MOBILE, Ala. – As Appalachian State took the field for a Thursday practice at South Alabama, no country music tracks or hip-hop songs were playing over the loud speaker.
"Run, run, Rudolph" greeted the ground-oriented Mountaineers, who will face Toledo in the Dollar General Bowl on Saturday, two days before Christmas.
App State's already in the holiday spirit, and another bowl victory would cap an eventful, entertaining week in style.
On Day 3 of 5 in Mobile, the Mountaineers visited the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park on the western shore of Mobile Bay for a Chick-fil-A team luncheon. That followed a Maui Jim Sunglasses fitting in the team hotel, and App State went through a 4:15 p.m. workout where one of their fellow Sun Belt Conference members practices daily.
Mobile native Robert Brazile, who played with Walter Payton at Jackson State in the mid-1970s and was a five-time All-Pro defender for the Houston Oilers, addressed the team before players, coaches and staff members toured the battleship, which was commissioned in 1942 and began its World War II service a year later.
The Mountaineers, who added a 24th signee in defender Nick Hampton after 23 recruits from the Class of 2018 signed a day earlier, posed for a group picture at the front of the ship on a sunny day in which the high temperature approached 70 degrees.
"That was awesome to be able to revisit some history there," App State coach
Scott Satterfield said. "Being around our guys, whether it's hanging out or doing prep work, that's the best part for me."
After some of the Thursday prep work was complete, special teams players stayed on the field and threw long passes in an attempt to strike one goalpost. App State kicker
Chandler Staton and long snapper
Elias McMurry had back-to-back hits from the 20-yard line before cornerback
Clifton Duck succeeded on his second try from the 33-yard line.
This week's edition of Mountaineer Talk was held in front of a live audience at the team hotel, and the show began with the presentation of some cake for Satterfield, who celebrated his birthday Thursday. Director of Athletics
Doug Gillin, senior quarterback
Taylor Lamb and senior offensive tackle
Beau Nunn also appeared with host Adam Witten.
There will be one more day of pregame bowl activities, including a USO Mayor's Luncheon with keynote speaker Bob Stoops, a large Mardi Gras parade and an evening pep rally, before the Mountaineers play Toledo on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT in Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
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