BOONE, N.C. — South Alabama travels to Boone on Saturday to face Appalachian State at Kidd Brewer Stadium, the Jaguars’ first trip to the mountain venue known as “The Rock.” Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. CDT, and the game will be streamed on ESPN3.
The Sun Belt Conference matchup puts the Jaguars, coached by Joey Jones, in one of the highest-elevation stadiums in college football. Kidd Brewer Stadium sits 3,280 feet above sea level on the Appalachian State campus.
From Conrad Stadium to The Rock
The stadium opened Sept. 15, 1962, as Conrad Stadium, named for former university trustee and R.J. Reynolds executive William J. Conrad. It held 10,000 permanent seats through 1978. In 1970 it became the first stadium in the Carolinas to install artificial turf, with the first game on AstroTurf played against Elon on Oct. 3, 1970.
An expansion after the 1978 season added 8,000 seats. A year later the stadium hosted the second college football game ever televised by ESPN, when Appalachian State played Western Carolina for the Old Mountain Jug. A 1995 renovation of the original seating reduced capacity from 18,000 to 16,650.
On Sept. 3, 1998, the stadium was renamed for Kidd Brewer, who coached Appalachian State from 1935 to 1938 and went 30-5-3. His 1937 team went unbeaten and did not allow a point in the regular season.
Recent Upgrades
The AppVision video board went up in 1999 and was enlarged in 2001. In 2003 the school installed FieldTurf, which remains the playing surface. After the 2006 season the press box was replaced by a 100,000-square-foot complex housing strength and conditioning, athletic training, locker rooms, academic space and offices for all 20 Appalachian State varsity sports. The west side added 18 luxury suites, 500 club seats and premium seating areas.
An additional 4,400 seats on the east side in 2008 raised capacity to 21,650 including premium seating. Another 1,500 seats were added in 2011, and an expanded temporary section in 2012 brought the stadium to its current capacity of 24,050. The stadium also serves the Mountaineers’ field hockey and track and field teams.
Home-Field History
Appalachian State won FCS national championships from 2005 through 2007. From 2003 until a loss to Georgia Southern on Oct. 20, 2007, the Mountaineers won 30 straight home games, then the longest such streak in Division I. Their previous home loss had come against Maine on Nov. 20, 2002.
The largest crowd in stadium history, 31,531, watched Appalachian State beat Elon 34-31 on Oct. 9, 2010.
Update: Matchup Breakdown
South Alabama enters the game after a win over Idaho in which the offense produced 13 first-half points and the defense added a touchdown on an interception return. Before that game, the Jaguars had scored nine points in their previous two games and 16 points over 10 quarters. Against Idaho, the Jaguars committed two turnovers on consecutive possessions in the second half: an interception at the USA 30-yard line that Idaho turned into a touchdown, and a fumble at the USA 44 that ended in a missed Idaho field goal attempt after a penalty and a sack.
Quarterback Brandon Bridge completed 60 percent of his passes against Idaho, up from 52 percent for the season. Shavarez Smith caught six passes for 44 yards, and tight end Wes Saxton had three receptions for 18 yards. Running back Jay Jones rushed 17 times for 105 yards, his second 100-yard game of the season; South Alabama won both. The Jaguars held Idaho to 30 rushing yards.
Appalachian State, in its first season in the Sun Belt Conference after moving up from the FCS along with Georgia Southern, is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in league play. The Mountaineers lost at Michigan, won their second game, lost at Southern Miss on a blocked extra point and fell to Georgia Southern in a Thursday night game. Against Georgia Southern, quarterback Tyler Lamb completed 23 of 42 passes for 256 yards with two interceptions; he has four interceptions and three touchdown passes this season. Kameron Bryant is 18 of 36 for 207 yards this season. Running back Marcus Cox has 319 yards and five touchdowns on 63 carries, and wide receiver Simms McElfresh leads the team with 24 catches for 238 yards and four touchdowns.
Season Statistics (Sun Belt rank)
- Scoring offense: South Alabama 16.5 (10th); Appalachian State 28.5 (4th)
- Total offense: South Alabama 354.2 (9th); Appalachian State 400.8 (4th)
- Rushing offense: South Alabama 155.8 (7th); Appalachian State 177.8 (3rd)
- Passing offense: South Alabama 198.5 (10th); Appalachian State 232.0 (7th)
- Third-down conversions: South Alabama 22 of 60 (9th); Appalachian State 27 of 62 (4th)
- Scoring defense: South Alabama 21.5 (2nd); Appalachian State 26.8 (5th)
- Total defense: both teams 370.0 (tied for 2nd)
- Passing defense: South Alabama 179.2 (4th); Appalachian State 151.2 (2nd)
- Opponent third-down conversions: South Alabama 25 of 61 (7th); Appalachian State 15 of 47 (1st)
- Sacks: South Alabama 11 (4th); Appalachian State 5 (tied for 9th)
- Field goals: South Alabama 3 of 4 (5th); Appalachian State 1 of 4 (11th)
- Penalty yards per game: South Alabama 39.2 (5th); Appalachian State 68.5 (9th)
- Turnover margin: South Alabama minus-1 (7th); Appalachian State plus-2 (tied for 2nd)
