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survivormetaverse · 3 years

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Episode 4 - "Now the fun part begins" ~Colin

All I gotta say....finesse

Look at us go✨ I say us because if I say me that sounds conceited even tho it was literally a hero challenge 😂. [HI THIS WAS BURIED IN MY TABS IT'S FROM ROUND 3 I WAS PROBS GONNA WRITE MORE BUT OH WELL]

We tribe swapped and I was really stressed at first because now im on the tribe that loses all of the challenges. But its fine bcs im friends with everyone now and im in an alliance with Ginny and Amy. I also love Danny he is literally under the influence rn im exposing him. But hopefully when hws sober he remembers how cool i am and we will work together. And Jennifer is on my tribe and we're friendly with each other. But honestly it would be in my best game interests to have her the one voted out. If it comes to that. Bcs Im literally working with everyone and shes pretty inactive.

Welp. Here we are. Swapped. It's a lil fucked up but I saw it coming. So I got stuck with Brayden which is like whatever to me, I'm glad him and I talked enough on original phantoms. But the issue is that it's just him and myself. Along with that its the two S.E.E.S. and one Fool. So I immediately swooped in on Jared, I tried to be relatable with him by talking about Danny and Shaad, who I know, and I think gthat brought him comfort. I spilled to Jared that Danny and Shaad know each other to show him that I have info and I'm willing to be open about stuff and talk with him straight up. We got to talking, and we declared that we want to work together WHICH IS GREAT!! Idk how much I can trust him, but if I show him loyalty and openness I think I'd get it back from him which is clutch. I need him to be the third with Brayden and myself, but I'm sure Jay and Elle are thinking the exact same thing. That's why I swooped in so fast, and I'm sure he'll tell them what they want to hear and theres a chance hes doing that to me as well (and I don't blame him, make your own decisions Jared king), but I need to show him that sticking with me is the better option. Idk idk I'm just trying to avoid playing my idol rn. I'll keep working on Jared, and I'll see what Brayden's been up to. ALSOOO APPARENTLY so Brayden tells me that him and Elle played together (which I knew), but he voted them out so idk how their dynamic is. Lots to think about, I guess now I actually do want to win immunity because I don't feel as secure as I did on original phantoms. But I def have Brayden on my side, and I'm really hoping Jared is truly gonna ride with me. Idols/advantages are also a potential problem here because what if Elle or Jay have one. I hope Brayden is just lying to me and he secretly has something too. I almost told him about mine but I decided against it. Much to think about, much to do, much to win.

I got an idolllll✨ lol so glad i signed up because no one else from my tribe did so it was super easy 😄 Tribe swap!! Sad bc i'll miss Colin 😔 real homie right there um i mean sure others too maybe lol I switched with Jay so no worries there and Anastasia I'm sorry to say we've never really clicked like we've worked together before (and she's backstabbed me before) but we've never really been like *this* y'know??? And Babs and Jennifer I barely talked to Babs likes musical theater and vine references tho so she's cool B) Anywayssss Dennis knows the pain of being a Starbucks barista and I was with Jared in the shape memory and felt bad for them oof so yeah OH! and Brayden helped vote me out in Kyoshi after saying he wouldn't vote for me... Dont Love That but also it was kinda a hopeless situation in Kyoshi kinda tragicccc for me funnily enough I was tribe swap screwed over but that's not like this time (if it is I will SCREAM but also I'm chill with whatever place I get in this game so eh) yeah i kinda made myself stop drinking caffeine/copious amounts of sugar for a year and then started back at Starbucks and immediately broke soooo I have no idea how coherent this is I think we'll do well in the challenge!! It's scavenger hunt but also I am working this weekend :( hate that for me ik me too boo so we'll see how much I can do I remember being upset at myself in prev. seasons because I went too hard in challenges and I feel like in this one I just don't have the time to 😂 the way to get priorities is to get a life apparently lol kidding but also am I??? Idk kinda forgot what I was talking about. Yay in the Phantom tribe now and we will crush this challenge✨

This tribe is getting on my nerves. 2 of them are super nice and I'd love to work with them but I don't know how the pre-alliances worked before this tribe. I really enjoy Amy and Anastasia but trying to talk to Ginnifer is like pulling teeth and Jennifer still hasn't said....anything.

https://youtu.be/maj4CRLrsjQ sorry this is really long i didnt mean to

My tribe is going to council.

At first, I thought I was SCREWED because I got neither Amy, Dennis, or Brayden from my OG tribe for the swap. I barely spoke to Josh, but at least he tries in challenges and we have that going for us. I absolutely adore Colin, he's experienced and he doesn't hide it, but here's a good support system and I see why he goes far in these games. By virtue of me being active, I can hopefully stay alive from this swap. As for the challenge, it's incredibly difficult to do since only the 3 of us are actively doing it, and with 3 slots, it means everyone has to do everything, which is virtually impossible. Shaad complained about his old tribe but a lot of his tribemates' confessionals about him were about him being inactive, and I'm definitely seeing it. Babs hasn't even accepted my message request yet. I absolutely trust Colin and I'm debatable with Josh, but I sure hope that he's not working with Shaad and Babs. But I'm 99% sure that's not the case because even Colin hasn't talked to Babs much and they haven't even been accepting message requests. I absolutely think we're headed to tribal, but honestly, that might be fine because it'll save my other allies in the other tribes. I just hate going to tribal council because it's never fun and it makes me nervous. Every time. But hopefully my social relationships I've made will get me through this swap even if I have to (at last, I guess) go to tribal council.

https://youtu.be/FJOPBi8cnBk

The swap is fun so far doing a fun and hilarious scavenger hunt but yuck my face is sticky blech

Okay I think I figured out a lot. I think all the idols are on my tribe. The way Jared and Jay talk to me shows me that theyre smart players and I realllllly think they both have idols. And the three of us are just dancing around that subject. So if we go to tribal, I have to move very cautiously and thats why im trying to get another advantage. I think Jay is going for it too, homeboy messages me in 10 minute intervals. I think I can only afford going to tribal once with this tribe, I'm just hoping we win out especially if all the idols are chilling here I don't want to play it yet. Ima just keep hunting i dont have a lot of thoughts rn.

I'm not sure where I'm at. I feel decent about elle, she has familiarity with me, it should be convenient for her and I to stay together. I do like Jared too...the hope is that he links up with us and we can take out Brayden. Nothing personal against Brayden, but I like Dennis more, and I feel like I can work with Dennis in a merge scenario. If we can get Brayden out whenever we go to tribal, I'll also be put in a scenario at that point where I can either go with Jared and Elle, or maybe Jared and Dennis. Dennis seems very low key and more social than strategic, so he's a good person to play with for a decent amount of time.

