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Leadership, leadership, leadership
Let me first start with a piece of advice for the head football coaches in the Sun Belt : Do not let the boyish looks and down home charm of Appalachian State Head Coach Scott Satterfield lull you into believing that he is not a fierce and talented competitor . On the contrary, the new found hope being felt by Appalachian State football fans around the country can in large part be credited to the 3rd year head coach in charge of the Mountaineer program. Coach Scott Satterfield is an intense competitor who does what all good football coaches do, he gets the most out of his players and has installed a winning attitude among those players and those directly associated with the program. The former Appalachian State QB was a home run hire for the App State program. A hire that College football fans are just now getting to know.
Scott Satterfield takes charge of the Appalachian State Program
In December of 2012, Appalachian State Athletic Director Charlie Cobb approached the microphone at the Don and Pat Phillips Club House to announce that Appalachian State had found their new Head Coach. After 24 years the face of the App State program, Coach Jerry Moore was gone. Coach Moore, who had led the school to three National Championships and with those championships national prominence, had been let go after the 2012 season. AD Cobb found himself in front of reporters, boosters, administrators and fans to announce that the former App State QB and current App State Offensive Coordinator, Scott Satterfield, had been hired as Moore's replacement.
In introducing Scott Satterfield as the new coach, App State Athletic Director Charlie Cobb described Satterfield as a winner and as a "developed leader". When it was Satterfield's turn to speak he made it clear that he was at Appalachian State to win Championships. In fact he made it a point to remind the Mountaineer faithful that he expects to win because as he noted, "they always have been, they always will be(winners)". App State fans listened to Scott Satterfield's words with great interest. After all Satterfield had become a familiar fixture around App State football spending time in Boone as both a successful QB and then later as an assistant Coach. A fixture that grew up soaking in the vibe that is Appalachian State football. A vibe nurtured by the winning style of former head coach Jerry Moore and a fan base that has come to expect an exceptional product on the gridiron. In fact, Scott Satterfield,a native of North Carolina, had essentially grown up in this atmosphere of great expectations and great pressure to win.
For some people this type of pressure stymies productivity and growth. For others it creates a deeper desire to win and compete. We are betting that Scott Satterfield falls into the latter of these categories, that a review of his playing history and coaching reveals someone who flourishes in the tension of competition, something App State fans should be glad to hear.
REGAINING THE SWAGGER
College programs that consistently win have a swagger about them that is hard to miss. The swagger permeates the fan base, the players and even the administration. It's a force that is hard to quantify cognitively, but when you are around it you simply know what it is. App State fans have been no stranger to this feeling throughout the very successful FCS history of their program. Over the course of several seasons however, this potent and almost euphoric emotion has been all but non existent.
There is good news for App Fans though, as 3rd year head coach Scott Satterfield looks to have the necessary ingredients to recapture much of the lost Mountaineer swagger. Ingredients that point to Satterfield as a coach who knows how to win and compete at the collegiate level. More importantly however, is that Satterfield has proven that he knows how to win as a Mountaineer. In fact he did both as a player( 1995 Qb leading App State to a 12-1 record) and as a coach( 2005-2009 QB coach credited with helping to lead the team to winning records during these years) Coach Satterfield also has a successful track record away from App State as his two years as OC at FIU were very fruitful ones helping to lead the Panthers to back to back bowl games.
Want to know, however, what I like best about Coach Satterfield? Here it goes: he has winning in his DNA. Look at his time as a player and as a coach and you will see someone who wins wherever he goes. App State fans were treated to a prime example of Satterfield's winning moxie last year when, after a disastrous start of the season( including a disappointing lose to FCS opponent Liberty),he rallied the team to finish the year on a 6 game win streak( this came after losing 5 of the first 6 games ).Mid year turn arounds of this nature are rare in sports and require strong leadership from everyone, especially the Head Coach. Satterfield treated the App State fans last year to the rarest of all of types of leadership, the type that gets players to believe in themselves.
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FINALLY
After a few disappointing seasons App State looks to be back on track. With 20 returning starters, a returning QB(Taylor Lamb) with some experience under his belt, a very good offensive line and some talent at the RB position( Junior Marcus Cox had 19 TD's last year) Appalachian State looks to be a force in the Sun Belt this year. In fact I have them as a top 3 team in the Sun Belt and my pick as a dark horse Sun Belt Champion.
Look for Appalachian State to put the rest of the Sun Belt on notice this season that they are ready to compete for Championships again. Led by a young and gifted head coach in Scott Satterfield, a squad with very good returning talent , and a favorable home schedule and you have a dangerous challenger in the Sun Belt this year. If App State can stay healthy and take advantage of playing their toughest competition on their home turf( Ga Southern, ULL and Ark State all play in Boone this year), do not be surprised to see them capture the Sun Belt Championship this season. Stay tuned.
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