Appalachian State running back Devon Moore won't forget the routine.

Three times a day, starting at 6:30 a.m., Moore went through physical therapy to rehabilitate the broken ankle that cost him almost all of last football season. It was tedious, it was painful and, when the Mountaineers' postseason run ended prematurely, it was frustrating.

Without a dangerous running threat last season, Appalachian State was a flawed football team and its streak of three straight FCS national championships ended in a quarterfinal playoff loss at Richmond.

The difference this season showed Saturday night in the damp chill at Richmond when Moore carried 22 times for 175 yards, scoring two touchdowns in the Mountaineers' 35-31 come-from-behind victory.

"Games like (Richmond) always stayed in the back of my mind because I wanted to play again," Moore said.

Moore, a junior from Cedar Ridge High in Mebane, has rushed for 1,290 yards this season. Throw in another 247 receiving yards and, next to quarterback Armanti Edwards, Moore has been the Mountaineers' most consistent and explosive performer.

His value has increased in critical situations. He rushed for 180 yards in a comeback victory against Wofford at midseason and had 191 rushing yards in a tight win against Western Carolina when Edwards sat out with a knee injury.

Against Richmond, Moore produced the seventh-best postseason rushing performance in Appalachian State history. He has also made a habit of finding the end zone.

Moore has scored 15 touchdowns in the past nine games, more than he scored in the first 36 games of his career.

"He's always been a very consistent back," coach Jerry Moore said. "For us, a back has to run and catch and block and we have some pretty backs who don't play because they can't do all those things.

"But we had no trouble playing (Moore) as a freshman. Last year he broke that ankle and we lost him or we could have had a big year."

As good as Edwards is, having Moore behind him makes him better because it's not up to the quarterback to be the Mountaineers' running game.

"It's (taken) a load off me having to run the ball," Edwards said.

At Montana on Saturday, Appalachian State will look for a similar offensive balance to the one they showed at Richmond. Because of Montana's quick-strike, high-scoring offense, it will be important for Appalachian State to help its defense by keeping the ball away from the Grizzlys.

Beating the defending national champions last week - particularly by scoring three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes to win - could have a carryover effect at Montana.

"Even though we were down most of the game, we never got our heads down," Moore said. "We knew in the back of our minds we were going to find a way to pull it out."

Facing a 2,000-mile journey to Montana may not seem as long to Moore as his road back from a broken ankle.

"We know what's at stake," Moore said.

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