Uh idr my last confessional or when it was :( we just did the scavenger hunt challenge and are waiting for results and i really hope we don't have to go to tribal bc what a crappy birthday present that'd be!! Bc my birthday is tomorrow :)))))) I hope people remember bc I'm not going to say anything 😶 just to see who remembereddddd probs no one and ill break midday or maybe I'll leave it alone who knows! I'm going on a picnic tomorrow tho and then probs celebrating with fam so it'd be a bad day for a tribal :( OMG what if I got voted out on My Birthday that'd be so r00d but like kinda iconic too very memorable 21st brithday the one where I was voted out Metaverse... anyways uh hope we win this challenge lol 😅

Okay so it's cute and all that we won but Miss Jennifer needs to go ASAP. I low-key wanted to go to tribal just so I could let her GO, but it's whatever. I get a day to chill finally. I don't have to think as hard anymore. I feel good.

I think the thing I am very interested in seeing is what's about to happen with Shaad in that tribe.

But also, I really love Amy. I think she's really gonna be good for me.

okay i've been slacking on confessionals so im gonna pretend this is like 2 days ago and make one solely about the swap AHHH TRIBE SWAP i'm kinda excited that none of my alliance members are on my new tribe. that seems opposite but its gonna give me a better chance to branch out and make new connections, then when merge hits rekindle the old alliance that existed pre swap. hopefully that all pans out!! immediately I started vibing with Jodi. she's an absolute QUEEN and we match each other's energies perfectly. we've been shading others in the tribe, joking around, connecting personally, it's been great!! honestly i knew within like the first 20 mins I wanted to duo with her and be a f2. the rest of the tribe however? sheeeeesh babs and shaad are very inactive. apparently shaad blew up on his last tribe bc they almost voted him out... for being inactive? like sir if the shoe fits. pls fix it. babs is going THRU it and I feel for them. but... just say somethin josh is kind of a king. jodi likes him. he's putting in a lot of effort and I appreciate that. not sure if it makes him a threat but it definitely makes him an asset SO I approached both of them with an alliance!! and it worked!! i now have ANOTHER alliance woo!! with josh and jodi!! woo!! here's part of my host chat rambling bc I confess way more there than I do here i think Jodi and Josh might be like a duo tho the way Jodi talks about is kinda sus imma need to weasel my way in maybe I'll suggest a trio alliance as the most 'active' people on the tribe as a means to get close to them, then I'll use that to secure a f2 with jodi jodi radiates the same type of chaotic energy I do in games but she gets more bored than I do which is not good but more fun

we LOST but im not SURPRISED i feel like we shouldve won SOLELY bc I got SANDRA DIAZ-TWINE to send me a selfie. that's fucking iconic. one of my proudest org career moments. anyway now the fun part begins. gotta decide who goes. it's either shaad or babs. I think the easiest and most common sense thing to do is vote babs because they've been more inactive. but also its the first live tribal and I think shaad will give drama if we vote him off. and that makes GOOD FUCKING TV. so idk. options options. we'll see!

holy shit phantoms won immunity. phantoms stays the winning tribe 4 times in a row holy shit. i actually wanted to win this time and put a lot of effort into this because no ma'am i need safety rn and work on these relationships. just need time. speaking of time, im about to hit hour 12 of the endurance hunt and im starting to feel like a madman. but babyyyyy i want another advantage and hopefully another fucking idol holy shit can you imagine???? i still haven't told anyone and my lips are gonna remain sealed. however i still think that yall are messy and set up my tribe where u knew brayden and i werent super close and from what ive gathered jay and elle weren't close either. so u put the two pairs that arent close with the one fool. okay so what else could we possibly have in common on this tribe to add more mess? IDOLS!!!!! like the three people that got the idols got swapped onto the same tribe like that has to be it. so jared would have to have one, even though he told me he didnt but the way he talked to me about idols in general literally makes me feel like he has one. i was like it would be so nice to have a little bit of security and hes like yeah i know what you mean. like bro just tell me u got a fuckin idol already. so then jay or elle have to have one. and i am convinced jay has one. maybe elle is gonna gag me with her idol but im gonna assume its jay. jared has spoken with him, and i have spoken with him. the three of us feel really good with each other (but im pretty sure jared has me above him bc i got to him first). we'll probs make an alliance chat shortly. i recognize that jared and jay are good at the strategic part of the game and are really smart and just good overall competitors and ESPECIALLY if they have idols that makes them even more dangerous. so i have to work with them than against them i have to make sure that they know i have them above everyone else. i think three strong players naturally gravitated towards eachother and if we really all do have idols its so funny that we're not telling each other. but im slowly but surely working on getting it out of them but if theyre as smart as i think they are they wont tell me. im just gonna continue being "transparent" with them and we'll see where it goes i hope they dont catch on. also jays a fucking liar because we were on a call today and i asked him if he did any hunts. he gave me a pause and then slurred his speech when he said "i haven't done any" like broooooooo ur fuckin lying to me right through your teeth. im convinced hes doing this one because he was up early for some breakfast and his lil skype thing showed online status allllll day like i gotta assume hes doing it. even if he didnt do the first three like hes def doing the last three dont play dumb with me!!!! i am not the one baby. but actually as im writing this hes not online anymore so if he really was doing it maybe he stopped? so if he was up early i would assume he started at 7 or 8 and ending by 9:30 he did 13 or 14 hours? idk im literally going till i cant stay up anymore ive already hit the 12 hours mark now if i went this long i have to go for the w likeee i have to. thats all i got for ya right now dont ever ask me for anything again.

no joke my brain is melting pls help

i want a survivor wiki page :(

During challenge: https://youtu.be/IsGPtYtgnQ4 After challenge results: https://youtu.be/CgmLGWBvEhw

https://youtu.be/Yfsh_odV-Zg

The tribe swap really confused me. I was finally getting the hang of this game but now I'm doubting myself again. I also haven't been active much for the past 2 days and I think my tribe mates have noticed. I need to stay on top of things better if I don't want to (eventually) get voted out.

That this tribe swap screwed me over. It left me with Babs whos been completely inactive and Shaad whos been completely useless. At least I gained an alliance with Jodi and Colin but this is fucking pitiful.

https://youtu.be/pE207b8VRFE

can't wait to vote out jared and jay once jury starts

So I had planned on doing hourly milestone activities like calling a friend at 15 hours, eating ice cream at 16 hours etc and I was filming it to vlog the evening for my confessionals.. but my mom called me around 10:55 for a family emergency and when it was done it was 11:01 and my alarm got overridden by the call. That’s how I dropped and I’m really sad 😔 i low key don’t wanna play the game today but I literally have tribal so I have to stay online, even tho I’d still be more active than babs and shaad ☠️ I wanted this one so bad because the only thing I’m good at is not sleeping. Whoever went longer than 15.5 hours is now at the top of my hitlist, if I find out you also tried this hard for an advantage, I will take u out w my army. Even if it’s a superidol. The only good thing from this L is it ignited a huge motivator for me to play this game hard again (but not too hard) but have a goal and mission to complete.

