Before the 2010 season, Appalachian State coaches told quarterback DeAndre Presley to manage games and not to worry about winning any for the Mountaineers.

From the first game, Presley did both.

No position was under a microscope more this season than Appalachian State’s quarterback. The Mountaineers had to replace Armanti Edwards, the starter on their 2006 and ’07 national championship squads, and the first two-time Walter Payton Award winner in 2008 and ’09.

“This was something that a lot of people focused on,” Presley said, “the whole quarterbacking change, with Armanti leaving and me and/or Jamal (Jackson) or whoever it would have been when we were in the (preseason) camp. I believe the one thing that I’ve done was disregard everything else and just focus on controlling the things that I can control.”

During the season-opening game at Chattanooga, Presley displayed his control of the ASU offense. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound junior rallied the Mountaineers from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit to a 42-41 win. He completed 22-of-29 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 25 yards and two touchdowns, and scored a TD “reception” that was the oddest play of the game.

With the game tied 35-35, Chattanooga jumped offsides on 3rd-and-1 from the Mocs 29-yard line, giving Presley and the Mountaineers a free play. Presley threw a quick pass to wide receiver Matt Cline, who was drilled by a defender and fumbled the ball. Presley picked it up and followed blocks into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown from 33 yards out. Statistically, Cline collected the reception and Presley the 33 receiving yards.

“When we were down 21 points against Chat, my whole thing was really to stay focused because I knew (with) the work we put in this summer that we were going to finish,” Presley said. “I told the guys that we were going to win the game and to keep their heads in it and just continue to do their job. I felt like at that moment was when I really took over as being the quarterback and being the leader of our team.”

Presley, who didn’t throw an interception in the first seven games, became a Payton Award finalist. During the regular season, he completed 177-of-280 pass attempts (63.2 percent) for 2,223 yards and 18 touchdowns against only four interceptions, and rushed for 753 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranked ninth nationally in passing efficiency rating (148.26) and 13th in