......Black and Gold.... The App State thread

The video from those areas is horrible. It looks like beachfront Cat 5 Hurricane damage and it's winter. Not good time to be without power.

 

Yes I would like to donate to the relief effort also. If there is a place where I can donate money to help your friends let me know. I'm referring to some fund specific to the local area as opposed to the global 'Help KY Victims sites'. Not that those are bad, and I will give there, I just like to work at the local level if possible. We have an American Legion group that we let work out of one of our MUD properties and they do a lot of great things for the community at times like this.

 

Thanks y'all. here's some info about the storm from the local county fb page:

Taylor County, KY Office of Emergency Management
December 11 at 6:01 PM ·

News Media Release
Taylor County Emergency Management Director - Ronnie Dooley
At 2:55 AM EST, a Tornado Warning was issued.
At 3:25 AM EST, the first call was received to E-911 in regards to individuals trapped in a residence.
A devastating tornado touched down in NorthWestern Taylor County and proceeded to move NorthEast across the Northern part of Taylor county. Areas affected included Quisenberry Road, Sanders Road, Feather Creek Road, Pleasant Hill Church Road, Kindness Road, & Finley Ridge Road before moving into Marion County.
This tornado displaced 70 families. Their homes were heavily damaged/completely destroyed.
Emergency service personnel responded but was hampered by numerous large diameter trees being down before the disaster scene could be reached.
During the times of 3:30 AM to 4:30 AM EST, the decision was made to activate the emergency operations center.
Several families were rescued from their homes & basements. The top levels of residences were completely gone. Multiple rescues were made from several residences in the vicinity of the Feather Creek Road & Pleasant Hill Church Road intersection. In addition, 250-300 trees were downed.
12 people were transported to Taylor Regional Hospital by EMS. Other patients arrived at the hospital by personal vehicle.
In addition, there was 1 fatality from the Quisenberry Road area (just north of Saloma), of a middle aged female.

Here's a couple of ways to help locally if so inclined:



Taylor County, KY Office of Emergency Management
December 12 at 7:29 AM ·

DONATION INFORMATION FOR TAYLOR COUNTY DISASTER VICTIMS
3-Trees Church located at 1 Living Grace Dr. has been designated as a Disaster Relief Response Center to help mitigate the needs of victims of the Severe Weather / Tornado who may be needing shelter, clothing, personal care / toiletry items.
The facility will be open daily from 1 PM - 6 PM EST, but the following number is being provided to us as a contact for all hours of the day / night regardless of the hour.
If you come across anyone that has a need, please call:
3-Trees Church Ofc - 270-250-7904
An account has been established at Taylor County Bank to receive cash donations for the victims.
Ronnie Dooley, TCEM

 

App State is playing Duke in Basketball tonight. We are winning!*
*the game is only three minutes old but you gotta say things like this when you can.
FYI- App Sate hasn't beaten Duke in Basketball since 1982.

 

You always have to hope. That’s what spurs us on.

 

So you're saying there's a chance!!

 

Well, we gave them all they wanted...but then Duke went on a 16-4 run at the 3 minute mark of the first half. We're down 50-37 at the half........ Oh well, we get the North Carolina Tarheels in 5-6 days.......

 

Who did your scheduling , Marquis de Sade?

 

Any one, any time, any place, we don't run from anyone. Kind of a motto at App.
Seriously, we have a good coach now, in his third year. Went from winning 8-9 games a year to conference champions last year. We are playing better and winning more. He's trying to build something good. We've been so bad for so long, hopefully we'll start getting better players. Our guys were seriously outmanned tonight but played them even for large stretches. They went on two big runs, we answered the first one but not the second.

 

BOCA RATON, Fla. — A week in sunny Florida will conclude with App State attempting to secure yet another bowl win.

The Mountaineers, who posted double-digit victories during the regular season under the direction of head coach Shawn Clark, will take a 10-3 record into their RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl matchup with Conference USA member WKU (8-5) on Saturday at 11 a.m. The game at FAU Stadium will be available on ESPN.

"It's going to be a great football game in Boca," Clark said. "It's really going to be about execution, and the team most excited to play is going to win the game. Our guys are looking forward to it. Western has a great football team — we have a lot of respect for those guys."

