by ROB JENKINS
Sports Editor

I don’t like writing columns like this.

Every time I do, I feel like a blowhard like Jay Mariotti, Jason Whitlock, Skip Bayless, Mike Lupica or any of the other idiotic sports writers who think they know more about sports than the athletes who actually play them.

However, after watching Appalachian State play McNeese State Sept. 12 and after speaking with coaches and players, I think I might know why the Mountaineer defense looked so bad against the Cowboys: Appalachian needs players to step up and be leaders on the defensive side of the ball.

The Mountaineers looked confused most of the game against McNeese.

The team was consistently lined up wrong against the Cowboy offense. Coaches said that the team was misaligned on nearly half of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps.

The team was not misaligned because of a coaching problem or a lack of talent. Being in the wrong spot is the result of not having a leader to take command of the defense and tell his teammates where to be.

Appalachian failed to make the proper adjustments to better defend the screen passes to Todd Pendland.

The coaching staff certainly is to blame for failing to instruct the players on how to adjust to the screens, but most of the blame should lie with the players. After all, coaches can read the offense all they want, but they cannot make the tackle.

ASU blew coverages, missed tackles and perhaps worst of all, looked as if they were playing with no heart.

When the game was on the line with McNeese facing a fourth-and-seven in the final minute of the game, the Mountaineers could not stop Pendland on yet another screen.

In that situation, you can throw out what has happened during the rest of the game. You can throw out statistics. You can throw out talent and coaching. All that matters in that situation is who has more heart. And it clearly was not ASU.

The Mountaineers have to find a defensive leader this week, or they could very well lose to Samford this Saturday.

I expected a lot more out of players D.J. Smith, Jacque Roman, Jabari Fletcher and Mark LeGree than I have seen from them so far.

I have been especially disappointed in Smith and Roman. They are both very experienced and I believe they are the two best defenders Appalachian has.

You expect that a team’s best and most experienced players will step up and demonstrate leadership qualities.

Smith and Roman should have taken control of the confused Mountaineer defense, but they did not.

D.J., Jacque: I’m calling you out. Step up and be the leaders your team needs.

Sincerely,

Another idiot sports writer.

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