Academic Services for Student-Athletes Assistant Director / Lead Football Coordinator. With the Sun Belts Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Zac Thomas and other offensive artillery, Peterson expressed his teams desire to maintain improvement. Indianapolis is making MAJOR moves, set to hire FootballScoop's reigning top special teams coordinator. Doug has been with FootballScoop for over a decade and currently serves as Director of Content. App State football announced Thursday that Rod West will become the Mountaineers' cornerbacks coach for the 2021 season. Is Coach Rick Stockstill on the Hot Seat? Its a program built on player development. I am excited about our football program under the leadership of Coach Kelly and his talented staff, athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. That includes senior Marcus Williams Jr., junior Daetrich Harrington and sophomore Camerun Peoples. The Mountaineers plan to stick with a three-man front under new defensive coordinator Dale Jones. | Privacy Policy | Rights & Permissions | Discussion Guidelines, Luke Winkelmann Competes in his First X Games Competition; Appalachian Ski Mtn. That means seniorDemetrius Taylorreturns as a starting defensive end, while the other spot is open after two-year starter Elijah Diarrassouba medically retired in the spring. We are constantly tweaking our formula so that we can find the sweet spot of when a coach is technically on the hot seat. They finished the season ranked 19th in the AP and 18th in the Coaches. The 2003-04 seasons with the Mountaineers, which were his first two seasons with the program, he worked with the running backs. The greatest coach in college football history wonders aloud how the SEC could possibly be so cruel to the Crimson Tide. Obviously there are emotional swings with sports and so the mathematical ratings do not always line up with the emotional expectations from a team. He previously served as an assistant strength coach at App State prior to the appointment with the Thundering Herd. His official title will be senior analyst, the team announced yesterday. He will be a great leader for the young men in our program. DeBastiani also added, Im coming home, DeBastiani said. As mentioned before, the Mountaineers will stick with a three-man front. A running total of the number of coaches of the Mountaineers. Monday, App State announced that Robert Nunn has been hired by Clark as part of his defensive staff. Photo Courtesy App State Athletics. All Rights Reserved. With the players returning and the amount of spring practice covered, theres good reason to think it can happen. 828-262-7914. We think the changes are going to be very minimal here, said Smart, the committee co-chair. Kelly will also have his third defensive coordinator in as many seasons after hiring DAnton Lynn. Ben Brady, Reporter He coached the inside linebackers and served as co-defensive coordinator in 2018, when an App State team that went 11-2 ranked among the FBS leaders in scoring defense (No. With the College Football Playoff expanding from four to 12 teams in 2024-25, and possibly more in the future, conference commissioners had asked the committee to look for ways to cut down on the number of plays in games in an attempt to mitigate potential injury exposures. In 1995, App State went undefeated in the regular season, won the Southern Conference championship and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals. The teams only major offensive personnel loss is the early departure of Darrynton Evans, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year who rushed for 1,480 yards as a junior. The signing comes on the heels of former App State cornerbacks coach James Rowe taking the same coaching position for the Indianapolis Colts. The thing about the Wake game is weve got some tradition there against each other, Jones said. Charlie Harbison, last years cornerbacks coach as well as working with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, followed Eli Drinkwitz in his surprise move to the University of Missouri as an associate head coach/defensive coordinator. Quarterbacks: Senior Zac Thomas has a 23-1 record in regulation as a starter when he plays more than the first series. Now, after being let go back in April after nine seasons leading the Western Carolina program (FCS) he's returning to App State. Jones left for one season to go with Scott Satterfield to Louisville; but returned for the 2020 season and has served as defensive coordinator since. Fielding its first organized football team in 1928, the Appalachian State Mountaineers have had 22 coaches. The school officially announced the hire on. The only other returning wide receiver with a catch in 2019 is Christian Wells, who had one catch in a redshirt season in which he played in two games. Assistant Athletics Director for Sport Psychology and Mental Wellness. 2019s Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year named MVP of both the Sun Belt Championship Game and New Orleans Bowl, Junior starting running back, Darrynton Evans, ran for a whopping 1480 yards, adding 18 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving as well. In his one season with Central Michigan last year, DeBastiani coached a linebackers unit that contributed to the Chippewas being a top-25 run defense. He averaged 7.7 yards per return on 21 attempts with a long of 25 yards. App State coaches know they need to develop the next group and expect to sign three or four receivers in the next recruiting class. Jones, who coached Louisvilles inside linebackers in 2019, worked with the same position group in his last five seasons with the Mountaineers. Jones previously worked on the Mountaineers coaching staff from 1996 until 2018. . A specific title has not yet been given to the veteran assistant. Last year, App State beat two Power 5 teams on the road in North Carolina and South Carolina. 