October 24, 2013

The Appalachian 10.24.13

Appalachian State University’s student news source since 1934

SGA holds municipal candidate forum

by Stephanie Sansoucy News Editor

A

pproximately 100 people showed up for a Meet the Candidates forum Tuesday in the Linville Falls room of Plemmons Student Union.

The Student Government Association invited candidates for Boone Town Council as well as mayoral candidates who are

running in the municipal elections taking place Nov. 4.

Town council candidates Rennie Brantz, Quint David, Matthew Long, James Milner, Jennifer Peña and Mark Templeton spoke at the forum.

Sarah Dickson, director of Government and Student Affairs, and SGA president Dylan Russell took turns asking the candidates questions.

Each candidate was given two minutes for an introduction, asked three questions, to which they had 45 seconds to respond and concluded with a two-minute closing statement.

Each candidate was asked two of the same questions, with a third random question that was different for each candidate.

Russell said that SGA wanted to create an informed student

Rennie Brantz

pact the university has on the town.

Answer to Q2:

Brantz said that there needs to be a cooperative relationship between the two. He said he has tried to build a bridge over the last eight years while serving on town council.

Brantz said that completing a college degree successfully and planning beyond that is an issue students face. Being involved in community activities and learning helps prepare students to be ready for life after college.

Editor’s Note: The following is coverage of the Boone town council candidates’ positions based on the forum held Tuesday. Continued coverage of the mayoral candidates will appear in the Oct. 31 issue of The Appalachian.

James Milner

Q1: What type of relationship would you like to see between the town and the university?

Q2: What do you see as the most important issue facing the student body?

body using a non-partisan event where students learn what is important to each candidate.

The cost of housing is rising and is something that must be addressed.

How do you feel about the recent board of election changes regarding early voting?

Answer to Q1:

What do you believe to be the biggest issue facing the town of Boone?

The town must sit down and listen, and the university needs to have their needs met, Milner said. He said what is good for the university is good for the town, and he understands the economic im-

Water is a big issue, Brantz said.

The town is running out of water because it is at the end of the amount of water to allocate. A new water source needs to be found.

Matthew Long

Milner said that because of the actions of the board, people in the community, including students, have been disenfranchised. However, the bigger problem is that voter turnout is at an all-time low.

Quint David

Answer to Q1: Answer to Q2:

Long said there needs to be a continued effort of the town working with Appalachian as well as increased efforts with university departments, students and faculty to help the town with local issues and studies being done for the town.

Answer to Q2:

Long said that Boone is an expensive place to live and go to school with limited parking. To solve these issues, there needs to be continued efforts to have sidewalks, bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly routes through town. There also needs to be a parking solution downtown. Boone also needs job and career opportunities in Boone

David said that people come to Boone and Appalachian for the environment outside and to study the environment. Both the programs at Appalachian and the nature in Boone need to be maintained.

to encourage business development.

If elected how do you believe you will be able to help small businesses?

Long said he is willing to assist town council with revisions to the Unified Development Ordinance in the county. The town needs to encourage smart development and reduce impact fees.

Answer to Q1:

There needs to be a continuation of work on the Watauga Green Business Plan that promotes local businesses being green and uses Appalachian as a resource on how to do so, David said. Students need to continue working with Town of Boone and Watauga County.

Jennifer Peña

the town and university.

Peña said that there needs to be a strong relationship between the university and the town. The community and university concerns must be heard and there needs to be work for the betterment of both the town and the university.

The most important issue facing students is their ability to vote, Peña said. Students need to have simple access to the polls and feel like they are important and included.

How do you plan on working with the administration of Appa-

David said that it is important to have a noise ordinance to protect residents and property. However, it is also important to realize we have a vibrant culture, and at times, a noisy downtown community. The town must come to middle ground on the issue.

Mark Templeton

Answer to Q1:

Answer to Q2:

What is your opinion of the noise ordinance in Boone?

Answer to Q2:

lachian in aligning the university’s strategic plan with the town of Boone’s?

Peña said the process would be about dialogue and communication. There would need to be a meeting with the new chancellor face-to-face once he or she is hired.

