AJ Swann and Sam Mbake help lead the new look Mountaineers
App State football is entering 2025 with something it hasn’t experienced in a decade: a losing season.
After back-to-back disappointing seasons, including a 5-6 finish in 2024, the Mountaineers made a decisive change by parting ways with head coach Shawn Clark. The school hired Dowell Loggains, an offensive mind with SEC and NFL experience, to usher in a new era of App State football.
Clark, a former App State offensive lineman and longtime assistant, posted a 40-24 record over five seasons. His tenure included two Sun Belt title game appearances and a landmark upset against Texas A&M, but mounting inconsistency and unmet expectations ultimately prompted a change in leadership.
“The expectation for App State Football is to annually compete for a conference championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff,” said Athletic Director Doug Gillin in a statement.
Loggains, hired on Dec. 7, previously served as South Carolina’s offensive coordinator, where he helped engineer a top-20 nationally ranked offense and mentored freshman phenom quarterback LaNorris Sellers. Since his arrival, the team has undergone a near-total overhaul– from the roster to the staff.
Along with Loggains, App State hired Missouri Co-Defensive Coordinator– and App State legend– DJ Smith. Smith is now inheriting a defense that gave up 32.9 points per game, the worst for App since 2004 The hope is that history can repeat itself– after 2004, App State went on to win three consecutive national championships in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Welcome back home, @CoachDjSmith!
A championship former player and coach with the Mountaineers, Smith returns to his alma mater as defensive coordinator. He has spent the last five seasons coaching linebackers at Missouri, including the last three as co-defensive coordinator.… pic.twitter.com/pWMHWv9S9y
— App State Football (@AppState_FB) December 30, 2024
The 2025 Mountaineers enter the season with a dramatically reshaped roster, following a wave of departures that stripped the program of over 30 players through the transfer portal alone. The offseason saw the departure of 17 starters and major contributors. The offensive losses alone account for over 4,200 total yards of offense and 36 touchdowns, leaving first-time head coach Dowell Loggains with a significant rebuilding task.
Departures
App State loses starting quarterback Joey Aguilar first to UCLA and then to Tennessee, which was the most high-profile exit this offseason. Aguilar surprised in his first season in the Black and Gold and threw for over 3,000 yards in 2023. His departure leaves behind a quarterback room with five players all aiming to start, including returners Billy Wiles and Matthew Wilson.
The backfield took some losses with the graduation of leading rusher Ahmani Marshall and the transfer of Anderson Castle (Duke). Marshall is currently with the Cleveland Browns, gaining a good amount of playing time in the preseason.
Kanye Roberts returns, after entering and then withdrawing his name from the portal, and is slated to return as the starter after dealing with injuries last season.
The receiving core lost its top three targets: Kaedin Robinson, Christian Horn, Makai Jackson (Indiana), and starting tight end Eli Wilson. In total, they lost over 2,000 yards of production this offseason. The only returning player set to start is deep threat Dalton Stroman, who hauled in five touchdowns on 20 catches.
The offensive line only returns one starter after the transfers of Jack Hollifield (Tulane), Garner Langlo (Troy), Thomas Schrader (USF), and Markell Samuel (Oklahoma State). The only returning starter, Jayden Ramsey, now moves out to tackle with the hope he will lock down the quarterback’s blind spot.
On defense, the Mountaineers lost their entire starting defensive line with the graduation of Mike Fletcher and the transfers of Santana Hopper (Tulane), Marcus Clark (Liberty), Joshua Donald (Houston), and Nate Johnson (Missouri).
Starting linebacker Brendan Harrington transferred out of Boone after six highly productive seasons. Harrington moves to rival Georgia Southern after originally posting that he would be returning. Due to a scheme change, the linebacker room looks completely different– with key returners Kyle Arnholt and Colton Phares aiming to fit Smith’s attacking defense.
In the secondary, starting corner Seth Robertson graduated along with the transfers of Nick Taylor and Jason Chambers– both following former defensive backs coach Rod West to West Virginia. Ethan Johnson returns as the starter, and, per reports, he is looking better than ever in practice.
Special teams will look completely different with the starting trio of kicker Michael Hughes, punter Conner Maynard, and long snapper Christian Johnstone all graduating.
Additions
The quarterback room sees the additions of AJ Swann (LSU) and JJ Kohl (Iowa State). These two are the headliners in the battle for the top of the depth chart. Swann, a former four-star recruit, started as a true freshman for Vanderbilt and has three years of SEC experience. Kohl is a towering 6-foot-7 four-star recruit but has only attempted 11 passes for 23 yards in his college career. This battle will continue until kickoff on Aug. 29.
AJ Swann’s pass flies into the waiting arms of London Humphreys for a 32-yard touchdown to give Vanderbilt a three score cushion in the 4th. ⚓️#AnchorDown @ajswann10 @LHumphreys312
pic.twitter.com/6uzp7jfZjj— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) August 27, 2023
The backfield sees two SEC backs come up to The Rock. Rashod Dubinion (Arkansas) ran for over 800 yards with the Razorbacks in his three-year stay. He plays very similarly to Kanye Roberts, and in a run-heavy offense, he could see a lot of playing time. Khalifa Keith (Tennessee) is a physical back at 6-1, 240 lbs. At Tennessee, he totaled just over 100 yards and a score. David Ware from App State Mania and 247Sports reported that Keith could be the best pass-catcher out of the backfield.
