By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

There will be a big difference in Appalachian State's offense when it takes on South Carolina State in the first round of the playoffs Saturday at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Devon Moore will play.

The Southern Conference's leading rusher and first-team all-league performer did not play in the Mountaineers' 37-21 victory last year. Moore had been sidelined with a broken ankle suffered in the team's loss to James Madison earlier in the season and had to watch the playoffs from the sidelines last year.

Moore was not the only Appalachian State running back unavailable to play because of injury. Devin Radford missed the game as did Cedric Baker. To make matters worse, quarterback Armanti Edwards was slowed by a torn meniscus and a hip injury. Both of those injuries were suffered in a win over Elon two weeks earlier.

Edwards, who was named the SoCon's Offensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches Tuesday, sprianed his knee in a win over Elon two weeks ago. He skipped the Mountaineers' 19-14 win over Western Carolina last week, but feels he'll be much healthier going into ASU's game Saturday than he was going into the playoffs last year.

"There's a slight difference," he said. "I couldn't run at all last year. I can run a little bit this year."

Edwards can still throw the ball, which should strike a little terror into the Bulldogs. Edwards set a school record of 433 yards and threw for four touchdowns in the Mountaineers' win last year.

Then again, with the running game struggling against South Carolina State's constantly shifting defensive line, passing the ball became a necessity, according to Edwards.

"For one, I couldn't run the ball like I wanted to," Edwards said. "Then the other running backs were banged up, so I had to throw. We found some creases in their defense and they blitzed a lot, so there were going to be holes in it."

Edwards likes the fact that guys like Moore and Radford are healthy going into the playoffs.

The running game, led by all-time rushing leader Kevin Richardson, played a key role in Appalachian State's three national championships.

"We have healthy running backs this year, so we can be more balanced," Edwards said. "The running backs and me were pretty banged up last year, but we're healthy so we can pretty much do what we want to."

Mountaineers head coach Jerry Moore also feels that having Devon Moore in the lineup during the playoffs would have made a big difference. The Mountaineers beat South Carolina State, but were thumped out of the second round by eventual champion Richmond 33-13.

"I thought it would have made a big difference during last year's playoff run, because he's had two years experience," Jerry Moore said. "He's got lot of experience in being in big games and he's a guy who has made a lot of plays for us. Sometimes a big play is a three-yard gain. He can catch and block and run."

The Mountaineers take on a Bulldogs team that also can run the football. Tailback William Ford is the MEAC's all-time rusher with 4,650 yards. This season, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Ford has gained 1,010 yards and eight touchdowns.

"They have an awfully good back," Moore said. "We've got a lot of respect for him from last year. Their offense is similar to ours and he's a terrific back."

Quarterback Malcolm Young connected on 18-of-31 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs' final game of the season, a 28-10 win over North Carolina A&T last Saturday. South Carolina State has won back-to-back MEAC championships and have won 18 straight conference games.

The Mountaineers went 8-0 in SoCon games in 2009 and won their fifth straight league championship.
"Like the other 16 teams, we're all excited about being in the playoffs," Moore said.

 "It doesn't matter how you make the playoffs or how you get there, it's a chance to go play. It's a rematch of the first round last year and we had a great football game with South Carolina State last year. We're looking forward to playing them again."