Rushing for Moore Yards

Story by Jason Gilmer

With quarterback Armanti Edwards in the backfield, it’s sometimes hard to notice what tailback Devon Moore has done for the Mountaineers.

It was noticeable last season, though, when Moore wasn’t on the field. In the third game of the season, Moore suffered a broken left ankle and received a medical redshirt year.

Now he’s back and will try to record his third straight 100-yard rushing game as ASU plays at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, at The Citadel.

Moore ran for 106 yards in last week’s 20-7 win over Samford and 155 yards and a touchdown in a 40-35 loss to McNeese State.

“It’s been a long time coming from last year being hurt to playing now,” he said. “Just the fact that I’ve rehabbed and am now back to 100 percent, that feels great.

“This is the first time in college [with back-to-back 100-yard games] so I didn’t get too excited over it,” Moore added. “Just thinking about it, it feels pretty good.”

ASU coach Jerry Moore knows that the team missed the tailback from Cedar Ridge High School in Mebane last season. Moore had 123 rushing yards on 22 attempts prior to his season-ending injury against James Madison.

“We think that if we’d have had Devon last year, we’d have been a lot different football team,” Coach Moore said.

After the injury, Moore endured a surgery that placed a metal plate and six screws into his ankle, he said. But he was confident he would return and be a similar athlete.

“I thought I’d come back just like I was before I was hurt,” he said. “I just worked really hard to rehab it, so I figured I’d come back the same.”

It wasn’t the first major injury for Moore, either, as he tore three ligaments in his right knee in high school. He said both injuries are healed 100 percent.

And he’s showing how special he is by running the ball consistently for the Mountaineers. Opponents can’t simply focus on stopping Edwards when Moore is in the backfield, too.

“Devon is one of the best running backs in the country, by far,” offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore said. “They’re always going to be on the lookout for Armanti and with Devon back there, he’s another weapon, and then you’ve got Brian Quick in the mix, too. With Devon and Armanti’s running game, it’s very hard for defenses to prepare for our offense.”

Coaches and players are just happy that Moore, who is second in the Southern Conference with 298 total rushing yards, is back on the field.

“Devon has been huge for us in terms of leadership, and we expected that from him last year and we’re getting that from him right now,” Coach Moore said. “I think sometimes when you miss a season or have to give up something that’s special, it makes it a lot more important to you, and I think that’s where he is right now as far as his work ethic is concerned.”

Edwards on ESPN’s Top Play List

ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards made a play against Samford on September 26 that was nationally recognized.

Edwards’ escape from a sack was featured as the No. 2 play from the weekend on ESPN’s SportsCenter, losing the top spot to Brett Favre’s touchdown pass as time waned in the Minnesota Vikings’ win.

Edwards took the snap early in the second quarter on second-and-11 and escaped a sack, lost control of the ball, recovered his own fumble and, as he was being dragged to the ground, completed a pass to Cedric Baker that went for a 16-yard gain.

The Mountaineers went on to win 20-7 against Samford.

To see video of the play, click to www.vimeo.com/6772819.

Smith Named SoCon, National Defensive Player of the Week

Junior linebacker D.J. Smith had another great game for the Mountaineers in their Southern Conference opener against Samford.

He led the Mountaineers with 16 tackles, two pass break-ups and two quarterback hurries and earned The Sports Network’s National Defensive Player of the Week and the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.

His 16 tackles were the second most by a Southern Conference player this season. Smith, who played his high school ball at Charlotte’s Independence, has led the team in tackles in all three games.

LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST

LATEST COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS

TOP NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

HIGH COUNTRY MAGAZINE