Sun Belt Football

HEIGHT: 5'9"

WEIGHT: 188

HAND: 7 3/4"

ARM: 30"

WINGSPAN: 72 3/4"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.51

3-CONE: 7.51

SHUTTLE: 4.38

VERTICAL: 35"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Feisty player who is ultra competitive. Didn't back down to any of the competition from the 2022 season.

— Quick feet with very good body control. Keeps a good base and plays with good balance.

— Aggressive against the run. Triggers quickly to what he sees.

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NEGATIVES

— Undersized player who lacks both ideal height and size.

— Poor eye discipline at times. Eyes can get locked onto the quarterback for too long.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 Games, 45 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack, 15 PBU

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NOTES

DOB: 2/1/1999

33 starts

2022 All-Sun Belt first team (PFN)

2021 First team All-American (Football Writers Association of America, Phill Steele)

2021 All-Sun Belt first team

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OVERALL

Steven Jones Jr. Is a scrappy, undersized player who plays bigger than his listed size. He is an aggressive player who has the versatility to play in the slot as well as outside. He has a thin frame, which can show up at times in both the run and pass games, but he is largely able to work through it.

When playing as a pass defender, he excels in coverage. He has a smooth pedal that allows him to quickly get out of his breaks and redirect. When driving on routes, he shows a good burst and does a great job of running through the ball-carrier. While working downfield, he often looks to use his hands to control the receivers and keep close contact. A loose-hipped athlete, Jones does a very good job of sinking his hips to mirror breaks. When the ball is in the air, he does a good job of staying calm and competing at the catch point. Always looking to capitalize on a turnover, he does a good job of settling for the pass breakup when he's out of range for the interception. Playing mostly on the outside for the Mountaineers, Jones has also shown the ability to move inside and play the slot.

As a run defender, Jones does just as good of a job at competing. He does a great job of making fast reads and quickly triggering the run. He often uses his quickness to defeat blocks close to the line of scrimmage while also making plays on the ball-carriers. Because of his slighter frame, he often chooses to run through the legs of ball carriers, which can lead to missed tackles or extra yards. When in open space, he does a very good job of taking the correct angle and running his feet through contact.

Ultimately, Steven Jones Jr. built up an impressive resume at Appalachian State, and he should be able to translate his skills to the next level. He will most likely have to move inside to playing nickel full-time, but with his skill set, he can add depth to the room as an outside corner. Teams could take a late Day 3 flier on Jones just so they don't have to get into a bidding war with other teams in free agency.

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GRADE: 5.8 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7)

OVERALL RANK: 210

POSITION RANK: CB28

PRO COMPARISON: Jimmy Moreland

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 334

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 33 3/4"

WINGSPAN: 82"

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40-YARD DASH: 5.25

3-CONE: 7.6

SHUTTLE: 4.83

VERTICAL: 27.5"

BROAD: 8'6"

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POSITIVES

– Pretty quick off the ball for a nose tackle.

– When penetrating or slanting, he takes on blocks with good pad level and keeps his feet moving through contact to play in the offense's backfield.

– Impressive upper-body strength to get extension and help get a leverage advantage against offensive linemen.

– Hard to move against one-on-one base blocks, consistently creates stalemates.

– Solid at absorbing contact and staying in his gap against scoop blocks.

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NEGATIVES

– Stands up out of his stance when two-gapping.

– Plays with his hands by his waist, letting offensive linemen get to his chest.

– Doesn't have a sturdy base to hold up against blocks from the side, occasionally getting washed inside from double-teams and down blocks.

– Lacks agility to avoid getting reached or to make tackles in the adjacent gap.

– Not going to be productive as a pass-rusher. He doesn't have a go-to move and was often taken out in 3rd-and-long situations.