828-262-3180. If (Hannon) was two inches taller, he would be in the SEC, Clark said. Is Coach Philip Montgomery on the Hot Seat? Mike Norvell officially completed his on-field coaching staff at Florida State this weekend. Jackson had 60 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and three sacks last season, while Cobb had 48 tackles, three TFLs and a fumble return touchdown. The two previous seasons before, Braswell was the head coach at Chattanooga Central High School in 2016 and 2017 and led the Purple Pounders to the TSSAA state playoffs twice. BOONE The App State Mountaineers football program is losing their second coach in one week after offensive line coach Nic Cardwell announced on Twitter Tuesday that he was leaving the program. His completion percentage in 2019 (62.7) and yards per attempt (7.6) were similar to the previous year. This is a complete list of Appalachian State Mountaineers head football coaches. He previously served as App States defensive coordinator from 2010-12. When I took over in December, I told those guys, Were going to be as good as you guys want to be. Its been very rewarding to watch those guys work and take accountability and take charge. How much are Football Coaches Really Worth? Newer members to the staff include four new additions, and they are all coming from the defensive side of the ball. Speir spent most of his time under coach Moore on the defensive side of the ball working with defensive lineman, defensive ends and inside linebackers, mentoring a number of All Americans during that time. Round to SF. Jonescoached at App State for 23 seasons from 1996-2018 before following head coach Scott Satterfield to Louisville, where the Cardinals completed an 8-5 season with a victory against Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl. SPORTS App State announced the following football staff changes Friday: Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and Director of Athletic Performance Brad Bielaniec are no longer with the program. Appalachian State announced the hiring Friday. Still, safety is a major question mark. 828-262-3180. cooperjw@appstate.edu. At the other safety spot, Clark said sophomore Kaleb Dawson is a player to watch. "He was a big part of the record-breaking success during his time on Coach Moore's staff and understands the culture of App State Football. Behind Thomas is senior Jacob Huesman, who has thrown 48 career passes, including just seven in 2019. Those last two minutes are critical, Shaw said. Nunns last job at the FBS level came as the defensive ends coach at Tennessee from 1989-90. App State will have to replace both safeties. Hes a world-class sprinter. Inside linebackers Jordan Fehr and Anthony Flory were first- and second-team All-Sun Belt performers. Subotsch averaged 42.7 yards per punt with a long of 67. App State is still the favorite in the Sun Belt, and for good reason. As Shawn Clark begins his . That means the players adjusted to the new staff and scheme tweaks. Ridgeland also scored a big regular season road win at Sandy Creek. Senior Shemar Jean-Charles and junior Shaun Jolly will man the outside again. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ever since I started following App State Football in the summer of 1997, Ive been up to visit 15 or 20 times and I just love Boone, Nunn said in his statement. The rest of the defensive staff includes Robert Nunn (defensive line), outside linebackers coach Cortney Braswell (outside linebackers), James Rowe (cornerbacks) and Mark DeBastiani (safeties). The biggest thing will be to keep working on depth, Jones said. (Top photo of Zac Thomas: Mary Holt / Getty Images). The Mountaineers were led by first-year head coach Shawn Clark. The True Hiring Score or THS is compiled by a complex formula bringing together many different factors. For the first ever, the Mountaineers were ranked for seven weeks in the AP poll, eight in the Coaches poll, and five in the CFP poll. Offensive line: Like the rest of the offense, this group is very experienced, with four of last years five starters set to return. 1600 Highway 105 in Boone, 2023 - High Country Press. The NFL keeps the clock running on first downs the entire game, and Shaw said keeping the old rule in place the last two minutes of halves represents a beautiful difference between the pro and college games. Taylors seven sacks led the team last year, and his 13 tackles for loss were the second most, earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors. Hennigan is back as the punt returner. 2019 Appalachian State (AHC/OL Coach) 12-1. The Mountaineers then played in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, beating Louisiana 4538 where named Sun Belt Conference Champions for the second consecutive year as well. You could say, Why did you change it at all? Eli Drinkwitz left for Missouri after one season and one Sun Belt title. 4, 15.5 points) and total defense (No. This is a complete list of Appalachian State Mountaineers head football coaches. Though having four senior receivers bodes well for 2020, it leaves a hole for 2021. