Boone, N.C. - The Elon football team proved it can win road games this past week, but the Phoenix will head into a big challenge Saturday at FBS opponent Appalachian State. The contest is set for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Kidd Brewer Stadium, where Appalachian State has won 103 of its last 122 games. The game can be watched on ESPN+, while Elon fans can listen to the broadcast nationwide via The Varsity Network app.

Appalachian State is 1-1 on the season, with a 33-19 victory over East Carolina in the season opener. The Mountaineers dropped a hard fought 25-23 contest to No. 22 Miami (Fla.) in week two.

Elon's last contest against an FBS opponent was a 49-7 loss at Wake Forest on Sept. 21, 2019. Outside of last year's COVID-19 season, Elon has played an FBS team every year since 2009 but is yet to pull off a victory. Appalachian State did lose to then-FCS Liberty 55-48 in overtime during the 2014 season but the Mountaineers have not stumbled since. Most recently, App State defeated Campbell 52-21 during the COVID-19 fall.
 

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FULL GAME NOTES

Media Central

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TONY TRISCIANI IN YEAR THREE LEADING THE PHOENIX
• On Dec. 17, 2018, Tony Trisciani was named the 23rd head football coach in Elon history. In the fall of 2021, he is in his third season at the helm.
• While it is his third season as head coach, he is in his sixth year overall with the Phoenix, serving as the defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018 before his elevation to the lead chair. In 2006, Trisciani coached the defensive backs and ran the special teams for Elon.

BUILDING STAFF CONSISTENCY
• While Tony Trisciani is in his third year leading the Elon football program, he is building consistency in the staff surrounding him.
• Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Drew Folmar begins his fifth consecutive season at Elon in the fall of 2021. Recruiting Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Clay Browning and Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers Coach Dillon Lucas also start their fifth seasons at Elon.
• Defensive Coordinator Billy Crocker, Offensive Line Coach Andy Marino and Defensive Line Coach Seth Payne have all been on Trisciani's staff throughout his head coaching tenure, beginning their third seasons. Wide Receivers Coach Chris Young and Special Teams Assistant Mike Nall are doing the same.
• The newest member of the coaching staff is former Elon All-American Warren Messer, who was hired just prior to the start of the season and will coach the cornerbacks.Tight Ends Coach Arketa Banks and Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Safeties Coach Dovonte Edwards were hired during the summer following the 2021 spring campaign. Banks is a 2003 Elon graduate.

THE WEEK GONE BY: ELON PICKS UP DRAMATIC VICTORY AT CAMPBELL
• Elon rallied from a 17-7 second half deficit to defeat Campbell 24-23 Saturday. The Phoenix made a defensive stand on a two-point conversion attempt with 71 seconds remaining to get the victory.
• Tre'Von Jones led a stout defensive effort with a team-best nine tackles to go with an interception and a fumble recovery. His two forced turnovers led directly to the last 10 Elon points.
• Davis Cheek was 22-of-37 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He did not throw an interception in the contest.
• Elon outgained an opponent for the second straight week, holding a 382-282 advantage. The difference was even more stark in the first half with the Phoenix leading 220-59 in the first 30 minutes but trailing 10-7 at the break.

REVISITING 2020 (OR SPRING 2021)
• Elon went 1-5 during a unique spring 2021 season that was pushed back from the fall due to COVID-19.
• The Phoenix opened the year with a 26-23 victory over Davidson before losing to Gardner-Webb 42-20.
• In week three, Elon had then-No. 1 James Madison on the ropes, leading 17-3 at the half. But injuries began to pile up in the 20-17 James Madison comeback and the Phoenix were never able to recover.
• As an example, preseason starting quarterback Davis Cheek never took a snap and injuries forced coach Tony Trisciani to use three more QBs throughout the year, each of whom got two starts.

RESILIENCY
• In each of the first two games of the season, Elon has battled back from a double-digit deficit to take a lead.
• In the season opener, Elon trailed 21-10 late in the second quarter and 21-13 at the break. The Phoenix eventually took a 22-21 lead before losing to Wofford 24-22.
• In week two, Elon was behind 10-7 at the half and 17-7 in the third quarter. The Phoenix, though, scored 17 straight and held on for the 24-23 victory over Campbell.