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2022 STATS

– 13 GM, 41 total tackles (11 solo), 10 TFL, 3.5 sacks

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NOTES

– Recruited as a tight end out of high school; not ranked in the 2018 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings

– Injuries: 2019 (torn plantar fascia, missed entire season)

– 35 career starts

– 2022 Honors: Third-Team All-Sun Belt (Coaches, PFF, Phil Steele), Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt (CFN), team captain

– 2021 Honors: dean's list

– 2020 Honors: dean's list

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OVERALL

Jerrod Clark had an interesting college career, coming in as a 230-pound tight end and leaving as a 340-pound nose tackle. His background as a skill player shows up in his get-off, as he is quick off the ball when penetrating, and his added size and strength allow him to be a space-eater in the trenches.

However, Clark is limited athletically outside of his initial quickness. His lack of agility keeps him from being able to make tackles outside of his gap if the running back cuts, and he doesn't have a go-to pass-rushing move that he'll be able to win with at the next level. Expecting him to consistently put pressure on the quarterback is unrealistic.

The Chanticleer would be a good fit for any team looking for a 0- to 2i-technique defensive tackle who can be a run-stuffer. While he's best when penetrating, he's solid at two-gapping, which makes him fairly scheme-versatile and opens up his potential suitors.

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GRADE: 6.4 (High-Level Developmental Prospect, 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 154

POSITION RANK: DL21

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Purcell

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder

Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall announced on Monday that he is entering the transfer portal.

https://twitter.com/McCall_Grayson/status/1602390112171589659

The three-time defending Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year award winner will be expected to catch the eye of prominent football programs looking to bolster the quarterback position.

McCall, 21, earned his first Player of the Year award after throwing for 2,488 yards, 26 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2020. He followed that up with nearly identical stats last year (2,873 yards, 27 touchdowns and three picks) before throwing for 2,633 yards, 24 touchdowns and two picks in 2022.

For his career, he's completed an impressive 70.4 percent of his passes. He's also rushed for 1,053 yards and 16 touchdowns at Coastal Carolina.

Suffice to say, he's going to be a major target in the transfer portal:

Grayson McCall to NIL collectives around the country... pic.twitter.com/l2479N1JA1

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) December 12, 2022

Grayson McCall had schools reach out last year about transferring, even though he wasn't in the portal. Jamey Chadwell said he was staying, so McCall stayed.

He's a 3x Sun Belt POY and broke the FBS record for QB rating.

Does he follow to Liberty or go w/ pro-style offense?

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 12, 2022

Grayson McCall has thrown eight interceptions in his college career.

He’s thrown 780 passes.

If your FBS program — Florida included — isn’t at least contacting him, it’s doing this all wrong.

— Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) December 12, 2022

McCall's former head coach, Jamey Chadwell, agreed to take over as Liberty's head coach on Dec. 4. There will be some speculation, naturally, that McCall might consider following him there.

But the young quarterback might be looking for a higher-profile program to help bolster his NFL draft stock. As Max Olson of The Athletic reported:

"If McCall isn't looking to team up with Chadwell at Liberty, he's going to have a long list of suitors. We know this because McCall was getting approached by Power 5 schools last offseason even though he wasn't in the transfer portal. Notre Dame, Florida, UCLA, Kentucky, Wisconsin, NC State and Missouri are among the many schools believed to be hunting for transfer quarterbacks right now. McCall should get calls from a bunch of them."

Indeed he should. McCall's decision is major news for both this offseason's transfer portal and potentially for the 2024 NFL draft.

Virginia announced Saturday's football game against Coastal Carolina has been canceled in the wake of Sunday's shooting on the university's campus.

Three Cavaliers football players, Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry, were killed in the shooting.

In addition to canceling its final home game, Virginia said it hasn't decided on whether it will play its season finale on the road against Virginia Tech on Nov. 26.

Charlottesville police placed Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. into custody. He has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder and three counts of handgun in the commission of a felony.

Jones, a former member of the football team, allegedly opened fire on a bus that was bringing students back from a trip to Washington, D.C.

University spokesperson Brian Coy told CNN the 22-year-old was already potentially subject to disciplinary action because he failed to disclose a conviction for a concealed weapons charge.

Virginia President Jim Ryan said police had yet to determine the motive behind the shooting.

The school canceled classes Tuesday, and thousands of students held a vigil in the middle of campus Monday.

