BOONE, N.C. — The exercise became so repetitive, true freshman
Thomas Hennigan began raising fingers to signify how many times he had scored.
It was the ultimate Ring Game at The Rock, complete with record-setting performances and a stage on which to celebrate.
Appalachian State clinched a share of a second straight Sun Belt Conference championship by winning 63-14 against Louisiana on Senior Day at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The Mountaineers (8-4, 7-1) will share the title with Troy (10-2, 7-1), as the Trojans scored a last-minute touchdown to claim a 32-25 victory at Arkansas State (7-4, 6-2) on Saturday night.
After the win in Boone, with fans flooding the field, Sun Belt deputy commissioner Kathy Keene delivered a championship trophy to head coach
Scott Satterfield, who handed the hardware off to his seniors.
"This senior class has been the force behind everything in this transition to the FBS, and it is really fitting for them to finish their career here at Kidd Brewer Stadium with a Sun Belt championship," Satterfield said. "I am really proud of the way they came out and played. The last month our preparation has been the best it's been all year. The last three games we played, it's the best football we've played and the most complete games."
Hennigan tied a school record by catching four touchdown passes from senior quarterback
Taylor Lamb, App State's run game accounted for a season-high 357 of the team's 608 total yards and the defense helped the Mountaineers build a 56-7 lead after the Ragin' Cajuns (5-7, 4-4) scored a touchdown in the opening minute.
With nine touchdowns in 11 possessions, the 63 points set a program record for a Sun Belt game and were the most in any App State game since the Mountaineers won 70-24 against Wofford in 2008.
In the words of country music star, App State alum and pregame coin toss guest Luke Combs:
When it rains it pours.
"That's how we wanted to go out," Lamb said. "Not a fast start, but we took care of it. It's extremely special to do it with this group of guys."
Lamb's four TD passes were part of a home finale in which he completed 17 of his 22 passes for 242 yards and rushed for 87 yards with one touchdown on five attempts.
Hennigan finished with 99 receiving yards on his five catches,
Jalin Moore added two touchdowns while rushing for 110 yards and another true freshman,
Daetrich Harrington, reached the end zone once while rushing for a career-high 118 yards. The Mountaineers set a program record for points during a Sun Belt contest when
Curtis Fitch, a former walk-on participating in his final home game, scored on a quarterback keeper late in the fourth quarter.
Senior linebacker
Eric Boggs had nine tackles, one sack and one interception to lead App State's defense, which forced three turnovers.
Clifton Duck recorded his fifth interception of the season, and
Rashaad Townes' fourth forced fumble of the season led to
Desmond Franklin's 28-yard return that set up the tiebreaking touchdown late in the first quarter.
Since starting 1-5 in their 2014 FBS debut, the Mountaineers have a 27-3 record in Sun Belt play and a 35-9 overall record, which leads Group of Five programs during that span.
"We've had a very productive last four years," Boggs said. "I wouldn't put anything above it. It's been awesome."
Louisiana quarterback Jordan Davis' 28-yard touchdown pass to Devin Scott opened the scoring 50 seconds into the game, but the Mountaineers pulled even when Lamb reached the end zone on a 29-yard run immediately after he connected with
Ike Lewis for a 48-yard gain.
Moore's 3-yard touchdown run put App State ahead for good, and the next four touchdowns were Lamb passes to Hennigan. Those plays covered 9, 33, 12 and 42 yards, with the first three occurring during a second quarter that gave the Mountaineers a 35-7 lead at the break.
Hennigan nearly had five touchdowns, but his 82-yard punt return in the third quarter was wiped out because he fielded the ball after waving his arms side-to-side to stop anyone from touching it.
"I had a couple five-touchdown games in high school, but I never dreamed of doing it in college like this, especially as a freshman," Hennigan said. "I'm just blessed to have a quarterback and a team and an offense like we have this year."
Moore and Harrington added touchdown runs to give App State a 56-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Mountaineers' sideline went wild as Fitch discarded his play-calling vest, cap and headset following
Jacob Huesman's fourth-and-3 completion to
Jalen Virgil late in the game.
Fitch entered a game for only the second time in his career, adding to a four-snap appearance in a 49-0 win against Old Dominion in 2015, and immediately gained 4 yards on a second-and-goal bootleg to the left from the Louisiana 7. Harrington's run to the 2 set up an under-center sneak from a hobbled Fitch, who had hurt his ankle on the second-down keeper, and he spiked the ball after teammates helped push him into the end zone.
Almost the entire team joined Fitch at the back of the end zone to celebrate his touchdown.
"It was unbelievable - how about that?" Fitch said. "It was awesome and really special. It shows the culture of this program and the kind of team we have."
App State's bowl destination and opponent will be announced Sunday. The R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 16) has the first choice of Sun Belt teams, followed by the Dollar General Bowl (Dec. 23) in Mobile, Ala., the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Dec. 16) in Montgomery, Ala., and the AutoNation Cure Bowl (Dec. 16) in Orlando, Fla.
