App State’s Taylor, Virgil Invited to Hula Bowl

BOONE, N.C. — App State standouts Demetrius Taylor and Jalen Virgil have been invited to play in the Hula Bowl that will be held Jan. 15 at the UCF Bounce House Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

A first-team All-Sun Belt selection in each of his last three seasons, Taylor finished his career with 26.5 sacks to rank No. 4 in program history. He also totaled 136 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and three blocked kicks in 65 career games, notably being named national defensive player of the week thanks to his 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble return for a touchdown and an interception in a 2019 win at North Carolina.

In 2021, Taylor recorded 7.0 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss while being credited with 43 quarterback pressures by PFF College.

The speedy Virgil was a four-time member of The Athletic’s “Freaks List” based on his athleticism — ranking No. 1 among offensive skill players in each of his last two seasons, when he totaled 1,142 yards on 36 kickoff returns (31.7 average) with touchdowns at Georgia Southern in 2020 (100 yards), at Miami in 2021 (100 yards) and again against Georgia Southern in 2021 (97 yards).

Virgil produced 15 plays of at least 40 yards in his career, with seven of those coming on his 12 touchdown receptions, including a 60-yard score in the 2021 Boca Raton Bowl. In 61 career games, his 2,633 all-purpose yards included 1,436 yards on 98 catches (14.7 average).

In 2021, Virgil ranked No. 7 nationally with a kickoff return average of 30.0 yards and had the second-most kickoff return yards in a season (781) in App State history. He led the Mountaineers in all-purpose yards in each of the last three games, totaling 220 in the Boca Raton Bowl (thanks to 75 receiving and 146 on kickoff returns).