In a stunning show of solidarity during a dark day here, thousands of Virginia students have descended on the school’s South Lawn to sit in complete silence at a vigil for those killed last night.

I’ve never seen anything like it. pic.twitter.com/5mk2c1aZTz

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 15, 2022

Football coach Tony Elliott addressed the situation Monday:

I cannot find the words to express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling today after the tragic events last night that resulted in the deaths of Lavel, D’Sean and Devin, and the others who were injured. These were incredible young men with huge aspirations and extremely bright futures. Our hearts ache for their families, their classmates and their friends. These precious young men were called away too soon. We are all fortunate to have them be a part of our lives. They touched us, inspired us and worked incredibly hard as representatives of our program, university and community. Rest in peace, young men.

Athletic Director Carla Williams acknowledged Tuesday that Elliott and his players planned to discuss whether to go ahead with Saturday's game.

Virginia is 3-7 in Elliott's first season at the helm. The Wahoos' 37-7 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday meant they wouldn't be bowl-eligible this season.

Appalachian State is carving out a niche as the most exciting team in college football this season based on how its first three games have ended.

Saturday was the latest chapter in the Mountaineers' story, as Christan Horn caught a 53-yard Hail Mary as time expired to earn a 32-28 win over Troy.

APP STATE WON ON A HAIL MARY ON THE FINAL PLAY‼️ pic.twitter.com/yDlzYYtU19

— ESPN (@espn) September 17, 2022

Appalachian State's first three games of the season have been decided by a combined total of nine points. Each of the three games have played out in distinctly different fashion.

It lost the season opener to North Carolina 63-61. The game saw both teams combine for 62 points in the fourth quarter, including 40 by the Mountaineers. They had a chance to tie the score with nine seconds left in regulation, but Chase Brice was stopped short of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt.

Last week was a defensive slugfest between Appalachian State and Texas A&M. Head coach Shawn Clark's team held on for a 17-14 win by holding the ball for more than 41 minutes and a missed field goal by Caden Davis with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Saturday was one of the biggest days in the history of Appalachian State football. ESPN sent its College GameDay crew to Kidd Brewer Stadium in Boone, North Carolina. The home team gave its fans and a national television audience something to remember with a dramatic finish.

The Mountaineers started this season unranked, but they were among the teams that received votes in the Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches Poll this week. After a win over Troy, they could find themselves in the new rankings that will be released Sunday.

After a season-opening win against Sam Houston State last weekend, the No. 6 Texas A&M Aggies were upset by the unranked Appalachian State Mountaineers 17-14 on Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station.

Texas A&M was previously 10-0 against non-Power 5 schools in Jimbo Fisher's tenure.

It marked the second upset victory by a Sun Belt Conference team on Saturday after Marshall defeated No. 8 Notre Dame 26-21 in South Bend, Indiana, earlier in the afternoon.

Saturday's win is also App State's second-ever win against an AP Top 10-ranked team and the first in 15 years. The Mountaineers previously defeated the No. 5 Michigan Wolverines back in 2007.

The Aggies and Mountaineers were tied 7-7 entering halftime. Appalachian State running back Ahmani Marshall posted the first touchdown of the afternoon on a four-yard run in the second quarter.

Right up the middle 😤@AppState_FB strikes first‼️ pic.twitter.com/j48rtGCRJ4

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 10, 2022

However, Texas A&M quickly responded when running back Devon Achane rushed for a 26-yard score on the next drive to tie the game at seven a piece.

Not gonna catch him. 6️⃣ for 6️⃣.

📺 ESPN2 | #BTHOappstate pic.twitter.com/eV3kHylUUE

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 10, 2022

App State took a 14-7 lead in the third quarter when quarterback Chase Brice connected with Henry Pearson for a nine-yard score. But, once again, Texas A&M responded quickly when Achane returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.

This looks familiar?

9️⃣6️⃣-yard kickoff return for a TD for @ffvmousvon_!

