Mountaineers Prep for Wofford’s Wingbone

Coach Moore Seeks ‘First Complete Game’

Story by Jason Gilmer

ASU defensive players tackle N.C. Central running back Tim Shankle during the Homecoming game last Saturday. The Mountaineers are allowing 138.2 rushing yards per game, while this week’s opponent, Wofford, averages 232.0 yards per game on the ground. Photo by James Fay

The wingbone offense isn’t something that teams across the nation are hurrying to master, but it’s worked for the Wofford Terriers.

A mix between the wing-T and wishbone offenses, the Terriers have found lots of success with the running style. Just not as much this season as they have in the past.

The Terriers host ASU at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, at Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

Wofford averaged 339.8 yards on the ground per game and 6.1 yards per carry last season—those numbers are down to 232.0 and 4.7 this year.

“What we’ve tried to do is look back and see the things that have caused us issues and correct those things,” Wofford coach Mike Ayers said. “We’ve looked, and it’s not so much how the other team is playing against us, but how we’re executing and we’re just not doing it at a high enough level.”

The Terriers are led by Mike Rucker’s 311 rushing yards and Mitch Allen’s 233.

Wofford’s attack is based on reading the option and having a fullback who can gain some yards. Passing yards aren’t expected but can come at times.

“We’re running it OK, but nothing great,” Ayers said. “Teams are better structurally at defending us. Some of our problem is that we haven’t executed the way we’ve needed to. It’s an offense that we feel suits us and our personnel. We have to be more efficient and effective when we run our offense.”

As many teams have gone to one-back and wide-open offenses, it makes preparing for the Terriers a bit tougher.

“It’s always been hard to prepare for Wofford,” ASU coach Jerry Moore said. “Mike [Ayers] is a terrific football coach and is great at making calls on the run or adjusting on the run to things you do.”

While the offense may be tough for new opponents to prepare for, Ayers said he thinks it isn’t for some schools.

“Teams that you play year after year after year, I think they have a designed package that they’re going to try and execute against us,” Ayers said. “The more you play against us, it comes down to whether we can block those people and read the option against them. If we can block and read the option, we have a chance against them. If we can’t, then we won’t.”

Even after three straight wins, Moore said he’s still looking for his Mountaineers to play their first complete game.

“We’re working toward it, and I don’t think we’ve been close, to be real honest,” he said. “There’s good and bad to that. One of the things you’ve got to do to be a good football team is get better each week. And we’re striving to do that. We certainly haven’t done that yet, but we’re trying.”

But Ayers said he knows that it will take a great effort to topple the reigning Southern Conference champions.

Wofford had a bye week last week to help prepare. But that might not be enough.

“I’m not sure one week, two weeks or two years is enough time to get ready for those guys,” Ayers said. “They’re really good and extremely talented. They have game breakers at all of their skill positions and do a great job of playing defense.”

Penalties Have Hurt Mountaineers

Compared to other Southern Conference teams, the Mountaineers have the most penalties and penalty yards per game.

The Mountaineers average 7.6 penalties per game, while Georgia Southern is second in the conference with seven per game. ASU also leads the league in penalty yards per game, at 63.4. No other conference team averages more than 60 penalty yards.

“That’s a huge concern,” ASU coach Jerry Moore said. “In a tight ball game, those are the things that can make a drastic difference.

“One of the things about penalties, other than losing the yardage, is you can lose your focus.”

The Mountaineers’ penalties have come in bunches, including nine for 109 yards against East Carolina, 12 for 112 yards against Samford and 10 for 81 yards against N.C. Central.

Former Pioneer Out for Wofford

Watauga High School graduate Eric Breitenstein had one of his best games last year against the school from his hometown, but Breitenstein won’t get to play this week for Wofford.

Breitenstein had a probable season-ending knee injury last month and will likely receive a medical redshirt.

Last year, he ran for 157 yards on 18 carries against the Mountaineers. He ran for 187 yards and three scores in two games for the Terriers this season.

“He’s working hard to rehab and at this point he’s not able to play right now,” Wofford coach Mike Ayers said. “I sure wish he could, but it’s not working out that way. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for down the road.”

Moore Named SoCon Player of the Week

After an 11.3 yards-per-carry average and a 73-yard touchdown run in the Mountaineers’ 55-21 win over N.C. Central, ASU tailback Devon Moore was named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

Moore ran for 124 yards and 11 carries in the game for his third straight 100-yard rushing game. His 73-yard run was on the team’s fourth play from scrimmage and was the longest run of Moore’s career and second-longest play of the season for ASU.

Moore has rushed for 488 yards this season, which ranks him third in the conference and 17th in the nation.

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