WINNING ON THE STAT SHEET
• While the final score is all that matters (and shows Elon at 1-1 on the season), winning on the stat sheet can project to future success.
• In each of the first two weeks, Elon has gained more yards of offense than its opponent, held the time of possession advantage, and won the turnover battle. Winning those three stats will put any team in an excellent position to earn a victory.

CHEEK RETURNS FOR BIG GAME
• After missing the 2020 season (spring of 2021), senior quarterback Davis Cheek returned to the starting lineup for the 2021 season.
• Cheek recorded his fourth career 300-yard passing game with 312 yards in the season opener against Wofford. It was the first time he surpassed 300 yards since his freshman season in 2017. His 29 completions and 51 attempts were career highs.
• In week two, Cheek again compiled big numbers, going 22-of-37 for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
• Cheek now has 31 career starts, helped the Phoenix to FCS Playoff appearances in 2017 and 2018, and entered 2021 ranked 10th among returning FCS quarterbacks with 5,624 career passing yards.
• Following the effort against Campbell, Cheek has 6,205 career passing yards, needing 445 more to pass Thomas Wilson (2009-12) for second most in program history. He is also third in career touchdown passes (38), fourth in career passing attempts (840) and fourth in career completions (499). Cheek's 59.4 career completion percentage ranks third as well, as does his 132.3 career passing efficiency.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN, WIN, WIN
• Since stepping foot on campus in time for the 2017 season, quarterback Davis Cheek has made a huge impact on the Elon program.
• Elon went 2-9 in 2016 and immediately turned things around with an 8-4 season in 2017 that included a trip to the FCS Playoffs. Cheek started all 12 games during that freshman campaign.
• Starting with that 2017 season, Elon is 18-13 when Cheek is in the starting lineup but just 3-8 when he is not.

CHEEK EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
• Davis Cheek was named one of 26 quarterbacks in the country, at all levels, to begin the year on the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl preseason Big Board. He is one of just three non-FBS quarterbacks to join the elite group.
• Cheek is also a nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy, given annually to one football player that combines academics, community service and on-field performance.

YOU WANT OFFENSE? YOU GOT IT
• In the season opener against Wofford, Elon posted 426 yards of offense, the most in a single game since 2019.
• The last time Elon posted a higher total offense came in a 42-7 win over Delaware in 2019 as the Phoenix posted 435 yards of offense.
• The 426 yards is the best offensive output for Elon in a season opener since a 56-0 win over Davidson to kick off the 2009 campaign.
• Elon has posted at least 382 yards of offense in back-to-back games since doing so The Citadel and Richmond during the 2019 season.

PLAYIN' JAYLAN
• Junior running back Jaylan Thomas is working his way into Elon's record books and has been a workhorse for the Phoenix in 2021.
• Thomas ranks sixth in Elon's FCS history with 1,594 career rushing yards, needing 319 more to pass De'Sean McNair (2016-19) to break into the top five. He is also eighth in career carries with 336.
• Thomas also has a penchant for finding paydirt, posting nine career rushing touchdowns. He needs just one more to move into the top ten in the school's FCS history.
• In the win over Campbell, Thomas had a team-high 19 carries and added four receptions, just one shy of his career-high. Combined he had 93 yards on those 23 touches.

FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
• Elon average 4.1 yards per carry in the season opener against Wofford, going over the 4.0 yard average for the first time since the team's 26-23 win over Davidson in the 2021 spring opener.
• Elon averaged 6.9 yards per carry in that win a season ago (222 yards on 32 carries) and the squad has only won three times since 2018 when averaging less than 4.0 yards per rush.
• In total, Elon averaged 4.0 yards per carry or better in 11 of the team's last 14 wins.

