The countdown rolls on with eight Saturdays until Hall of Fame Day against ETSU at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Less than two months are left before the Eliah Drinkwitz era officially gets underway, but before we get there let’s take a look back at one of the best wideouts to don the black and gold.

No. 8 Brian Quick, WR

Quick differs from the past two players in the countdown (AJ Howard, DJ Smith) in that the wideout was just getting adjusted to the game of football when he committed to Appalachian State. A Columbia, SC, native, Quick was known as a standout prep basketball player and only played football his senior year of high school. However, it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-5 receiver to make an impact.

Upon enrolling at App State in 2007, Quick was a part of the memorable Michigan victory despite not recording any receiving stats. Quick only appeared in two games due to a back injury and received a medical redshirt.

After a slow start to his redshirt freshman year, Quick had a coming out party in front of a national audience in App’s 70-24 triumph over third ranked Wofford on ESPN2. He hauled in four catches for 172 yards including touchdowns from 31, 50, and 58 yards on his way to earning SoCon Freshman of the Week. Quick went on to catch a freshman record seven touchdowns and 496 yards on the season.

As a sophomore, Quick established himself in the upper echelon of college receivers. He caught 61 passes for a team leading 982 yards and caught at least one pass in all 14 games. His dominance against Wofford continued as he hauled in 8 catches for a career high 181 yards in a come from behind victory over the Terriers.

The star receiver followed up a strong sophomore campaign with an even more impressive junior season. He turned in his best performance of the year in the home opener against Jacksonville in which he caught six passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. As a result, he was named National Wide Receiver of the Week by College Football Performance Awards and SoCon Offensive Player of the Week. Quick would also continue to dominate Wofford with five catches, 73 yards, and two touchdowns in a convincing 43-13 Southern Conference title clinching victory.

On the season Quick recorded 47 receptions, 844 yards, and 9 touchdowns. He was awarded first-team All-America honors from College Sporting News, second-team from Phil Steele Publications, and second-team All-Southern Conference by the league’s coaches and media.

As if his first three seasons weren’t enough, Quick would etch his name in the Appalachian State record books with a prolific senior year. The big bodied receiver earned All-American honors once again while solidifying himself as one of the top receivers in the FCS and one of the best at the position at any level. He had a historical senior season with 71 receptions, 1,096 yards, and 11 touchdowns. For his performance Quick was the recipient of the 2011 NCAA FCS Subdivision Elite Wide Receiver Award.

The wideout became the most prolific receiver in program history and he finished his career with school records in receptions (202), receiving yards (3,418) and touchdowns (31).

Following a record setting college career, Quick continued to set school records even after his playing time was over. Quick rose up NFL team’s draft boards after he dominated the competition his senior season and was selected 33rd overall in the 2012 NFL Draft by the St Louis Rams. In doing so he became the 20th Mountaineer to be drafted and the highest draft pick in school history. The record was previously held by Dino Hackett who was selected 35th overall in 1986.

Quick played the first five years of his professional career with the Rams and caught 10 touchdowns. In 2017, he signed with the Washington Redskins and has played a reserve role past two seasons appearing in 17 games and collecting nine receptions for 94 yards.