The receiving room brings in a lot of talent. Davion Dozier (Arkansas) stood out in spring practices after only playing four games for the Razorbacks. Before the spring game, Dozier suffered a Jones fracture. He has since been cleared to resume practice and play.
Jaden Barnes (Austin Peay) was one of the top receivers in all of the FCS last season, hauling in over 50 catches for over 1000 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. Barnes brings blazing speed with a 4.33 40-yard dash. He will be a key weapon in the slot for the Mountainers.
Sam Mbake (Kilgore) was the No. 1 JUCO WR in the country by 247Sports. The former four-star recruit brings elite athleticism and physicality to the outside.
Some other players that could be key players include WR Jackson Grier (Boise State) and TE Izayah Cummings (Louisville).
The offensive line needed a rebuild, and the transfer portal brought just that with six new players. The offensive line needed to be more physical and bigger in general, with the average weight of linemen going from 285lbs to 302lbs over this past offseason.
Will Flowers (Valdosta State) is set to start at center after the transfer of All-Sun Belt offensive lineman Jack Hollifield. Flowers was named First Team All-American by AP and others.
Tyriq Poindexter (VMI) was a First Team All-SoCon last season at left tackle and Second Team at right tackle in 2023.
Shamarr Jackson (New Mexico State) played both left and right tackle for the Aggies, but has the potential to play inside.
Trent Ramsey (California), at an astounding 320 pounds, played only eight games with the Golden Bears. He could see some playing time at guard with Jayden Ramsey moving to tackle.
With the worst defense Boone had seen in over a decade, it needed a new look. With a change in leadership and 26 new players, the defense can only improve after last season.
In the trenches, Malik Berry (Pittsburg State) was extremely productive for Butler Community College as a three-time all-conference player with 146 tackles off the edge for three seasons. Joseph Bakhole (Chattanooga), formerly of Myers Park High School, arrives in Boone with one season remaining after totaling two sacks, six tackles for loss, and a forced fumble last season. Dylan Manuel (Charleston Southern) started as a true freshman and was named Second Team Freshman All-American by Phil Steele. He should make an immediate impact in the middle of the trenches.
The linebacker room saw the most turnover out of any position, with 10 players not returning.
Jalen Willis (Lenior Rhyne) was one of the most productive defenders in all of Division II last season. Willis totaled 90 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, and two interceptions. Willis is an aggressive tackler with 15 career forced fumbles.
Brayshawn Littlejohn (Missouri) followed Defensive Coordinator DJ Smith to Boone. Littlejohn brings SEC athleticism with a 4.40 40-yard dash.
The secondary adds Ja’Den McBurrows (Michigan), who started for the Wolverines as a true freshman in 2021. During their CFP run, he played in every game. Last year, due to injury, he only played in four games, but he aims to bounce back as a Mountaineer.
Emory Folyd (South Carolina) is an elite athlete who ran track for the Gamecocks. He played in just two games last season due to injury, but he adds tremendous speed and upside in the secondary.
Christan Conyer (Coastal Carolina) followed Curtis Fuller from Conway. The former Tennessee Vol had nine tackles, three pass breakups, and one pick last year.
Dylan Hasz (Arkansas) played primarily on special teams in his career. In the spring game, he played the star position along with both safety positions.
Cameren Fleming (Virginia Tech) was listed as a linebacker with the Hokies, playing in just four games. He is now listed as a defensive back and brings some physicality to the secondary.
Loggains added over 50 players to the Mountaineers roster in this dramatic overhaul.
While the transfer portal brought in immediate experience, Loggains and Co. brought in 19 high school and JUCO players. In the age of the portal, we are seeing more and more true freshmen on the field early due to the risk of them leaving without getting any playing time. There is a chance that some true freshmen will play for App State.
Wide receiver Edward “Doopah” Coleman, out of Calvary Day High School, was the highest-rated recruit in the App State class. He held offers from Alabama and Tennessee, but chose App State because of his relationship with Dowell Loggains.
Wideout Alex Sanchez was a three-star prospect and has turned heads with his play, including some amazing one-handed catches in spring practice.
Tailback Jacquari Lewis was a three-star back out of Florida and has impressed, according to David Ware.
Offensive lineman Aljonon “Big Al” Oliver at 6-5, 310 pounds is an athlete. The ability for him to play fullback is a possibility, as he played some running back in high school.
Defensive back Juan Berchal is a three-star prospect who has impressed everyone as a true freshman. During the Sun Belt Media Days, he got a shoutout from Coach Loggains as an impact player.
Kicker Domonic De Freitas has an explosive leg with the Indiana state high school record with a 62-yard field goal. He was rated a five-star kicker by Kohl’s Kicking and fifth in his class.
Long snapper Jacob Poff was a late addition to the team. He is one of the most athletic long snappers in his class, playing as a wide receiver and defensive back in high school. Poff was rated a five-star by Chris Runio.
The pieces are in place for Loggains and the Mountaineers’ road back to Sun Belt contention. For a program that has long prided itself on toughness, consistency, and postseason success, 2025 represents more than just a new season– it marks the beginning of a new era of App State football.
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All the pieces are in place for a fantastic season #rollonapps