A&E

Answer to Q1:

Templeton said that there needs to be a better relationship with students on committees in the Town of Boone. It is important for the students to participate, get involved, know the subject matter and understand the relationship between

SPORTS

Templeton said students face the issue of affordable housing and that there needs to be options for housing, dining and shopping. Boone also needs a vibrant economy or there will not be job opportunities for students and the community.

How are Boone housing regulations going to affect students?

Templeton said it is the most discriminatory regulation in Boone and that the regulation is biased against college students.

Vol. 88, No. 15

Eggers decides Legends will not be transfer site for municipal

by Chelsey Fisher Senior News Reporter

by Gerrit Van Genderen News Reporter

Legends will not be a transfer site for the Nov. 5 municipal elections after a decision made by the Watauga County Board of Elections chairman Luke Eggers, said Jane Hodges, the director of the Watauga County BOE. A transfer site allows any registered voter within a county to vote, regardless of precinct. Since Legends is no longer a transfer site, students will have to vote at the precincts they are assigned or file a provisional ballot, which allows voters to vote in a different precinct.

Students can still vote at Legends with a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is more work for the board of elections because each ballot has to be verified by the board, said Jesse Presnell, third vice chair of the Democratic Party of Watauga County.

Students living in dorms on the east side of campus will still be districted to Legends, while those living in dorms on the west side of campus are districted to the Watauga County Agricultural Center if they want to fill out a traditional ballot on Election Day on Nov. 5.

“We encourage those students on the west side of campus to use the Agricultural Center as their voting site or to fill out a provisional ballot,” Hodges said.

Board of Elections Chairman Luke Eggers decided Tuesday to not make Legends a transfer site, Hodges said.

“Normally that is an administration decision and is decided by the staff [collectively],” Hodges said.

“The current board chairman has chosen not to do so with this matter.”

Despite the extra work, Hodges said she will support the chairman’s decision.

“We will do it and make it work,” Hodges said.

Presnell said he isn’t surprised by the decision.

A transfer site does not cost the county any extra money, Presnell said.

“I can’t understand why anyone would want to take SEE VOTING ON PAGE 2

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A local artist from Nigeria will show his works at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts tonight.

SEE ART BASH ON PAGE 3

The Mountaineers prepare for a rivalry game against Georgia Southern on Black Saturday at The Rock. App State looks to avoid the first five-straight losses in a row at home streak in school history.

SEE GAME DAY ON PAGE 6

Check out The Appalachian’s newest blog, The Daily Gamer, which provides Appalachian students with the latest news, reviews and opinions on the happenings of the gaming industry.

Follow it at

theappalachianonline.com/blog/thedailygamer

2

NEWS

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

CLASSIFIEDADS Federal funding for Appalachian still not Quieres Estudiar en Español?

HISTORIA DEL CONO SUR Chile, Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay HIS 3301, SNH 3530 Primavera 2014 TR 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM BH1136 René H. Horst horstrh@appstate.edu

clear despite reopening of government

by Chelsey Fisher Senior News Reporter

Despite the reopening of the federal government Oct. 16, Appalachian State University is still “not out of the woods,” said Charna Howson, director of sponsored programs at the university.

Appalachian receives federal money to fund a number of projects, and while this shutdown did not have too many negative implications for the university, it’s possible another one could.

Congress passed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on Oct. 16. This will allow the government to continue borrowing money through Feb. 7, 2014 and will keep the government open until Jan. 15, 2014, which gives Congress time to pass an actual budget for the 2014 fiscal year, according to the Associated Press.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, which helps faculty, students, staff and the university with federal money, receives approximately $5 million per year from the federal government.

The money the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs receives is used for multiple purposes, including research, internships and some grant-funded jobs,

VOTING

FROM PAGE 1 away [the transfer site],” he said.

Student Government Association President Dylan Russell said he was very disappointed in the decision.

“I think [the board of elections] had the opportunity to just make life easier for students, for faculty members, for all the employees that Appalachian employs,” Russell said. “Appalachian is the largest employer in Watauga County.”

said Amy Roberts, manager of special funds accounting.

The majority of this money is used in the College of Arts and Sciences, but is also used in various departments throughout campus, she said.

The shutdown did not have a large impact on the university because the websites the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs needed were still available, Roberts said.

The effects of the shutdown varied throughout the university, but did not affect day-to-day operations for the whole university, Roberts said.

