For the first time since joining the FBS ranks in 2014, Appalachian State enters a football season trying to rebound from a losing record.
The Mountaineers went 5-6 in 2024, their bowl hopes dashed with a deflating 29-20 defeat at Georgia Southern on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The defense struggled — giving up nearly 33 points a game — and the offense failed to regain the form that led to a nine-win surge in 2023.
The program hit reset in December, parting ways with head coach Shawn Clark, despite his deep ties to the university, and handing the reins to former NFL and SEC offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who arrives after two seasons at South Carolina. It’s Loggains’ first head coaching job, but expectations remain high in Boone.
“It’s Appalachian State. It’s supposed to win football games.” – College Football News
🔥 Key Storylines Heading into 2025
Quarterback Battle: AJ or JJ?
App State must replace All-Sun Belt quarterback Joey Aguilar, who transferred to UCLA last winter — then again to Tennessee after a shakeup in the Bruins’ depth chart.
That leaves two Power 4 transfers competing for the starting job:
- AJ Swann, who threw for 2,731 yards and 22 TDs over two seasons at Vanderbilt before transferring to LSU (saw limited action in 2024)
- JJ Kohl, a strong-armed redshirt freshman from Iowa State
Swann enters as a preseason Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year pick by Lindy’s, but the competition remains one to watch when fall camp opens. Loggains was instrumental in unleashing South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellars in ’24 so that is promising.
Rebuilt Offense, Run-Heavy Potential
The Mountaineers will lean on a run game featuring a healthy Kanye Roberts (332 yards in 2024) and Arkansas transfer Rashod Dubinion (888 career rushing yards), a dual-threat back with pass-catching ability.
Preseason All-Sun Belt honors from Lindy’s and Phil Steele went to offensive lineman Jayden Ramsey and wide receiver Jaden Barnes, offering some stability around the skill positions. But the line will need to gel quickly.
𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩: 𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐀 🎷@ShawnCollins10_ and @TheJaydenRamsey will join head coach @Dowell_Loggains in New Orleans for App State's Sun Belt Media Days appearance on July 23.#GoApp pic.twitter.com/Bd7suSe4Gn — App State Football (@AppState_FB) July 9, 2025
Defense Faces Major Questions
Only three starters return on a defense that struggled to stop opponents in 2024.
App State allowed foes to score on 36 of 39 red zone trips and gave up 52 points to Marshall, 48 to South Alabama and 38 to Coastal Carolina in conference play. Former line standout Santana Hopper (8.5 sacks) transferred to Tulane, and the Mountaineers managed just four interceptions all year — down from 15 in 2023.
Linebacker Kyle Arnholt (55 tackles) is the top returning tackler, and Shawn Collins brings experience to the edge. But it’s a long way from the defensive dominance that defined App State’s early FBS success.
““They went bust last year. It was a pretty big surprise around the league. They’ve had talented rosters for the last few seasons and have legit matchup problem guys on offense, but the defense just imploded on them.” – Sun Belt assistant coach to Athlon Sports
🗓️ 2025 Schedule Highlights
Every game will feel big for Loggains in Year One, but a few dates stand out:
- Aug. 29 vs. Charlotte (Bank of America Stadium) – A Friday night in-state opener against another new-look program.
- Sept. 27 at Boise State – The Broncos made the College Football Playoff in 2024.
- Oct. 4 vs. Oregon State – A home game against a west coast opponent that managed to salvage the Pac-12.
- Nov. 6 vs. Georgia Southern – A Thursday night rivalry clash under the lights in Boone.
The stretch run includes showdowns with James Madison, Marshall and Arkansas State — a defining final month for postseason hopes.
