The 2021 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mountaineers were led by second-year head coach Shawn Clark. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Source:
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason Maxwell Award Camerun Peoples RB JR Chuck Bednarik Award Demetrius Taylor DL SR Chuck Bednarik Award Shaun Jolly CB SR Doak Walker Award Camerun Peoples RB JR Rimington Trophy Baer Hunter OL SR Mackey Award Henry Pearson TE SR Jim Thorpe Award Shaun Jolly CB SR Outland Trophy Baer Hunter OL SR Bronko Nagurski Trophy Demetrius Taylor DL SR Ray Guy Award Xavier Subotsch P SR Wuerffel Trophy Thomas Hennigan WR SR Paul Hornung Award Caleb Spurlin DL SR Walter Camp Award Demetrius Taylor DL SR Sources:
Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Mountaineers were picked to finish tied for first in the East Division and third overall in the conference.
Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams
Offense
1st team Camerun Peoples – Running back, JR Baer Hunter – Offensive lineman, SR Cooper Hodges – Offensive lineman, JR
2nd team Daetrich Harrington – Running back, SR Thomas Hennigan – Wide receiver, SR
Defense
1st team Demetrius Taylor – Defensive lineman, SR D'Marco Jackson – Linebacker, SR Shaun Jolly – Defensive back, SR
2nd team Brendan Harrington – Linebacker, JR
Personnel
Schedule The 2021 schedule had 6 home, 5 away, and one neutral game in the regular season. The Mountaineers traveled to Sun Belt foes Georgia State, Louisiana, Arkansas State, and Troy. The Mountaineers hosted Sun Belt foes Coastal Carolina, Louisiana–Monroe, South Alabama, and Georgia Southern.
Appalachian State hosted two of the four non-conference opponents at Kidd Brewer Stadium, Elon, from NCAA Division I FCS and Marshall of the Conference USA, traveled to Miami (FL) of the ACC, and played a neutral site game against East Carolina of The American at Bank of America Stadium.
Game summaries
Vs. East Carolina
Statistics East CarolinaAppalachian State First downs 20 25 Total yards 381 485 Rushing yards 86 226 Passing yards 295 259 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 28:05 31:55
Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Holton Ahlers 22/40, 295 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Keaton Mitchell 4 rushes, 50 yards Receiving Keaton Mitchell 5 receptions, 79 yards, TDAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 20/27, 259 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Nate Noel 15 rushes, 126 yards Receiving Thomas Hennigan 4 receptions, 114 yards, TD
At Miami (FL)
Statistics Appalachian StateMiami First downs 19 25 Total yards 326 375 Rushing yards 127 175 Passing yards 199 200 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:29 27:31
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 21/34, 199 yards, TD, INT Rushing Camerun Peoples 17 rushes, 95 yards, TD Receiving Corey Sutton 7 receptions, 60 yardsMiami Passing D'Eriq King 20/33, 200 yards Rushing Cam'Ron Harris 18 rushes, 91 yards, TD Receiving Key'Shawn Smith 4 receptions, 70 yards
Elon
Statistics ElonAppalachian State First downs 14 24 Total yards 291 528 Rushing yards 66 187 Passing yards 225 341 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 32:53 27:07
Team Category Player StatisticsElon Passing Davis Cheek 22/36, 225 yards, INT Rushing Jaylan Thomas 7 rushes, 39 yards Receiving Jackson Parham 5 receptions, 83 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 19/25, 293 yards, TD Rushing Camerun Peoples 11 rushes, 80 yards, 2 TD Receiving Corey Sutton 7 receptions, 128 yards
Marshall
Statistics MarshallAppalachian State First downs 20 39 Total yards 397 566 Rushing yards 127 283 Passing yards 270 283 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 26:38 33:22
Team Category Player StatisticsMarshall Passing Grant Wells 18/33, 270 yards, TD Rushing Rasheen Ali 17 rushes, 83 yards, TD Receiving Xavier Gaines 5 receptions, 104 yards, TDAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 24/39, 283 yards, TD, NT Rushing Nate Noel 20 rushes, 187 yards Receiving Corey Sutton 10 receptions, 127 yards, TD
At Georgia State
Statistics Appalachian StateGeorgia State First downs 23 21 Total yards 502 381 Rushing yards 163 135 Passing yards 339 246 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:32 28:28
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 20/28, 326 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nate Noel 12 rushes, 74 yards, TD Receiving Corey Sutton 4 receptions, 106 yards, TDGeorgia State Passing Cornelious Brown IV 16/31, 171 yards, 2 INT Rushing Marcus Carroll 9 rushes, 46 yards Receiving Tailique Williams 1 reception, 66 yards, TD
At Louisiana
Statistics Appalachian StateLouisiana First downs 15 23 Total yards 211 455 Rushing yards 78 246 Passing yards 133 209 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 23:28 36:32
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 15/26, 133 yards, 2 INT Rushing Nate Noel 17 rushes, 44 yards Receiving Malik Williams 6 receptions, 38 yardsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 15/25, 209 yards, TD, INT Rushing Montrell Johnson 14 rushes, 103 yards, TD Receiving Kyren Lacy 2 receptions, 57 yards, TD
