Appalachian St at Marshall Game Thread

[Saint3333]

I never enjoy “seeing” Marshall, I enjoy beating them.

The lack of offense against a fellow G5 program is troubling. The special teams play hasn’t been this bad for a decade.

Defense will keep us in games.

[QueencityApp]

This game reminded me of the 17-7 Louisiana game from last year. I would not be surprised if our season shapes up like theirs did last year and vice versa.

[AppinVA]

Karma came back around and kicked us squarely in the groin yesterday.

[APP93]

Even though we lost, I enjoyed seeing App v Marshall again. I have a lot of respect for their program and history. Like App, they have won at every level and have come up the right way.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. They were busted for cheating; academic fraud and paying excessive wages to players for menial jobs. They were put on probation and lost scholarships. All of their move-up success was based on cheating.

Hate to burst your bubble, but there is a lot of that going on in D1 revenue sports

[spacemonkey]

We got beat by a really good team. They looked good and executed. We got plenty of calls our way and got beat. I love this team and they never gave up. Unfortunately they ran into a good team. My biggest take away is the G5 teams get zero respect. This Marshall team was/is the best team we have played in three years.

[Blackshirt68]

We got Mossed!

[Saint3333]

We got beat by a really good team. They looked good and executed. We got plenty of calls our way and got beat. I love this team and they never gave up. Unfortunately they ran into a good team. My biggest take away is the G5 teams get zero respect. This Marshall team was/is the best team we have played in three years.

This is recency theory at it’s finest. That Marshall team would have been beaten by the last two ULL teams, UNC-CH, Penn St., and maybe by the UAB bowl team and another SBC team or two. They are a good team, but the best in three years in hyperbole.

This App team is two TDs worse than the last two season. We can right the ship, still plenty of time.

[Longrifle28]

I think Marshall watched some film from the last two losses to Georgia Southern. They played physical and made us 1 dimensional. We don't have a plan if we can't run the ball and that's on the last three coaching staffs. We have to recognize what they are doing, have a plan to exploit it, and then players have to execute.

I think some of us need to take a step back from the cliff though. This could actually bring us together and make us better. If we have the coaches and players I think we have, leadership will get it back to where it needs to be.

Strange year indeed, but not something we haven't seen the previous two years.

[appst89]

Even though we lost, I enjoyed seeing App v Marshall again. I have a lot of respect for their program and history. Like App, they have won at every level and have come up the right way.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. They were busted for cheating; academic fraud and paying excessive wages to players for menial jobs. They were put on probation and lost scholarships. All of their move-up success was based on cheating.

Hate to burst your bubble, but there is a lot of that going on in D1 revenue sports

I'm well aware of that, but that doesn't make it the right way, and I don't respect those doing it.

[WVAPPeer]

Marshall is good but not the best team in last 3 years -

[ah59396]

We got beat by a really good team. They looked good and executed. We got plenty of calls our way and got beat. I love this team and they never gave up. Unfortunately they ran into a good team. My biggest take away is the G5 teams get zero respect. This Marshall team was/is the best team we have played in three years.

This is recency theory at it’s finest. That Marshall team would have been beaten by the last two ULL teams, UNC-CH, Penn St., and maybe by the UAB bowl team and another SBC team or two. They are a good team, but the best in three years in hyperbole.

This App team is two TDs worse than the last two season. We can right the ship, still plenty of time.

Last season App State would absolutely body bag the team I’ve seen this year.

Which is wild considering it’s almost the exact same group.

[asu7]

Look we aren’t going to win every game. We aren’t going to dominate every year this isn’t the FCS. Not even Bama can dominate every year. Now with that being said ...

We are looking very undisciplined. The penalties are killing us. This odd because the last time I remember us being this undisciplined was JMs last year or last 2 years something like that. It’s been a while. This comes from the head coach. Clark has got to get this team under control and disciplined. Satterfield was extremely well at letting the team have an identity but yet still kept them disciplined.

Teams can now load the box on us because we have no threat down field outside of Henni. We will be one dimensional until that gets sorted out. Marshall’s D line looked great because of this. If we have Sutton no way anyone can load the box on us. So that hurts but we must find a way to get others the ball. O needs some serious tweaking.

Play calling is garbage. I don’t know any other way to put it. Clark needs to fix it today. Don’t tell me this team is only capable of doing what we are seeing because that is bull.

