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App State Football Notebook: Two Named To SBC Players of the Week; Kickoff Times Announced for Final Games

Sun Belt Conference Players of the Week Taylor Lamb (left) and Bentlee Critcher (right) played prominent roles in Appalachian State's 31-29 win over ULM. Courtesy: David Scearce / App State Athletics
Sun Belt Conference Players of the Week Taylor Lamb (left) and Bentlee Critcher (right) played prominent roles in Appalachian State’s 31-29 win over ULM.
Courtesy: David Scearce / App State Athletics

Nov. 11, 2014. Appalachian State University football quarterback Taylor Lamb and place kicker/punter Bentlee Critcherhave been named the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively, the league announced on Monday. Both played prominent roles in Appalachian State’s 31-29 Sun Belt win over UL Monroe on Saturday.

Lamb accounted for 287 yards (276 passing and 11 rushing) and threw for two touchdowns against the Sun Belt’s top-ranked defense in the come-from-behind win over ULM. Most impressively, after ULM took a 29-28 lead with 1:42 to go in the ballgame, the redshirt freshman drove the Mountaineers 53 yards in 73 seconds to set up a game-winning 39-yard field goal by Critcher. Lamb completed pivotal seven-, 12- and eight-yard passes on the go-ahead drive.

Lamb is the first Appalachian State freshman quarterback to lead the Mountaineers to victory after trailing in the fourth quarter since Armanti Edwards led Appalachian back from a 17-10 fourth-quarter deficit in a 27-20 double-overtime win at Georgia Southern on Oct. 21, 2006.

Critcher earned the award on the strength of his 39-yard game-winning field goal with 29 seconds left in the ballgame. The 39-yarder was a career long for Critcher, a sophomore who is 5-for-7 on field-goal attempts since taking over App State’s place-kicking duties on a full-time basis four games ago. He is the first Mountaineer to boot a game-winning field goal in the fourth quarter or later since Jason Vitaris made a 29-yarder to seal Appalachian’s 30-27 overtime victory at The Citadel on Oct. 3, 2009.

In all, Critcher was a perfect 5-for-5 against ULM (4-for-4 on PATs, 1-for-1 on field goals). Additionally, two of his six kickoffs resulted in touchbacks while he averaged 42.4 yards over five punts, including one that was downed inside the 20 yard line.

Lamb and Critcher are the second and third Mountaineers in two weeks to be honored by the Sun Belt. Running back Marcus Cox was the league’s Offensive Player of the Week last week after rushing for a career-high 250 yards in Appalachian State’s 44-0 win over Georgia State.

Fourth-place Appalachian State (4-5, 3-2 Sun Belt) carries a three-game winning streak into this Saturday’s contest at third-place Arkansas State (6-3, 4-1 Sun Belt). Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Ark.

Football Notebook: Times Set for Final Two Games

Kickoff times for Appalachian State University football’s final two games of the 2014 season have been set, Appalachian State athletics and the Sun Belt Conference announced on Monday. Appalachian State’s Nov. 22 contest at UL Lafayette will start at 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) and air live on ESPN3 while the Mountaineers’ Nov. 29 season finale versus Idaho at Kidd Brewer Stadium will kick off at 2 p.m.

Appalachian State will celebrate both Fan Appreciation Day and Senior Day in conjunction with the Nov. 29 home contest against Idaho. Appalachian State athletics is also in the process of finalizing a number of promotions and ticket specials that will allow fans to enjoy both the game and the beginning of the holiday season in the High Country. Details will be announced soon.

Additionally, although the game time has been finalized a week earlier than anticipated, Appalachian State athletics will continue to honor its Early Bird Ticket promotion for the Idaho contest through Sunday, Nov. 16. Click HERE for details.

While the 2 p.m. kickoff time is set, television arrangements for the Nov. 29 duel between the Mountaineers and Vandals will not be determined until next week.

APPALACHIAN STATE’S REMAINING 2014 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time TV
November 15 at Arkansas State 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) ESPN3
November 22 at UL Lafayette 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) ESPN3
November 29 Idaho (Fan Appreciation Day/Senior Day) 2 p.m. TBA