https://youtu.be/PR8XWvdH-Hc

update: i think Amy has it. I'll ask her about it at the merge, she won the 24 hour comp in her last org so it's very possible she gunned this advantage out. if she tells me she has it, then i know I'm absolutely her #1, if not, then we'll see what happens .....

~~~

Edgic:

Power Rankings:

Phantom

Jared: He has done well to place himself firmly in the middle of his tribe. The two sides are definitely going by tribal lines at the moment which makes him the most powerful person on the tribe. Everyone wants to work with him. He will definitely be safe if his tribe has to go to tribal council soon.

Jay: This comes as a surprise, but Jay has bonded well with Jared. So much so that Jared listed Jay as the person he trusts the most currently on his tribe. This gives the S.E.E.S. side a bit more longevity on this tribe which is definitely in Jay’s interest. I can see Jared and Jay forming a tight duo.

Dennis: He is definitely in a better spot than he was on his last tribe. No one on this tribe has explicitly said they distrust or want to target Dennis. He’s playing it safe which is good. He lands himself higher than Elle because Jared seems to trust him more. If the decision was between Dennis and Elle, he would be the one safe. Additionally, he’s also sniffed out that the idols are all on this tribe (which is just a coincidence). However, he believes that Jay has it rather than Elle which is an unfortunate guess from him. However, what is excellent game sense is that he wants to form an alliance with Jay and Jared which could definitely benefit him in the long run when he needs to separate himself from his Phantoms.

Elle: It is sad to see Elle near the bottom, but it doesn’t seem like they have won anyone over with their charm on this tribe. Everyone besides Jay sees Elle as someone expendable if this tribe were to go to two consecutive tribal councils. On the plus side, Elle has an idol. If it comes to that, she may be able to keep herself safe.

Brayden: For some reason, no one except Dennis trusts Brayden. In fact, I would not be surprised if Jared, Jay, and Elle came to the consensus that he should be the one to go out of the two Phantoms. Brayden’s unwillingness to work with Dennis rears its ugly head as, even now, Brayden wants to distance himself from Dennis. He seems to believe that he is good with Jay and Jared when both parties have listed him on the bottom of their trust rankings. If Brayden is not careful, he is going to find himself blindsided and voted out premerge in this game.

Fools

Danny: Amy and Anastasia want to keep Danny in spite of their alliance with Ginny. It feels as if both of them want to work closely with him AND want to ditch that alliance. Danny easily has the most control as he has key allies that are willing to go to bat for him if things get messy. I even believe that he would be saved rather than Ginny if this tribe were to go to tribal council consecutively.

Anastasia: Her prior connection with Ginny has instantly landed her in an alliance with Amy despite the fact she doesn’t even know Amy like that. In fact, Anastasia doesn’t even trust Amy that much, but is still willing to work with her and pretend to be allies. Additionally, she has gotten into the good graces of Danny for whom she is trying to work closely with. Anastasia is the most connected with Danny which means she is the safest out of the group. However, Amy sees right through the veneer which means that Anastasia could be labelled as a big threat and be subsequently taken out at the early stages of merge. It was definitely a mistake to inform Amy about their prior connection with Elle.

Amy: What lands Amy here is that Anastasia doesn’t trust her. I was surprised too, but, looking at it, Anastasia would cut Amy over Ginnifer. What puts her above Ginnifer is her activity, however. Hopefully Amy can gain more trust with Danny and Anastasia and be safer in the future. Amy has a good read on Anastasia which keeps her in this position as well. She knows exactly what she needs to do to survive this tribe with the necessary numbers, but can she do it?

Ginnifer: I believe Ginnifer made a misstep by creating an alliance with Anastasia and Amy. At least for Amy, she doesn’t know how to feel considering Ginny never mentioned the alliance and just put them in it. It may have been a bit too presumptuous which leads to hesitation and distrust with the people she wants to ally with. Finally, Danny was also annoyed by Ginny being inactive near the start of the challenge which lowers her overall safety at tribal council

Jennifer: Where is Jennifer San Diego? Her inactivity and unhelpfulness in the challenge makes her the easiest target. There’s not much to say except if she doesn’t pick it up soon and socialize, she will be sitting in the VL.

S.E.E.S.

Jodi: Once again, Jodi has emerged as the tribe leader. Despite being on a plane for the whole day, she has been the most vocal about organizing the challenge. People are very attracted to Jodi’s energy making it easy for her to make allies in any situation she finds herself in. Right now, she has allied with Colin and Josh which easily puts her on the top of this trio alliance. Therefore, she is the safest person on the tribe. She has also been dictating this vote pretty heavily. I fear that Jodi just does not know how to chill though. Her biggest weakness is that she will jump out at anything and try to keep talking when she should just hold back. If she keeps playing the way she is, she will end up as an early jury boot.

Colin: Colin has attached himself to Jodi pretty heavily. I can definitely see this being Colin’s Final 2 rather than any of his allies back on S.E.E.S. The good part about it is that Jodi seems to feel the same way which is great. Additionally, Colin can hide behind Jodi’s massive target at merge.

Josh: Josh does very well in the challenges which keeps him in people’s good graces. His activity definitely helps him survive this tribe as well. He has found himself allied with Jodi out of necessity though. I do not doubt that Colin and Jodi will leave Josh in the dust once merge rolls around and they have their allies back. However, Josh is doing the thing he should be doing at pre-merge: being good at challenges and being active. Anything more would put an unnecessary target on his back at merge.

Babs: Babs is never online and did not even try to help in the challenge. This leaves them low. However, they do still have a Vote Blocker so they can pull some shenanigans if they so choose. Additionally, their inactivity may be used as a shield for now as, at the very least, Jodi is still willing to gtry and get to know Babs.

Shaad: I do not particularly understand why the trio alliance wants to target Shaad. He has a pre-established enemy in Jared and is willing to blow up if he wants to. He could make a great shield in the future, and he would not target these people. However, they believe that Shaad is more useless in the challenges than Babs (despite Babs never being online). And, without any allies on this tribe, there is no one there to vouch for Shaad making his demise seem clear. I hope somehow Shaad can pull himself out, but it does not seem likely.

#episode #episodes

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spideyyverse · 7 years

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Story Time - Benverly

Requested by @kitaruhakiashi Thank you for being patient with me! I hope you enjoy it!

Summary: In a modern AU setting, Bill asks Ben and Bev to babysit his younger brother.

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“A-and m-make s-sure he’s in bed by n-n-nine. Also, h-he d-doesn’t l-like m-mustard-” Bill began, for the fourth time, as he gathered his things and threw on his jacket. Bill entrusted Bev and I to watch his younger brother Georgie for the night. His parents were gone for the weekend and he needed someone to babysit the younger Denbrough. However, one babysitter clearly wasn’t enough so Bill asked us both.