Coastal Carolina
Statistics Coastal CarolinaAppalachian State First downs 17 22 Total yards 346 575 Rushing yards 55 228 Passing yards 291 347 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 29:32 30:28
Team Category Player StatisticsCoastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 15/23, 291 yards, TD Rushing Reese White 9 rushes, 33 yards Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 6 receptions, 103 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 18/28, 347 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nate Noel 16 rushes, 82 yards Receiving Malik Williams 10 receptions, 206 yards, TD
Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics Louisiana–MonroeAppalachian State First downs 17 25 Total yards 391 521 Rushing yards 230 251 Passing yards 161 270 Turnovers 5 0 Time of possession 30:06 29:54
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Jiya Wright 9/17, 158 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Jiya Wright 20 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jevin Frett 1 reception, 40 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 20/30, 256 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Nate Noel 17 carries, 132 yards, 1 TD Receiving Corey Sutton 5 receptions, 77 yards, 1 TD
At Arkansas State
Statistics Appalachian StateArkansas State First downs 28 13 Total yards 461 199 Rushing yards 264 62 Passing yards 197 137 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 35:33 24:27
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 15/26, 163 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Nate Noel 23 carries, 122 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 4 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TDArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 17/30, 137 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Johnnie Lang Jr. 6 carries, 43 yards Receiving Te'Vailance Hunt 3 receptions, 35 yards
South Alabama
Statistics South AlabamaAppalachian State First downs 17 17 Total yards 284 330 Rushing yards 58 135 Passing yards 226 195 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 30:05 29:55
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 21/38, 226 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Terrion Avery 11 carries, 24 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 7 receptions, 108 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 14/26, 195 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Camerun Peoples 23 carries, 90 yards Receiving Jalen Virgil 2 receptions, 57 yards
At Troy
Statistics Appalachian StateTroy First downs 26 6 Total yards 445 142 Rushing yards 233 33 Passing yards 212 109 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 43:17 16:43
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 17/24, 212 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Nate Noel 15 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 7 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TDTroy Passing Gunnar Watson 11/21, 109 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kimani Vidal 10 carries, 40 yards Receiving Tez Johnson 4 receptions, 44 yards
Georgia Southern
Statistics Georgia SouthernAppalachian State First downs 15 12 Total yards 194 329 Rushing yards 87 94 Passing yards 107 235 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:35 25:25
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Connor Cigelske 11/24, 107 yards Rushing Jalen White 8 carries, 38 yards Receiving Amare Jones 5 receptions, 56 yardsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 12/24, 235 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Anderson Castle 6 carries, 31 yards Receiving Thomas Hennigan 3 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD
At Louisiana (SBC Championship)
Statistics Appalachian StateLouisiana First downs 18 20 Total yards 290 398 Rushing yards 171 188 Passing yards 119 210 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 27:23 32:37
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 12/30, 119 yards, 1 TD Rushing Camerun Peoples 8 carries, 61 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 6 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TDLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 15/30, 210 yards, 1 TD Rushing Emani Bailey 14 carries, 114 yards, 1 TD Receiving Peter LeBlanc 4 receptions, 67 yards
Vs. Western Kentucky (Boca Raton Bowl)
Statistics Western KentuckyAppalachian State First downs 24 27 Total yards 609 637 Rushing yards 251 215 Passing yards 358 422 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 31:12 28:48
Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Kentucky Passing Bailey Zappe 33/47, 422 yards, 6 TD Rushing Noah Wittington 7 carries, 150 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jerreth Sterns 13 receptions, 184 yards, 3 TDAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 15/23, 317 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Camerun Peoples 13 carries, 101 yards Receiving Christian Wells 4 receptions, 86 yards, 1 TD
References