Postgame Notes from App State's Win vs. ECU

POSTGAME NOTES: App State 33, East Carolina 19
 
App State won its season opener for the third straight year. It was the first season-opening win away from Boone since 2010 (42-41 at Chattanooga).
 
The Mountaineers improved to 20-12 all-time against the Pirates and snapped ECU's six-game winning streak in the series. This was the first matchup with both teams playing at the FBS level.
 
App State claimed its seventh straight victory over an in-state opponent, dating back to 2018.

The matchup was the Mountaineers' first against a team from the American Athletic Conference since App State joined the Sun Belt in 2014.
 
With their 64th win since the start of the 2015 season, the Mountaineers have the fifth-most in the country during that span behind only Alabama (80), Clemson (79), Ohio State (69) and Oklahoma (68).
 
App State had eight players make their Mountaineer debuts: true freshmen Michael Hughes, Deshawn McKnight and KaRon White; and transfers Chase Brice, Madison Cone, Isaiah Helms and Donte Small.
 
Making the first starts of their App State careers were QB Chase Brice, RG Isaiah Helms and senior SS Nick Ross.
 
The announced attendance of 36,752 officially set an App State record for the largest crowd at a "home" game in school history. The largest crowd in Kidd Brewer Stadium history remains 35,126 for the 2017 Wake Forest game.

OFFENSE
 
App State had a pair of 100-yard rushers in its season opener (126 by Nate Noel, 100 by Camerun Peoples) for the second straight season.
 
In his first game as a Mountaineer, graduate transfer QB Chase Brice completed 20 of 27 passes for 259 yards with two TDs and one INT. The passing numbers for his App State predecessor Zac Thomas in his starting debut vs. Penn State in 2018: 25-of-38, 270 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
 
Thomas Hennigan caught four passes for a game-high 114 yards and a touchdown. In his last three season openers, he has a combined 16 catches for 313 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Hennigan and Corey Sutton entered the game tied for fifth in school history with 17 career touchdown catches apiece, and after they both scored once against the Pirates, they remain tied for fifth with 18 career TDs.

Hennigan's third-quarter gain of 68 yards was the longest catch of his career, topping a 60-yard reception against Texas State in 2019.
 
Hennigan was credited with deflecting a Hail Mary interception toward Ryan Huff to end the first half. Earlier in his career, in a similar situation back in 2018, he intercepted a Hail Mary pass to end the first half in a win against Troy.
  
Ten different players caught a pass for the Mountaineers, matching the 2020 season high that came in a road win against Texas State.
 
Peoples rushed for two touchdowns against the Pirates, giving him seven rushing scores in his last two games.
 
DEFENSE
 
After an early first-quarter touchdown by ECU's Keaton Mitchell, App State's defense held the Pirates without another touchdown until 2:10 left in the game with the final outcome all but decided.
 
The Mountaineers racked up five TFLS and four sacks, including a career-high two sacks from starting OLB Brendan Harrington.
 
Senior ILB D'Marco Jackson led the Mountaineers with eight tackles, including one for loss.
 
Senior safety Ryan Huff's interception increased App State's nation-leading total since 2015 to 103.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Already the Sun Belt's all-time scoring leader, super-senior Chandler Staton converted both field-goal attempts and 3-of-3 PATs to increase his career points total to 356.

Staton improved to 16 of 18 in his career on field goals between 40 and 49 yards.
 
True freshman Michael Hughes made his debut as the Mountaineers' kickoff specialist and averaged 62.6 yards on seven kickoffs, with three touchbacks.
 
App State took over possession on a kickoff in which Tyler Bird forced a fumble by the ECU returner that was recovered by Anderson Castle.
 
Super-senior punter Xavier Subotsch landed two of his four punts inside the ECU 20.