Oregon State Football Opponent Preview: Appalachian State Mountaineers

Oct 19, 2022; Boone, North Carolina, USA; Georgia State Panthers wide receiver Cadarrius Thompson (11) fumbles the ball after Appalachian State Mountaineers linebacker Caden Sullivan (26) makes a tackle with Mountaineers linebacker Kyle Arnholt (56) closing in during the second half at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

In early October, the Beavers will head to North Carolina to take on Appalachian State, a program that's had a lot of success over the past decade. Since joining the FBS in 2014 the Mountaineers have been to eight bowl games, and they also have a few marquee wins over power four opponents(most recently Texas A&M).

But after a losing season in 2024, App State decided it was time for a change of direction. They've handed the keys to former South Carolina OC Dowell Loggains, who also has years of NFL coaching experience. A program that has a history of making quality hires, Appalachian State will be looking to rebound right away and compete for a Sun Belt title this season. Despite returning a fair amount of players from 2024, the Mountaineers will also be relying on transfers to fill some starting positions. Let's take a look at how this team is shaping up.

Offense:

The skill position players will be one of the most crucial factors on this year's team. Dowell Loggains runs an offensive system that prioritizes getting the ball to his playmakers at or around the line of scrimmage, knowing that college players often struggle at tackling in space. The big question for the Mountaineers at the moment is who exactly those playmakers will be. App State's two leading receivers from 2024 both transferred to bigger programs, and they are hoping that the transfer portal can replace this production. Austin Peay transfer Jordan Barnes has a lot of big-play potential, a 5'8" speedster who racked up over 1,000 receiving yards last season. They've also brought in Davion Dozier from Arkansas, Jackson Grier from Boise State, and are returning senior Dalton Stroman. It will be interesting to see who stands out at this position in fall camp.

App State will need to replace more than just receivers from last year's passing game, as signal caller Joey Aguilar is now at Tennessee. Loggains has brought in two new options at QB: LSU transfer AJ Swann, and Iowa State transfer JJ Kohl. While he hardly saw the field last season in Baton Rogue, Swann threw for over 2,500 yards while playing for Vanderbilt. Swann is known for making fast decisions and getting the ball out of his hands quickly, which seems to match with Loggains' style of play-calling. JJ Kohl, on the other hand, is a former four-star recruit who many believe still has a fairly high ceiling. Though it seems that Swann has the upper hand, a quality quarterback battle could take place in fall camp.

Though the passing game isn't a sure thing, App State should be effective on the ground this season. Loggains has brought in Arkansas transfer Rashod Dubinion, a senior who averaged six yards a carry last season. They've also acquired Tennessee transfer Khalifa Keith and are bringing back Kanye Roberts, who saw signficant playing time as a backup in 2024.

Defense:

Appalachian State's defense was bad last season. The Mountaineers particularly struggled on the defensive line, and opponents ran it all over them as a result. Needing a change, they've brought in a new defensive coordinator in DJ Smith, who was an App State linebacker from 2007-2010.

While it'll be hard to predict how the defense will look this season, there are reasons for fans to be more optimistic compared to last year's group. Smith has landed two SEC transfers at inside linebacker, including Missouri's Brayshawn Littlejohn, who has been given a portal ranking of 0.85. The Mountaineers are also returning Kyle Arnholt at this position, who was one of the team's leading tacklers in 2024. On the line, Smith has acquired Dylan Manuel from Charleston Southern, who had a very strong season last year in the FCS. In the secondary, App State has strong potential. They've added Michigan CB Ja'den McBurrows, and have also picked up two SEC transfers at safety. They're also returning corner Ethan Johnson, who was part of a group that was solid against the pass in 2024.

The biggest question mark for the Mountaineer defense, once again, will be the defensive line. Though they've added five transfers this offseason, none of them have any FBS experience. While guys like Dylan Manuel and Pitt State transfer Malik Berry show promise, this group still has a ways to go. So while the secondary is looking solid, the run defense could be a burden for App State once again.

Wrap Up:

When the Beavers travel to face Appalachian State on October 4th, they'll be in for a tough mid-season matchup. Being their first year under a new head coach, it's difficult to say what the Mountaineers will look like. What we do know is that Boone, NC is a tough place to get wins. OSU will want to establish a strong ground game early, and expose any weaknesses on that App State defensive line. On the other side of tha ball, the Beavers will want to put pressure on a relatively inexperienced O-line, and emphasize tackling in space.

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