”Yes Bill we got it the sec-” Bev sighed.

“He can only s-s-sleep with his s-s-stuffed t-teddy b-bear, his s-s-sandwich-”

“His sandwich needs to be cut into triangles, he likes the window open while he sleeps but not more than a couple of inches or else he’ll get sick, he also can’t watch Courage the Cowardly Dog or else he’ll have to sleep with you for an entire month with the light” Bev sighed once again while I laughed silently.

“Tell-”

“Tell him a bed time story but it has to be one that I bring from the library because he only trusts my book recommendations” It was my turn to cut him off as I motioned over to my book bag with books from the library.

“Bill! We’ll be fine! It’s not like Richie is babysitting him!”(Much to Richie’s dismay, the first time he babysat Georgie was also his last time, needless to say). It’s just me, Ben, and good ol’ Georgie!” She smiled.

God, even her smile is perfect.

“M-maybe I s-should c-cancel m-my d-date with S-Stan. He-” He ran his hands through his hair as he worriedly looked over to his younger brother playing with his paper boat.

“Bill! I swear to fucking God! Georgie will be fine!” She tried to assure him but also had a hint of annoyance in her voice. I stifled back my laugh. â€Beverly! Language! Georgie started to pick up on Richie’s sinful mouth-” Before he could continue, a voice spoke behind us. “Ready to go Billiam?” Bev and I whipped around puzzled, not at the fact that Stan was standing there but the fact that he somehow got inside the house. He didn’t even knock.

“I-” Bill began

“Nope! You two are going to have fun on your date! Go be crazy teenagers you two! Have fun!” Bev began to push them out the door.

“Since when is bird watching cra-” Stan started.

“Uris shut the fuck up before I call Trashmouth to crash your guys’ date” I said pushing them out the door.

“Bye Georgie! Love you! Don’t forget-” Bill began but Bev slammed the door.

We looked at each other before breaking into a fit of laughter. “God, and I thought Sonia Kaspbrak was bat shit crazy.” She laughed. I’m not sure what it was but either I was going crazy (More than I already am) or the Denbrough’s residence had amazing lighting. It captured her constellations that are freckles, her laugh, her radiating blue eyes. It captured everything.

Â I just wanna kiss her.

“Hello? Earth to Haystack” A hand waved in front of me.

“Hm? What did you say?” I snapped out of my thoughts, I could feel a blush creeping along my cheeks.

“I asked what we should do”

“Oh. Uh, board games?” I suggested.

“Sure thing! Oh Georgie! Wanna play Twister or Monopoly?” Bev called out to the smaller boy.

“Twister!” He shouted excitedly.

-------

“Right hand on Blue Ben Ten!” Georgie giggled.

I struggled but managed to move my hand over to my right hand to blue. We were on the sixth round of Twister, as Georgie played the role of calling which colors one of our limbs needed to be on. Much to his dismay, he had to sit out after the fourth hand because he almost broke his hand trying to reach for red. If there was even a scratch on the poor boy, Bill would lose it. As in, Sonia Kaspbrak finding out Eddie has a blocked nose, lose it.

The site was quite interesting, to say the least. Bev and I looked like a complete and utter mess. One hand was under the others leg while someone’s leg was over the other. “Left hand on yellow Bev! Right foot on green Ben!” Georgie laughed.Then it was game over, for the both of us. Both of us went tumbling down, or I went tumbling down. Bev landed on top of me, our faces meeting dangerously close. Bev’s face began to match her hair as I could feel my face becoming just as heated.

She quickly got off of me and turned over to Georgie, “So George-”

“Woah! Ben and Bev sitting in a tree-” He began but I cut him off, It’s nearing dinner time. How about I let you eat in the living room and watch TV? Yeah?” I asked in hopes he would oblige. As any eight year old would, he agreed without even thinking about it. He ran towards the remote and put on Power Rangers.

Bev and I glanced at each other, faces still red. “So, who wants to make the sandwich?” She asked quietly.

“I will” I responded and quickly rushed towards the hallway and into the kitchen. I breathed a sigh of relief once I made it then proceeded to follow Bill’s unnecessary instructions on how to make a sandwich. I made sandwiches for all three of us then headed over to the living room.

Do ou love Ben Ten? You look at Ben Ten the same way Billy and Stan look at each other.” Georgie asked, his voice sounded through the living room and into the hallway.

I stopped abruptly in my steps, my heart began to pound. I was waiting to hear the answer I’ve been craving since I first met her.

“Now, what do you know about love Prince Georgie?” She giggled softly.

Did she avoid the question with a question? That meant her answer was no, right? Of course it does, who would love me? Certainly not her.

“I’ll have you know I know a lot about love Beverly Weverly. My mommy and daddy are in love with each other. Billy loves me and I love him because he’s my best best-duh. Billy and Stan are in love with each other. Richie and Eddie are in love! Mike loves animals! Is Mikey in love with someone? I’m sure he is! Ben is in love with-”

“I’mn love with what?I asked stepping into the living room, hoping the conversation could be changed.

“Books!” Beverly shouted a little too quickly grabbing the sandwich from my hands. Our hands brushed together, another blush creeping upon our faces.

“Uh huh..” I slowly said looking over to a smirking Georgie.

This kid is good.

It was finally nine by the time Cars was over and we finished our sandwiches. Bev got Georgie ready for bed as I quickly cleaned up and got a book from my book bag.

“Ready for story time Prince Georgie?” Bev softly asked with a smile.

That God damn smile.

“Can I tell my own story instead?” He asked softly clutching his teddy bear.

Bev and I exchanged confused glances as we furrowed our eyebrows but ultimately agreed, “Go for it bud” I said.

“Once upon a time, there was a Princess named Beverly and a Prince named Ben. There was also a joker named Richie but he was sent to the dungeon by Princess Beverly because he made a joke about her mother. Anyways, They both loved each other very much but couldn’t admit it because they were scared. But, one day, King Billy purposely set up the princess and prince and told them to babysit Prince Georgie so he could be with King Stan. Then they kissed and lived happily..ever after.” He dozed off into a slumber as Bev and I looked at each other with shocked faces.

“Wait, Billy set us up?!” She squealed.

“I-”

Ping

SMS MSG FROM “B-B-BILLY”

”I see that it’s 9:10 meaning my great scheme to get you guys together has worked. I’m sure my great apprentice Georgie has told you his story. You’re welcome.”

“Wait-”

Ping

SMS MSG FROM “STAN THE MAN”

”He may seem calm in his message. I can confirm, he’s not. He’s currently panicking over if Georgie brushed his teeth or not.

“I-”

Ping

SMS MSG FROM “TRASHMOUTH”

”Now that you two are getting married, I would like to announce myself as that priest dude that gets you guys married. Also, I would like to give the first speech.”

”Bev I-”

Ping

SMS MSG FROM “EDDIE SPAGHETTI”

”Ignore the dumbass please. Congrats you two!”

”P.S Can we plan double dates now?”

“Ben listen-”

Ping

SMS MSG FROM “MIKE NOT IKE”

”My children. I’m so happy for you :’) My barn can be used for your guys wedding reception. Also, I make a MEAN red velvet cake. It’s vegan though.”

“That’s it!” I shouted but then remembering poor Georgie was sleeping.

“Ben?”

I grabbed Bev and kissed her. She kissed back.

It was the best ending to this fairytail.

#the losers club #benverly #beverly marsh #ben hanscom #eddie kaspbrak #richie tozier #sten #stan uris #mike hanlon #bill denbrough #georgie denbrough #bill skarsgard #it #it 2017 #reddie

