LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (September 8, 2009) McNeese State head football coach Matt Viator told members of the news media at his Tuesday press conference that he knows that Appalachian State’s offense is good but that he’s really impressed with the Mountaineer defense.
The No. 16 ranked Cowboys travel to Boone, NC on Saturday to tackle the Mountaineers who have won three of the last four FCS national titles and are presently ranked No. 2 in the nation.
Appalachian State bowed to D-1 East Carolina 29-24 on the road last Saturday, having a last quarter rally fall short. The Mountaineers outscored East Carolina 17-0 in that last period.
“I know that their offense is good,” Viator said, “but I have really been impressed with their defense. They have nine starters returning and they probably have the two best linebackers that we will play against.”
The linebackers Viator is talking about are D. J. Smith and Jacque Roman. Smith is a junior who made 123 tackles last year while Roman is a senior and had 130 tackles. In last week’s loss to East Carolina, Smith topped the team with 13 stops and Roman was right behind with 11.
Other starters returning on defense are linemen Lanston Tanyi, Malcolm Bennett, Anthony Williams and Jabari Fletcher and backs Mark LeGree, Cortez Gilbert and Ed Gainey. Tony Robertson, who was a starter in the line last year before being sidelined with an injury early in the season, also returns.
On offense, Appalachian State is led by quarterback Armanti Edwards, the 2008 Walter Payton award winner. Edwards did not play last week because of an injury but Mountaineer coach Jerry Moore said that he expected him to play against the Cowboys.
McNeese coach Viator said during his press conference that the Cowboys could also have some of their injured players back for the game.
He gave no specifics but noted that decisions would be made this week after practice sessions.
The Cowboys opened the year with their two starting linebackers – Deron Minor and Geremy Pilate - on the sidelines wilth injuries , and had several others miss the game, most of them on the defensive side of the football.
Also, during the game backup fullback Ben Bourgeois was injured and Viator said that the junior from Sulphur would probably not play anymore this season.
Viator said that the upcoming game with Appalachian State was a great opportunity for the Cowboys.
“It’s a chance for us to go play the best in the FCS and see just were we stand,” he said.
The game is the first in a three game set between the two teams. Last year they signed to play each other two more years, a game in Lake Charles in 2013 and another game in Boone in 2014.
Saturday’s game will be the first between the two.
McNeese has played other members of the Southern Conference. The Cowboys are 2-1 against Georgia Southern and last played the Eagles in 2005. They are also 2-0 against Chattanooga but last played the Mocs in 1979 and they are 4-0 against Samford, having played the Bulldogs prior to them joining the conference.
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