From Appalachian State Athletics:
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University football quarterback Taylor Lamb (Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun) was named to his third preseason award watch list on Monday, as he landed on the 2016 Manning Award Watch Poll.
The junior signal caller is of 30 quarterbacks and one of two from the Sun Belt (Brandon Silvers; Troy) to be named to the list. Lamb also joins the two quarterbacks the Mountaineers will see this season in Joshua Dobbs of Tennessee and Miami’s Brad Kaaya.
Lamb came off one of the best seasons at quarterback in Appalachian history, where he set a single-season record with 31 touchdown passes, surpassing Appalachian State and SoCon Hall of Famer Armanti Edwards’ 30 touchdown tosses in 2008. Lamb ranked ninth in the nation and first in the Sun Belt in touchdown passes, while his 31 touchdowns and nine-interception season equaled an impressive 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
His 2015 performance led to an honorable-mention all-Sun Belt award. Lamb’s impressive 160.7 passing efficiency was the 10th highest in the nation. Lamb tossed at least one touchdown in every game last season while throwing at least three touchdown passes in six contests. Lamb’s 2,387 passing yards was third most among Sun Belt quarterbacks, and his performance ranked 10th in App State history for a single season. His 2,823 yards of total offense ranked fourth in the Sun Belt.
He completed at least 60 percent of his passes in eight of 12 contests while registering a mark 70 percent or higher in four of those contests. He also tossed at least one touchdown in every game last season while throwing at least three touchdown passes in six contests.
Lamb is the lone student-athlete to be named to three preseason watch lists, with Marcus Cox ( Maxwell, Doak Walker) being named to two presseason watch lists. Lamb (Manning, CFPA, Davey O’Brien), Darian Small (Wuerffel), Barrett Burns (John Mackey) and Parker Collins (Outland) all have received preseason recognition.
The Mountaineers are currently in the midst of fall camp in preparation for the 2016 season. Appalachian will open up the season with a daunting task at No. 10 Tennessee on Thursday, Sept. 1 in Knoxville.