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junker-town · 7 years

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2017 NHL mock draft: The trade deadline shakes things up in our 2nd simulation

New needs and no consensus make this draft interesting.

It’s nice to have a NHL entry draft with no clear “best prospect.”

The 2017 NHL draft doesn’t have a Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, or Aaron Ekblad. It doesn’t even have a consensus best 30 players. The top of the draft is as arguable as the late first-round picks following it.

So no wonder our second mock NHL draft looks different from the first. This time, we didn’t use lottery simulators. We just went down the list, but kept the trade deadline movements in mind. Needs have changed!

1. Colorado Avalanche - Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (Sweden)

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I’m starting to come around to Mile High Hockey’s argument that the Avalanche can’t afford to pass up the best defenseman in the draft. The consensus Best Three™ in the 2017 draft are Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, and Liljegren. Two centers and a defenseman. When Tyson Jost joins Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado next season, they’ll be set down the middle for years.

Might as well stock the defense with a prime puck-mover like Liljegren.

2. Arizona Coyotes - Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Photo by Mathieu Belanger/Getty Images

Coyotes fans would hate being left with Patrick or Hischier. Not that they’re not good, but the Coyotes need young defensemen as much as the Avalanche.

In this scenario, though, I tend to think GM John Chayka takes Nolan Patrick. Arizona is blessed with forward talent, but few of them have the skill and size Patrick brings.

3. Vegas Golden Knights - Nico Hischier, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Best player available. Hischier is skilled, flashy and as good at setting up teammates as he is putting the biscuit in the basket. Vegas would be thrilled to take him.

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4. New Jersey Devils - Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Prairie High School (Minnesota)

It sure seems like the Devils might stick with Pavel Zacha on the wing. In that case, expect them to go for a center here if Liljegren isn’t available (he won’t be).

Scouts rave about Mittelstadt’s compete level all over the ice, something that the Devils will no doubt covet. He’s also supremely gifted offensively, making him a talent the Devils can’t pass up. He’ll play for the University of Minnesota next season.

5. Vancouver Canucks - Gabriel Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL)

Vilardi has all the tools to become a No. 1 center someday: size (6’3), skill (scouts love his effortlessness while making plays), and finishing ability (about to eclipse 30 goals with Windsor this year). By drafting Olli Juolevi and trading for Jonathan Dahlen, the Canucks have added high-end talent on the wings and blue line in the last year.

Taking Vilardi fifth overall would help round out their system.

6. Dallas Stars - Eeli Tolvanen, LW/RW, Sioux City (USHL)

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If there’s one thing the Stars are guilty of in recent drafts, it’s not taking forwards with high-end skills. Size and hockey I.Q. are great, but you also need players with game-breaking abilities.

Tolvanen fits that mold. A pure scorer, the USHL star can score at will in so many ways: off the rush with his heavy shot, off a deke, with a slap-shot ... you name it. He’ll play with Boston College next season and could reach the NHL sooner than a lot of the players in this draft.

7. Detroit Red Wings - Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL)

We still like the idea of Makar joining the Red Wings. The crafty right-handed defenseman is rising quickly up draft boards after a 24-goal, 75-point season with the Bandits. Detroit can start their rebuild with the draft’s best power play quarterback.

Makar will head to UMass-Amherst next season.

8. Buffalo Sabres - Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga (OHL)

With Liljegren and Makar off the board and no defensemen worth reaching for at this spot, Buffalo is left in “best player available” mode.

That’s Tippett, the best scoring winger in the draft not named Eeli Tolvanen. A pure sniper, Tippett is fifth in the OHL with 44 goals this year. With Sam Reinhart, Alexander Nylander, Cliff Pu, and Tippett in the system, the Sabres’ wings will be the envy of the Eastern Conference.

9. Winnipeg Jets - Nick Suzuki, C, Owen Sound (OHL)

Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images

Suzuki is a rare gem: an uber-talented penalty killer who can score in bunches. His defensive prowess was well-known before this season, but he erupted into one of the OHL’s best scoring threats with 45 goals and 96 points in 65 games. Winnipeg’s leaky penalty kill would love to have Suzuki join them.

10. Florida Panthers - Klim Kostin, W, Balashikha (KHL)

Two things are going against Kostin right now. First, a shoulder injury ended his season early. Second, he reminds people of Stars winger Valeri Nichushkin: a big, Russian winger with obvious skill but a tendency to pass instead of shoot. And since Nichushkin bolted for Russia last offseason, you’d imagine that might affect his draft status.

But Florida might go against the grain here and take him anyway. With Jaromir Jagr and Jussi Jokinen on the decline, the Panthers could use a bullishly skilled winger in their prospect pool, even if Kostin stays in the KHL to develop for a few years.

11. Philadelphia Flyers - Cody Glass, C/RW, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Another late-bloomer like Makar who rocketed up draft rankings this year. Glass is a talented, all-around forward: capable of dishing the puck, finishing plays and responsible up and down the ice. Philadelphia could use him in a number of ways.

12. Carolina Hurricanes - Elias Pettersson, C, Timra IK (Sweden)

At this point of the draft, it’s hard to nail down which player teams would covet more. But Carolina’s so stacked defensively that we know they’ll aim for a forward in the first round.

Pettersson might be the pick. He’s a pure playmaker, with arguably the best vision in the draft. You could see him becoming a true power play threat for the Hurricanes down the road, making him worth a pick here even though he’ll have a longer development than most.

13. Los Angeles Kings - Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL)

Size and skill are a rare combo for centers these days, but Rasmussen fits that mold. His 6’5 frame makes him seem Kings-worthy already, and his poise around the net makes him a valuable offensive presence on the power play.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning - Juuso Valimaki, D, Tri-City (WHL)

Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images

Valimaki is a well-rounded two-way defenseman with leadership qualities already apparent at such a young age. Valimaki’s 55 points lead all teenage WHL defensemen this year, indicating he could make a rapid ascent to the NHL.

15. New York Islanders - Callan Foote, D, Kelowna (WHL)

The Isles drafted five forwards in the first round over the last three drafts. All of them (Josh Ho-Sang, Anthony Beauvillier, Mathew Barzal, Michael Dal Colle, and Kieffer Bellows) are already close to NHL-ready.

So New York should spring for a defenseman this year. Foote, son of Adam Foote, will round out their defensive core nicely. At 6’3, Foote is imposing in his own end with a safe, but smart, game.

16. Toronto Maple Leafs - Nicolas Hague, D, Mississauga (OHL)

And so the run on defensemen begins!