In some instances, employees who were paid from federal grants were reassigned to university duties and had to be paid with university funds during the shutdown, Howson said. Some employees paid by federal grants also took vacation time, and decisions were made on a case-by-case basis.

Deadlines for grant proposals for the university were also missed due to the shutdown, but the university is waiting for the new dates, Howson said.

While there is no final number on the costs the university faced during the shutdown, it is between $4,000 and $15,000. This will

depend on how much the federal government pays back to the university, Howson said. There is no set date as to when that will be.

The shutdown also caused more work within the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs because the office had to focus more on shutdown and normal, but the university was able to continue operating almost completely normally.

“I think it’s [run] quite smoothly,” Howson said. “It left a lot of extra work and it did push other things to the back burner.”

Had the shutdown continued for longer, there are procedures in place for the university, Howson said.

“Each university has a disaster management plan, which can be used in any situation where we must shut down and then revive activities,” Howson said. “In an event of a prolonged shutdown, we would go to that for a plan.”

If the shutdown happened at a different time this semester, it could have had a much greater impact on students.

“The biggest piece of federal money we receive is student financial aid,” Roberts said. “If the shutdown had happened during the award period, [the shutdown] would have had greater effects.”

Russell said that SGA encour- sionally [at Legends],” Russell ages stusaid. “[SGA] dents to is disapvote propointed that We encourage those students visionally [the board on the west side of campus to and to vote of elections] use the Agricultural Center as at their asdidn’t seritheir voting site or to fill out a signed votously conprovisional ballot. ing precincts sider makon Election ing Legends Board of Elections director, Jane Hodges Day. a transfer Russell site.” said that P h o n e while he is calls to Luke disappointed, he is not deterred. Eggers for comment were not “Students can still vote provi- returned.

“

”

A&E

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

3

Review

Nicolas Jaar’s duo Darkside delivers solid debut album

P

rogressive rock, as it’s normally defined, has been around since the late ’60s when bands such as King Crimson and Pink Floyd began taking the psychedelic pop of that era to expansive, bizarre realms.

The most popular music to come out of the prog movement – namely Genesis and Yes – has since been derided for its selfindulgence and absurd thematic concepts.

Yet, the sprawling expressiveness of the genre still appeals to many listeners. Most exciting is when modern bands find ways to translate prog’s adventurousness into new forms and genres.

Darkside, the recently formed duo of acclaimed minimal techno producer Nicolas Jaar and

guitarist Dave Harrington, have done just that with their excellent debut album “Psychic.”

Expanding on the style of their previously released “Darkside EP,” “Psychic” toes a fascinating balance between bluesy progressive rock a la Pink Floyd and warped techno.

Jaar’s previous work ran the gamut from spaced-out jazz to throbbing house music, but here his eclecticism is sharper and more coherent.

Harrington’s wonderful guitar arpeggios throughout the album draw heavily from Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, but overall, the music sounds more like drugged-up disco when matched with pounding, precise dance beats.

However, the style with which

Darkside ‘Psychic’

these grooves are stitched together on the album is transparently similar to progressive rock.

The 11-minute opener, “Gold-

en Arrow,” is a prime example.

It takes four minutes of meandering synthesizer ambience before drums kick in, but it makes sense in context. Without the drama and mood setting of those opening minutes, the song’s explosive climax wouldn’t be nearly as effective.

More progressive is the way Darkside develops melodic motifs throughout the album. They take time to tease each guitar or synth line out and try them in several different contexts. Even the shorter, poppier track “Paper Trails” uses this technique.

Despite the expansiveness and nonlinear structures, “Psychic” never becomes tiresome due to the group’s exquisite attention to detail. Additionally, the album’s second half is

a blast to dance to, as it leans toward the percussion-heavy techno on which Jaar made his name.

If there’s one thing Darkside could improve, it might be the use of vocals. Although “Paper Trails” finds Jaar using his trademark, cynical-sounding baritone, many of the songs feature his husky falsetto, and those performances aren’t nearly as confident.

Overall, Darkside’s progressive fusion of genres is totally unique and fascinating, though this listener suspects they’ll develop further as a unit and maybe live up to the Floydian legacy inherent in their name.

