Appalachian St-NC Central: Mountaineers Face Eagles In Homecoming Battle

Fresh off a 30-27 double-overtime victory against The Citadel last Saturday, the Black and Gold return to Kidd Brewer Stadium to face the North Carolina Central Eagles for homecoming. The game marks the final non-conference regular-season affair of the 2009 season for the Apps.

Surprisingly, the two schools—separated by just 168 miles—will be meeting for the first time on the gridiron.

NCCU is a newcomer to the FCS ranks, having joined the sub-classification only two years ago. The Eagles are in their third season of a four-year transitional phase that will be completed in 2011, and subsequently allow the Eagles to compete for an FCS playoff spot.

The Eagles enjoyed some success at the Division II level prior to their move to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS. The Eagles made three playoff appearances (1988, 2005, and '06) as a Division II member.

Despite only three seasons at the FCS level, the Eagles are no stranger to facing against elite FCS programs.

Last season, the Eagles took on No. 8 James Madison, dropping a 56-7 decision to the Dukes. The Eagles also played No. 3 Cal Poly late in the '08 season, dropping the contest, 49-3. Earlier this season, the Eagles took on No. 24 Liberty in Lynchburg, succumbing by a 35-10 score to the Flames.

Under the direction of third-year head coach Mose Rison, the Eagles have struggled out of the gate in their third season as a Division I member. The team (0-5) is still in search of its first win of the '09 season.

The Eagles will be playing their fifth of six total road outings when they take the field against the Mountaineers on Saturday afternoon.

Like Appalachian St, NCCU was involved in an overtime game of its own last Saturday. However, the Eagles weren’t as fortunate as the Mountaineers, dropping a 23-17 double-overtime decision to North Carolina A&T.

In the heartbreaking setback to the Aggies, the Eagles were stopped by A&T on their first series of the second overtime, and the Aggies took full advantage of the costly turnover on downs on their ensuing offensive possession. Aggies quarterback Carlton Fears ended a three-game losing streak to the Eagles on their first play, finding wide receiver Wallace Miles on a 24-yard strike for the game-winning score.

Though the Eagles are winless this season, they have the potential to present some problems for the Mountaineers with their athleticism on both sides of the football.

Leading the offense for the Maroon and Silver so far in the '09 season has been sophomore quarterback Michael Johnson. The 6'2'', 190-pound Johnson has been the catalyst of the offense for the Eagles.

He is a threat both as a passer and runner with his tremendous athleticism. Johnson has completed 57-of-115 passes for 584 yards, with five TDs and seven INTs so far this season. He also has one rushing TD.

His top offensive weapon when going to the air is senior wide receiver Will Scott. Scott will be one of the best wideouts the Mountaineers will face on the gridiron this year, and at 6'3'', 183-pounds, his physical prowess could cause the Mountaineers' secondary some problems on Saturday.

Scott also has good speed and the ability to get behind the secondary for the deep ball. This season, Scott has topped the team with 21 catches for 333 yards—including 179 yards receiving in last week’s loss to A&T—and three TDs.

The other leading option in the Eagles’ aerial attack is Geovanie Irvine.

The diminutive 5'7'', 150-pound receiver’s game is built around pure speed. Irvine ranks second on the team in receiving and could also be a factor on special teams with his speed. He has hauled in 16 passes for 234 yards and two TDs this season.

The Eagles also have a reliable option at the tight end in Earthan Ward. Ward, a 6'4'', 218-pound junior that could challenge for All-MEAC honors this season, is the team’s third-leading receiver, having caught 12 passes for 183 yards. He’s averaging an impressive 15.2 yards per reception.

The running game is a two-headed monster, headed by Tim Shankle at tailback and Saeed Abdul-Azeez at fullback.

Shankle, a 5'10'', 221-pound junior, is a workhorse in the backfield and is especially strong in short-yardage situations with his tremendous size. Shankle also possesses good speed in the open field and is off to a solid start to his '09 campaign, having rushed for 332 yards and a TD on 81 attempts (4.1 YPC) this season.

