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Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:55 pm
by asu66
AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:15 pm
asu66 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:07 pm
AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:00 pm
A comment on another thread had me think on this. Who and what were the top defensive performances in App State history?
I would not rank these in order yet but some of the top ones off the top of my head are these:
2019 LB Akeem Davis-Gaither- 4th round pick, SBC DEF POY, 1st team All-SBC, 104 TKL, 14.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 8 PBU, 6 QBH, 1 BLK.
2015 DE Ronald Blair- 5th round pick, SBC DEF POY, 1st team All-SBC, 71 tkl, 19 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF.
2005 DE Jason Hunter- Undrafted, 2nd team All-American, 1st team All-SoCon, 101 TKL, 24.5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 INT returned for TD, 2 FR for TDs.
1996 LB Dexter Coakley- 3rd round pick, Buck Buchanan Award Winner, 166 tkl (2nd most all-time in a single year), 1st team All-American, SoCon Athlete of Year, SoCon DEF POY, 1st team All-SoCon,
1995 LB Dexter Coakley- 3rd round pick, Buck Buchanan Award Winner, 1st team All-American, SoCon Athlete of Year, SoCon DEF POY, 1st team All-SoCon, 165 tkl, 20 TFL
1985 LB Dino Hackett- 2nd round pick, 1st team All-American, 1st team All-SoCon, 200 tkl (all-time single season high), 27 tkl vs ETSU (all-time single game high)
I felt like since the 80s these have to be the top ones but I think Marques Murrell in 2006, Josh Jeffries in 2002, Avery Hall in 1992, Dexter Coakley again in 1994, Matt Stevens in 1994, Larry Harbin in 1963, and Mark LeGree in 2010 could all be worthy of a mention.
I can't find all the stats for Larry Hand's last year but his story along with what he ended up doing makes me feel like he should be mentioned as well.
Am I missing anyone else?
Larry Hand, from the mid-60s is definitely a keeper in this discussion. His stats will need to carry an
asterisk because he played most of the minutes of most of his Mountaineer games on
both defense and offense. THE APPALACHIAN'S coverage referred to him as a
Greek God for his iron-man heroics. He drew double-team attention on every snap regardless of where he was lined up. He was the most busy guy in the stadium on game day.
DB Wayne Byrd, also from the mid-60s, deserves to be in this conversation.
Then there was a guy named
Corey Lynch just a few years back who had this *bad habit* of breaking-up or intercepting passes and blocking punts. His teammates still tease him good-naturedly about a particular play in '07.
I could not find full stats for them for specific years so I did not list them. I am highlighting top single-season performances and not overall career.
If we are talking about top 5 careers among defenders in App history I would definitely say Coakley, Hackett, Hand, and Lynch would be in there. Not sure who I would would fill 5th spot but I feel like those 4 would have to be there. I do believe had Jason Hunter been able to learn the system a lot sooner and have 3 years as a starter that he would have been drafted and would be considered among the top 5 for sure.
Understood. App had no SID in those days. I think Jim Jones/students kept team stats [he was business mgr for athletics, head tennis coach and (of course) a much-feared accounting professor then]. Many of the athletic department's collection of official team scoring books were carelessly tossed with construction debris when Broome-Kirk Gym fell to a wrecking bar. I bought a badly damaged one for early 50s men's basketball that was found in a trash pile by a grad student and ended up in a Boone antique mall.
I believe I'm correct in stating that a part-time SID was hired just before the '68 football season. By then, Hand had been starting for the Lions for a couple of years plus.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:04 pm
by asu66
Blackshirt68 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:43 pm
Hand and Byrd. Bad days for Blackshirt offensive backs!
Methinks you must've seen some of that action real close-up!
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:22 pm
by mike87
Sam Howell nominates Demetrius Taylor.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 3:12 pm
by T-Dog
Corey Lynch in 2007, despite playing out of position, was a close second for the Buck Buchannon Award, the top FCS defensive player in the nation. The SoCon media didn't stick up for Lynch, otherwise, he would have won.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:22 pm
by Stonewall
Devon Ford. Just going down memory lane .....
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:30 pm
by AppinVA
T-Dog wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 3:12 pm
Corey Lynch in 2007, despite playing out of position, was a close second for the Buck Buchannon Award, the top FCS defensive player in the nation. The SoCon media didn't stick up for Lynch, otherwise, he would have won.
The SoCon did us no favors during our championship run in any way. We were just so talented they could do nothing about it. I will never forget/forgive John Iamamoron for volunteering in an interview during Davidson’s run to the Elite Eight on national TV that it was bigger than our win over Michigan. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t, but he didn’t have to volunteer to say it.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:43 pm
by scatman77
Everyone is missing the obvious:
"Kidd Brewer took over coaching duties of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, winning another North State Conference championship. An All-American at Duke, Brewer's 1937 squad is best remembered for going unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0 before losing a postseason game to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss, 7–0.[2][6]
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 12:21 am
by AppStFan1
scatman77 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:43 pm
Everyone is missing the obvious:
"Kidd Brewer took over coaching duties of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, winning another North State Conference championship. An All-American at Duke,
Brewer's 1937 squad is best remembered for going unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0 before losing a postseason game to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss, 7–0.[2][6]
I know the team but what single player had the best performance of the year from it is the question. I am not sure who would be worthy from that squad but that defense as a whole was definitely the most impressive season by a full unit we ever had.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 4:34 am
by BallantyneApp
mike87 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:22 pm
Sam Howell nominates Demetrius Taylor.