📺 ESPN2 | #BTHOappstate pic.twitter.com/dNcx4kTcIc

— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) September 10, 2022

Appalachian State's Michael Hughes responded with a 29-yard field goal to give the Mountaineers a 17-14 lead, and when Texas A&M's Caden Davis tried to respond with a 47-yard field goal, he missed, which sealed the win for App State.

Aggies quarterback Haynes King completed 13 of 20 passes for 97 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in the loss. He also rushed for 23 yards on eight carries.

Achane led A&M running backs with 66 rushing yards and a score, while Evan Stewart led receivers with five catches for 48 yards. Achane also had two kick returns for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Brice, the Mountaineers signal-caller, completed 15 of 30 passes for 134 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 10 yards.

Camerun Peoples led App State running backs with 19 carries for 112 yards, while Dashaun Davis led receivers with four catches for 39 yards.

Texas A&M managed just nine first downs compared to App State's 22. The Aggies also racked up seven penalties for 58 yards and had two fumbles, which factored into the loss.

Fisher's team will look to get back on track next weekend against Mario Cristobal and No. 15 Miami.

Marshall University has filed a lawsuit against Conference USA in an effort to make its move to the Sun Belt Conference this summer.

According to ESPN's Heather Dinich, the suit was filed Tuesday through the Cabell County Circuit Court in Huntington, West Virginia, and Marshall's goal is to sever ties with Conference USA so it can play in the Sun Belt during the 2022 football season.

A Marshall athletics spokesperson released the following statement to ESPN as well:

"For more than two months, Marshall University has attempted to reach a resolution with Conference USA regarding our decision not to participate in the league after this academic year; however, no progress has been made. The action we brought yesterday is the beginning of litigation intended to protect our rights, help us reach an agreement in a timely manner and clear the way for our shift in conference affiliation. We look forward to a successful resolution of this matter and a bright future with the Sun Belt Conference."

Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss all announced in June that they were leaving C-USA for the Sun Belt, but Conference USA still included all three teams in the 2022 football schedule it released this month.

Per Dinich, Conference USA filed a demand for arbitration this month, noting that in the league bylaws, a school must give the conference 14 months' notice before leaving.

Marshall claimed in its lawsuit that it informed C-USA it would be withdrawing from the conference on Nov. 1, Jan. 12 and Jan. 20. Marshall noted that it said specifically it would withdraw from Conference USA on July 1.

Additionally, Marshall said in the lawsuit that when it joined Conference USA, the league bylaws weren't attached to the agreement, and they didn't include mandatory arbitration in an instance of leaving the conference.

Marshall has played in Conference USA since 2005, following stints in the Mid-American Conference and Southern Conference. Marshall also played as an independent from 1970-76.

The Thundering Herd have been largely successful since joining C-USA, going 115-97 with 10 bowl appearances and one conference title.

Marshall won double-digit games in three consecutive seasons from 2013-15, and it has finished with a winning record in each of the past five seasons, including a 7-6 mark in 2021, which was the first season under head coach Charles Huff.

When the move to the Sun Belt becomes official for Marshall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss, they will join conference stalwarts such as Arkansas State, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana and Troy.

Western Kentucky scored a 59-38 victory over Appalachian State in the 2021 Boca Raton Bowl on Saturday at FAU Stadium in Florida.

A shootout was expected between the Hilltoppers and Mountaineers, who combined to average 77.6 points per game during the regular season, and the offenses delivered in a game that featured 1,246 total yards and 13 touchdowns.

WKU quarterback Bailey Zappe stole the spotlight with 422 passing yards and six touchdowns en route to setting the new NCAA FBS single-season records in both categories. He finishes the 2021 season with 5,967 yards and 62 scores through the air.

