BOONE, N.C. -Culminating its 75th anniversary celebration of football, Appalachian State University has announced its All-75th Anniversary Team. A group of 25 Mountaineer legends will be recognized at halftime of Appalachian's regular-season finale versus Western Carolina which begins at 2 p.m. this Saturday, November 15 at Kidd Brewer Stadium. The defensive unit is headed by four standouts who went on to the National Football League. The linebacking corps of Dexter Coakley, Dino Hackett and Richard Tickle make up the nucleus of the 75th anniversary defense. Coakley was a three-time consensus All-America choice and won the first two Buck Buchanan Awards, given to the top defensive player in Division I-AA in 1995 and 1996. The single-season record holder with 200 stops, Hackett was a first-team All-American in 1985. In 1964, Tickle earned All-Carolinas Conference honors. The defensive front line consists of Anthony Downs, Avery Hall, Larry Hand, and Josh Jeffries. A three-time first-team All-SoCon defensive tackle, Downs keyed the defense of the Mountaineers' back-to-back Southern Conference title teams in 1986 and 1987. The only Mountaineer to ever earn four-straight first-team All-SoCon plaudits, Hall earned SoCon Player of the Year honors in 1992. Hand was twice named an NAIA All-American, before going on to play 13 seasons with the Detroit Lions. Jeffries boasts the program's quarterback sack record and All-America acclaim in 2001 and 2002. The defensive secondary includes Wayne Byrd, Larry Harbin, Jim Ollis and Matt Stevens. Byrd led Appalachian with 7 interceptions in 1965 and 1966 and finished his career with 20 pickoffs. Earning All-Carolinas Conference merit each as a junior and again as a senior, Harbin owns the program record with 25 career thefts. Jim Ollis was a major cog on the 1954 North State Conference championship squad. Stevens owns the program's single-season interception mark (10). The only football player to have his jersey retired- Number 23, John Settle - and passing combination of Steve Brown to Rick Beasley highlights the offensive unit that also boasts 1977 Academic All-American Gill Beck. Wide Receiver Bob Agle caught 25 touchdowns over his career, including 13 as a senior to set program records in both categories. The record holder for single-game, season and career receptions, Rick Beasley was a second-team All-America in 1979. Appalachian's tight end from 1984-87, Steve Wilkes fills spot on the 75th anniversary squad. Three-time Academic All-American Gill Beck leads the offensive line. Beck won the Southern Conference's Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 1976 and 1977. Mike Callaway earned all-league honors at tackle in each of his final two campaigns. An All-America pick in 1989, Derrick Graham was twice recognized as All-SoCon. Scott Kadlub was a twice All-American in 1995 and 1996. Ted Reitzle received All-American plaudits in 1939 and 1940. Settle presently holds 26 Mountaineer rushing records, at the end of his career he was the third-ranked rusher in NCAA Division I-AA. The number two spot in career rushing yardage belongs to Damon Scott. The program's career record holder in passing yards per game, Brown registered 17 career 200-yard passing games. Three specialists round out the Mountaineer's 75th Anniversary Football Team. A two-time NCAA statistical champion in 1991 and 1992, Harold Alexander owns all of the program's career punting records. The left-footed kicking Bjorn Nittmo owns the top three seasons ever recorded by a Mountaineer kicker and made 62 career field goals. Devon Ford owns Appalachian's career marks in punt and kickoff returns, totaling 2,949 yards from 1973-76. DEFENSE
Defensive Line Anthony Downs (1984-87)
Defensive Line Avery Hall (1989-92)
Defensive Line Larry Hand (1960-64)
Defensive Line Josh Jeffries (1999-2002)
Linebacker Dexter Coakley (1993-96)
Linebacker Dino Hackett (1982-85)
Linebacker Richard Tickle (1961-64)
Defensive Back Wayne Byrd (1963-66)
Defensive Back Larry Harbin (1961-64)
Defensive Back Jim Ollis (1952-55)
Defensive Back Matt Stevens (1991-95)
Punter Harold Alexander (1989-92)

OFFENSE Wide Receiver Bob Agle (1965-68)
Wide Receiver Rick Beasley (1978-80)
Tight End Steve Wilkes (1984-87)
Offensive Line Gill Beck (1974-77)
Offensive Line Mike Callaway (1982-86)
Offensive Line Derrick Graham (1986-89)
Offensive Line Scott Kadlub (1992-96)
Offensive Line Ted Reitzle (1937-40)
Quarterback Steve Brown (1977-80)
Running Back John Settle (1983-86)
Running Back Damon Scott (1993-96)
Return Specialist Devon Ford (1973-76)
Place Kicker Bjorn Nittmo (1985-88)