BOONE, N.C. — From underwater river reveals to a rescheduled opener at The Rock, football season has gotten off to an unpredictable and unique start.
Finally, Game Day is upon us.
App State will open its 2020 schedule on Saturday against Charlotte in a mostly empty Kidd Brewer Stadium, per guidance from state officials and university leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kickoff is set for noon on ESPN2 — one of five national television appearances in the first six games for a title-securing, bowl-winning program that went 13-1 last season.
Shawn Clark was promoted eight days before capping that record-breaking season with a New Orleans Bowl victory in his head coaching debut. After going 24-6 in Kidd Brewer Stadium as an App State offensive lineman and 22-3 as an App State assistant, Clark will lead the program in a game at The Rock for the first time.
"We're excited to get going," Clark said.
On Sept. 1, App State announced that its fall sport seasons would begin without fans at home events through the end of September, in accordance with North Carolina's current Safer at Home Phase 2.5 executive order. Tailgating will not be permitted on the App State campus for the September home games against Charlotte and Campbell (Sept. 26).
Before schedule changes related to COVID-19, App State's original 2020 schedule included nonconference games against Morgan State (home on Sept. 5), Wake Forest (road on Sept. 11), Wisconsin (road on Sept. 19) and UMass (home on Sept. 26). Now, with no Sept. 5 opener but the same eight league opponents, App State has an 11-game schedule with nonconference games against Charlotte, Marshall (road on Sept. 19) and Campbell.
App State will be playing Charlotte for the third straight year, after this year's matchup was added to the schedule on Aug. 12. That announcement also included an agreement for a 2030 game in Charlotte, further enhancing a series that already included more games on a yearly basis from 2026-29.
"You're kind of competing for the same type of guys (in recruiting)," senior center
Noah Hannon said. "I think it's great for college football, and it's great for the state of North Carolina. I think it's something that's definitely going to keep growing and something we're looking forward to on Saturday."
App State has unveiled new black uniforms from Nike for this year's opener — the uniform reveal videos involving a submerged
Thomas Hennigan rising from the water under the popular falls at nearby Laurel Creek have received national attention and been seen by hundreds of thousands of people on social media.
That's even more notoriety for a program with a 5-0 bowl record and four straight Sun Belt Conference titles during a five-year run with an overall record of 54-12 that ranks fifth nationally behind just Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma. App State played Charlotte for the first time in 2018 and won 45-9 before posting a 56-41 victory against the 49ers in Boone last season.
Will Healy was a first-year FBS head coach leading the 49ers in 2019, and now Clark, his good friend, is in charge of the Mountaineers.
App State's high-powered offense returns standout quarterback
Zac Thomas, four starters from an experienced offensive line, three senior receivers, a trio of veteran tight ends and three productive running backs who will assume bigger roles following the departure of third-round NFL Draft pick
Darrynton Evans. He rushed for 234 yards and scored four touchdowns against the 49ers last season, and Thomas' three touchdown passes included two to
Jalen Virgil.
App State's defense rebounded to be a top-25 group nationally following the high-scoring game with the 49ers, who benefited from four touchdown passes by elusive quarterback Chris Reynolds.
Victor Tucker, Micaleous Elder and Cameron Dollar combined to catch 17 passes for 262 yards. All four of those weapons are back, although powerful running back Benny LeMay has joined Evans in the NFL. The 49ers' backfield includes talented options such as 226-pound Aaron McAllister and grad transfer Tre Harbison III, who was actually Crest High School's leading rusher as a prep sophomore in 2013, when a senior named
Jalin Moore rushed for 1,456 yards before enrolling at App State.
Turnovers in the 2019 showdown with Charlotte were critical, as
Demetrius Taylor set up a touchdown with a forced fumble on a sack late in the first half and
Shaun Jolly sealed the win with a late interception. Jolly also blocked a punt, triggering
D'Marco Jackson's 16-yard return for a touchdown.
"We did leave a lot of windows open for (Reynolds) to make some good throws and for their receivers to make some good catches," senior cornerback
Shemar Jean-Charles said. "We watched the film time and time again. I feel like Coach (Dale) Jones and the rest of the defensive staff, they've made improvements from the way we're trying to attack their scheme, and I think we're making the right improvements."