We don’t believe in nepotism here. Sam Howell is going to have to nominate someone other than his daddy.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 8:43 am
by AppFan11
God, can you imagine a team defense not being scored upon for a freakin season..... just seeing the 206 scored and 0 scored against..... had to rank in top 10 probably top 5 defenses nationally. They had to have outstanding performances every game . No question, they are the number one defensive unit of all time.... for Apps.Very nice pick up Scatman. We should be proud to have the stadium with Kid Brewer’s name on it.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:23 am
by Stonewall
AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 12:21 am
scatman77 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:43 pm
Everyone is missing the obvious:
"Kidd Brewer took over coaching duties of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, winning another North State Conference championship. An All-American at Duke,
Brewer's 1937 squad is best remembered for going unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0 before losing a postseason game to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss, 7–0.[2][6]
I remember the team but what single player had the best performance of the year from it is the question. I am not sure who would be worthy from that squad but that defense as a whole was definitely the most impressive season by a full unit we ever had.
Just how old are you ???
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:02 am
by AppStFan1
Stonewall wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 9:23 am
AppStFan1 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 19, 2021 12:21 am
scatman77 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 10:43 pm
Everyone is missing the obvious:
"Kidd Brewer took over coaching duties of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, winning another North State Conference championship. An All-American at Duke,
Brewer's 1937 squad is best remembered for going unbeaten and unscored upon during the regular season, outscoring opponents 206–0 before losing a postseason game to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss, 7–0.[2][6]
I know the team but what single player had the best performance of the year from it is the question. I am not sure who would be worthy from that squad but that defense as a whole was definitely the most impressive season by a full unit we ever had.
Just how old are you ???
I just meant I did not forget that team but it is hard to find individual stats and awards for everyone to know which individual season performance would stand out. Such as who led them in tackles, sacks, picks, etc.
I edited it to say "know" instead of "remember" so others would not think same thing. lol
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:20 pm
by John-N-Houston
asu66 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:04 pm
Blackshirt68 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 1:43 pm
Hand and Byrd. Bad days for Blackshirt offensive backs!
Methinks you must've seen some of that action real close-up!
I witnessed that action, from the stands, at least. I have an analogy for those that didn’t. If you have seen the short film “Bambi vs. Godzilla”, Larry Hand was Godzilla!
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:29 pm
by NewApp
Stonewall wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:22 pm
Devon Ford. Just going down memory lane .....
I thought Devon Ford was an offensive player. Did I forget?
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 10:08 pm
by scatman77
NewApp wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:29 pm
Stonewall wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:22 pm
Devon Ford. Just going down memory lane .....
I thought Devon Ford was an offensive player. Did I forget?
Freshman year he started out as a DB then switched WR
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 2:08 am
by appdaze
2007 Gary Tharrington
From DT hauled in 84 tackles with a team high 18 tackles for loss. Tied for team lead with 5 sacks and throw in 2 fumble recoveries. We won our last Natty that year. Those stats include the playoffs
To give that 84 tackles (78 reg season) from the DT spot a little perspective let me use pre covid 2019 stats.
Top DT in each:
SoCon something not in their top 50 so less than 19
https://static.soconsports.com/custompa ... m#conf.wi2
ACC 48 tackles
Sunbelt 54 tackles
SEC 55 tackles
Big Ten 48 tackles
DBs/CBs get all the stats glory on high tackle numbers and stats porn, but hopefully that shows just how dominant he really was that year. I don't know if this is top 5 worthy, that all depends on which position you deem the most valuable or disruptive to n offense. I would think when the other team has to double a DT and they still put up insane numbers then you gotta at least think top 10 maybe. I'd bet there are some other thankless positions that we all overlook that could be on our radar for top seasons.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 7:30 am
by Bootsy
There are many superb App defenders over the years. But as a tandem, Murrell and Hunter were an absolute nightmare for offensive coordinators back then. You have to appreciate the way they wrecked offenses on a weekly basis.
Watching them, it was like they were competing with one another on every play to see who could get to the QB/ballcarrier first.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 10:44 am
by NewApp
scatman77 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 10:08 pm
NewApp wrote: ↑Sat Feb 20, 2021 7:29 pm
Stonewall wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:22 pm
Devon Ford. Just going down memory lane .....
I thought Devon Ford was an offensive player. Did I forget?
Freshman year he started out as a DB then switched WR
He also ran PR and KR didn't he, Mike?
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:44 pm
by Stonewall
He played both ways as I recall. Heck of an athlete. His biggest impact might have been on returns.
Re: Top 5 most dominant single-season App defensive performances
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2021 3:49 pm
by AppStFan1
Bootsy wrote: ↑Sun Feb 21, 2021 7:30 am
There are many superb App defenders over the years. But as a tandem, Murrell and Hunter were an absolute nightmare for offensive coordinators back then. You have to appreciate the way they wrecked offenses on a weekly basis.
Watching them, it was like they were competing with one another on every play to see who could get to the QB/ballcarrier first.
Agreed here. We have had a good one like Taylor and Blair but never a duo since moving up to FBS either. Could you imagine how good our DL would be now if we moved Taylor to DT and have Murrell/Hunter at the end spots? Their dominance in the playoffs that year over UNI was something we have not seen since.