Special teams coach nuff said.

Defense did all it could. If you had of told me that we hold Marsha to 17 I would have said we will win. 15-17 pts is not a horrible defense. Could it improve yes especially on 3rd down. This was evident during the Charlotte game.

Evans ... play stupid games get stupid prizes. Man you gotta step up dust whatever funk you are in off and go ball.

This season isn’t over but we got a TON of work
to do. Good news is we will know what Clark is made of this year. We won’t have to wait and see. This year we will know. We could still win the belt but we got to go 1-0 against Campbell. We have time to figure this out. As for the embarrassment... I love my school and my team I won’t be embarrassed. At the end of the day we at least don’t have wear horrible green colors and we get to go to God’s country to watch a football game (hopefully). I think we can right the ship but Clark will earn his paycheck doing so.

[appdaze]

For everyone trying to say it was just one game and we will grow. This one game just eliminated the biggest chance we will get for who knows how long to get in one of the biggest bowl games and to show the nation on a national prime time slot that our growth meant something and that we are ready to stand with the AAC and the Boise st, UCF type of schools. Say what you want about the rest of our season. This really hurt the momentum we've been building since 2014. You can gripe about the negativity all you want, but the truth is that perception is everything. To repeat it again, we didn't lose a close game people could be proud of, we got castrated on national TV. We can run the table now and "salvage" the season and enjoy New Orleans again but our chance to make a national statement is gone and the TV peeps won't soon forget this either. No more CBS. The hype train didn't wreck, it just vanished. For all those saying we are crying and have forgotten how to take a loss, that wasn't a loss, that was a perception defining moment that will stick with us for years.

To end my night I am not calling for anyone's head yet. If we lose to the Cajuns, GA southern, and one more on top of this with all the talent that we have and how weak most of our schedule is then my feelings might be a bit different.

I don’t agree with this at all. No one but Mountaineers will even remember this a year from now. It’s not a catastrophe event for the program, it’s a throat punch and we’ll pick ourselves up, come out and hang 50 on Campbell and work out some kinks. Yes, the News Years Six is long gone and I don’t know that our staff is capable of putting the kids in position to wins all of the remaining games but they’ll grow. The team needs our support right now. Most of these comments are way over the top and I want to win as much as anybody.

So the game was on national television. Half of the teams that play on national TV lose each week. Move on.

You are right, no one but Mountaineers will remember this game because we didn't win it. This is a fan forum, the comments are going to be what they are. It is a place for fans to express their thoughts. You are correct half the teams play on national television and lose but guess what? Those teams are in P5 conferences. The team does need our support but that doesn't exclude expressing criticisms as they are warranted. I also find it interesting they are called kids. Last time I checked they are adults when peoples talk about other 19, 20, 21 year old adults. Its only on the college sports scene where they magically become kids again. I've said my peace on this end so some of you can continue to discount the value that this game represented and that is fine. Like I said though you are right, the rest of the sports world will never remember this game because we didn't win. We didn't win the biggest game of the regular season that could have launched us to the biggest bowl game we may ever have a chance of getting in to because of Covid. But now it is all what ifs. Years from now when we are still on the outside looking in our fan base will remember this game.

[Seattleapp]

My biggest problem and I said it earlier is the pacing of our offense. It’s all well and good when we are ahead and bleeding the game away, but for the life of me I cannot understand how we have so much difficulty in our passing game. Watching it in person was very eye opening. Not only is it unimaginative in scheme, too many routes rely on Thomas making a very difficult throw. I’m sorry but you cannot always throw a pass with the full intention you will get the pass interference call. I thought early on we used Marshall’s aggression against them well with bootlegs but completely abandoned that and went with each receiver having to beat his man one on on or Thomas just throwing at him and hoping he’d make a tough contested catch. I’m not an offensive coordinator and yes if we don’t fumble out of the end zone it’s a different ball game but right now we are laboring hard in the passing game scheme wise. When we sped up we had a lot more success. And down two scores in the 4th quarter we finally did that. I thought Thomas was gonna be more of a gunslinger. That’s all I’ve been hearing for two years. But he’s sort of just become the second version of Taylor lamb with a stronger arm. I know he’s an amazing quarterback. Not saying that he isn’t. I just wish he got to throw the ball around a little more. We needed that yesterday. We needed him to improvise and make that big throw. And it never came. it’s not all on him I know. I’m just trying to figure out what’s missing in the passing game that keeps it from being dynamic

[huskie3]

Missed FG. I was watching on tv. I thought the kicker was aiming right of post, was hoping he would hook it in, he kicked straight!