The game involves a pair of division champions that went 7-1 in league play and had one-possession losses in their conference title games. Since making their FBS debut in 2014, the Mountaineers have earned a bowl berth in each of their seven postseason-eligible seasons and posted an FBS-best bowl record of 6-0 — making them the only current FBS program with no losses in more than two appearances.

On the field, with one of the nation's top Group of Five defenses, App State will be facing the nation's top passing attack.

App State is No. 2 nationally with 109 TFLs (8.2 a game) while also ranking in the top 20 in scoring defense (No. 16, 19.3 points), total defense (No. 18, 325.5 yards), pass efficiency defense (No. 12, 114.7), INTs (No. 10, 15), defensive TDs (No. 6, four), red zone defense (No. 15, 73.7%) and rush defense (No. 19, 118.8).

All-America CB Steven Jones Jr. has five interceptions (No. 2 in FBS) this season, while D'Marco Jackson, Nick Hampton (10.0 of 18.5 career sacks this year), Demetrius Taylor (7.0 of 26.5 sacks this year), T.D. Roof (3.0 sacks) and Trey Cobb apply a lot of the backfield pressure.

The Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and a Senior Bowl pick, Jackson is third nationally in tackles among defenders from teams with 10-plus wins.

With 114 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, 12 QB hurries, one interception, five PBUs and one forced fumble, he's one of only two FBS players since 2000 with at least 110 tackles, 18.0 TFLs, 6.0 sacks and six passes defended in one year.

FBS passing leader Bailey Zappe has thrown for 5,545 yards (426.5 per game) with 56 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 69.2 completion percentage this season to lead WKU's offense. He needs 289 passing yards and five touchdown passes to set single-season FBS records.

Zappe, star receiver Jerreth Sterns (FBS highs of 137 catches for 1,718 yards) and two other receivers joined offensive coordinator Zach Kittley in leaving Houston Baptist for WKU following the 2020 season. Kittley coached Patrick Mahomes in an "Air Raid" offense at Texas Tech for three seasons and has agreed to become Texas Tech's offensive coordinator — he will coach in the bowl game.

"Everyone knows they have a high-powered offense and a lot of weapons," Clark said. "It starts with their quarterback. I'm an offensive line coach by heart, and they have a great offensive line, receivers and running backs.

"I don't think you can stop their offense, you just try to contain it as much as you can and live to play another play. We know they're going to make plays because they've made plays all year long. Whatever happens, you play the next play and try to keep it in front of you."

One additional way to assist App State's defense is via a chain-moving, clock-eating, high-scoring offense.

Nate Noel ranks first among Sun Belt backs with 1,076 rushing yards this season, with Camerun Peoples (league-high 14 TDs) at 75.0 yards a game. Sacked just 13 times this season thanks to a strong offensive line, quarterback Chase Brice can throw to super seniors such as Thomas Hennigan, Malik Williams and Jalen Virgil. WKU's defense ranks No. 2 nationally with 19 interceptions, and the Hilltoppers have accumulated 32 sacks, including eight from DeAngelo Malone (who has also totaled 88 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles).

The Mountaineers' consistency in the run game is a program staple. App State has 10 consecutive years with a 1,000-yard rusher — among current FBS teams, Buffalo is No. 2 with a four-year streak — and Peoples needed 193 yards in the 2020 Myrtle Beach Bowl to extend the streak before delivering an NCAA bowl-record 317 yards and a record-tying five TDs on 22 carries in a 56-28 victory against North Texas.

App State will be playing a Conference USA team in a bowl for the fourth straight year, following victories against Middle Tennessee (2018), UAB (2019) and North Texas.

Friday morning at Jupiter Community High School, App State's super seniors practiced for the final time, a milestone for team members who have been in the program for five or six years.

Hennigan and Williams, who started at Georgia in their first college games as true freshmen in 2017, took the field in the other's jersey, with Hennigan in No. 14 and Williams wearing No. 5.

As their careers come to a close, App State is seeking to end another season by hoisting a bowl trophy.

"It doesn't take long to watch a few snaps and know the kind of opponent you're playing," Clark said. "They're excellent in all three phases, and we have our work cut out for us."