It seems as though the college football season just closed up shop and we got caught up in the buzz of signing day. There is no rest for the college football junkies. It’s on to the next focus now.
The groundhog may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but spring is in the air for some college football programs around the country. Appalachian State opened spring practices on Saturday in 50-degree weather and a load of returning starters ready to get to work.
Appalachian State, the former FCS powerhouse, will begin its second season in the FBS as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. Appalachian State has 90 players in spring practice with only four sitting out due to injuries. Coming off its inaugural season in the Sun Belt Conference, Appalachian State is hopeful the returning experience on the roster, including 10 returning starters on both sides of the football, the program will take the next step as a FBS program.Watching a real college football practice. 60 degrees in February. #appstate pic.twitter.com/cNzs2cq1Fo
— TK/T-Dog/Thomas (@tdogappst) February 8, 2015
Last season saw fellow FBS and Sun Belt rookie Georgia Southern run through the conference and capture the conference championship. The Eagles, however, were ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA rules prohibiting a program from playing in the postseason in its first season after moving up from the FCS. Appalachian State also would have been in position to apply for a waiver to play in a bowl game if not for the same rule, although Appalachian State’s case would not have been as strong as Georgia Southern’s.
Appalachian State is not the only college football program already going through spring practices. Duke opened their spring practice schedule on Friday. Colorado will get underway this coming Friday as well. Vanderbilt opens spring practices on February 16.