Zappe captured the yards record in the second quarter:

Here it is! 🐐 https://t.co/tHKmiGCkBD

— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) December 18, 2021

And the touchdown mark in the third quarter:

.@MitchTinsley15 on the receiving end: pic.twitter.com/TXjwnBPbA5

— WKU Football (@WKUFootball) December 18, 2021

Here's a look at some of the bowl game's other standout performers:

• Chase Brice (ASU QB): 317 passing yards, 4 TD
• Noah Whittington (WKU RB): 150 rushing yards, 1 TD
• Camerun Peoples (ASU RB): 101 rushing yards 
  
• Jerreth Sterns (WKU WR): 184 receiving yards, 3 TD
• Mitchell Tinsley (WKU WR): 103 receiving yards, 2 TD
  
• Christian Wells (ASU WR): 86 receiving yards, 1 TD
  

The sides traded scores at a rapid rate until it was 24-24 late in the second quarter.

Western Kentucky seized control with a 21-0 run spanning from late in the second quarter until midway through the third. An 86-yard touchdown run by Whittington shortly after halftime really helped turn the tide in favor of the Hilltoppers.

Appalachian State couldn't keep pace as its offense sputtered in the second half.

WKU, which started the season 1-4, finished the campaign by winning eight of its last nine games to post a 9-5 record. The Hilltoppers also improved their bowl record to 5-2 since 2014.

Zappe is a name to watch as the 2022 NFL draft moves closer. What he lacks in size (6'1''), he makes up for with arm talent, specifically his throwing accuracy, and the ability to command a fast-paced passing attack. He could be a developmental middle-round pick in April.

Meanwhile, Appalachian State wrapped up its season at 10-4 following back-to-back losses in the Sun Belt Championship Game and the bowl game. It's also the team's first bowl loss since moving to the FBS level in 2014 after six straight wins.

The Mountaineers have still won at least nine games in seven consecutive years while emerging as one of the nation's premier Group of Five programs.

Florida confirmed Sunday that it has hired Louisiana-Lafayette's Billy Napier as its next head football coach.

Gator Nation, let's welcome Head Coach Billy Napier to The Swamp! #GoGators pic.twitter.com/Je7Z5tK1gI

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 28, 2021

Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated first reported the hire.

Napier has a 39-12 record across four seasons at Louisiana, leading the Ragin' Cajuns to a 11-1 record so far in 2021. The team is set to compete in the Sun Belt Championship Game on Saturday at home against Appalachian State.

After taking over a squad that went 5-7 in 2017, Napier led Louisiana to a 7-7 record and a bowl appearance in his first season as a head coach. The squad then went 11-3 in 2019, the first season with double-digit wins in school history.

The Ragin' Cajuns have now accomplished the feat in three straight years, including the 10-1 mark in 2020 that ended with a win in the First Responder Bowl.

Prior to his time as a head coach, the 42-year-old gained experience at some of the top programs in the country, including as an offensive coordinator at Clemson and receivers coach at Alabama. The former Furman quarterback also served as offensive coordinator at Arizona State in 2017.

The Tennessee native fill the vacancy left by Dan Mullen, who was fired last Sunday after a 5-6 start to the season.

Mullen produced a 34-15 record across four seasons at Florida, earning wins in the Orange Bowl and Peach Bowl before reaching the SEC Championship Game last season. A slow start to 2021 ended his tenure, showing the high expectations for this program.

Napier will be expected to get the Gators back to national-title contention in a hurry.   

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers celebrated their 35-21 win over the Texas State Bobcats in hilarious fashion...with an eating contest against legendary competitive eater Joey Chestnut.

Unsurprisingly, Chestnut took down the competition, but the Chanticleers can't be too upset, as they moved to 9-2 on the season with Saturday's win over the Bobcats.

So @CoastalFootball celebrated their victory over Texas State with a eating competition against @joeyjaws himself. EPIC. @sila_SK_elly @OuversonCharles @Trey_sammie65 @willykorn @CoachColtonKorn pic.twitter.com/JkLT2G43Dx

— Emily Van Buskirk (@Emilnem) November 20, 2021

Chestnut, a 14-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, is currently ranked first in the world by Major League Eating, so it's no surprise he had an easy time beating some college football players.

It's also interesting that they decided to have a pizza-eating competition, as Chestnut recently placed second in the Fat Boy's Pizza eating competition near LSU. He ate four-and-a-half two-foot slices in 10 minutes.