 Five Citadel players attack wide receiver CoCo Hillary during the game Saturday. The Mountaineers claimed a 30-27 victory in overtime. Photo by Christy Bullins
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by ROB JENKINS
Sports Editor
Coming into Appalachian State’s game last Saturday against The Citadel, Brian Quick had not put up the stats some people were expecting him to.
In the first three games, Quick had only amassed eight catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns.
He broke out in a big way against the Bulldogs, making two huge plays that contributed to the Mountaineers’ 30-27 overtime victory.
The first play came
with the Mountaineers trailing The Citadel 27-20 with just over four
and a half minutes remaining in the game.
After a short completion to CoCo Hillary, the Mountaineers were facing a second-and-five from their own 26-yard line.
“We knew we had to score,” Quick said. “[The coaches] put me in—they said that I need to make a play. So that’s what I did.”
ASU quarterback Armanti Edwards took the shotgun snap and began to go through his progression.
Edwards
did not have to wait long to find a receiver, as Quick was able to get
wide open on the right side of the field behind the Bulldogs’ secondary.
“I was
supposed to bring [the cornerback] inside then take him back out,”
Quick said. “But the safety had [come] down and cheated, so I made it
into a go [route]. [I caught] it over my back shoulder—me and Armanti
were on the same page.”
 Photo by Christy Bullins
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Quick hauled in the pass and outran The Citadel’s defense all the way to the end zone for a 74-yard touchdown reception.
“Nobody
can really stop me because I am very tall, and I’m fast and I have good
hands. And [Edwards] ended up getting me the ball, and I end up making
a play. It was my turn,” he said.
One
person who was celebrating the touchdown with the Mountaineer faithful
was former ASU quarterback Richie Williams, who had made the trip down
to Charleston, S.C. to support his old team.
Williams praised Quick’s ability as a receiver and said he wished he could have played with Quick.
“Who wouldn’t want Quick to throw to? You know what I’m saying, [he’s] a good weapon to have,” Williams said.
Quick
finished the game with four receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown.
But it was not just Quick’s play at receiver that helped the
Mountaineers Saturday.
With two
seconds left in the game and the score tied at 27, The Citadel had the
ball at the ASU 36. The Bulldogs lined up for a 53-yard, game-winning
field goal attempt.
Coaches sent Quick in with the field goal block unit.
“I knew
I had to make a play,” Quick said. “All the defensive linemen had to
give a push, and they did. And I jumped and made a play.”
The kick
ricocheted off of Quick’s outstretched arms and fell to the ground
around the 20-yard line, sending the game into overtime.
“We fought through like we always do, like we know we can,” Quick said. “App State football came through.”
Photos by Christy Bullins | The Appalachian
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