I want to see them win. I can't wait to drive to Elon to cheer for our Mountaineers.

[Dmanuhone]

radio guys did not see it either.

[AppAlum1]

Scatman & 77:

Thanks for sharing! I have been to every home game, except one (maybe two) since 1989. There have been two years I have attended every game, home and away. I have a lot of confidence in Coach Satterfield.

Throughout all the gnashing of teeth on this board, I think your voices need to be heard. We'll get things turned around.

What I saw at the Montana game and at the NC A&T game was a young team & young coaches trying to play as one. It was some hard going. It took 7 & 1/3 quarters, but I like what I saw at the end of the A&T game. Stuff happens.

The D played great this weekend. The offense was misfiring until the 4th. And, the special teams took far too much flak on this board. With the exception of that one KO return, they made the plays.

I think this team has too much talent and pride to just fold. I also think we need another couple weeks' practice to get things worked out. So, I am hopeful that Leon's in for a whoopin'.

Go APPS!

[DaphneUrquhart]

I was listening to Colin Cowherd this afternoon as he described what makes a good coach. His assertion was that the best coaches could make changes at halftime and bring out a whole new game plan in the second half. He was speaking of Lane Kiffin and his inability to change the game plan against Washington St.

While I'm certain several of you would argue that the game plan should have changed sooner than halftime, I'd like to take encouragement from the fact that the game plan did, indeed, change at halftime. We went from not being able to establish the run to airing it out quite successfully.

The glass is way beyond half full. Go App!

[scatman77]

Excellent Post!

I have and also work in sports. I have played and coached for nearly 40 years. Currently I make my living a chaplain for professional athletes.

I went to Burger King after the game and ran into several of our players, starters included and their families.

I found myself plying my trade with these kids. They were very disheartened. I sat and listened to our kids like I do my pro athletes and offering encouragement and support. A sports chaplain is not a proselytizer, but a listener and one who helps athletes get anything out of the way that might hurt their on field-court-track performance, and our kids had/have some stuff like that after the A T game.

Please be patient with our football team. They are hurting right now. They are scratching their heads and wondering "Why?" I told one of them "You guys are too good with too much talent. You WILL figure a way through this. Work hard, be patient, be a team. Don't let adversity divide you." I loved their answers. "Oh Yes Sir we will." (I love the manners. Parents raised these guys right!). While I was there JLJ came in, not to order but to encourage his teammates. They responded with high fives and fist pumps. One of the guys told me that in spite of his on field issues JLJ is a "great leader" Another said he was a "great guy."

I was encouraged. They are still together as a team. If experience teaches me anything it is that a sports team can solve problems IF they remain a team. If they fracture and "locker room problems" take over, you can stick a fork in them. This has not happened to The Mountaineers. As long as they remain a team, they will get through this. Remember the 07 NC team. They suffered through very tough times after the UM win, Injuries on the Oline, unending media attention, two SoCon losses. Yet they remained a team and won the NC again.

As long as the coaching staff can keep the team together and can remain together as a staff they will come out of this as a team we will remember. What I saw at Burger King gave me confidence as a professional and as a fan, that this team will survive this bump in the road.

We need to stick with them and remain behind them.

May I return the favor and say that I agree with you also. I know 3 of those young men personally as they are from my school down here and I know what they are like. Together this team will rebound. As I have stated elsewhere: I feel sorry for eLoan in two weeks.

[Dazed and Confused '13]

It the post game program Brownie mentioned how much we miss Shawn Elliot. It's evident we have no one with his enthusiasm and drive to keep the guys pumped up. Shawn was a great mentor and role model. We need to clone him.

That is true Shawn brought enthusiasm, drive, and a certain attitude to our "O" line play. I've only met Coach Ledford once but he impressed me with his attitude as well. He exuded confidence and a discipline about him that reminded me of William "Buck" Buchanan who was our line coach way back with Coach Brakefield. He didn't have the Elliott personality either but his linemen would block a cinder block wall for him, and that's the impression I get from Ledford.

What we all need to realize is that Elliott is gone and not coming back. We also have to accept the fact that we're going to get better as the season progresses. Remember: no TD's vs Montana to 3 vs A & T.

I very much agree on Coach Ledford. I understand he's under fire now for the poor performances his o-line is putting out there, but let's remember he did not recruit these guys. He's got NFL experience, he's widely respected by his peers and players and, personally, has always made a great impression on me when I met him (had an extensive conversation with him at the App State coaching clinic last April). I really don't think he's the issue (especially considering who he replaced...).

And yes, of course it's impossible to overestimate the importance of SP absence. Peacock, Washington etc, etc are all great threats in the short to medium range, but they don't have the physical ability to stretch the defense and force those safeties to play just a little deeper so to free up space underneath for all the other stuff. But we shouldn't take this as an excuse. It's what it is, we gotta make it without him.

And I am very pleased about the defense but not surprised. I watched several practices during the spring and talked to some coaches (in addition to attending the spring game), and everytime I appreciated how the D seemed a step ahead of the offense (which is weird considering that we just got a new DC and changed system).

We're in this together fellas. Last saturday I was there 90 minutes before kickoff and stayed for the whole time; and I planned on doing just that for the next home game. Hope y'all will join me.