How good is our Defense?

[ASUTodd]

While our Offense gets a lot of the accolades, it is only ranked 77th in overall offense in the nation. Our defense on the over hand......
FBS (I-A) Team Total Defense Statistics - 2018
Statistics: Total | Downs | Passing | Rushing | Receiving | Returning | Kicking | Punting | Defense
RK TEAM YDS YDS/G PASS P YDS/G RUSH R YDS/G PTS PTS/G
1 Appalachian State 1441 288 907 181.4 534 106.8 77 15.4
2 Clemson 1567 261 917 152.8 650 108.3 87 14.5
3 Southern Mississippi 1613 323 955 191.0 658 131.6 104 20.8
4 Cincinnati 1630 272 926 154.3 704 117.3 82 13.7
5 Miami 1655 236 916 130.9 739 105.6 127 18.1
6 Michigan 1666 238 904 129.1 762 108.9 108 15.4
7 Iowa 1692 282 1203 200.5 489 81.5 99 16.5
8 NC State 1707 341 1170 234.0 537 107.4 84 16.8
9 UAB 1711 285 817 136.2 894 149.0 85 14.2
10 Mississippi State 1738 290 1046 174.3 692 115.3 76 12.7

If you want to see the whole list, here is the link ESPN 2018 Stats

[Black Saturday]

No doubt we are really good, The Gumroots may not score in Shreksboro on Thursday.

"Can't Your Team Score"

[AppAlum1]

Black Sat.:

I have heard from someone who was there that the message was "Will they score?"

Late 1980s, I think; the age of the Power I. Erk Russell's first trip up the mountain. Coach Erk wore shorts that day (in the first half). It was freezing-a$$-cold at kickoff, and started snowing & by the end of the game, there was like 10 - 12 inches of snow on the ground. Things were not going well for GaSo that day (I'm trying to be nice). As the 4th quarter started, students on the grassy, horseshoe end of the stadium wrote Coach Erk a message in the snow. That message was:

"Will they score?"

Final score: 19-0. Wish I had been there. Anyone who was there for that game, please feel free to correct my rendition above.

Here's to yet another SHUTOUT on Thursday night! Go Apps!

[AppRolls]

My recollection is that it had snowed the day prior to the game. The stands were covered in ice. Gameday was clear but COLD.

What a great win.

[AppinATL]

I was there.Coldest I’ve ever been in my life. The ice was two inches thick on the bleachers. The snow was already on the ground. I don’t remember any more falling during the game, but it was frigid. I could see steam rising from Erk’s bald head which he kept uncovered. I remember the message written in the snow as “Can U Score?” But I could be fuzzy on that. I am clear on the score and that I did not dress appropriately for the conditions and that my ass didn’t fully warm up for a couple of days.

[appfanz]

That is correct, snow prior to the game. Seem to me the temp was in the 10-15 degree range. And it was a playoff game.

[ASUTodd]

While that is a great story .... I still say the sign "Hey Furman. How's home?". Takes the cake...

[AppinATL]

While that is a great story .... I still say the sign "Hey Furman. How's home?". Takes the cake...

I agree. That is my favorite sign of all time.

[App90]

Black Sat.:

I have heard from someone who was there that the message was "Will they score?"

Late 1980s, I think; the age of the Power I. Erk Russell's first trip up the mountain. Coach Erk wore shorts that day (in the first half). It was freezing-a$$-cold at kickoff, and started snowing & by the end of the game, there was like 10 - 12 inches of snow on the ground. Things were not going well for GaSo that day (I'm trying to be nice). As the 4th quarter started, students on the grassy, horseshoe end of the stadium wrote Coach Erk a message in the snow. That message was:

"Will they score?"

Final score: 19-0. Wish I had been there. Anyone who was there for that game, please feel free to correct my rendition above.

Here's to yet another SHUTOUT on Thursday night! Go Apps!

I was there it was Can U Score, Erk Russell got mad, had security run the culprits off. Some say it was part of the track team based on the fact it was us and the wrestling team selling concessions on the visitors side and very few people stayed. Thats when it was written. It was funny and Epic.....The school newspaper took a picture of it. Ill never tell who it was.

[App91]

While that is a great story .... I still say the sign "Hey Furman. How's home?". Takes the cake...

