Appalachian State 2010 Football Preview (Part 2 of 3)

This will mark the second installment of Appalachian State's three-part season preview. In this section of the preview, I'll be taking a look at ASU's wide receivers and offensive line as the Mountaineers prepare to make a run at a sixth-consecutive Southern Conference football title in 2010.

Wide Receivers:

There’s not much of a question as to who has the best wide receivers in the SoCon heading into the 2010 season, and Appalachian State might also have the best, deepest corps of wideouts in all of the FCS. Leading the way for the receiving corps last fall and returning as the go-to-receiver yet again for the 2010 season will be Matt Cline.

The 5'11", 185-pound senior from Thomasville, N.C., will again be a likely member of the 2010 receiving corps for the Apps, as the first-team All-SoCon selection had some outstanding performances last fall for the Black and Gold. In back-to-back weeks against Georgia Southern and Furman, Cline enjoyed perhaps his best two-week stretch of the season, hauling in a combined 18 receptions for 224 yards and a TD. In total, Cline hauled in a team-leading 85 passes for 981 yards and a couple of TDs, averaging 11.5 YPR.

Brian Quick returns as the big-play threat for the Black and Gold once again this fall and is starting to draw the attention of NFL scouts with his athleticism and size. The 6'5", 210-pound junior from Columbia, S.C., combines good speed with outstanding leaping ability, which are skills that have helped him draw comparisons from those who follow SoCon football to former league standout Randy Moss.

In his first two campaigns of substantial action for the Mountaineers, Quick has hauled in a combined 84 receptions for 1,478 yards and 11 TDs. Last fall, Quick led the team in receiving yards (982) and did that on 61 catches, with four scoring receptions. He averaged an impressive 16.1 YPR.

Although he might start the season as a starter at wideout for the Apps, due to some disciplinary reasons that occurred over the summer, look for CoCo Hillary to end up again being one of the go-to-receivers in the passing attack and one of the leaders of the Black and Gold offense.

Hillary, a 5'10", 190-pound senior wideout from Edgefield, S.C., is likely the most versatile wide receiver for the Mountaineers entering the 2010 season. Originally coming to ASU as a quarterback, Hillary has come into his own as a wide receiver, and is well on his way to establishing himself as one of the best to ever don a Black and Gold uniform at the position. He will be looking to recover from a knee injury that cost him nearly half of the 2009 season.

Entering his senior campaign, Hillary has caught 110 passes for 1,588 yards and five TDs in his career for the Black and Gold. As a receiving threat in only eight games last fall, Hillary hauled in 37 passes for 514 yards and a career-best four TDs. As a kick return threat, Hillary amassed 522 yards on 21 attempts (24.9 YPR). Hillary began the 2009 season as the starter at the "z" wide receiver position and will likely compete for a starting job at that same position this fall.

It’s likely that the reliable Blake Elder will start at the "x" wide receiver position for the Apps this fall. The 6'0", 175-pound senior enters the 2010 season as one of the team captains and has made some vital catches in his career for the Mountaineers, despite only seeing limited throws come his way in his previous three campaigns as a part of the ASU receiving corps. Elder is a tremendous perimeter blocker and is possibly the best blocking receiver on the roster for the Mountaineers.

Last season, Elder started the season as a solid reserve for the Apps at the "z" wide receiver position, but was thrust into the starting role at the "x" receiver midway through the season. Elder is also a tremendous route runner, and he finished the 2009 season with 24 receptions for 311 yards (13.0 YPR), making some of the team’s more spectacular catches during the campaign.

One of the options at the "z" receiver position once again this fall should be Travaris Cadet. The 6'1", 210-pound quarterback-turned-receiver proved he could cause all kinds of problems in the open field with his speed and athletic ability, serving in capacities as the backup quarterback, punt returner, and wide receiver in 2009. Cadet should see most of his action at running back this fall.

Bottom line, Cadet is one of the best athletes on the ASU roster, and look for him to get the ball in a variety of different ways this fall, including as a running option. The Miami, FL., native transferred into the program from Pearl River Community College last fall, and caught four passes for 21 yards, while completing 20-of-36 passes for 241 yards and an interception in his time at quarterback last fall.

Cadet also finished as the Mountaineers’ third-leading rusher, with 366 yards and three TDs on 70 attempts (5.2 YPC) as a running threat. Rounding out his contributions, Cadet led the Mountaineers with 24 punt returns for 134 yards (5.6 YPR) and he will give the Apps a legitimate big-play threat in the return game this fall.

Senior B.J. Frazier returns to give the Apps a serious deep threat at wide receiver, likely serving as Cline’s understudy at the "m" wide receiver. The 5'10", 180-pound wideout from Beaufort, N.C., has only been used sparingly in his ASU career, due in large measure as a result of ASU’s tremendous depth at the wide receiver position.

Frazier has had to overcome some nagging injuries during his career, which has limited his playing time in his three seasons as a Mountaineer. Last fall, Frazier caught seven passes for 141 yards (20.1 YPR). Frazier enjoyed his best season in the Black and Gold as a sophomore back in 2008, catching 10 passes for 183 yards.

