BOONE, N.C. — Jalen Virgil knows the history behind his new number.
He's simply returning to a familiar look from his past.
Jersey changes are among the items of note when rosters update from one season to the next, and Appalachian State's football team will have several players in different digits this fall.
Clifton Duck followed a Freshman All-America season in No. 22 with another standout season in No. 4 last year, for instance, and Virgil's switch from No. 81 as a freshman receiver to No. 11 as a sophomore is among the most eye-catching changes for 2018. He
wore No. 11 as a prep standout at Mountain View High School in Georgia.
Virgil caught 20 passes last season for 364 yards, including touchdowns of 83, 56 and 53 yards, as a speedy target for record-setting quarterback
Taylor Lamb, who wore No. 11 as a four-year starter from 2014-17. Lamb actually had No. 17 as a redshirting true freshman in 2013, when senior receiver Andrew Peacock was in No. 11.
Appalachian State tight end
Devin Papenheim has changed to No. 89 after playing in No. 95 as a converted defensive lineman,
Baer Hunter went from No. 99 to No. 51 after moving to offensive guard in the spring and wide receiver
Corey Sutton has switched to No. 2 after wearing No. 80 as a redshirting transfer from Kansas State.
Defensively, linebacker
Noel Cook (No. 53 to No. 20), linebacker
Tim Frizzell (No. 40 to No. 10) and safety
Kaiden Smith (No. 36 to No. 13) are in new numbers after contributing regularly for the Mountaineers last season.
