Boone, N.C. — The Appalachian State athletic department announced last week that they would be moving its game with Wofford from Saturday, Nov. 1, to Friday, Oct. 31, and that it would be televised nationally on ESPN2.

On the ASU athletic web site, athletics director Charlie Cobb said, "We’re very appreciative to Watauga High School principal Angela Quick and athletics director Lavell Hall, as well as North Carolina High School Athletic Association executive director Charlie Adams, for their support in giving us the opportunity to showcase Appalachian, the High Country and North Carolina football to the nation."

The article, wposted on Monday, was followed by a written statement from Charlie Adams, executive director of the N.C. High School Athletic Association, stating the disapproval of the Association.

"There has been no change in the position of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and its concern about televising college football games on Friday night," Adams said. "We do not support any college or university televising a football game in the traditional Friday night high school football slot."

The Association is concerned that this may be a continuing trend with North Carolina colleges and universities playing in Friday night games.

In 2002, East Carolina announced it would be playing in a Friday night game televised by ESPN2. The game between the Pirates and Cincinnati was scheduled on the same night that of the NCHSAA football semifinals.

The game hurt East Carolina's in-state recruiting, and the same type of consequence could be on tap for the Mountaineers, who have won three straight national championships.

Mac Morris, the president of the North Carolina Coaches Association, told WRAL that coaches who feel strongly about Appalachian State's actions can take action of their own.

"I think the coaches, if they feel strongly enough, can do as they did when East Carolina did this, and refuse to allow Appalachian to recruit their athletes by saying they were not welcome on their campuses."

Leesville Road head football coach David Green has called for the Appalachian State coaches to be removed from the list of speakers at the upcoming coaches clinic during All-Star Week in July.

Green contacted Morris about withdrawing Appalachian State's invitation to speak at the clinic, and said that he hopes other coaches will do the same.

"I may be out there by myself on this," Green said, "but I feel very strongly about it."

In an e-mail to WRAL, Morris said withdrawing the invitation is unlikely, but added that their complaints could be shared with the coaches at the clinic.

"We think that if the staff comes to speak we can register our complaints with them better than by asking them not to speak," Morris said. "We don't plan on reneging on our invitation unless there is overwhelming response from our football coaches. It would be very difficult to replace them at this time."

Morris did state that the NCCA, like the NCHSAA, is against colleges televising games on Friday nights.

The Mountaineers will host Wofford on Halloween night at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., the same time high school games across the state will likely be somewhere in the second quarter.