NFL Draft News & Analysis

Camellia Bowl grades: Run game powers Appalachian State's win

Appalachian State Mountaineers 31, Toledo Rockets 28

Here are the top-graded players and biggest takeaways from Appalachian State’s 31-28 win over Toledo in the Camellia Bowl:

Appalachian State Mountaineers

Quarterback grade: Taylor Lamb, 78.8

Lamb leads Mountaineers in rushing, but struggles under pressure

Appalachian State QB Taylor Lamb put up modest passing numbers, as the Mountaineers relied on their consistent running game to produce yards. Lamb was completely ineffective under pressure, finishing just 1-of-10 for 11 yards. The majority of Appalachian State’s passing yardage came from underneath passes, as Lamb was 0-for-4 on passes thrown 20-plus yards. Lamb did most of his damage with his legs, leading the team with 131 rushing yards and a touchdown on just seven designed runs.

Top offensive grades:

QB Taylor Lamb, 78.8

C Parker Collins, 78.3

LT Victor Johnson, 71.9

LG Jamie Collmar, 70.7

WR Zy Letman, 64.2

Appalachian State runs for 286 yards to beat Toledo

The Mountaineers offense relied on RB Marcus Cox (21 rushes for 124 yards and a touchdown) and QB Taylor Lamb, running all over Toledo for 286 total rushing yards. Cox had a 26-yard run on the final drive, and Lamb followed up with a 10-yard run to put the team in position for the game-winning field goal. Center Parker Collins led the team with a 79.9 run-blocking grade.

Top defensive grades:

LB John Law, 86.2

DE Caleb Fuller, 81.1

NT Myquon Stout, 78.7

DE Antonious Sims, 74.7

LB Devan Stringer, 50.5

Mountaineers’ defense survives despite poor tackling

Appalachian State’s defense totaled 15 missed tackles, as they struggled to contain Toledo RB Kareem Hunt. LB John Law had an excellent individual performance, with nine defensive stops and a team-leading 87.4 run-defense grade. DL Myquon Stout and Caleb Fuller also stood out for their strong work against the run, and Fuller added four QB hurries on his 21 pass rushes. CB Mondo Williams had a tough game, allowing five catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns on six targets.

Toledo Rockets

Quarterback grade: Logan Woodside, 80.7

Woodside excels in final college start 

Toledo QB Logan Woodside had earned below-average grades in each of his previous three starts, but finished his college career with an excellent performance. Woodside beat the Mountaineers in the deep part of the field, finishing 3-of-5 for 141 yards on passes thrown 20+ yards. WR Cody Thompson was Woodside’s best receiving threat in the game, finishing with five catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Top offensive grades:

RG Mike Ebert, 82.3

QB Logan Woodside 80.7

WR Cody Thompson, 79.1

LT Storm Norton, 73.8

RB Kareem Hunt, 73.8

Rockets’ late rally falls short

Toledo RB Kareem Hunt was at his best when it counted the most, with consecutive runs of 17, 11 and 13 yards at the end of the fourth quarter to put the Rockets in position for a game-tying field goal. K Jameson Vest missed the 30-yard attempt, however, giving Appalachian State the win. Hunt finished the game with 22 rushes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, breaking seven tackles along the way. RG Mike Ebert earned a game-best 85.6 run-blocking grade.

Top defensive grades:

CB Ka’dar Hollman, 86.9

DT Marquise Moore, 82.4

S DeJuan Rogers, 80.7

LB Tyler Taafe, 80.5

LB Ja’Waun Woodley, 80.3

Toledo unable to stop the run despite some standout performances

The Rockets defense actually earned above-average grades in run defense, pass-rushing and coverage as a team, despite the yardage allowed on the ground. Toledo completely bottled up Appalachian State RB Jalin Moore, limiting him to just 35 yards on his 16 carries. LB Tyler Taafe led the team with seven defensive stops and an 84.2 run-defense grade, and OLB Olasunkanmi Adeniyi added a sack, two hits and three hurries. CB Kadar Hollman was targeted three times without allowing a catch, and also earned an above-average grade against the run.

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