2007 Game Preview: Appalachian State University

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3.  Offense:  Multiple Single Back Sets

4.  Defense:  4-3

5.  2006 Record: 14-1 (7-0 Southern Conference)

6.  Star Watch:

Five ASU players are Pre-Season All Americans (RB Richardson, QB Edwards, DB and Buck Buchanan Award Candidate Corey Lynch, OG Kerry Brown, and CB Jerome Touchstone)

Senior Running Back Kevin Richardson-(5'9, 190) This former walk-on won the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award and is now a Walter Payton Award Candidate.  He averaged well over 100 yards per game as he ran for 1,676 yards (All time school record) and 30 TD's (All time DII record) last year as a Junior including 179 yds and 4 TD's in Championship Game. 

Sophomore QB Armanti Edwards- Last year's National Freshmen of the year was second on the team in rushing easily surpassing the 1,000 yd mark for the season.  Scored 15 TD's on the ground and averaged over 6 yds per scamper.  Also threw for over 2,000 yds.  (150 per game with a 60 percent completion percentage)

Junior Linebacker Pierre Banks-Led the team with over 100 tackles last season playing the wide side linebacker spot.

Redshirt Freshmen CoCo Hillary-Yes the second 'C' is capitalized.  This slot receiver/return specialist has dazzled in the fall workouts, is a threat to break a big one!

The Series

These two schools have never met and this is ASU's first ever trip to the state of Michigan.  It is also ASU's first ever matchup against a Big Ten Conference Team.   ASU is 45-29-3 in season openers and 6-29-1 vs. DI squads.  Their last victory over a DI school came in 2000 vs. Wake Forest.

Fast and Fun Facts


  • ASU is a perfect 2-0 all time in instant replay challenges! 

  • ASU's next opponent is the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears, enrollment 1,600!

  • ASU is a perfect 15-0 when Richardson eclipses the 100 yd mark!

  • One of ASU's title sponsors is Hardee's.  (I really miss the "fixins" bar and their commecials on the website are sweet!)

  • In an online poll, as of yesterday, 71% of ASU fan's biggest concern about the game was stopping our offense.

  • ASU players are referred to as "APPS" and the stadium is nickname "The Rock"

  • They have a "Tailgate of the Game Award" for each home game

*Appalachian State University football's preparations for the defense of its back-to-back NCAA Division I football national championships and 2007 season opener at Michigan will be chronicled for a 30-minute documentary as part of Fox Sports Net's popular Under the Lights series.

Not So Familiar Territory

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​The 2006 tailgating season got underway early Saturday morning, but not on the plush grass of Ann Arbor Golf and Outing. AAGO made an announcement Friday afternoon that wet conditions would leave the UMTailgate.com contingency homeless in week one. A mad Friday night scramble ended with a alternate location just a few blocks from the Big House, in the backyard of the college homes of a couple of our regular tailgaters. This marks the first time that the tailgate was not on the golf course or the tennis courts since...1997. Ya, I didn't want to be the only person in the world not to reference the National Championship year.

It didn't take long for the group to adapt to the new surroundings. We hit our stride, and as the food began to fry and the drinks began to flow, nobody even knew the difference. Fry Daddy Frank didn't disappoint, providing a monsterous amount of coconut shrimp and a mango-habanero accoutrement. Pork loin, fried chicken, and cheesy potatoes may not have screamed "Luau," but tasted so good it didn't matter. A few "brief" announcements by the Godfather later it was time to head to the game.

On the field, it was old school Michigan football, as defense and "establishing the run" took center stage. The Wolverines 246 yards on the ground eclipsed the Commodores 171 total yards, as Mike Hart did his best Chris Perry impression with 31 carries for 146 yards. It was ball control. It was defensive aggressiveness. And from those perspectives, it was everything that last year was not. At the same time, however, it was a glorified practice against a second rate squad from the SEC.

The passing game left a bit to be desired, as Chad Henne's 10-22 performance was not exactly world beating. Plagued by some dropped passes and some timing issues, the dismal 5.9 yards per pass leaves Michigan with something to practice for next week.

Michigan 27-Vanderbilt 7

Amendments to Tailgate Constitution

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by Johnny Cleveland​

Nice job Franky, but you made some serious omissions. You get a pass since it's game week #1 and I'm sure your nervous, but it would be unjust to not include the following amendments and add ons. Tailgaters, remember it is your duty to help continue making Umtailgate the fastest growing and winningest tailgate of all time, so follow the rules laid out for you in these posts. All amendments are after the jump so continue reading!

#1A. Bring Something/Someone

Another very plausible thing to bring is good looking, preferably single girls to diversify the group. As you know Michigan is known for its football tradition, not its eye candy, so helping some of us out here is greatly appeciated. For an example of the type of chick preferred see Mellisamidwest.com (adult only site, so married guys wait till after the girls are in bed, T & Goody especially).

#2 Eat Something 

This is essential, however make sure you eat a reasonable share, nobody likes a tailgate pig, especially if you didn't adhere to rule #1.