– Colin Moore, Senior A&E Reporter

On Stage

Nigerian artist Tunde Afolayan Famous to paint live at Art Bash

by Lovey Cooper Senior A&E Reporter

Nigerian artist Tunde Afolayan Famous has made Boone his home, and now he’s sharing his talent with Appalachian State University students through the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

Famous’ art is inspired by nature, and his use of vibrant colors symbolizes positive energy, which Nigerian culture says lies in all things, he said.

Famous came to the United States in the 1980s for graduate school as part of an exchange program funded by the Nigerian government intended to incorporate elements of the American school system to the educational culture of Nigeria.

While at the University of Missouri,

Famous noticed his classmates treating his art and style with curiosity. He realized how little of African art history is actually incorporated into American art curriculum, even at the graduate level.

Following his time in school, Famous moved back to Nigeria briefly before returning to America when his professional focus turned to educating others about African themes and influence on modern art, in everything from the roots of cubism and Picasso’s work to understanding cultural appropriation.

Famous moved to North Carolina in 2006 to establish himself as a full-time studio artist.

In recent years, Famous has led art education programs with public schools in hopes to “enhance learning through the cultural environment,” he said. Fa-

APPS.APPSTATE.EDU APPS@APPSTATE.EDU

mous incorporates classroom themes and relevant history into group and individual research with students, coming together to create a single work of art building off of those themes.

“Creativity helps students actually retain concepts, and there are different ways to get to the same destination,” Famous said.

Famous and his wife moved to Boone in 2010, and his recent High County Series shows the spirit of nature and spirit that lies in all things, especially in the changing weather of the High Country.

Famous has begun teaching studentonly workshops of increasing popularity at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

This year, weekly attendance of his Tuesdays at the Turchin painting les-

sons have grown from three students in the first class and 15 the next to the maximum capacity of 59 the third week.

The focus of one class was changed to finger-painting on the spot in response to the unexpected number of attendees.

“Everyone went along, but I just didn’t have that many brushes,” Famous said.

Famous sees live painting as an interactive performance.

“It is creating something for others to see, and for me it’s almost therapy,” Famous said.

Famous will paint live Thursday at the Turchin Center Art Bash, and attendees will have a chance to win one of Famous’ finished pieces.

Art Bash runs from 7-9 p.m. Thursday in the Turchin Center. Admission is free for students.

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NC DANCE FESTIVAL Thursday, October 24, 2013

(Above) Senior theater arts major Luke Schaffer rehearses for the upcoming North Carolina Dance Festival.

(Right) Junior dance major Tessa Gossett participates in a dance choreographed by junior exercise science major Arianna Steffen.

IN PHOTOS: NC DANCE FESTIVAL

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Student dancers rehearsed Wednesday night for the North Carolina Dance Festival, which will be held in Valborg Theater from Oct. 24-26. The annual festival will feature different dances and prominent North Carolina dances every night, some of which have been choreographed by student dancers at Appalachian State. The festival showcases a variety of moving pieces, with themes ranging from the solemn to light-hearted.

Photos by Maggie Cozens, Senior Photographer

Opinion Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Staff Opinion

Staff Opinion

McCrory’s priorities are in the wrong place Cory Spiers Opinion Editor

I can respect the desire for nice living conditions. However, I cannot say that a time of economic hardship in the state of North Carolina is a good time to be planning extensive renovations to bathrooms, especially if your name is Gov. Pat McCrory.

According to the Associated Press, McCrory plans to remodel six bathrooms in his private living area at the historic downtown Raleigh manor.

The same report states that a written estimate regarding the project shows that state taxpayers will contribute more than $100,000 for upgrades to the master bath-

room of the manor, which include new marble, woodwork, bath fixtures and a ventilated water closet.

McCrory spokeswoman Kim Genardo issued a statement saying the scope of the work was scaled back from the originally projected $230,000.

The project will now strictly be focusing on repairing potential code violations, remediating mold and fixing broken faucets, Genardo said in her statement.

But it’s still troubling to think that McCrory’s personal priorities are in remodeling bathrooms when there are much more serious economic issues occurring in the state.

The unemployment rate in North Carolina is 8.7 percent.

Only five states have a higher rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

McCrory should be focusing

his time on looking into ways to stimulate the state job market instead of worrying about the conditions of bathrooms.

