Boise State’s foe airs it out with QB who has ‘NFL arm.’ Is App State trouble?

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson has a good idea what the Appalachian State football team will be thinking as it travels from Boone, North Carolina, to Idaho this week:

“We’re going to feast.”

That might sound funny, considering the Mountaineers are an underdog of more than two touchdowns. But App State (2-1) so far has done two things very well that potentially could cause trouble for the Broncos (2-1): throw the ball and defend the run.

“We have to go line up and play against one of the best passing offenses, and honestly, total yard size, one of the best offenses in the nation,” Danielson said this week.

Through three games, App State’s offense ranks 13th in the nation for yards per game (519.7) and third in the country for passing yards (357.7). Granted, those big numbers have come against some lesser opposition, including a pretty pedestrian 20-13 win over FCS team Lindenwood.

But the Boise State defense ranks 85th in the country for passing yards allowed per game (225.7) and has been victimized by big plays, so Danielson is ready for the matchup at Albertsons Stadium to be anything but a walk in the park.

“They’re going to have everything for us to defend,” Danielson said. “We’ve got to be ready for that. We got to play really, really hard.”

Here’s what to know about App State ahead of Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. kickoff.

‘An NFL arm’ at quarterback for App State

If you’re wondering where the Sun Belt Conference squad’s attacking prowess comes from, look no further than redshirt junior quarterback AJ Swann. Swann has thrown for 879 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions through three games — not exactly elite numbers.

But he poses a significant threat with his arm strength against a secondary that has struggled to defend the deep ball.

“He’s got an NFL arm,” Danielson said. “He’s got a big-time arm, and he puts that on film. … He’s one of those guys that he can make the throw from the far hash, wherever he’s got to get it to.”

Swann formerly suited up for Vanderbilt and LSU, and he primarily throws to wide receivers Jaden Barnes and Dalton Stroman, who have combined for 632 of the Mountaineers’ 1,073 receiving yards. App State also gets tight end Izayah Cummings involved in the passing game; the 6-foot-4 redshirt senior has the second-most receptions (16) on the team.

In a 34-22 loss to Southern Miss, the Mountaineers’ most recent game before a bye week, Barnes had 10 catches for 132 yards, with a long of 42; Stroman had four catches for 65 yards, with a long of 27; and Cummings had seven catches for 82 yards, with a long of 30.

A stout run defense to challenge Boise State The Broncos’ running back room is flying high after sophomore Dylan Riley’s five-touchdown performance against Air Force last week. Riley ran the ball for 171 yards and also had a 75-yard TD on a swing pass, and RBs Malik Sherrod and Sire Gaines combined for 114 rushing yards.

But the trio might find the going tougher against App State, whose run defense ranks 8th in the nation — allowing just 61.7 yards per game. The Mountaineers held Charlotte to 76 yards and Southern Miss to 110, and smothered Lindenwood to a staggering minus-1 yards.

“I really like their front seven; their D line is disruptive,” Danielson said. “They are getting off the rock. I think their linebackers fit really well. They’re very sound, and they do a good job disguising looks and pass coverage, too. But their front seven is disruptive.”

That front seven is led by linebacker Colton Phares, a 225-pound redshirt sophomore who has 21 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. Defensive end Thomas Davis has 13 tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks.

App State defensive coordinator D.J. Smith is a former NFL linebacker and linebackers coach. Boise State offensive coordinator Nate Potter said you can see Smith’s influence on the team’s linebackers.

“It’s another great defense coming in,” Potter said. “I feel like every week we’re kind of seeing a similar style of defense and the same mentality. So it’s going to be a good challenge.”

Boise State vs. App State

When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Albertsons Stadium (33,000, turf)

TV: FS1

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State 2-1; App State 2-1

Series: Boise State leads 1-0

Vegas betting line: Boise State by 16.5

Weather: 85 degrees, sunny, 0% chance of rain