Appalachian State sends message to the big boys

BOONE, N.C. -- The black and gold T-shirts already on sale read: "Michigan Who? 34-32."

Appalachian State students and this mountain town's residents on Sunday were still basking in the glory of the Mountaineers' win over No. 5 Michigan a day earlier.

Toilet paper still hung from trees. Area business congratulated the team on their display boards. At least two bars were advertising they were going to show a replay of the game Sunday night.

And the rest of the nation was trying to figure out how so many speedy players ended up at this little-known school.

"Hopefully the whole world knows that just because we're called Division I-AA doesn't mean we can't play with the bigger school," quarterback Armanti Edwards said during a first-time, day after news conference that drew about 20 reporters and several TV crews. "The only thing different is that they were bigger than us. That's all it was."

Armanti, who was recruited by Clemson and several other big schools but only to play defensive back, is typical of coach Jerry Moore's team: small, quick and unappreciated during recruiting.

"Just having a chip on our shoulder, going up there knowing we can play on their level, and show them why," said receiver Dexter Jackson, recruited by Georgia and Clemson but told he wouldn't play until he was an upperclassmen. "Show them that just because you're at that school doesn't mean we can't play with you."

When you enter this town in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a sign greets you announcing the Mountaineers' consecutive Division I-AA titles.

Yet, all anyone talked about in restaurants and convenience stores Sunday was Michigan.

"What we just did at Michigan, they've got to really, really bathe in it and enjoy and cherish the moment," Moore said. "I'm not about to rob our staff, our school, our town and particularly these players, to enjoy what they just did."

The win, the first time a I-AA team beat a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, left many wondering how were the Mountaineers so fast. Why weren't these players recruited by the big boys of college football?

Mostly because they were considered too small. And Moore, in his 19th season, was more than happy to snatch them up.

"Size is probably our third factor to look at," said Moore, whose players come mostly from the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee. "We want good kids that are tough kids that can run. We feel we can put weight on them, make them bigger, make them stronger."