BOONE, N.C. — In a matter of seconds,
Tae Hayes switched from being an award favorite to playing second fiddle.
Hayes and fellow Appalachian State cornerback
Clifton Duck each tied the school's single-game record by intercepting three passes in a 45-31 victory against New Mexico State. With one sack on a third-down blitz and seven tackles also to his credit, Duck was named the Sun Belt Conference's Defensive Player of the Week.
Hayes had a lead in the head-to-head interception race with less than two minutes left in last weekend's game and was on the verge of doubling up Duck. Hayes appeared to make his fourth interception along App State's sideline, as the closest official ruled the play a turnover, but a review led to the call being overturned because Hayes lost control of the ball.
Duck recorded his third interception on the very next play and ended up with the Sun Belt honor.
"I just can't win," Hayes said with a laugh.
The Mountaineers (3-2, 2-0) will attempt to remain unbeaten in the Sun Belt when they play at Idaho (2-3, 1-1) on Saturday, and the six picks against New Mexico State increased their season total to nine, allowing them to climb to No. 6 in the national rankings. With 47 interceptions since the start of the 2015 season, App State ranks third nationally behind only San Diego State (57) and Utah (49).
The Mountaineers' secondary is nicknamed the "Legion of Boone," playing off the "Legion of Boom" name for the Seattle Seahawks' defensive backs, and cornerbacks coached by
Bryan Brown have accounted for 27 of the App State interceptions in the last two-plus seasons. San Diego State has 28 from its cornerbacks in the same span, putting Brown's players in elite company.
"They put in the work, studying film and understanding concepts," Brown said. "They put in the work each and every day to have the success they had on Saturday."
Hayes picked up his first career interception as a true freshman who was a part-time starter in 2015, when the Mountaineers had 18 as a team, and Duck recorded five last season as a true freshman to help App State rank sixth nationally with 20. Two-year starter
Mondo Williams produced four of his six career interceptions last year, and Duck's pair in a home win against Idaho included a 44-yard return for a touchdown.
Hayes and Duck totaled 112 return yards last weekend, and each player had a return of at least 39 yards, but neither one reached the end zone. The score was tied at 31-all when Duck stepped in front of a fourth-quarter pass at the App State 32 and weaved his way from left to right on a return to the New Mexico State 29, setting up a go-ahead touchdown pass from the 27.
Hayes had the best chance to score when he picked off a first-quarter pass at the App 23 and returned the ball to the New Mexico State 25 before being tackled by running back Jason Huntley, who illegally put his helmet back on after losing it early in the play. That decision worked out for the Aggies, who received a 12-yard personal foul as Huntley temporarily prevented a touchdown instead of following the rules by taking himself out of the play when his helmet came off.
That scenario created a difficult read for Duck, who said he didn't block Huntley because he didn't want to be penalized for engaging with a helmet-less player. Hayes directed some good-natured trash talk toward Duck for his role in the return.
"I would have hurt my team, and I am unselfish," Duck responded with a laugh.
Duck noted the tackling skills of New Mexico State receiver Johnathan Boone, who stopped three returns as the Mountaineers set a school record with their six interceptions. Duck now has nine interceptions in just 18 career games, making him the FBS leader since the start of the 2016 season and putting him in a tie for 13
th place on the active list behind 12 seniors.
Hayes' three-pick day increased his career total to four interceptions. He entered last weekend's game with nine pass break-ups (PBUs) and now has 11 of those in his career.
While some tradition-rich schools stake claim to being Running Back U. or Quarterback U., App State's cornerbacks want to be known for intercepting passes rather than breaking them up.
"Those guys did a great job breaking on the football and catching it," Brown said. "We've had a little joke in the DB room calling those guys PBU. Those guys took it upon themselves to make some plays when they needed to be made."