With his speed, Frazier could also play a significant role as a return specialist for ASU, and completed the 2009 season returning 14 kicks for 262 yards (18.7 YPR). Many Mountaineer fans are anxiously anticipating the season opener at Chattanooga in hopes of seeing redshirt freshman wideout Tony Washington make his debut in the Black and Gold. The 5'10", 180-pound native of High Point, N.C., has big-time speed and the potential to be a future star as a big-play threat for the Mountaineers.

Washington was a standout prep at T.W. Andrews High School in High Point, where he amassed over 1,000 all-purpose yards as a senior, catching 43 passes for 600 yards, while posting 350 yards on the ground. He could also be a contributor on special teams for the Black and Gold, with his play-making quickness and speed.

Rounding out the returnees at wide receiver for the Mountaineers will be Dominic Magazu. The 6'0", 190-pound from Matthews, N.C., transferred into ASU from Boston College and will look to see the field more often. Magazu, who caught one pass for three yards last fall, will also be a contributor on special teams in 2010.

After catching 29 passes for 506 yards and six TDs a couple of years ago, Ben Jorden saw his numbers take a dip last season as a result of injury. Jorden, a 6'2", 240-pound junior native of Weddington, N.C., enters the 2010 season as a preseason All-America selection by The Sports Network and a consensus first-team All-SoCon honoree.

Jorden is fully healthy from the knee that gave him so much trouble last season, and could put forth his best campaign yet as a Mountaineer. Despite his injury last season, the sure-handed Jorden still managed to haul in 16 passes for 226 yards and a TD, averaging 17.4 YPR.

The Mountaineers are incredibly deep at the tight end position, returning Brad Hardee, who split action last fall in relief of the injured Jorden. Hardee, a 6'0", 235-pound native of Hudson, N.C., is probably the most physical blocking presence of the two and excels in run-blocking. As a receiving threat last fall, Hardee had one reception for 10 yards.

Offensive Line:

ASU should have one of the most experienced offensive lines in the nation in 2010, returning four of five starters in the trenches. However, the lone loss is a significant one, as the Black and Gold lose one of the best left tackles to ever play the position to graduation—Jacobs Blocking Award winner Mario Acitelli.

But the four starters that do return helped the Mountaineers rank third nationally in total offense (465.1 YPG) last fall and return at least four starters along the front for the third straight season. The most decorated returnee along the offensive front and a strong candidate to win the latest edition of the league’s Jacobs Blocking trophy is Mountaineer center Brett Irvin.

Irvin is a player vital to the success of the Mountaineers' offensive front, and will have to adjust to a new starter at quarterback this fall. Irvin, a 6'0", 280-pound native of Gaffney, S.C., enters the season having started 28 straight games and boasting a total of 30 starts in his Mountaineers career. Irvin is a two-time All-SoCon honoree and enters the season as a first-team All-SoCon selection.

Pat Mills and Matt Ruff will be the starting guards for the second straight season. Mills, a 6'2", 265-pound native of Charlotte, N.C., is another returning veteran along ASU’s offensive front, entering the season having started 14 consecutive games at left guard, and has seen action in 34 career games for the Apps. Mills could be a contender for all-league honors this fall.

Ruff, a 6'3", 275-pound junior, who’s also from Charlotte, also boasts extensive experience, returning in a starting role along the offensive front for the Mountaineers. Like Mills, Ruff has started 14 straight games for the Mountaineers at right guard entering the campaign, and has seen action in 26 games in his ASU career. Like his position mate Mills, Ruff could also contend for all-league honors this fall and enters the campaign with beneficial experience.

Set to man the respective offensive tackle positions for the Mountaineers this fall will be Daniel Kilgore and Orrye Frye. Kilgore, a 6'3", 285-pound senior from Kingsport, Tenn., will have some large shoes to fill, as he takes over at the left tackle position, replacing Jacobs Blocking Award winner and All-American Mario Acitelli at left tackle. Kilgore has plenty of experience, backing up Frye at right tackle last season.

Kilgore, who enters the campaign as an all-league pick, has seen action in 35 games in his career, including logging 17 starts. He has seen action as a tight end and started 14 games at right guard as a sophomore in 2008.

Frye, a 6'2", 270-pound native of Charlotte, N.C., is a versatile offensive lineman that can play either tackle or guard. Frye has also played tight end in some of ASU’s short-yardage packages. He is an exceptional blocker with good technique and feet and started 18 career games, including 14 consecutively.

With a combined 93 career starts among its five starters entering the 2010 season, ASU has one of its most experienced contingents in the trenches in school history. The experience up front is great news for junior signal-caller DeAndre Presley, who should find a little of the pressure alleviated as he enters the Sept. 4 opener at Chattanooga as the starter. Running backs Devon Moore, Cedric Baker, and Rod Chisholm should be salivating this fall, as the rushing numbers should be strong again.