[postalapp90]

My two cents. Offense Marcus is a better tough yardage runner than the other two vs a stacked box and Pearson is defenitely the better blocking tight end vs the backup. Nothing you can do about that. If its a hammy for Marcus I wouldnt play him next week either. The last two years for no apparent reason Zac has a 3 to 4 game stretch where he seems lost. Late throws , lack of accuracy and poor decision making but we have won those games due to running game and lesser opponent. Our receivers have always had trouble getting separation vs tight coverage and with all the physicality the officials allowed that problem was worse. Huge problem is turnovers and where they occcured. I believe all have been inside of red zone. Play calling needs to pick up the pace and I think that would help alot. Defense Secondary looks good especially considering we arent getting alot of pressure on qb. Linebackers will get better with more experience. Last year they were subbing in with Gaither and Fehr on the field so they were getting some coaching from them between plays. LIne seeems to be a potential problem. We dont seem to have the depth we usually do and guys seem to be getting tired quickly and as usual for as long as i can remember we dont seem to account for the qb when he has no one to throw to and give up long runs on third down. Special teams are awful right now and I cringe even when we line up for an XP. As bad as we were outplayed yesterday we only lost by 10 to a good team. Clean up the turnovers and penaltys and we will be fine.

[Stonewall]

We got tossed around upfront. Man handled. Technique ? Strength and conditioning? We have new coaches there . I was stunned.

[asucrazy]

I know the running game depends greatly on the guys up front, doing their assignments and execution. I agree we have 3 good backs this year and all are capable of breaking loose at any time. But man I would love to have one guy the size of the Knox the Marshall back who is a punishing runner when he hits the line of scrimmage. Seems App never recruits a back who is in the 220 or 230 lb range with some speed who can get a 1st down when its 3rd and 1 or inches. We could haved used one in a game like this.

[spacemonkey]

We got beat by a really good team. They looked good and executed. We got plenty of calls our way and got beat. I love this team and they never gave up. Unfortunately they ran into a good team. My biggest take away is the G5 teams get zero respect. This Marshall team was/is the best team we have played in three years.

This is recency theory at it’s finest. That Marshall team would have been beaten by the last two ULL teams, UNC-CH, Penn St., and maybe by the UAB bowl team and another SBC team or two. They are a good team, but the best in three years in hyperbole.

This App team is two TDs worse than the last two season. We can right the ship, still plenty of time.

I don't think so....Penn St. was probably better. No way NC or SC last year was better. That team was solid. We got some penalties to go our way or that would have been worse. These P5 teams get by on their P5 status. Marshall looked good and was well coached with good athletes.

[AppStFan1]

We got beat by a really good team. They looked good and executed. We got plenty of calls our way and got beat. I love this team and they never gave up. Unfortunately they ran into a good team. My biggest take away is the G5 teams get zero respect. This Marshall team was/is the best team we have played in three years.

This is recency theory at it’s finest. That Marshall team would have been beaten by the last two ULL teams, UNC-CH, Penn St., and maybe by the UAB bowl team and another SBC team or two. They are a good team, but the best in three years in hyperbole.

This App team is two TDs worse than the last two season. We can right the ship, still plenty of time.

I don't think so....Penn St. was probably better. No way NC or SC last year was better. That team was solid. We got some penalties to go our way or that would have been worse. These P5 teams get by on their P5 status. Marshall looked good and was well coached with good athletes.

Marshall is not your typical G5 program though for one reason. They take a TON transfers. One of many examples is this guy: https://seminoles.com/sports/football/roster/josh-ball/

Ball wears 79 for them now and was highly touted coming out of high school. They have about 7 P5 transfers on the team. They also took some FCS players who were all-confernce before.

Nobody brings up the fact we were missing key players. I did not think it would be a huge deal but that TD fumble by Evans would not have happened with Pearson and I think not having Marcus Williams hurt us. I also wish we had Sutton. I'm just hoping that Zac and some others return with Sutton so we can do in 2021 what we expected to do this year before the virus.