Should funding not be used for job placement programs and other useful tools for unemployed citizens in the state?

Apparently, it’s OK for citizens to fund McCrory’s home improvement projects.

WCNC in Charlotte reports that recent demands for tightening of budgets for public schools and social programs have been high on McCrory’s priority list, so why not finish solving those first?

Democrats have been quick to jump on this situation as a chance to accuse McCrory of having misplaced priorities, according to the News & Observer.

McCrory and his cohorts don’t see it as having misplaced priorities, however.

They continue to defend the decision by reiterating that it has been a long time since the bathrooms have been renovated.

According to the News & Observer, the bathrooms have not been updated since the 1970s.

That doesn’t mean that it is acceptable for McCrory to focus on something so trivial when there are larger issues at hand.

Living with outdated bathrooms should be a small price for McCrory to pay to help the state he serves.

Hopefully, McCrory enjoys the fresh new bathrooms and also has time to reflect on how taxpayer money could be better utilized for the benefit of the state.

Spiers, a junior journalism major from Charlotte, is the opinion editor.

Editorial Cartoon

McCrory needs to renovate NC, not his bathrooms

Bridget Mundy | The Appalachian

Staff Opinion

Faculty should have input in program evaluations Kevin Griffin Opinion Writer

By the end of the year, Appalachian State University students and faculty will know the results of a program evaluation that will determine the fates of certain academic programs.

Now, the Watauga Democrat is reporting that the university’s faculty senate has voted on a resolution to allow faculty input in the process.

The recommendations of the deans will be sent to Chancellor Kenneth Peacock next month for evaluation, and whether or not faculty will be able to respond is ultimately his call.

It seems to me that the faculty’s concerns center around the role that they will have in

the process, and whether or not they will receive the level of notice and input they believe the administration is obligated to give them.

The administration should allow the faculty their desired input in this process.

The faculty handbook states that “the basic and most important unit in determining curricula is the academic department.”

This makes sense. After all, faculty do have experience in their field and in working with students, so their voices should be of considerable importance in deciding changes to policy.

Faculty senator Gregory Reck, who introduced the resolution, said he sees this as potentially being part of a recent trend where administration ignores faculty concerns.

He believes this could signal a type of “top-down administration” that could be detrimental

The Appalachian The Editorial Board

MICHAEL BRAGG

CORY SPIERS

JOSHUA FARMER

ANDREW CLAUSEN

ABBI PITTMAN

MALIK RAHILI

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

Opinion Editor Sports Editor

Chief Copy Editor

Production & Design Editor

News Editor

Photo Editor

STEPHANIE SANSOUCY ALEXANDER MCCALL A&E Editor

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JUSTIN PERRY

JACKSON HELMS Video Editor

to the university.

Indeed, there have been several instances over the past few years of administration seeming to ignore faculty wishes, specifically in the chancellor’s statement of support for Vice Provost Lori Gonzalez, who received a vote of no confidence last semester, according to a March 27 article in The Appalachian.

We have two crucial issues going on: The potential changes to the university in the program evaluation process, as well as the role that the faculty and the administration should play.

Administrators are certainly a crucial part of this school.

However, their ultimate purpose should be to facilitate the effective interaction of students and faculty, and this is not possible without allowing faculty input into this crucial process.

Provost Lori Gonzalez said in an email interview that the fac-

Contact Information EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (828) 262-6149 BUSINESS OFFICE (828) 262-2157 FAX LINE (828) 262-6256 Associated Collegiate Press

The Appalachian reserves the right to decline publication of any letter and to edit letters for the purpose of clarity and space.

ulty have “been involved with the program prioritization process from the very beginning,” citing the role of faculty committees throughout the process.

It is good that faculty has been given input into the process thus far, but this does not mean that the faculty and the departments should be barred from responding to changes that are made going forward.

It is possible that administration will give faculty their due and allow input and recommendation.

“Office of Academic Affairs is taking this recommendation into consideration and we will have a decision soon,” Gonzalez said in the email.

Hopefully, this will be a decision that allows greater faculty input.

Griffin, a sophomore journalism major from Madison, is an opinion writer.