With Nikita Zaitsev and Morgan Rielly in the fold, the Maple Leafs aren’t short of puck-movers on the blue line. They are missing a big body, though. Hague is huge, but mobile: a 6’6 defenseman who captains Mississauga’s power play and isn’t afraid to mix things up in his own end. He could be a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Or he could be a master of everything. Toronto will gladly take that risk.

17. St. Louis Blues - Ryan Poehling, C/LW, St. Cloud State (NCAA)

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

With a year of college hockey under his belt, Poehling could reach the NHL quicker than most of his draft peers. That makes him appealing to a lot of teams, particularly contenders.

So will his two-way ability. Poehling is blessed with the skills of a top center and the smarts of a third-line, shut-down winger. Sounds like a Blue, doesn’t he?

18. Nashville Predators - Martin Necas, C, HC Kometa Brno (Czech Republic)

David Poile will do cartwheels if Necas falls this far.

The only knock on the 5’11 center is that he holds onto the puck too long. But that pass-first mentality is born out of strong vision and speed to burn. The Predators lack a true, high-skill center behind Ryan Johansen. Necas can slot into that role.

19. Boston Bruins - Lias Andersson, C, HV71 (Sweden)

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Andersson’s draft stock fell after a quiet World Juniors. The 5’11 center drew attention with a 24-goal season as a 16-year old, but his offensive upside is now in question after a nine-goal season in the Swedish pro league.

His competitiveness isn’t, though. Players with energy, work ethic, and hockey I.Q. are valuable, and the Bruins would make a good fit while Andersson develops his game. And if he re-finds that scoring touch, all the better.

20. Edmonton Oilers - Miro Heiskanen, D, Helsinki HIFK (Finland)

The only knock on Heiskanen? He’s small. That didn’t stop Torey Krug from thriving. It didn’t stop the Stars from drafting Julius Honka. It won’t stop teams from drafting Makar. And it won’t keep the Oilers from jumping at Heiskanen if he falls this far.

Heiskanen disappointed at the World Juniors, but what Finland player didn’t? The Finnish defenseman makes up for his size with an active stick in his own end and can make plays offensively.

21. Calgary Flames - Kristian Vesalainen, LW, Frolunda (SHL)

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Calgary should be pleased if Vesalainen is available here. It’s hard to figure why he’s falling in scouts’ eyes. He was such an important player in Finland’s gold medal run in the 2016 World Juniors. Vesalainen has struggled immensely this season, bouncing around Finnish junior and pro hockey with just six goals.

But the talent (skill and a good shot) is there.

22. Anaheim Ducks - Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Spokane (WHL)

The Ducks play a heavy style of hockey, so maybe this is just wishful thinking on our part. Yamamoto is 5’7 but oozes skill. Teams passed on Johnny Gaudreau and Alex DeBrincat because of their size. They all regret it. Anaheim would do well to take Yamamoto here.

23. Ottawa Senators - Maxime Comtois, LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Comtois isn’t the most skilled winger in the draft. He doesn’t have the best shot. But he does have elite speed and a high-energy style that puts opponents back on their heels. He could end up as a top-line winger. He could end up as a bottom-six penalty killer. Whatever role he slides into, Comtois will play it well and make a noticeable impression.

24. Montreal Canadiens - Nikita Popugaev, W, Prince George (WHL)

Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images

Just look at the kinds of players Montreal targeted at the trade deadline. Big. Strong. Hard to play against.

Popugaev, a 6’5 winger, is all of those things with skill mixed in. He’s struggled since a trade to the Cougars, a more well-rounded team that spreads the offensive love around.

25. New York Rangers - Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

Joseph is garnering first-round consideration because he’s developed confidence with the puck all over the ice. Once he trusted himself to become more involved offensively, his skill and smarts have impressed scouts. The defense-starved Rangers could take a flier on him here.

26. San Jose Sharks - Conor Timmins, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Another defenseman playing his way into first-round status. Timmins boasts one of the hardest shots in the draft and leads the OHL in even-strength points. San Jose’s younger forwards are coming along nicely this season, so the Sharks could shore up their blue line with a prospect like Timmins.

27. Arizona Coyotes (from Wild) - Urho Vaakanainen, D, JYP (Finland)

Vaakanainen has the tools to become a strong puck-moving defenseman. Right now, he feels like a “safe” player destined to at least become a quality top-six talent. Arizona might bet on the former.

28. Chicago Blackhawks - Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL)

Bowers seems like a Jonathan Toews clone: great two-way play with a great shot and great hockey senses. The only question is how high his ceiling is. That question didn’t exist with Toews, and it doesn’t exist with the other centers taken ahead of Bowers.

29. Columbus Blue Jackets - Lukas Elvenes, RW, Rogle (Sweden)

A smart, crafty winger, but one-dimensional right now. Columbus’ Stanley Cup window is just opening, so they have time to let a player like Elvenes work on developing his all-around game. The tools are there, though.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins - Matthew Strome, LW, Hamilton (OHL)

Here’s a risk: a player with the Strome family pedigree and a physical brand of play, but poor foot-speed keeping his ceiling low.

31. St. Louis Blues (from Capitals) - Kole Lind, RW, Kelowna (WHL)

If St. Louis goes all-around with their first pick, they can afford to go all-skill with Lind at 31. Lind might be one of the better goal-scorers in the first round as far as instinct goes. It’s just a matter of whether he can get stronger.

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junker-town · 7 years

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Appalachian State’s a team nobody would want, if football had March Madness

The Mountaineers have a winning identity, an easy Sun Belt schedule, and a countdown until they knock off another Power 5 team.

This preview originally published February 21 and has since been updated.

Part of the draw of March Madness is the formulaic chaos. You know you're going to get buzzer beaters and rushed courts in the mid-major conference tournaments. You know you're going to get a steady stream of upsets, from the Ohio Valley Conference tournament straight on through the Sweet Sixteen. It is what you get when you base your championship on not only a single-elimination tournament, but a lot of them.

One more reliable part: a mid-major with a record like 26-6 drawing a No. 12 seed or so, playing within itself, and outclassing a power conference team with more size and athleticism.

The examples are frequent: Yale over Baylor and Little Rock over Purdue in 2016, Harvard over Cincinnati and North Dakota State over Oklahoma in 2014, etc. There’s one almost every year, and when there isn’t, there are two the next year.

The prototypical 12-over-5 upset reminds us of the importance of knowing what you are and how you plan on winning games.

For the last two years, Appalachian State has played like a 12-seed. The Mountaineers went a combined 21-5 in 2015-16, ranking 40th in S&P+ both years. They have stayed within themselves, leaned on a physical running game, defended the run, and defined most games before opponents could do the same.

