Level talks commitment

Appalachian State's defense finished at the top of the Sun Belt Conference in 2014 and it's a position the Mountaineers hope to remain in going forward. On Monday, the coaching staff made a step toward solidifying the future of Appalachian's defense with a commitment from Greensboro, North Carolina standout Jeremy Level.

Level, a 6-foot-2, 193-pound prospect has known for quite some time that he wanted to become a Mountaineer, but waited until this week to make the move.

"I told Coach (Mark) Ivey and he was pretty excited," Level said of his announcement to commit. "App had always been near the top of my list when I received the offer. I started leaning toward them in the beginning of July then knew I wanted to commit in early July."

The reason?

The coaching staff and the trust built between the two parties.

"The coaches," he said matter of factly when asked what led him to choose Appalachian State. "I felt that I could trust them and that they were honest people. I think they could help me improve as a person and as an athlete.

"I truly believe that they are going to help continue the winning tradition at App State."

The Mountaineer staff foresees Level playing at free safety when he arrives in Boone due to his versatility and athleticism.

"They see me as a true free safety that can roam the secondary and can play a lot of zone coverage and can help provide support to stop the run."

Appalachian's defense went from struggling at times in the early portion of the 2014 season to finishing the campaign as a dominant unit.

Defensive coordinator Nate Woody and his staff simplified their scheme as the season progressed and it paid dividends. The squad began playing together and stopped being bogged down so much by the intricacies of the system.

The unity that developed from that is what impresses Level the most.

"It's really the unity of the defense," he said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the scheme but I can tell that the type of people App recruits are people that play together.

"There isn't an "I" or a cocky player who just thinks about himself. Everybody is on the same page and trusts each other. Trust is one of the most important keys to a great defense along with having athletes, discipline, communication and being able to execute."

Level fits right into that mentality and believes he can help build upon the unity that already exists within the locker room and on the field.