Spring Football Breakdown: App State CBs

BOONE, N.C. — During spring practice, we're taking a closer look at App State's position groups with input from the Mountaineers' position coaches, many of whom are new to the program and the High Country.

Spring workouts began in mid-February and ended in early March, as they were nearing the conclusion before the final week was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 
Breakdown: App State's CBs
 
App State moved into the 2019 season with some uncertainty at cornerback given the departure of two multi-year starters. The first-year starters taking over performed so well that, with the pair returning in 2020, part of spring practice has involved more reps for some talented but less-proven cornerbacks.
 
That group is coached by new App State assistant James Rowe.
 
"The phrase I use with them is, 'Know it like your coach,' " Rowe said. "I'm just trying to help them develop mentally. It's hard to play corner. When you play man-to-man, those are tough downs on those guys, so the better they can do mentally at dissecting the offense and being able to take stuff from the classroom to the field, it will help them to make more plays. It can be something that makes their life easier out there when it's tough."
 

The snow didn't stop Coach Rowe🗣 #TraditionToughnessTogether pic.twitter.com/1PXCFB7cbY

— App State Football (@AppState_FB) February 29, 2020

 
Shaun Jolly earned All-America recognition as a sophomore starting for the first time in 2019, and Shemar Jean-Charles was a physical force on the other side in his first season as a starter. He'll be a senior in 2020.
 
They headline a group that includes Steven Jones (one start in 2019) and Milan Tucker, a combo that has received plenty of first-team reps this spring and come away with several big plays. Defensive backs such as Mike Smith (early enrollee), redshirt freshman Jackson Greene (a Watauga High product) and Bailey Watts have spent some time at cornerback because of their versatility and the numbers game at corner, as redshirt freshman Tre Caldwell is sitting out spring practices as he continues with his rehab process.
 
"When Jolly and Sherm are in there, they're doing what veteran guys do, and I'm really impressed by the young guys so far," Rowe said. "They're competitive, they're quick, they're fast and they're doing a great job of taking coaching. They've really been playing well."
 
Rowe arrived in Boone after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Washington Redskins.
 
In 2015, he was a graduate assistant in the SEC on a Florida staff that included new App State safeties coach Mark DeBastiani, who was a quality control specialist for the Gators. Rowe met App State head coach Shawn Clark that year, as Clark worked with then-Florida coach Jim McElwain at Louisville from 2001-02 and visited Gainesville in 2015.
 
Clark, DeBastiani and Rowe are now all together at App State.
 
"I love how hard the players play, how competitive they are, how important it is to them," Rowe said. "The atmosphere in the office, all the coaches that have been here are welcoming and helping us out in any way they can, me and my wife."