[2024] Week 2 Recap: (21) UKEN 48 - 38 APST

[dearden]

Lexington, Kentucky - Despite suffering a second consecutive defeat to open the season, moods throughout the Mountaineer camp remain high.  Following their opening week loss to Indiana at home, where the Appalachian State offense was silenced in the second half, media speculation arose as to whether or not the Mountaineers would give their second week hosts - #21 Kentucky - a much-needed break following the Wildcats’ own opening week defeat away to Western Kentucky.  Rebounding from their opening week woes, the Mountaineer offense fired into life with the backfield triumvirate of Phil Turner, Ramon Brice, and Wenyen Clinton-Dix splitting three touchdowns equally and posting a combined 221 yards on the ground, while signal-caller Austin Redding threw for a respectable 255 yards - a “positive development” going into rivalry and conference play.

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“I think it really shows that they’ve got fight and resilience,” Coach @dearden said of his team’s offensive performance, “I’m proud of the way that my guys responded to the questions being asked of them: the media wanted to know if they’d ‘give Kentucky a break’ so they went out and put up 38 points and 474 all-purpose yards.  For those keeping score at home, that’s more than double both the [14] points and [222] all-purpose yardage we’d put up last week - it’s an impressive feat in and of itself, but such positive development in the face of adversity, when questions are already being raised, it shows an admirable level of composure and maturity.”

Although the questions pertaining to the potency of the Mountaineer offense have been thoroughly answered, some have begun to doubt the strength of the Appalachian State defense following their performance against #21 Kentucky, where they allowed 658 all-purpose yards.  When asked about his team’s defensive capabilities, Coach @dearden remained confident, responding idiomatically.

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“Yeah,” Coach @dearden replied with a chuckle, “I’ve seen it.  Any publicity is good publicity.  Look, in our opening two weeks, we’ve faced Big 10 and SEC opposition - two Power 5 teams in Indiana and Kentucky who, by all media metrics, are ‘better’ programs who we have no business competing against, let alone beating.  Yet, in both games, we’ve been competitive, we’ve led, we’ve surpassed expectations because we know and we’ve shown that we’re greater than the sum of our parts.  So for the media focus to be on Appalachian State after both games, I’d consider that to be a positive, even if those snippets are critical in nature.  Just as we’d responded to the questions asked of us after Week 1 with a positive performance, I have no doubt that we’ll do the same this upcoming week, and any future week going-forward, with continued development.  My only hope is that these positive responses garner the same amount of media attention so that our guys are praised for their hard work.”

Responding to the Mountaineers defensive woes against Kentucky, Junior Cornerback Josh Roberts only asks that the media and statisticians “get it right.”

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“It’s annoying,” Roberts said, “I’m out here, playing like a hawk - my spirit animal - pecking at Wildcats who enter my sphere of influence, and the media only cares about all-purpose yards and other meaningless statistics like assisted tackles.  I am a strong, independent bird-of-prey who needs no assistance to put forth the most-efficient of statistical performances - the 1/1/1, one tackle, one interception, one touchdown.  So yes, it’s annoying when my defensive touchdown isn’t reflected in the official box score - how else are Canadian and European scouts going to know my general proficiency at life, the whimsical board game of Life, or the metaphorical and metaphysical game of life that is football?  I implore the media to get it right and make the necessary changes, until such is done and most-likely regardless, I vow to unleash my true and evolved form - that of Gwaihir the Windlord - against my enemies.”

Appalachian State looks to retain the Old Mountain Jug on Friday against the Catamounts of Western Carolina in the first meeting of the rivals since 2013.

[Piercewise1]

7 hours ago, dearden said:

Yet, in both games, we’ve been competitive, we’ve led, we’ve surpassed expectations because we know and we’ve shown that we’re greater than the sum of our parts.

Hell yeah! Great spirit!

 

7 hours ago, dearden said:

I vow to unleash my true and evolved form - that of Gwaihir the Windlord - against my enemies.”

This is amazing - I want a Josh Roberts sound bite after every game.