Page 1 of 3

Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:52 pm
by appchicago
There was a post on the college football subreddit today (r/CFB) asking what your program's "Clowney hit" was--referring of course to Jadaveon Clowney's monster hit on a Michigan player in the Outback Bowl 8 or 9 years ago. (Fun fact: that Michigan player's helmet is still in orbit and can be seen with home telescopes on clear nights.)

That got me thinking: what is THE play that comes to mind when you think of App football. Bonus points if it's a big hit.

A few that leaped to mind for me:
Lynch's blocked kick in the Michigan game.
The Miracle on the Mountain.
Darrynton's 100 yard return at Penn State.

I'm sure there are hundreds and this seems like solid off-season conversation. Thoughts?

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:17 pm
by appstate24
Those are all good. A couple more a little older ones.

The sack fumble on single Martin, with the return the the 1 yard line to secure a spot in our 1st National Championship.

The Marques Murrell hit the forced a fumble for Jason Hunter to run in for a score in our 1st National Championship game.

The JMU fumble in ‘07 (I think) to advance in the playoffs.

Zach Matic’s kick to win our 1st Bowl.

Waaaay to many awesome moments. I LOVE APP FOOTBALL!! GO APPS!!

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:20 pm
by appst89
I'm going to go a little obscure, but in my mind it's definitely one of the biggest plays in App history: Kevin Richardson's eight yard run for a first down on 3rd and 7 late in the 4th quarter of the Northern Iowa game that sealed our first national championship.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:23 pm
by MDaniels84
Armanti trucking that poor Georgia Southern sap at the goal line in Statesboro. I forget the year. :D

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:38 pm
by The Rock
Ingle Martin slipping and falling with a wide open path to a 1st down
Dexter's slant TD at UM
AE flipping into the endzone at UM
Zack Matic's game winning kick for our first bowl game victory
Demetrious Taylor's strip sack/TD at UNC
AE's play when he eluded tacklers, almost fell, fumbled the ball, picked up and threw for a 1st down
Hennigan's 1 handed catch vs WF
Deandre Presley's TD pass to himself (as it was scored)

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:25 pm
by BeauFoster
I’ll never forget Trey Elder’s run for a TD against Delaware in 2007. It wasn’t a game sealing play or anything, but man what a cap to a night and a season.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:42 pm
by WataugaMan
The playoff (Div I-AA as they called it back then) game against JMU, don't remember the exact year. We were ahead by a point or two and JMU was driving with the game clock running out. They were well within field goal range and decided to run one more play to line it up for an easy game winning field goal. The JMU running back fumbled and we recovered, ball game.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:08 pm
by scatman77
WataugaMan wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 5:42 pm
The playoff (Div I-AA as they called it back then) game against JMU, don't remember the exact year. We were ahead by a point or two and JMU was driving with the game clock running out. They were well within field goal range and decided to run one more play to line it up for an easy game winning field goal. The JMU running back fumbled and we recovered, ball game.
[/quote

Their freshman fullback fumbled. I was at home listening, asutrnr81 was also and we were both on the YC game chat with a couple others. To this day wish I had the printed transcript of that chat. The last two minutes while they were driving and we were almost screaming with our chat comments. It was awesome and we weren't even there to see it but our descriptions were great!