Shankle’s understudy at running back is Tony McCord, who has provided solid depth at the tailback position. McCord, a 6'1'', 188-pound junior, has managed to rack up 127 rushing yards on 36 carries (3.5 YPC).

Abdul-Azeez is another physical running back that excels in short-yardage situations, but lacks the overall speed that Shankle possesses. Abdul-Azeez is more of a physical presence as a blocker, especially in max-protect situations.

The Eagles’ offensive line will be anchored by massive Gabriel Manns. Manns is a 6'6'', 320-pound left tackle, and is considered one of the team’s veteran leaders on the offense. He teams with James Frye (C), Mario Brice (RG), Alex Johnson (RT), and Timothy Charity (LG) on the O-line. This unit has helped the Eagles average 262.4 yards per game and 15.0 points per game.

Defensively, the Eagles have seen their share of struggles this season, which doesn’t bode well since they'll be facing a high-octane offensive attack against Mountaineers. So far this season, NCCU is surrendering 30.2 points per game and 329.0 yards per game.

Anchoring the D-line is defensive tackle Teryl White. The 6'5'', 278-pounder is a player that could give the Mountaineers' offensive line some problems with his overall quickness and athleticism. He’s been one of the ringleaders on the defensive side of the football this season. In five games, White has recorded 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, and 2.5 sacks.

He’ll team with Xavier Proctor (DE) and Mark Blakeney (NT) on the defensive side.

Proctor, a 6'6'', 254-pound sophomore, is an impressive specimen with his overall size and athleticism. In his first season as a full-time starter, Proctor has racked up 15 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, and a sack.

Blakeney, a 6'0'', 287-pound junior, has also been a solid member of the defense this season. He has recorded just six tackles and a tackle-for-loss, having battled some injuries.

The Eagles also have some impressive talent in their linebacking corps, bringing a unit laden with experienced talent. The group is anchored by ‘CAT’ linebacker Calvin Hillie.

Hillie is a player who is considered the best athlete on the defensive side of the football. He’s also one of the more active linebackers the Mountaineers will face against this season. Hillie leads the NCCU defense with 33 tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.

Strong-side linebacker Donald Laster is also a significant contributor on the defensive side of the football for the Eagles. The 6'0'', 238-pounder is a sure-tackler and runs extremely well for his size. Laster has put up some impressive numbers so far this season, having contributed 30 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a sack. He also leads the team with eight quarterback hurries.

Rounding out the starters at linebacker are middle linebacker Alex Winters and weakside linebacker Rakeem Vick.

Winters is one of the most experienced players on the defensive side of the football, and has managed to contribute 23 tackles, a tackle-for-loss, and an interception this season. Vick has produced 19 tackles and a tackle-for-loss so far in '09.

The Eagles’ defensive backfield will have their hands full on Saturday, facing Appalachian’s big-play threats Brian Quick (74-yard TD reception last Saturday against The Citadel that forced overtime) and CoCo Hillary. The Eagles, however, come into Saturday’s contest playing the pass pretty well so far this season, allowing opponents an average of just 155.6 yards per game through the air.

Set to man the two cornerback positions for the Eagles are a pair of talented juniors. Both David Ingram and Rashad Fox are all-league caliber cornerbacks.

Ingram, a 5'8'', 173-pound boundary cornerback, has had a strong season thus far, leading the team with two interceptions. He has also added 22 tackles, a tackle-for-loss, and a team-high five pass break-ups. Fox, a 6'0'', 180-pound starter at the field cornerback position, has racked up 16 stops.

The two starting safeties will be Ja’Quez Canty at the strong safety position, while Jeffery Henderson will fill the free safety position.

Canty, a 5'9'', 184-pound junior, is a versatile performer in that he can make plays against the run as well as against the pass. Through five games, Canty has contributed 28 tackles and half-a-sack. Henderson has recorded 25 tackles and an 83-yard interception return for a score this season.