Our Mission The Appalachian, a student-run publication at Appalachian State University, strives to provide fair and accurate news for the campus community; to inform, entertain and create a forum for ideas; to provide an outlet for readers’ opinions; to be a champion for student, faculty, staff and community interests; and to remain independent, exercise and ensure its First Amendment rights.

Food bank donations should be praised Erica Badenchini Opinion Writer

The end of the government shutdown has undoubtedly come as a relief to a great number of people in North Carolina.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Carolina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at 8.7 percent. When combined with the 16-day shutdown, this high rate means that thousands of people may have had to rely on food banks to feed their families.

To make matters worse, a new state computer system has delayed food stamp applications, causing even more families and individuals to resort to food banks for supplies, according to WBTV in Charlotte.

In the wake of these hardships, Gov. Pat McCrory and Attorney General Roy Cooper have announced that $2.75 million will be released to aid food banks across the state.

McCrory announced that the state would be releasing $750,000 to seven food banks in North Carolina. Cooper later said in a news release that his agency would be sending $2 million to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, which will then send out grants across the state.

McCrory, a Republican, and Cooper, a Democrat, have managed to bridge party lines in order to help those who are struggling. Their actions are commendable and should be an example to those of us focused on making everything into a partisan issue.

When families and individuals are suffering, political agendas drop to second place in the line of what is most important.

By allowing North Carolina food banks to choose the items that will stock their shelves, McCrory and Cooper have increased the probability that struggling families will receive some of the more nutritious food items.

“Federal services are not political chess pieces,” McCrory said in a public statement after visiting a food bank in Charlotte. “Real people are being impacted in very real ways.”

He has a great point, and Cooper echoed that sentiment.

“Food banks are a lifeline for many people in our state and they need our support,” Cooper said in a public statement.

It is incredibly encouraging to see some of North Carolina’s figureheads stepping up and taking action without pushing a hidden agenda.

Badenchini, a freshman journalism major from Apex, is an opinion writer.

Letters to the Editor The Appalachian welcomes Letters to the Editor. Letters should be 250 words or less and include the author’s name, ASU Box, phone number, classification and campus affiliation, if any. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments.

Letters should be submitted electronically via our Web site or e-mail. Letters may also be mailed to “Letter to the Editor,” The Appalachian, ASU Box 9025, Boone, N.C. 28608. Letters may also be brought to the newsroom, located on the second floor of Plemmons Student Union.

GAME D Y

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Matchup vs.

The Appalachian | TheAppalachianOnline.com

Mountaineers host Eagles for last face off as Southern Conference foes

by Nick Joyner Sports Reporter

21 - 24

Georgia Southern Eagles vs.

Appalachian State Mountaineers 3:30 p.m. - Boone, N.C. Kidd Brewer Stadium

by Andrew Clausen Sports Editor

How App State Can Win: The Mountaineers are going to need every single part of their game to culminate if they want to beat Georgia Southern on Black Saturday. The Mountaineers sport a much better passing game and will need to show it.

Kameron Bryant leads the SoCon with a passing efficiency rating of 154.2.

Three-time SoCon Freshman of the Week, running back Marcus Cox will be a valuable weapon as he is now second in receiving in the SoCon averaging 71.1 yards per game. Andrew Peacock currently leads the SoCon in receptions per game and, alongside Tony Washington, will be the top outside option.

How GSU Can Win: The No. 24 ranked Eagles are going to bring a hard-hitting, grind-themout running game that has shown pretty good success this season. Georgia Southern and its triple-option offense lead the SoCon in scoring with 40.2 points per game, total offense with 491.7 yards per game, and rushing with 369.8 yards per game.

They also lead in passing efficiency with a rating of 170.6 but are seventh of nine teams in the SoCon in passing offense.

The Eagles are expecting another great game from SoCon Player of the Year candidate, senior quarterback Jerick McKinnon. He leads the SoCon in rushing at 794 yards and 132.3 yards per game.

The Bottom Line: This is going to be a heck of a game the SoCon’s best rivalry, and soon to be great Sun Belt rivalry.

App State is trying to avoid losing five straight for the first time since the 1992-93 season and avoid six straight home losses for the first time.

The Eagles are trying to avoid losing to the Mountaineers for a third straight time and will look to continue a win streak after falling to Samford two weeks ago, but beating The Citadel last Saturday.

