BOONE, N.C. — As No. 2 Appalachian State University football prepares for its 2009 home opener versus 16th-ranked McNeese State on Saturday (3:30 p.m. at Kidd Brewer Stadium), history points to a strong performance for the Mountaineers.
Appalachian is 58-18-2 (.776) in 78 previous home openers, dating back to 1928 (no games were played in 1943-44 due to World War II and ASU had no home games in 1961 due to the construction of then-Conrad Stadium (now Kidd Brewer Stadium). In 20 home openers under head coach
Jerry Moore, the Mountaineers have been an even more impressive 18-2. The Apps have won eight-straight lid-lifters at The Rock and 23-of-25 overall.
McNeese State is the ninth nationally ranked team to serve as Appalachian’s first home opponent of the year. ASU is 7-1 in its eight previous home openers versus nationally ranked competition.
Making this year’s home opener even more special is the fact that it serves as the first game played in a now completely renovated Kidd Brewer Stadium. The most notable of the renovations that began in 2006 — the 120,000-square-foot, seven-story Appalachian Athletics Center, located behind the stadium’s west stands — makes its public debut on Saturday. The complex houses a new football locker room, coaches’ and administrative offices, meeting space, academic, strength and conditioning and athletic training areas that will benefit all 20 varsity sports, 600 club seats, 18 luxury suites and a state-of-the-art press box.
The premium seating ups the official seating capacity at Kidd Brewer Stadium, where ASU has averaged 23,324 fans per game since the beginning of the 2005 season, to 21,650. A very limited number of those reserved seats still remain for Saturday’s game. To purchase tickets, click
HERE. ASU students can print their
FREE tickets by clicking
HERE.
MOUNTAINEER TALK RETURNS TO BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S THURSDAY NIGHT: The 2009 home-opening edition of
Mountaineer Talk, the Appalachian ISP Sports Network’s weekly radio call-in show, airs on Thursday at 7 p.m., live from Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Boone (located in the Watauga Village Shopping Center on Blowing Rock Road).
The “Voice of the Mountaineers” David Jackson and head coach
Jerry Moore will be on hand to recap last Saturday’s terrific effort at East Carolina, preview Saturday’s home opener versus No. 16 McNeese State and answer questions from fans gathered at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and listening around the world.
Fans that can’t be on hand at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s can tune in to the hour-long show on the following Appalachian ISP Sports Network affiliates: flagship station WKBC 97.3 FM (North Wilkesboro, Hickory, Charlotte, High Country), WATA 1450 AM (Boone), WDNC 620 AM (Durham) and WHKP 1450 AM (Hendersonville), as well as on tape delay at 6 p.m. Friday on WPCM 920 AM (Burlington). A free live stream can be heard by clicking
HERE.
Courtesy: David Scearce