BOONE, N.C. — The App State defender misread a play, turning a potential tackle for loss into a stop several yards downfield.
First-year linebacker
Andrew Parker, who knows plenty about fast-paced football from his time in the SEC, encouraged his defensive teammate by telling him he has the top-end speed to still chase down wide receivers in that situation.
App State conducted its first preseason practice Friday. While a new season is upon us, some things remain the same, like the Mountaineers possessing impressive amounts of athleticism.
"Our guys came out with a lot of energy, as you'd expect on the first day," App State coach
Shawn Clark said. "I thought we did some good things — I thought the summer workouts and (players) meeting with our coaches paid dividends. I think we're ahead of schedule right now. The defense has a lot of team speed, and we have some playmakers on the outside."
Sunny skies returned to the High Country during Friday's practice, but an afternoon shower before the 2 p.m. start time led App State to spend Day 1 in the Sofield Family Indoor Practice Facility.
As Clark noted, the playmaking ability of a relatively inexperienced but talented receiving corps was on display. He praised the opening-day efforts of the three returning receivers with the most game reps in Black and Gold: fourth-year sophomore
Christian Wells (seven career touchdowns, 17.9 yards-per-catch average) and third-year sophomore
Christan Horn (career-long reception of 54 yards in 2020) on the outside, with work in the slot from fourth-year sophomore
Dashaun Davis (33-yard touchdown in the 2021 bowl game).
Wells made a one-handed grab of a
Chase Brice throw over the middle in one seven-on-seven session, while
Kaedin Robinson produced a nice over-the-middle catch on a throw from
Ryan Burger.
Brady McBride dropped a throw into the bucket as
Eli Wilson came up with a tough catch in traffic for a score.
Like at receiver, there are several other positions in which newcomers from high school or the transfer portal will be battling returners for starting roles or important reps. That's certainly the case at cornerback, with
Steven Jones Jr. back at one spot after being an All-American in 2021, and the inside linebacker spot occupied previously by
D'Marco Jackson, a fifth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints.
The options vary in age and experience, with Clark praising Central Connecticut State transfer
Dexter Lawson Jr.'s practice debut as an App State cornerback. That group includes returners like
Milan Tucker, who has played several positions in his career, and several newcomers, including freshman
Ethan Johnson.
In Jackson's old spot, there's another wide range of options, including a veteran like fifth-year senior
Tyler Bird, an FBS transfer in Parker (who played previously at Arkansas) and a redshirt freshman in
Kyle Arnholt.
Veteran safety
Nick Ross made a diving pass breakup Friday, and defensive tackle
Jordon Earle showed his athleticism by wrecking a screen pass to the outside.
Jalen McLeod reached the quarterback on one red zone pass play near the end zone.
"For us, we'll get our base offense, base defense and base special teams in and really see where we are," Clark said. "Tomorrow is Day 2 of install. It's going to keep adding up and adding up and adding up, so we have to do a great job in the meeting rooms, coming out here for walkthroughs and really put it out on the field for practice."