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. If you had to go in and play a game, hes not quite at Zacs level, but hes right there, and to have two guys like that is awesome.. This may come at a somewhat underrated loss for the recuperating secondary for Appalachian, as senior and all-conference safeties Desmond Franklin and Josh Thomas will no longer be with the team in 2020 after graduating this Spring. Petersen was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Mountaineers in January. New hire replaces Marc Vottler following Vottler's hiring at Ohio State. Jerry Moore is the only three-time winner of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coach of the Year award. Fielding its first organized football team in 1928, the Appalachian State Mountaineers have had 22 coaches. While the season is more than a few months away, we have already seen several of last years coordinators from Appalachian make departures from the program. Appalachian State is looking for a new outside linebackers coach after a recent departure in its football program. Hes comfortable teaching our system of play, particularly in the passing game. The leaders of the new group will be senior inside linebacker DMarco Jackson and junior inside linebacker Trey Cobb. But theyve met only once since the Mountaineers recent jump to FBS a 20-19 Wake Forest win in Boone in 2017 that featured App States largest-ever home crowd. Try a week on us. Jackson made six starts in 2019, while Cobb made eight. Clark landed his dream job, and he couldnt walk into a better position. [1][circular reference], Appalachian State had games scheduled against Morgan State, UMass, Wake Forest and Wisconsin, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3][4][5]. Another notable loss for the Appalachian State staff is the departure of Garret Riley, brother of Oklahoma Head Coach Lincoln Riley, who will be heading to Dallas as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at SMU. Kelly is 27-29 through five seasons in Westwood, but is 16-8 the past two years. Its just the bottom line of getting guys out there when the bullets start coming and seeing how they react, Jones said. Last years backup, 6-1, 260-pound junior George Blackstock, is the leading candidate to take over. Having played offensive guard for the Mountaineers from 1994-98, Clark returned to Boone after coaching stints at Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, Purdue and Kent State. He went 5-for-6 on kicks longer than 40 yards, but 2-for-4 on kicks shorter than 30 yards. Shawn Clark was named head coach in December 2019 after working as a co-offensive coordinator from 2016-18, and as an assistant head coach last season. 2 in the Sun Belt, but the previous three were No. There arent schematic overhauls planned. Well be similar in some ways to the past, well change some things, Clark said. Another addition to the staff includes Courtney Braswell, who was hired after only one year of collegiate experience as defensive quality control coach for Satterfield at Louisville last season. The final member of the staff, defensive line coach Robert Nunn was announced on Feb. 10. I think we have three of the top running backs in the conference, Clark said. The other nine are: Per the school, position assignments for the offensive and defensive assistants will be announced soon. A lot of the ends that got playing time could move inside. Our kids were focused on the spring, and we were hitting on all cylinders after practice 11, Clark said. From 2000-02 he was the assistant line coach for the Miami Dolphins, then spent the 2004 season as a special assistant coach for that same organization. Roof (son of former defensive coordinator Ted Roof) will also be in the mix on the inside. All four earned some form of All-Sun Belt honors last year. We are constantly tweaking our formula so that we can find the sweet spot of when a coach is technically on the hot seat. Ryan Neuzil has played since his sophomore year. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Nicholas Ross played in all 14 games as a true freshman last season and was a staple in the nickel package. Not only is my starter a senior, but so is my backup, and Jacob does a great job, new offensive coordinator Tony Petersen said. Sophomore Brendan Harrington played in 11 games as a true freshman and is also expected to be in the mix. Staff Directory Members By Category/Department; Name Its going to flow better.. Since 1968, the clock has stopped on a first down until the referee gives the ready-for-play signal. "We're excited to welcome Mark and his wife, Paige, back to Boone," head coach Shawn Clark shared in the release. Being an odd front, you dont get a lot of double-teams, which helps us. Hes going to be the No. He won just 3 games in his first two seasons before going 7-5 in 2014. We can use quickness.. Senior tackle Cole Garrison, who started one game in 2019, will take over the left tackle spot. Dont expect another coaching change anytime soon. App State is also set to open a new end zone building this year and make other renovations to Kidd Brewer Stadium. He could stay in that role or find more playing time at safety. He was also the defensive tackles coach for the Green Bay Packers (2005-08). Flucie Stewart and E. C. Duggins have each served twice as head coach of the Mountaineers. As a Super Bowl-winning assistant coach in the NFL and a head coach in junior college, he is going to bring a wealth of knowledge to our staff and players.. Sunny Dykes, the head coach at SMU, praised Rileys time at Appalachian State earlier this week, stating, I think hes a really good fit. A former small college football player and college assistant, Samuels now serves as the head coach at Comstock Park HS (MI). Under Clark, the new tandem of coordinators Tony Petersen and Dale Jones are working to sharpen skills on each side of the field. We feel great about our line, Petersen said. This 2020 class is ranked No. 20 nationally in yards per attempt allowed (6.4). The time is now for me.. In his first year in Washington in 2017, Rowe helped the DBs unit produce the teams strongest season against the pass in nearly a decade, ranking third in the NFL in completion percentage allowed (57.6 percent), ninth in passing yards allowed per game (213.8) and 10th in opponent passer rating (81.0). Is Coach Philip Montgomery on the Hot Seat? at Work Appearance Requests Cheer & Mascot Donation Items Facilities Game Day Central Game Day Contests Game Day Mobile App Junior Wildcats Club Messages on Videoboards Photo Galleries . The Bruins were 3-9 in Kellys first year in 2018 and 4-8 the following season. To run the offense, Clark hired former East Carolina offensive coordinator Tony Petersen, most recently an analyst at Missouri.