NO WEEKS OFF
• Senior Kortez Weeks played in just three of Elon's six spring games but he has been impactful since being named third team All-CAA as a freshman in 2017.
• In the season opener, Weeks was targeted six times, catching all six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. He was also tied for the team lead with 29 yards after the catch. Against Campbell, he had four catches for 53 yards.
• Weeks led the Phoenix with 60 catches for 709 yards as a freshman in 2017 and followed that up with 36 catches for 484 yards in 2018.
• In 2019, he again led the team with 43 receptions, totalling 412 yards. He had eight more catches in limited action in the spring.
• With 1,792 career receiving yards, Weeks has moved into seventh in school history, needing 33 yards to pass Sean Jeffcoat (2007-10) for sixth.
• Weeks' eight career receiving touchdowns ranks tied for eighth in Elon's FCS history as well.

THE PASS-CATCHING TRIO
• As noted above, senior Kortez Weeks is off to a strong start. But his fellow starting wide receivers were productive as well.
• Chandler Brayboy has a team-high 12 catches for 150 yards, while Jackson Parham has 11 receptions and a team-best 168 yards receiving.
• Only four teams had three different players catch at least 10 passes this year -- Elon, Portland State, Sacramento State and Monmouth.

HE'S GOT A KNACK FOR THE BALL
• Redshirt freshman Omar Rogers is quickly making a name for himself as someone to know in the defensive backfield. He had two interceptions in the season opener against Wofford
• In just eight career games, Rogers already has four interceptions, picking off two during the 2021 spring season (a year which did not count eligibility-wise, leaving Rogers as a redshirt freshman).
• Not only did Rogers pick off two passes against Wofford, but he also had 34 return yards, all on the second interception
• With Elon trailing 21-13, he picked off the Wofford quarterback at the Elon 49 and returned it to the red zone at the Wofford 17, setting up a Phoenix field goal.

TURNING THEM OVER
• Elon continues to be one of the best teams in the country in forcing turnovers, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
• In the first two weeks of the season, Elon has generated five turnovers and holds a +3 turnover margin, 15th nationally.
• In 2019, Crocker's defense forced 21 turnovers and Elon was a CAA best +9 during the regular season.
• In 2020 (spring 2021), the defense again caused havoc, ranking in the top 10 nationally in fumbles recovered (7) and top 30 in total turnovers forced (11).
• Since Crocker began at Elon (the 2019-21 seasons together), the Phoenix are tied for third in the CAA in turnover margin (+13, tied with Villanova and trailing only Delaware at +15 and James Madison at +16), and are third in turnovers forced (37, behind only James Madison at 44 and Delaware at 38).

THE 'SKY'LER IS THE LIMIT
• Junior kicker Skyler Davis has been one of the most consistent and reliable kickers in FCS football since starting his career at Elon in 2018.
• In the season opener, Davis made three field goals -- from distances of 39, 41 and 23 yards. He added a season-long 47-yarder against Campbell.
• Davis has made 38-of-52 field goals attempts in his career, connecting on his last 13 attempts inside of 40 yards (as well as 17 of his last 18) dating back to the William & Mary game on Nov. 2, 2019.
• In 2021, Davis is 4-of-6 on field goals and his only two misses were both blocked. He is also a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points in 2021 and 78-of-79 during his career.
• With 192 career points scored, Davis ranks sixth in Elon's FCS history in scoring.

YURK FILLING BIG SHOES
• True freshman Jeff Yurk is trying to replace one of the top punters in program history in Hunter Stephenson. Stephenson ranked second in program history with a 40.9 career punting average.
• In six punts against Wofford, Yurk made the most of his debut with a 42.2 yard per punt average.
• In week two, Yurk's day was not quite as smooth (as one punt was blocked), but he nailed a 49-yarder late in the third quarter that was downed at the one yard line. He also had a clutch 40-yard punt late in the fourth that pinned Campbell with poor field position.

FIRST TIME STARTERS
• With 20 starters returning from the spring campaign, it was a virtual certainty that most of Elon's starting 22 would be veterans. However, three players have cracked the starting lineup for the first time in their careers.
• Freshman Nick Veloz earned his first career start in the season opener and also started in week two.
• Against Campbell, Elon opened in a two-running back set and freshman Malik Griffin picked up his first career start because of it.
• On the defensive line, freshman Josh Johnson picked up the first start of his young career as well.
• All three first-time starters are second-year freshmen, having played in the 2021 spring campaign without using a year of eligibility.

