Haydel, on the other hand, is a less frequent target (13 receptions) but has added a lightning-strike threat suddenly over the past five games. He’s a proven weapon that the Bobcats will work into the game plan at every opportunity. And, Brown is also a running threat – yes, running threat – on jet-sweep action, where he has two scores this season. That’s where speedy fifth-year receiver Tyler Watts gets his touches on a variety of screens or jet sweeps, or possession receiver Hutch White works the hash-marks to the outside.īut the most dangerous receiving threats are tight end Keenen Brown (483 yards, 4 touchdowns) and wide-out Jeremiah Haydel (23.3 per catch, 4 touchdowns).īrown has been the league’s best tight end and uses great hands and surprising elusiveness to work a variety of intermediate routes and finding soft spots in zone coverages. They spread defenses out and create one-on-one battles. While the initial read-option run leads into inside gaps, the Bobcats find most of their success out on the perimeter. Most of the Texas State’s offensive calls work to the edges. Taylor led the effort with 64 yards and a touchdown.Īll three bring contrasting styles, at least one of which is typically suited for whatever defensive scheme Texas State is facing.īut, it’s still Jones who has to be keyed upon (28% of the team’s total carries) on every play. In last week’s win it was speedster Caleb Twyford (5’11, 175) with 73 yards and a score.Texas State has a three-man running back rotation and will identify the hot hand from among them and ride that specific option from game-to-game. But when a Bobcat guard pulls it’s often to lead Jones to an outside zone. In their standard read-option run game, Texas state blockers work in unison much like App State’s zone-blocking scheme. One indicator of a potential designed running call for Jones is Bobcat guards that are pulling. The scoreboard result of Jones’ recent-games resurgence has been just over 30 percent of Texas State’s total points for the season in only two games. Jones’ ability to escape a collapsing pocket and extend plays has been especially destructive during the Bobcat winning streak. Not only are there designed run calls for Jones, but he’s very quick to call his own number on the Bobcat read-option.īut, he’s even more dangerous when he scrambles away from pass-rush pressure. Jones has to be managed in two different ways as a runner first, he’s been the most frequent rushing threat for Texas State in those wins (33 total carries). Those six Jones-involved touchdowns have averaged 38 yards per score. But, it’s not just that Jones has been simply productive, he’s also been explosive. One key factor in Texas State’s current two-game winning streak has been quarterback Willie Jones III, who began the season as the Bobcat starter but has been part of a random rotation in the spot since the third week of the season.Ī true dual-threat quarterback, Jones has averaged 305 total yards in the past two games and generated six total touchdowns (four passing, two running) to lead the Bobcat offense. In a scheduling anomaly, App State is making its second straight visit to Texas State in as many seasons, and last year’s 20-13 every-last-second outcome provides keys and lessons to remember this weekend. That should indicate that each program has its best days ahead in coming seasons but, for now, all that matters is this single game. This week, a Troy win over Georgia Southern could set up a one-game playoff between the Mountaineers and Troy in the regular-season finale.īut, first, App State has to ensure the significance of that Troy game by winning this week at Texas State, and the Bobcats come in riding their first winning streak since 2014.Īpp State and Texas State have more in common than both having Mountaineer alumni as their head coaches, each also has a very young roster. Georgia Southern’s surprising loss at Louisiana-Monroe was one of those specific outcomes. Going into last week, all App State could do is take care of its own business – win each game remaining – and hope for some specific losses from other east-division rivals. Among those is Appalachian State’s game at Texas State, which is the Mountaineers’ third consecutive road game. Which teams are going there is still very much in question.Īll five November 10th conference match-ups have significant implications on the chase for championship spots. Three weeks remain until the inaugural Sun Belt championship game on December 1 and the only thing that’s certain at this point is that there will be one team from each division competing in the game. It’s crunch time in the Sun Belt Conference.
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