#3 Drink Something

Unless you are the driver, or under age, or meet the mellisamidwest criteria, what else are you coming for?? The Game, yeah right.

#4 Hug the Godfather

Make sure you warn new members that he just likes to hug a lot and he is not a pervert, there has been some confusion/gray area around this before.

#5 Respect the Hall

NUFF SAID

#6 Learn to Love

This message needs to be spread to others when we go on the road, so follow the golden rule at all times. Even if we do play the fight song a little loudly. (See Wisconsin 2005.)

#7 Learn to Hate

I don't think we need to hate anybody, its just a game between teenage boys that we use for an excuse to party, Hate is a waste of party time, get over it. Plus this season we will whip both aforementioned asses.

#8 Go to the Game

Being that I have never missed a kickoff I would normally agree, however exceptions include extreme heat/cold, shitty opponent, or if a lot of people adhere to rule 1A and you can stay at the tailgate with good company and booze.

#9 Go to an away game 

A must for the true fan/tailgater, I suggest first timers avoid this year's funsuckers that are minnesota and ohio state.

#10 Ask Goody About his tatoos. 

Goody you still have time to eliminate these mistakes. Go to Wreckingbalm.com.

#11 Follow the Theme 

It is a good idea sometimes, hopefully everyone dresses like Charlie the Tuna for week 2.

See you all Saturday!!!

Hey Kid, You're In

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Youth Wins Out Over Experience

Two weeks ago, TheWolverine.com released their quarterback scouting report. They discussed Matt Gutierrez, the national media's consensus heir apparent to John Navarre. They discussed Clayton Richard, two-sport star and southpaw, who looked like the number one backup. They also discussed Chad Henne. Expecting to read the phrase "will be red-shrited" I was surprised to instead read that he was leaps and bounds ahead of his development schedule, and was competing not only to back-up Matt Gutierrez, but also to replace him. The quote on the page read "don't be surprised if Chad Henne starts the season opener". A flabergasting if not unbelievable turn of events...that a 19 year old freshman that arrived on campus in August, and had participated in just 27 practices, was primed to challenge two guys that had participated in almost 4 years of reps combined.

Then Monday came, and the announcement was made. Matt Gutierrez will be the quarterback. But as if hiding behind a veil of secrecy, Coach Carr would not discuss the backup quarterback, nor would he discuss how he told the quarterbacks who would start. Is that a secret? The method with which you tell your quarterbacks their order on the depth chart? Michigan conspiracy theorists unite, because I submit that the job was still up for grabs. Camp arm? Camp arm doesn't keep you out of your first ever start as a Wolverine QB. Either you've got a serious injury that we aren't privied to hear about, or your ego is more sore than your shoulder...or as discussed today at the press conference, your elbow. The wall was high around Fort Schembechler for the remainder of the week leading up to Saturday's kick off. The Free Press plastered a full-face page of Gutierrez on the Friday sports section. Nobody knew. In fact, nobody knew until an hour before kickoff, when word began to trickle in. Gutierrez injured. Henne's got the start.

Believe it. A true freshman is quarterbacking your team. Yes, he was a bit shaky at first. And yes, it wasn't the offense you expected. However, there is no reason to think that things would have been better if #12 had lined up under center. We hide our offense. We hide sets, we hide plays. We hide them from three teams: Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State. So if you truly believed that Matt Gutierrez was the quarterback that was going to lead the Michigan Wolverines to the promised land, then believe this... Chad Henne is better than Matt Gutierrez, and is better equipped to lead you to the land you so desire.

On Saturday however, we didn't need a quarterback, we didn't need a running back. In fact, the offense didn't even need to take the field. A smothering Wolverine defense dismantled the vaunted attack of Miami of Ohio, forcing seven turnovers and putting the Wolverine offense in position to score on almost every possession...if they didn't put it in the end zone themselves. Michigan routed Miami of Ohio 43-10, a rout that looks great on paper, to the rest of the country, and to the poll voters. But a closer look shows that the Wolverines sustained only one drive of more than 50 yards, and that the anemic offense had trouble running the ball, averaging only 2.9 yards per carry against a MAC school. Last year the Wolverines averaged under three yards per carry only four times... three of those were losses. So let's hope that the plays we were hiding on Saturday were from our ground game.

And We Tailgate...Hawaiian Style

Luau music filled the air, pineapple rum filled our glasses, and leis adorned our chests. After over eight months of being apart, we reunited with old friends. Between hugs and toasts, we reminisced about previous seasons, talked of our summer exploits, and debated the 125th edition of Michigan football. We didn't miss a beat: food, fun, friends, football...and yellow socks. It's what we live by from September through November, and what we pine for from January through August.

Still Streaking

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Congratulations to Bubba and Stephen on reaching their milestone 75th straight home and away Michigan game. The Godfather presented them with their perfect attendence award, and Stephen made an announcement which increased their previous goal of 100 straight games to instead a decade straight of Michigan football, which they will reach at the conclusion of the 2007 season.

Keeping With the Theme

Next week's theme is Mexican Fiesta. Don't forget to coordinate the menu with Bubba's wife at theme@umtailgate.com.