The effects have been awfully impressive. The Mountaineers let two games get away — a 41-10 loss to national runner-up Clemson in 2015, a 45-10 loss to Miami last year — but nearly beat Tennessee to start 2016. Most importantly, they have handled business in their weight class. They are 20-2 against fellow Group of 5 teams, losing only a 40-27 decision against a smoking-hot Arkansas State in 2015 and 28-24 to a Troy that nearly beat Clemson.

They're still looking to collect their first power-conference scalp since moving to FBS, but it's only a matter of time. They get shots at Georgia and Wake Forest in 2017, Penn State in 2018, and North Carolina in 2019. Someone's going down at some point.

It's incredible to step back and realize how smoothly Appalachian State has acclimated to a higher weight class. It's easy to skip straight from "The Mountaineers were the class of FCS in the mid-2000s" to "They might be the Sun Belt's surest thing" and ignore what came in between, but this program briefly lost its way.

Following the title run of 2007, the Mountaineers continued to win under legendary Jerry Moore but lost their edge. They went from averaging 13 wins to 11 and fell in earlier rounds of the FCS playoffs to emerging powers like Richmond, Montana, and Villanova. Then, in 2011-12, they went just 8-4 each year.

Moore was eased toward retirement and replaced by a former quarterback of his, Scott Satterfield. And Satterfield initially bombed. The Mountaineers, having already committed to the FBS jump, went 4-8 in 2013, then began FBS life with a 1-5 record, suffering losses to a bad Southern Miss team and FCS' Liberty.

And then, poof. App State was App State again.

The Mountaineers have won 27 of 32. They've done it by being themselves, and looking at what they return this fall — quarterback Taylor Lamb, running back Jalin Moore, leading receiver Shaedon Meadors, two all-conference offensive linemen, six defensive starers (including their TFLs leader and best ball defenders) — there's no reason to think much will change.

App State has questionable depth in certain areas (offensive line, nose tackle, linebacker), which means a targeted run of injuries could be costly. But barring an extended appearance by the injury bug, this should again be at least a top-70 team. And we’ve already gotten to the point where “top 70” feels underwhelming.

Power conference 5-seeds should be happy there isn't a 68-team college football tournament. The Mountaineers would take them down.

2016 in review

2016 Appalachian State statistical profile.

App State was by any definition an awesome Sun Belt team in 2016, but the Mountaineers nearly defined the season on opening day. Taking on preseason No. 9 Tennessee in Knoxville, they bolted to a 13-3 lead and held onto it deep into the second half. The Vols needed a missed field goal by Michael Rubino (who also missed a PAT) to force overtime, then needed to recover one of their own fumbles in the end zone to escape with a 20-13 win.

After a dominant win over what turned out to be a strong Old Dominion and a disappointing blowout loss to Miami, the Mountaineers began to grind. They took their time disposing of teams like Akron, Georgia State, and UL-Lafayette. They held a little in reserve for blowouts of a nine-win Idaho and FCS-to-FBS cohort Georgia Southern.

The only blemish the rest of the way was a stumble against Troy. App State fell behind, 14-0, in the first quarter but took a 24-21 lead with about three minutes left. However, the defense suffered a rare glitch. A 43-yard bomb set up an 11-yard Jordan Chunn touchdown, and the Mountaineers’ response stalled at the Troy 38.

Still, App State finished with a 31-28 Camellia Bowl win over a strong Toledo, reaching 10 wins for the second straight year.

Per S&P+, the Mountaineers hit at least the 70th percentile seven times, and their defense hit at least the 68th percentile nine times. This was a balanced, pragmatic, and dangerous-as-hell team, the Kansas State of the mid-major ranks.

Offense

Run for decent yards on first down, avoid passing downs and negative plays, gash away with runs and short passes, win. That's been the recipe, and judging by the win total, it's worked.

Satterfield and co-coordinators Shawn Clark and Frank Ponce have a conservative system that meshes well with the conservative defense it complements.

Full advanced stats glossary.

The Mountaineers were among the most run-heavy non-option teams in 2016, rushing 66 percent of the time on standard downs (27th in FBS) and 47 percent on passing downs (11th). They kept this up even when star running back Marcus Cox was out for four games, and Moore assured that the success continued.

Moore and Cox combined to rush 30.5 times per game for an average of 186.3 yards, and not including sacks, longtime starting quarterback Lamb threw in six more carries each game for about 49 more yards. Even some of the passes were quick and short — slot receivers averaged about 4.5 catches per game and 9 yards per catch.

App State was predictable and effective, but avoiding passing downs was a must. On second-and-long, the Mountaineers would run to set up third-and-manageable. If it didn't work, they would run the ball on third-and-long to set up a more manageable punt. They avoided risk and leaned on efficiency, and while that caught up to them against Tennessee, it rarely backfired the rest of the way.

Cox is gone, but with Lamb and Moore still lined up, one imagines not much will change. Moore wasn't quite as efficient as Cox but was equally explosive, and he not only found an extra gear when Cox was out but maintained it upon Cox's return.

After averaging 3.4 yards per carry through three games, Moore averaged 6.8 per carry over the final nine games of the regular season. He rushed for 257 yards against Akron and posted eight games of 100 yards or more.

Of course, he had quite the seasoned line in front of him. App State ranked a decent 49th in Adj. Line Yards, 15th in opportunity rate, and 48th in stuff rate. The line stats were worse than the overall rushing stats (28th in Rushing S&P+), suggesting the backs were responsible for quite a bit of the success. But one what might happen without all-conference center Parker Collins and guard Jamie Collmar lined up on the interior or if there's an injury up front? Four players with starting experience return, but behind them is a wave of freshmen and redshirt freshmen. The starting five will probably hold its own, but with a couple of wobbly knees or ankles, App State could be starting first-year guys. [Update: And it added 20-game Kent State starter Brock Macaulay, eligible immediately.]

That would put more on Lamb’s shoulders.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Lamb

Over three years as App State quarterback, Lamb has trademarked the Game Manager role. He is not asked to throw much on third-and-long, and when he does, things don’t turn out well (career passer rating on third-and-10 or longer: 91.7). But he makes smart decisions, he gets the ball out quickly, he lowers his shoulders for tough yards when he needs to, and he keeps the plane in the air.

Lamb gets some key weapons back, too. Shaedon Meadors was by far App State's No. 1 target in 2016, with nearly double the targets and catches of the No. 2 target and nearly triple the yards. He and fellow seniors Ike Lewis and Zy Letman will provide the big-play threat in play action. (Watch out for three-star sophomore Mock Adams, as well.)

Watch out for Darrynton Evans in the slot, however. Two of last year's top three slot receivers are gone (junior Deltron Hopkins is back), but Evans was recruited as an "athlete," and after spending most of 2016 as a backup running back and kick returner, he's taking reps at receiver this spring. Meanwhile, another athlete — three-star freshman Malik Williams, a high school quarterback and maybe the jewel of the 2017 class — could carve out an interesting role. Whatever it takes to peel a defender or two out of the box. [Update: Joining in 2018 will be WR Corey Sutton, the player Bill Snyder briefly blocked from a transfer out of Kansas State.]