R

egardless of the team’s record, this weekend’s game will have huge implications for Appalachian State (1-6, 1-3 SoCon). “[The team] know[s] we’re playing Georgia Southern this week,” co-offensive coordinator Dwayne Ledford said.

“It’s a rivalry between the two of us, and it’s a rivalry that’s going to continue in the Sun Belt conference. That’s a fun game to be a part of and the kids are going to be up for it.”

The rivalry has remained strong due to the success of both football programs. “[I]f you remember last year, [Georgia Southern] came after us and they came after us hard,” Ledford said. “That was a great game to be a part of. Very strong, physical football team and a hardworking team. All the coaches down there do a great job.”

After last week’s 27-10 loss to Furman, App State has guaranteed itself a losing record for the season, something the team has avoided since 1993, according to appstatesports.com The offense outgained Furman 473 to 336 yards and had 30 first downs compared to only 14 from Furman. But turnovers were the thorn in the side of the App State offense last week, which committed five over the course of the game.

“You take away the turnovers this game and we could have had a really good day out there,” Ledford said. “But if you look at the stats, you’re like, ‘how did you lose that game?’ Then you look at the most important stat of them all, which is turnovers. We have to take care of the football, bottom line.”

Despite the five giveaways by the offense, including a 98-yard interception returned for a touchdown, the Mountaineer defense allowed just 20 points to the Furman offense.

Although young, the defense continues to make strides despite six losses on the season.

“I feel like we’re starting to click on all cylinders,” junior defensive end Deuce Robinson said. “Now we’re starting to maximize our opportunities when it comes to playing assignment football, and that’s what we have to do this weekend.”

Another option-run offense will be in front of the App State defense, something the team has struggled against in losses to North Carolina A&T, Charleston Southern and The Citadel.

The Eagle’s (4-2, 2-2) run offense is an entirely different beast, however.

“Year in and year out, Georgia Southern is going to have the fastest players on the field,” defensive coordinator Nate Woody said. “Whether that be at the skill position or the offensive line position.

They’re going to play fast and the faster they are moving, the quicker you got to make decisions.”

Georgia Southern leads the conference in scoring with 40.2 points/game, total offense with 491.7 yards/game, rushing offense with 369.8 yards/game and

Adam Jennings | The Appalachian

Demetrius McCray makes a tackle during the 2011 season Black Saturday game against Georgia Southern.

Malik Rahili | The Appalachian

rushing touchdowns with a whopping 27, according to soconsports.com In its past two losses to Charleston Southern and Furman, the Mountaineer offense has mustered a mere 20 points.

If the Mountaineers continue to struggle offensively, they’ll likely be in for yet another rough defeat Saturday.

“For one reason or another, we’re not getting into the endzone like we need to be getting in the endzone,” head coach Scott Satterfield said. “The bottom line is you got to score points. You watch Sat-

urday evening highlights, you see a lot of guys making guys miss, getting into the endzone, and our guys are capable of doing that. We just got to do more of that.”

App State has won its previous two matchups with GSU, a huge feat considering both times the Eagles were ranked No. 1 in the FCS polls.

The past few App State teams may have had better records leading into that game, but the motivation for another win against a hated rival this Saturday remains.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

PIGSKIN PICK’EM Weekend Matchups

6

Andrew Clausen

Michael Bragg

Amanda Jacobson

Dylan Russell

Joshua Farmer

Kenneth Peacock

The Appalachian (16-19)

The Appalachian (16-19)

APPS (20-15)

SGA (17-18)

The Appalachian (17-18)

Appalachian State (16-15)

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Georgia Southern vs.

Appalachian State #24 Nebraska vs.

Minnesota #9 Clemson vs.

Maryland

#14 Marcus Cox

Running back 5-feet-10-inches, 185 pounds From Dacula, Ga. (Dacula High) Rushing: 112 attempts for 595 yards. 5 touchdowns. 85.0 yards a game.

Duke vs. #14 Virginia Tech

Receiving: 33 catches for 498 yards. 5 touchdowns. 71.1 yards a game.

#12 UCLA vs. #3 Oregon

Awards: Three time SoCon Freshman of the Week Jerry Rice Award (NCAA Division I DCS Freshman of the Year) Candidate