I agree. That is my favorite sign of all time.

Gotta go with the sign at Michigan "Furman still sucks!"

[appstate77]

I was there too. They poured some gnat water from their sewage creek in the middle of the field. The water froze, just like their team did.

[CornCobPipes]

We had enough snow to ball up snow balls in the stands. It was a cold playoff game....first time we ever played GAS. I think the snow message was "Can U Score?" if memory serves correctly.

[CornCobPipes]

Erk was irked and steam was coming from his head.......For me this was one of the best victories in our historic program.....will never forget 19 - 0.

[goapps]

We will find out how good our defense is on Thursday. We are very good and very athletic but I'm concerned that we are playing a triple option team on a short week. I will be very surprised if this game is not close.

[ASUTodd]

I remember a playoff game against Youngstown St where there was snow, wasn't a lot.... But it was SOOOOOOOO cold. And the game we lost to Richmond where it rained and sleeted and covered everything in ice. Wasn't the lowest temps that game but I was frozen to the bone.

[oldfart]

I was at the App game in 1987. Yes that was funny, but Erk wasn't mad about the "sign". He was mad because yall didn't cover the field the night before and there was about a 1" of ice on it at game time. We were playing light but fast since and it was only our 4th year in 1AA and we hadn't been able to recruit any "bigger" players. We were also playing with a true freshman quarterback in a rebuilding year. App was big and slower than us and basically ran the ball right at our small all-quickness-negated 210-250lb defensive line and line backers. It was painful to watch because the option game was there, but every single damn time our qb or rb made a cut to head upfield-usually with 20 yards in front of them, they simply fell down on the icy tundra yall call a field. Apps big D line stuffed anything up the middle because our small offensive line couldn't get any traction to trap or pull the whole game. It is what it is, you have to play in all sorts of weather, but freezing the field on purpose was a bit much and my main reason for hating App State all these years. But it's a good hate, it keeps me warm.

[appst89]

I was at the App game in 1987. Yes that was funny, but Erk wasn't mad about the "sign". He was mad because yall didn't cover the field the night before and there was about a 1" of ice on it at game time. We were playing light but fast since and it was only our 4th year in 1AA and we hadn't been able to recruit any "bigger" players. We were also playing with a true freshman quarterback in a rebuilding year. App was big and slower than us and basically ran the ball right at our small all-quickness-negated 210-250lb defensive line and line backers. It was painful to watch because the option game was there, but every single damn time our qb or rb made a cut to head upfield-usually with 20 yards in front of them, they simply fell down on the icy tundra yall call a field. Apps big D line stuffed anything up the middle because our small offensive line couldn't get any traction to trap or pull the whole game. It is what it is, you have to play in all sorts of weather, but freezing the field on purpose was a bit much and my main reason for hating App State all these years. But it's a good hate, it keeps me warm.

I think you've been given bad information, or just choose to believe something that isn't true. I've never seen that field covered for any reason in almost 40 years of watching football there.

[Appsolutely]

I was at the App game in 1987. Yes that was funny, but Erk wasn't mad about the "sign". He was mad because yall didn't cover the field the night before and there was about a 1" of ice on it at game time. We were playing light but fast since and it was only our 4th year in 1AA and we hadn't been able to recruit any "bigger" players. We were also playing with a true freshman quarterback in a rebuilding year. App was big and slower than us and basically ran the ball right at our small all-quickness-negated 210-250lb defensive line and line backers. It was painful to watch because the option game was there, but every single damn time our qb or rb made a cut to head upfield-usually with 20 yards in front of them, they simply fell down on the icy tundra yall call a field. Apps big D line stuffed anything up the middle because our small offensive line couldn't get any traction to trap or pull the whole game. It is what it is, you have to play in all sorts of weather, but freezing the field on purpose was a bit much and my main reason for hating App State all these years. But it's a good hate, it keeps me warm.

One inch of ice? Total BS
Was the field slick? Probably--the high was 27 that day.

[oldfart]

I was told the field wasn't covered before the game. Maybe yall didn't have a tarp, but there was about an inch of ice, I do remember that.

[Appsolutely]

I was told the field wasn't covered before the game. Maybe yall didn't have a tarp, but there was about an inch of ice, I do remember that.

Just how "old" are you oldfart? ;>