Opponent Outlook: Texas State

APP STATE GAME NOTES

BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State's football team will begin its Sun Belt Conference schedule Saturday when it plays at Texas State. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in 30,000-seat Bobcat Stadium, and the game will be available on ESPN3.
 
App State (1-1) holds a 2-0 series lead on the Bobcats, who are coached by former Appalachian defensive back Everett Withers. They played each other for the first time as Sun Belt opponents last season, and the Mountaineers won 35-10 in Boone.

Here's a closer look at the Bobcats:
 
After going 2-10 overall and 0-8 in the Sun Belt during Withers' debut season in 2016, Texas State (1-1) has opened 2017 with a 20-11 win against Houston Baptist and a 37-3 loss at Colorado.
 
With Mississippi State graduate transfer Damian Williams starting at quarterback, the Bobcats are rushing for 155.5 yards per game and allowing only 75.0 rushing yards per game. That average ranks 20^th nationally and first in the Sun Belt.
 
"I think they're a much-improved football team this year as you watch the first two games," App State coach Scott Satterfield said. "Defensively, to me, is where they're standing out. Another year under their belt within this defensive scheme, I think they're very similar to ours with a 3-4 defense, and they've done a very good job with that. Their coaches and players are understanding what they want to get out of their defense. The first two games, that's really shown."
 
Texas State's leading tacklers with 17 stops apiece are inside linebackers Gabe Loyd and Bryan London II, who had 141 tackles last season as a redshirt freshman. The Bobcats already have 14 tackles for loss, including nine sacks. They had six against Houston Baptist and three more against Colorado, which held a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter after opening the scoring with a touchdown on a punt return that was initially fumbled.
 
Offensively, Williams made one start in 17 career appearances for Mississippi State. He played in five games for the Bulldogs last season, joined Texas State's roster in the spring and rejoined the team Aug. 19 after missing the first three weeks of preseason camp.
 
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Williams rushed 13 times for 43 yards and completed 18 of his 28 passes for 135 yards with one interception against Houston Baptist. He had 10 carries for 4 yards and 95 yards with one interception on 6-of-16 passing against Colorado.
 
"He's done well," Withers said. "When you don't get all of training camp, timing with the receivers is down, timing with the offense is probably lacking. I think he's getting a little bit better each week, getting a little bit more comfortable each week. Obviously, he's played in college games before. The good thing about Damian, he knows how to manage the clock. We just have to get him more reps, and these first few ballgames are evidence of missing the first three weeks of training camp."
 
Texas State has used two quarterbacks in each game, with 6-3 true freshman Willie Jones III totaling 10 rushes. Sophomore running back Anthony D. Taylor (16 carries for 85 yards), true freshman Anthony Smith (12 carries for 82 yards) and redshirt freshman Robert Brown Jr. (22 carries for 73 yards) have shared that workload.
 
At receiver, 5-8 junior Tyler Watts has totaled 23 yards on his six catches, and a 45-yard catch against Colorado helped 5-11 junior Thurman Morbley gain 96 yards on five receptions in his first game of the season.
 
"I think we have more talent than we had last year," Withers said. "We're a younger football team, but I think we're more talented, especially at the receiver position, the running back position. Even though we're younger in the offensive line, we're bigger and more stout there.
 
"Two years into what you're trying to get down, I feel like our kids are improving as far as knowing what we expect with the standards and our culture."