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:16 pm
by appfanz
I’ve been going to App games since 1972 so I’ve seen alot of great plays but the one that stands out for me is the Ingle Martin fumble in the semi final game. To me (and many others) it meant we were FINALLY going to play for a national championship.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:29 pm
by AppinVA
I’ll take Lynch’s block for the FCS era and Meech’s sack/fumble/recovery and TD at CHeat for the FBS era.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:58 pm
by appstate77
This one goes waaaaay back. 1974, ECU game, Homecoming. Jerry Harmon's FG as time expired to win. I was in the BOD and saw the ball split the uprights as we waited in the endzone to begin a post game show.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:45 pm
by NavyApp
For me it has to be the Lynch block; I wanted to be cool and try and put another but to no avail. I remember that whole day so well, watching the game in Legends with a few hundred others. I remember the high of taking the lead late and the deflation as Michigan so quickly got into scoring position. I remember being resigned to the fact we were going to lose pre snap, relishing the moral victory that it was even a game and just being so proud to be a MOUNTAINEER. And the BOOM! Corey Lynch etches his name into history. The next few seconds were fuzzy but everyone was screaming and running; running to KBS! That March of the field goal post around campus and to Peacocks house I will never forget. No other moment for me in App State sports evokes such a flooding of memories (smells, noises, everything) and emotions has this one.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 8:54 pm
by WVAPPeer
So many GREAT plays to remember - each one mentioned brought back wonderful memories and smiles - I will say that the most improbable play was the Miracle of the Mountain - Josh Jeffreys and Derrick Black - :D

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:39 pm
by scatman77
appstate77 wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:58 pm
This one goes waaaaay back. 1974, ECU game, Homecoming. Jerry Harmon's FG as time expired to win. I was in the BOD and saw the ball split the uprights as we waited in the endzone to begin a post game show.
I was on the sideline....47 yarder to win 23-21. Pat Dye coaching ECU and they all crowed all off-season and summer that it "was a fluke"...."never happen again." Next fall we opened up with them at Conrad and drilled 'em good. If Devon Ford had held on to two long passes we'd have scored 60 on 'em!

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:44 pm
by appstate77
scatman77 wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 9:39 pm
appstate77 wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:58 pm
This one goes waaaaay back. 1974, ECU game, Homecoming. Jerry Harmon's FG as time expired to win. I was in the BOD and saw the ball split the uprights as we waited in the endzone to begin a post game show.
I was on the sideline....47 yarder to win 23-21. Pat Dye coaching ECU and they all crowed all off-season and summer that it "was a fluke"...."never happen again." Next fall we opened up with them at Conrad and drilled 'em good. If Devon Ford had held on to two long passes we'd have scored 60 on 'em!
ECU bragged before the rematch that they were doing "Appalachian laps" to get ready for us. Some Greenville businessmen sent Coach Brakefield a funeral wreath on game week. Didn't work. Robbie Price ripped the Pirates a new one.....again.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:38 pm
by '75App
I gotta go with the Jerry Harmon field goal in 1974 also. All we'd heard was how bad ECTC was gonna beat us in Boone. It was a beautiful sight watching that end over end pigskin split the uprights! I'll never forget that moment and never forget that little sophomore date from Hickory with me at the game either! :lol:

GO APPS!

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:16 am
by appstatealum
MDaniels84 wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 4:23 pm
Armanti trucking that poor Georgia Southern sap at the goal line in Statesboro. I forget the year. :D
Yes. This one was first in my mind before I could even think of the others. Miracle on the mountain was second and Lynch FG block 3rd.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:23 am
by Rekdiver
Sims McElfresh holding on to the ball after getting crushed....don’t remember the opponent.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:47 am
by moonshine
So many...2 plays from this game have been mentioned but I feel the biggest play came early on in the ‘05 semis against Furman when RW went down with the ankle injury. I vividly remember telling my roommate in the stands they need to run play action pass with Elder on the 1st play. I wasn’t exactly right on the play call as they ran a sprint out and Trey hit Dexter Jackson down the right sideline for a TD to put App up 14-0.

Re: Most memorable play ever?

Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:23 am
by /\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09
This thread could go on forever. So many great memories from over the years. I can't speak to just one play, but I remember when Elder went down, and skinny freshman Armanti came in and showed off that speed, eventually scoring a 7 yard T.D. I looked at my buddies and said, "The future has started today." The look on everyone's face was a look of WOW. Trey was visibly upset once he lost that starting role, but he did a hell of a job bringing A.E. under his wing and was most deserving of that T.D. run against Delaware. Jesus it's great to be a freaking Mountaineer.