BOONE, N.C. – It's been an impressive – almost historic – two weeks for the Appalachian State (4-2, 2-0 Sun Belt) defense in sparking the Mountaineers to a 2-0 start in Sun Belt play. They'll try to keep rolling on Saturday when the Apps welcome Idaho (4-3, 2-1 Sun Belt) to Kidd Brewer Stadium. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN3.
Whether you go back to 1998 when App last posted back-to-back shutouts, or to 2002 when North Texas allowed all of two points over three Sun Belt games, App's defensive numbers are putting record books to heavy use and making things more than a little tough on opponents to open league play.
Five sacks and 10 tackles for loss highlighted the Apps' 24-0 shutout at UL Lafayette last Wednesday night. The defensive line set the tone throughout with a season-high in sacks, four in the first half, to make the night long for Ragin' Cajuns' offense, which would be shutout at home for the first time since 2002.
Disrupting the quarterback has been a large part of App's defensive identity and success the last two games.
“More than anything, we're getting the quarterback off his mark.” App defensive coordinator Nate Woody said Wednesday. “If you can do that with three (pass rushers), then you can drop eight. If you can do it with four, then you can drop seven. If it takes more than that, the advantage goes to the offense. We haven't had to do that as much the last two games and are getting a little more comfortable each week.”
Defensive tackle Tee Sims is in the top 10 nationally and second in the Sun Belt with 7.5 sacks this season. He had a sack and two TFLs in the win on the bayou. Sims' breakout year - as part of the Apps' self-named “Junkyard” defensive line -has featured two sacks in each win against Old Dominion and Akron, but he says it was heading into Sun Belt play after high-scoring affairs against Miami and Akron, that the line refocused on what it was doing during the week.
“Practice,” Sims said in a word. “The intensity and focus in practice has been up and has been up even more for (Sun Belt games). We might have relaxed a little after those two games (Miami and Akron), but we're keeping our intensity up and running to the ball a little harder in practice so we keep playing shutout defense.”
The defense will get their biggest test in Sun Belt play to-date on Saturday in a hot Idaho offense.
Quarterback Matt Linehan is coming off a 476-yard, 4-touchdown passing day in a 55-23 scorching of New Mexico State. The Vandals are 3-1 in their last four games and have scored at least 30 points in three of those contests with timely defense and a balanced offensive attack.
“Idaho is an offense that can put up a lot of yards and a lot of points,” Woody added. “They've played some tough teams that have hurt their scoring average (Washington and Washington State). I think they're a complete offense. They do a good job of running the football and throwing, and their QB gets the ball to receivers who are pretty good.”
It'll be up to Sims and the Junkyard to keep Linehan from a repeat performance on Saturday.
App rotates liberally at defensive tackle in large part due to depth. Counterparts Caleb Fuller (2.0 sacks) and Dezmin Reed (4.0 sacks) lead an attack that averages 2.5 sacks per game, enough to be more than disruptive. Nate Norwood and Okon Godwin also see starts and plenty of snaps. App will also rotate three at nose tackle, making the competition for playing time, just as fierce as actual games.
“We challenge each other on the field and in practice,” Sims added. “It's definitely a competition, but it's a fun one. When you have five guys fighting for time at two spots, it'll make you go that much harder.”
Going harder and refocusing in practice on the defensive line has resulted in the Mountaineers' defense taking over the top spot in the Sun Belt in scoring defense at 18.8 points per game. The Apps have climbed 53 spots (from 72nd) in scoring defense nationally the last two weeks and are ranked 19th, but face stern tests ahead beginning this week with the Vandals. App's final six opponents comprise the top six scoring offenses in the league.
-App State-