Appalachian State 2025 Football Schedule
| Date |  | Opponent | Time/Result | TV/Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29 | at | Charlotte | 7 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Sept. 6 | vs | Lindenwood | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sept. 13 | at | Southern Miss* | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Sept. 27 | at | Boise State | FOX/FS1/FS2 | |
| Oct. 4 | vs | Oregon State | ||
| Oct. 11 | at | Georgia State* | ||
| Oct. 18 | vs | Coastal Carolina* | ||
| Oct. 25 | at | Old Dominion* | ||
| Nov. 6 | vs | Georgia Southern* | 7:30/8 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Nov. 15 | at | James Madison* | ||
| Nov. 22 | vs | Marshall* | ||
| Nov. 29 | vs | Arkansas State* | ||
| * denotes conference game |
🏅 Preseason Honors & Rankings
All-Sun Belt Conference
- OL Jayden Ramsey – 2nd Team (Lindy’s)
- P Ian Ratliff – 2nd Team (Lindy’s)
- RB Rashod Dubinion – 3rd Team All-Sun Belt (Phil Steele)
- WR Jaden Barnes – 3rd Team (Phil Steele)
- CB Elijah McCantos – 4th Team (Phil Steele)
- QB AJ Swann – Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year (Lindy’s)
National Rankings:
- Phil Steele: No. 99 (out of 136 FBS teams)
- CBS Sports: No. 96
- Athlon: No. 103
- Lindy’s: No. 101
Conference Predictions:
- Phil Steele: 4th in Sun Belt East
- Lindy’s: 3rd
- Athlon: 5th
- Projected win total: 6 (College Football News), 5.5 (DraftKings)
🧠 Expert Takes and Pundits Speak
“Dowell Loggains is interesting because he’s got a lot of pro experience. He’s not a particular X-system type of guy. But in the short term, it’s a recruiting job first, and this is a different, harder league than when App was dominating. It will take a little time here.” – an opposing Sun Belt assistant coach to Athlon
“This year they face the SBC’s easiest schedule and make my Most Improved List so they will be back in a bowl and contend in the East. New head coach Loggains did a solid job bringing in talent this year.” – Phil Steele
“The Mountaineers have two former power-conference quarterbacks to choose from … the question is whether or not a rebuilt offensive line will provide the protection needed to make this unit more productive.” – Athlon Sports
Loggains, App State Building Strong 2026 Recruiting Class
The Mountaineers look to have found their quarterback of the future, gaining a pledge from Ashland (Ohio) standout Nathan Bernhard, who picked the Mountaineers over Big Ten offers like Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State.
“They made it clear that I was their No. 1 guy and I was the guy they wanted,” Bernhard told his hometown press, the Ashland Source. “Ultimately, you’ve got to go where you’re most wanted because that’s gonna maximize your chances of actually playing.”
Read more about Bernhard’s commitment to App State HERE. Look below for the latest 2026 App State commit list.
| NAME | POS | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL | COMMITTED | DATE | STORY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawyer Arnold | EDGE | Mount Pleasant, SC | Oceanside Collegiate | Appalachian State | 6/27/2025 | READ |
| Micah Williams | SAF | Savannah. GA | Benedictine Military School | Appalachian State | 6/25/2025 | READ |
| Jermaine McCree | DB | Mobile, AL | Williamson HS | Appalachian State | 6/23/2025 | READ |
| Eisa Evans | OL | Pfafftown, NC | Reagan HS | Appalachian State | 6/21/2025 | READ |
| Bryant Junius | DB | Hollywood, FL | Chaminade-Madonna HS | Appalachian State | 6/21/2025 | READ |
| Michael McClenton | LB | Ocoee, FL | Ocoee HS | Appalachian State | 6/20/2025 | READ |
| Tre Glover | OT | Warner Robins, GA | Warner Robins HS | Appalachian State | 6/20/2025 | READ |
| Ben Bankowitz | OL | Orlando, FL | Edgewater HS | Appalachian State | 6/17/2025 | — |
| Jarvis Potts | OL | Cornelius, NC | Hough HS | Appalachian State | 6/14/2025 | READ |
| Brice Williamson | TE | Hartwell, GA | Prince Avenue Christian | Appalachian State | 6/14/2025 | READ |
| Nick Kashubara | OT | Greensboro, NC | Grimsley HS | Appalachian State | 6/11/2025 | READ |
| Gavin Barber | TE | Mooresville, NC | Mooresville HS | Appalachian State | 6/4/2025 | READ |
| Manny Lewis | DL | Waxhaw, NC | Marvin Ridge HS | Appalachian State | 6/1/2025 | READ |
| Kamauri Austin | WR | Bryant, AR | Bryant HS | Appalachian State | 6/1/2025 | READ |
| Kabran Paul | WR | Tallahassee, FL | Lincoln HS | Appalachian State | 5/2/2025 | — |
| Caden Muskus | OL | Chapin, SC | Chapin HS | Appalachian State | 5/1/2025 | — |
| Nathan Bernhard | QB | Ashland, OH | Ashland HS | Appalachian State | 4/25/2025 | READ |
| Chris Doyle | DL | Bluffton, SC | Bluffton HS | Appalachian State | 4/12/2025 | — |
| Dorrian Medley | S | Hickory, NC | Hickory HS | Appalachian State | 4/12/2025 | — |
| Xavier Ethan Joseph | DT/EDGE | Covington, Ga. | Eastside HS | Appalachian State | 3/31/2025 | READ |
| Scottland Dover | OT | Gaffney, SC | Gaffney HS | Appalachian State | 11/7/2024 | — |
📈 Final Word: Bowl Game Within Reach
Appalachian State didn’t plummet — just stumbled during an unorthodox season that featured a pause because of a major hurricane in WNC. The Mountaineers still boast the best Sun Belt conference record of the past decade (60–20), and Loggains has made an early impression with transfers and 2026 recruiting wins.
A return to a bowl game looks well within reach. A winning record? That might depend on how fast the defense comes together — and whether the QB starter can command the offense the way past quarterbacks like Aguilar could.
NC Football News Pick: 6–6, sneaking into a bowl game.