Defense

Tennessee's Josh Dobbs finished the season with a 150.6 passer rating; he managed a 115.3 against App State. ODU's David Washington had a 156.6 for the season and a 78.7 against the Mountaineers. Georgia State's Conner Manning: 123.1 and 54.2, respectively.

Miami's Brad Kaaya and Toledo's Logan Woodside managed to carve out solid performances against this defense, but they were exceptions. The Mountaineers were tremendous against the pass, ranking 11th in Passing S&P+ with a 57 percent completion rate against and 12 touchdowns to 20 interceptions.

This was a problem for opponents because a) they were usually playing from behind against App State, and b) they couldn't really run either. The Mountaineers ranked 42nd in Rushing S&P+, and while big plays were an issue, they ranked 13th in rushing success rate allowed and ninth in power success rate.

Aside from needing to make a few more stuffs against the run, the App State defense was incredibly well rounded.

A lack of injury helped. Coordinator Nate Woody was able to get away with a rather tight rotation -- only five linemen made more than 7.5 tackles, only four linebackers made more than 14, and only six defensive backs made more than 11. In all, 17 players averaged at least one tackle per game, and those 17 combined to miss six games.

That probably won't happen again. And depending on what units get hit, regression to the injury mean could have an impact.

Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images

Devan Stringer & A.J. Howard

App State appears to be fine at defensive end, where Tee Sims and Caleb Fuller combined for 17.5 tackles for loss (a large total for ends in a 3-4 system), and junior Okon Godwin made a pair of TFLs in reserve time. Plus, youngsters like redshirt freshman Matthew McClurg and freshman Jermaine McDaniel Jr. came well-regarded.

Outside linebacker seems suitably stocked, too. Leader Kennan Gilchrist is gone, but seniors Devan Stringer and Rashaad Townes bring experience to the table, and three-star sophomore Akeem Davis is ready for a star turn. Safety might be fine, too -- senior A.J. Howard, junior Josh Thomas, and sophomore Desmond Franklin are solid.

Cornerback could be a strength. Clifton Duck was one of the best freshman corners in the country last year. While his dance partner, Mondo Williams, is gone, and only Tae Hayes and Brandon Pinckney bring experience to the table, there’s a good chance the Mountaineers get Latrell Gibbs back. Gibbs had a monstrous 19 passes defensed in 2015 but missed 2016 with academic ineligibility. [Update: Gibbs transferred out.]

Injuries elsewhere could cause problems, though. At inside linebacker, two of the top three are gone, leaving Eric Boggs and less proven pieces. Most worrisome, perhaps: Two of last year's top three tackles are gone. Junior Myquon Stout lives up to his name, but behind him will be either freshmen or converted ends.

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Clifton Duck

Special Teams

If you noticed freshman Rubino last year, it was while he was missing two kicks during the Tennessee game. Upon return from Knoxville, though, he was mostly fine. He missed only the one PAT and was perfect on field goals inside of 40 yards.

"Mostly fine" describes the unit as a whole, actually. App State ranked 75th in Special Teams S&P+ -- neither good nor bad. Punter Bentlee Critcher and punt returner Jaquil Capel are gone, but I figure this unit will be about the same in 2017.

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Date Opponent Proj. S&P+ Rk Proj. Margin Win Probability 2-Sep at Georgia 20 -14.2 21% 9-Sep Savannah State NR 48.5 100% 23-Sep Wake Forest 64 2.8 56% 28-Oct at Massachusetts 111 11.0 74% TBA Coastal Carolina 114 17.7 85% TBA Georgia Southern 98 14.1 79% TBA New Mexico State 124 21.1 89% TBA UL-Lafayette 112 17.2 84% TBA at Georgia State 113 11.6 75% TBA at Idaho 119 13.1 78% TBA at Texas State 129 21.5 89% TBA at UL-Monroe 121 14.5 80%

Projected S&P+ Rk 62 Proj. Off. / Def. Rk 69 / 44 Projected wins 9.1 Five-Year S&P+ Rk 6.8 (40) 2- and 5-Year Recruiting Rk 112 / 107 2016 TO Margin / Adj. TO Margin* 8 / -1.7 2016 TO Luck/Game +3.7 Returning Production (Off. / Def.) 76% (80%, 72%) 2016 Second-order wins (difference) 9.4 (0.6)

I do worry about injury. App State had less of it than most teams last year, and a change could mean relying on freshmen at running back, offensive line, defensive tackle, or cornerback. It's hard to overcome that.

Of course, if anybody could, it would probably be the ridiculously steady Mountaineers. Satterfield has put together a unified squad that combines a high ceiling with a really high floor.

Perhaps best of all, App State misses both Arkansas State and Troy on the conference schedule. (Well, that's "best of all" for the Mountaineers, but not necessarily for football fans.) And none of their four conference road opponents projects better than 113th in S&P+. (I assume Idaho will be better than the projected 119th, but App State is still an obvious favorite there.)

That means, in theory, a really high win total. Say, 10 or 11. Just like last year and the year before.

Team preview stats

All preview data to date.

0 notes

junker-town · 7 years

Text

Appalachian State’s the kind of team nobody would want, if football had March Madness

The Mountaineers have a winning identity, an easy Sun Belt schedule, and a countdown until they knock off another Power 5 team.

One more reliable part: a mid-major with a record like 26-6 drawing a No. 12 seed or so, playing within itself, and outclassing a power conference team with more size and athleticism.

The prototypical 12-over-5 upset reminds us of the importance of knowing what you are and how you plan on winning games.

And then, poof. App State was App State again.

Power conference 5-seeds should be happy there isn't a 68-team college football tournament. The Mountaineers would take them down.

2016 in review

2016 Appalachian State statistical profile.

Still, App State finished with a 31-28 Camellia Bowl win over a strong Toledo, reaching 10 wins for the second straight year.

Offense

Run for decent yards on first down, avoid passing downs and negative plays, gash away with runs and short passes, win. That's been the recipe, and judging by the win total, it's worked.

Satterfield and co-coordinators Shawn Clark and Frank Ponce have a conservative system that meshes well with the conservative defense it complements.

Full advanced stats glossary.

That would put more on Lamb’s shoulders.

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Lamb

Defense

Aside from needing to make a few more stuffs against the run, the App State defense was incredibly well rounded.

That probably won't happen again. And depending on what units get hit, regression to the injury mean could have an impact.

Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images

Devan Stringer & A.J. Howard

Injuries elsewhere could cause problems, though. Clifton Duck was one of the best freshman corners in the country last year, but his dance partner, Mondo Williams, is gone, and only Tae Hayes and Brandon Pinckney bring experience to the table. At inside linebacker, two of the top three are gone, leaving Eric Boggs and less proven pieces.

Most worrisome, perhaps: Two of last year's top three tackles are gone. Junior Myquon Stout lives up to his name, but behind him will be either freshmen or converted ends.

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Clifton Duck

Special Teams

2017 outlook

2017 Schedule & Projection Factors

Of course, if anybody could, it would probably be the ridiculously steady Mountaineers. Satterfield has put together a unified squad that combines a high ceiling with a really high floor.

That means, in theory, a really high win total. Say, 10 or 11. Just like last year and the year before.

Team preview stats

All preview data to date.

0 notes