RESTING THE DEFENSE
• Elon has played complementary football through the first two weeks of the season, allowing the Phoenix defense to stay fresh throughout the game.
• Elon won the time of possession battle in both contests, holding onto the football for 30:42 against Wofford and 32:09 against Campbell.
• In week one, Elon ran 17 more plays than Wofford, 79-62. In week two, the Phoenix ran 14 more plays than Campbell, 76-62.
• Elon held the time of possession advantage just one time in the abbreviated six-game spring campaign.

TO BE THE BEST, YOU'VE GOT TO BEAT THE BEST
• Elon's schedule is littered with teams recognized in the Stats Perform top 25 poll.
• No. 21 Richmond is the first ranked team on the Phoenix schedule as Elon will head on the road to face the Spiders Oct. 2. New Hampshire, at No. 23, will be in Rhodes Stadium Oct. 23, just a week before Elon plays at No. 3 James Madison.
• No. 11 Villanova visits Rhodes Stadium for Homecoming on Nov. 6 and Elon finishes the season by hosting Rhode Island, a team earning votes, for Senior Day.

VERSATILE ATTACK
• Elon is the only team in FCS that returned a player in 2021 with 5,000 career passing yards, a player with 1,600 career receiving yards, and a player with 1,400 career rushing yards.
• Quarterback Davis Cheek entered the season with 5,624 career passing yards, wide receiver Kortez Weeks has 1,671 career receiving yards, and running back Jaylan Thomas has 1,483 career rushing yards.

BACK TO ONE DIVISION
• CAA Football returns to a one divisional lineup for the fall 2021 season.
• Due to COVID-19, the CAA had split the league into two divisions for the 2020 (spring 2021) season. Elon played in the four-team South Division in the spring, along with James Madison, Richmond, and William & Mary.

HOME COOKING
• Although Elon plays two road games in the month of September, the Phoenix will not leave the state of North Carolina until October.
• Elon's September road trips are Campbell (Buies Creek, N.C.) and Appalachian State (Boone, N.C.).
• The first time Elon will venture outside of the state will be when the Phoenix play at Richmond (Richmond, Va.) on Oct. 2. Elon will then follow that up with the longest road trip of the season, playing at Maine (Orono, Maine) on Oct. 9. Games at James Madison (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Towson (Towson, Md.) will conclude the regular season road slate.

LEADING THE CHARGE
• Head coach Tony Trisciani announced that senior quarterback Davis Cheek, senior defensive lineman Tristen Cox, junior linebacker Devonte Chandler and graduate tight end Donovan Williams have been named captains for the Phoenix.
• The team captains are identical to the spring 2021 campaign.

GETTING THAT DEGREE
• Nine current players on the Elon football team already have their degrees.
• Joey Baughman, Davis Cheek, Tristen Cox, Skyler Davis, Jalen Greene, Michael Purcell, Kortez Weeks, Donovan Williams, and Torrence Williams are all Elon graduates.

IN THE NFL
• Elon alumnus Olisaemeka (Oli) Udoh has made the roster of the Minnesota Vikings after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
• Udoh is currently listed as the starter at right guard for the Vikings and played extensively in week one for Minnesota.

THREE NAMED PRESEASON ALL-CAA
• Sophomore Tre'Von Jones was named to the 2021 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team as a punt returner, while senior quarterback Davis Cheek and junior defensive back Cole Coleman earned honorable mention honors.
• Jones averaged 7.3 yards per punt return and 18.3 yards per kick return during the spring, following a 2019 season that saw him named a Phil Steele Freshman All-American.
• Cheek missed the entire 2021 spring season but has started 29 games at quarterback for the Phoenix and was the CAA Football Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017.
• Coleman only played in two games in the spring but was CAA Defensive Player of the Week after earning 17 tackles against Davidson. He has 175 career tackles and 5.5 for loss.