[2024] Weeks 10 & 11 Recap: APST Double-Feature

[dearden]

Boone, North Carolina - It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Ramon Brice and Phil Turner.  In the two games since Coach @dearden's open publication to the Appalachian State fans and the National Football League - widely considered to be a sort-of advertisement, for lack of a better term, for Mountaineers hoping to transition from collegiate football to the professional ranks - the one-two rushing punch of Brice and Turner have continued to make their case for a professional-nod with their renewed hot-streak against both Sun Belt and nationally-ranked opposition alike.

In Week 10, Appalachian State hosted Georgia State and came out convincing 31-14 victors.  With the scoreline reading 31-0 at the end of the third quarter - with all four trips to the endzone being made by either Brice (one rushing touchdown) or Turner (two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown) - Coach Dearden pulled starters from both sides of the ball to allow the underclassmen-dominated scout team to close out the game.  The victory saw the Mountaineers improve their Sun Belt record to 4-2 and their overall record to 5-4.

The following week, Appalachian State travelled to Pullman, Washington to face #25 Washington State.  Hot off of their 51-28 upset away at then #9 Georgia Tech, the Cougars proved formidable opposition as expected; however, for almost the entirety of the first-half, it was the Mountaineers who’d looked in command of the game.  Despite coming up short on a number of scoring opportunities, Appalachian State led 3-0 for twenty-nine minutes until a moment of brilliance from running back Vontae Karras transformed a simple screen pass into a 52-yard touchdown with as many seconds remaining.  Although the ultimate scoreline of 31-10 signalled the Mountaineer’s worst margin-of-defeat this season, the continued offensive production and development of Brice and Turner shone through.

After ten games, the backfield duo of Brice and Turner have surpassed the esteemed rushing milestone of 1,000 yards per season, with Turner’s 1,084 (5.77 yards per carry) slightly edging-out Brice’s total of 1,005 (5.03 yards per carry).  Both have a total of 12 total touchdowns each, with Brice’s touchdowns all coming via the ground and Turner’s scorecard being split 8:4 ground-to-air.  When it comes to keeping up the momentum - and balancing the tight race-to-the-finish in the Sun Belt and professional aspirations, one thing is clear: they’ve each got the motivation.

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“It was actually some family friends who’d told me about it,” said Ramon Brice, of Coach @dearden's Yosef’s Cabin post, “funnily enough, Phil and I were watching some film when I’d gotten a text with the ESPN link.  I turned to him and I was like ‘hey, check this out.’ We’d just seen Coach leave his office to head home for the day - I don’t think either of us could’ve imagined that he’d just published that post; he’d just waved at us from down the hall with a smile as we were heading into our room, nothing out of the ordinary.  But then we’d both gotten to reading and realized what it was - having a coach who’ll be in your corner like that, it’s special.  I hadn’t really done much, production-wise that is, during my time here.  For Coach to hand me the ball and show what I can do means a lot, I just want to go above and beyond to beat those projections he’d made.  I’ve already added two more pancakes to my season total, so there’s one checkmark: I beat that one.  Now all that’s left is to give it my all for the rest of the season - for my teammates, my coaches, and myself.  I’d never thought I’d have a chance to go pro, but hearing that someone else believes in you, it’s like I’m a kid again, picturing myself scoring a game-winner in the Super Bowl.  It was always just a dream, but damn, it’s one I’ve found myself believing in.”

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“I’d like to beat two people: Ramon Brice, obviously,” joked Phil Turner, before taking a more serious tone, “and Lorenzo Carr.  My ‘rivalry’ with Ramon is one thing, he’s my biggest supporter and motivator, he literally blocks for me and I do the same for him - but with Lorenzo it’s different.  I sat behind that guy for three years, barely getting a snap.  It’s not personal per se, it’s one of those things where you get into a headspace to get better; he’s my rival, my worst enemy, because it pushes you to be better.  So yeah, for three years I’d pictured myself running harder, stronger, and faster than Lorenzo Carr - and now I am.  Do I think the same way about Ramon? Sometimes, it depends.  Haha, mainly after games he out-rushes me, but not really.  We’re cut from the same cloth - we’d worked-hard for years for the chance to play this season; I know we each motivate each other to be better because the whole team works that way.  All that’s left is to keep working hard, keep pushing forward, beat Coach’s projections, and hopefully hear my name before Round 4, Pick 130 when the time comes.”

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“I’m proud of them,” said Coach Dearden, “like all the guys out there, they’ve really taken to the acknowledgement and the pressure and they’re giving it their all out there.  Hell, I spoke with Coach @TuscanSota after the game, he had nothing but kind words to say about our program and our direction, but also our personnel.  He’d said we have great players and that he hadn’t expected them to perform as well as they’d had when they’d gameplanned to counter them - I relayed that message to the guys in the locker room after.  Praise and accolades are one thing, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: everyone who’s a part of this program wants to win football games.  So long as we’re taking that praise, those accolades, and transforming them into motivation to keep moving forward, then we’re doing our job and playing our brand of football.  Not too much else to say.  As far as I’m concerned, the season functionally-starts today; we’re 0-0 looking to go undefeated in these next two regular season games and hopefully beyond and that’s what we’re planning on doing."

Since our last recruiting update, the Mountaineers have added the following to their 2025 Class:

Richard Gapinski (Quarterback, 4*) - Houston, Texas
Douglas Lilley (Athlete, 3*) - Franklin, North Carolina
Frank Washington (Wide Receiver, 3*) - Richmond, Virginia
Gary Williams (Defensive End, 4*) - Nashville, Tennessee

Appalachian State hosts the James Madison Dukes on Saturday afternoon for Senior Night, be sure to come out and support your graduating Mountaineers!