BOONE, N.C. — App State Football's preseason Media Day had a different feel this year, with in-person interviews replacing the remote Zoom interactions that debuted in 2020.
The event looked different, too, as reporters assembled in a team meeting room on the new North End Zone Facility's second floor to ask questions to head coach
Shawn Clark. There were also field-level interviews on the turf leading to the Mountaineers' new locker room.
Despite some changes, the conversations touched on familiar themes, like App State's high-level success and the returning players who are back for yet another year in the Black and Gold.
Media Day was held in conjunction with Report Day for fall camp, which gets rolling with Tuesday meetings and the first official practice Wednesday afternoon.
"A lot of things to be excited about this season," Clark said. "Our guys had a great summer, and (Director of Athletic Performance)
Brad Bielaniec did a great job with our team. We look really good, and our players are eager to get back to practice and put a great product on the field for our fans."
The week began with App State exactly one month away from its Sept. 2 opener against East Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Clark was the only first-year FBS coach to win at least nine games during the COVID-impacted 2020 season, and the Mountaineers return 85 percent of their lettermen, including a combined 17 defensive and offensive starters.
"Last year, you had limited numbers at a time in our weight room with our strength staff," Clark said. "It was hard on everyone, especially our strength staff — they were going from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week, and you could tell, because one thing that separates us and our success is that our summer program is a tough program. If you can make it through that, you can make it through anything. Now, we've had a full summer with everyone together."
Now, with the arrival of August, there's essentially four weeks of practice and preparation in advance of the 2021 opener.
In addition to the roughly 20 players who would be classified as seniors before COVID protocols allowed for an extra year of eligibility, App State brings back 14 "super seniors" who decided to capitalized on that rule.
"Everybody's excited and ready to get back on the field," veteran cornerback
Shaun Jolly said. "It's just the excitement of being able to eventually put on pads again and getting back together as a team, practicing as a team, and having competition where we're going at it. Everybody loves that about football — you can ask that to any football player."
