Foe very similar to Bears Mountaineers may offer UM tall climb

The University of Maine football team heads up “on the mountain” Saturday when the Black Bears take on Appalachian State in an NCAA Division I-AA football first-round game at Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, N.C.

Appalachian (pronounced Appa-LATCH-in) State is a well-respected program, one that is making its fifth consecutive postseason appearance under 14th-year coach Jerry Moore. ASU is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from the N.C.-Tennessee border.

The Mountaineers, who earned an at-large bid out of the Southern Conference, put together an 8-3 season. They’re ranked No. 5 this week in The Sports Network poll and 10th in the ESPN/USA Today poll.

Appalachian State ranks in the upper half of most SoCon statistical categories, but is seventh out of nine in total offense (357 ypg). The Mountaineers are fourth in total defense (336 ypg).

Leading the defensive charge for ASU is senior Josh Jeffries, the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Like UMaine linebacker Stephen Cooper, the defensive end is among the players being considered for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the best defensive player in I-AA.

Jeffries has posted 71 tackles, including eight sacks, and owns the school record with 31 sacks.

“Against Furman, they scored with seven seconds [left] and they went for two and he intercepted the pass,” Moore recounted. “He ran it back 10-12 yards, then pitched it to Derrick Black. Derrick scored on it and that was the ballgame.”

Appalachian State’s speedy defense, based in a 4-3 alignment, also features linebacker Sam Smalls (100 tackles), strong safety Nygel Rogers (104 tackles) and end K.T. Stovall (8.5 sacks).

“We’ve got pretty good team speed, a lot like those guys have,” Moore said of the Bears. “We certainly don’t have a linebacker like [Stephen Cooper].”

The Mountaineers have been productive on offense and have been able to take advantage of what their opponents afford them. While ASU may play some two-back sets out of the I, it also has utilized one back and four wide receivers.

Senior quarterback Joe Burchette has passed for 1,876 yards on 60 percent accuracy and has thrown for 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions. However, ASU’s career leader in passing yardage (6,536), completions (535) and TD passes (50) has been erratic at times.

“It kind of depends what quarter it is with him,” Moore said. “He’ll play pretty good at times.”

Senior split end Andrew Layton is the most productive receiver for the Mountaineers, who have averaged 191 passing yards per game. He has caught 34 passes for 421 yards and three scores. ASU has other capable receivers in DaVon Fowlkes (33 rec., 382 yds.), Sterling Hayward (31-341) and Jermane Little (25-390).

The backfield corps, which has netted 167 ypg, is headed by senior Jerry Beard (757 yards, 7 TDs) and freshman Sean Jackson (519 yds., 2 TDs).

Moore compared the Mountaineers’ offense to Delaware’s style of play.

ASU is 4-1 at home this season, losing only to league foe Wofford, which narrowly didn’t reach postseason. The Mountaineers have been resilient, having won five games during which they were trailing or tied in the fourth quarter.