Postgame Notes From App State-Charlotte

POSTGAME NOTES
 
Zac Thomas went 14-of-14 passing for 295 yards and three touchdowns through the air, marking the first time an App State quarterback finished a game with at least 10 completions and no incompletions. Before Saturday, the highest completion percentage by an App State quarterback with at least 10 completions was 95.2 from Logan Hallock, who went 20 of 21 for 230 yards while coming off the bench against Western Carolina in 2012. Hallock replaced an injured Jamal Jackson and completed the first 20 passes of his career before throwing an incompletion.

The highest completion percentage by a Sun Belt quarterback with at least 10 completions was 93.8, accomplished by Troy's Corey Robinson when he went 30 of 32 against UAB in 2013.
 
Corey Sutton had touchdown receptions of 27 and 90 yards as part of a three-catch, 155-yard performance. The fourth-quarter score ranks as the longest receiving touchdown in school history because Otis Smith didn't score on a 95-yard connection with current App State head coach Scott Satterfield against Western Carolina in 1994.
 
Before Saturday, an App State player had gained 150 receiving yards in a game 25 times, and Sutton is the first App State player to reach 150 yards with less than four catches. The only 150-plus game with less than five catches came from Brian Quick, who had 172 yards on four receptions against Wofford in 2008.

The 36-point differential was App State's largest margin of victory on the road since a 59-14 win at ULM midway through the 2015 season.
 
Both Charlotte-area natives, Sutton and Dominique Heath scored touchdowns for the first time in their App State careers. Heath had a 7-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
 
Thomas Hennigan's 59-yard punt return for a touchdown was App State's first score on a punt return since Bobo Beathard went a relatively low 33 yards against Louisiana in 2014. Hennigan had the longest punt return since Dexter Jackson scored from 68 and 86 yards out against Gardner-Webb in 2006.
 
Austin Exford recovered a fumble in the end zone to account for a fourth-quarter touchdown. It was App State's first touchdown off a fumble recovery since Devan Stringer returned a fumble 77 yards against Old Dominion in 2015.
 
Noel Cook made his second career start at outside linebacker (he also started the 2017 Dollar General Bowl) and recorded his first career sack. He also had a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss.
 
Brody Barrett and Ryan Huff combined on sack, marking the first time either had a hand in a sack, and starting inside linebacker Jordan Fehr was part of a sack for the first time.
 
Desmond Franklin, who had three interceptions last season, picked off a pass and had a 47-yard return.