(QB Joey Aguilar – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Joey Aguilar, RB Kanye Roberts, WR Christian Horn, WR Makai Jackson, WR/PR Kaedin Robinson, TE Eli Wilson, OT Thornton Gentry, DE Shawn Collins, DE Michael Fletcher, DE Santana Hopper, LB Derrell Farrar, LB Nate Johnson, LB Caden Sullivan, CB Ethan Johnson, SS Jordan Favors, PK Michael Hughes, and PT Mitchell Lake.
Key Players Departing:
RB Nate Noel (Missouri transfer), WR Dashaun Davis, OC Isaiah Helms, OG Damion Daley, OG Bucky Williams, OT Jack Murphy, LB Andrew Parker, CB Tyrek Funderburk, NB EJ Jackson, FS Nick Ross, and KR Milan Tucker (FAU transfer).
(DS Aviarion Cole – Kevin L. Dorsey Photo)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: OT Luke Burgess (Louisville transfer), DS Myles Farmer (Syracuse transfer), DS Aviarion Cole (North Carolina A&T transfer), WR Jose Leon (Miami, Florida), EDGE DeNigel Cooper (Kingsland, Georgia), CB Jason Chambers (NC Central transfer), EDGE Jackson Bussey (Norcross, Georgia), LB Anthony Rosier (Apopka, Florida), DL Nick Campbell (NC State transfer), and OL Michael Marotta (Valdosta State transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 GARDNER-WEBB W 45-24
G02 @ #17 North Carolina L (2OT) 34-40
G03 EAST CAROLINA W 42-28
G04 @ Wyoming L 19-22
G05 @ UL-Monroe W 41-40
G06 COASTAL CAROLINA L 24-27
G07 @ Old Dominion L 21-28
G08 SOUTHERN MISS W 48-38
G09 MARSHALL W 31-9
G10 @ Georgia State W 42-14
G11 @ James Madison W (OT) 26-23
G12 @ Troy L 23-49
BOWL vs. Miami (OH) W 13-9
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 9-5 (2nd in SBC East)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-4
Neutral: 1-0
SBC: 6-2
Non-SBC: 3-3
Head Coach: Shawn Clark
Appalachian State: 35-18
Career: 35-18
Bowls: 3-1
(RB Kanye Roberts – Appalachian State Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Joey Aguilar (293-460, 3757 yards, 63.7%, 8.2 avg., 33 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Kanye Roberts (123 car., 696 yards, 5.7 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Kaedin Robinson (67 rec., 905 yards, 13.5 avg., 10 TD)
Sacks: Nate Johnson (7.5)
Tackles: Caden Sullivan (64)
Interceptions: Jordan Favors (4)
Pass Deflections: Ethan Johnson (11)
Tackles For Loss: Nate Johnson (8.5)
Forced Fumbles: Kevin Abrams-Verwayne (2)
Kick Returns: Maquel Haywood (2 ret., 30 yards, 23.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Kaedin Robinson (2 ret., 37 yards, 18.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Michael Hughes (19-22 fg/fga., 86%, 54-54 fg/fga., 111 pts.)
Punting: Mitchell Lake (54 punts, 2107 yards, 39.0 avg., 20 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 4 Joey Aguilar (SR/TR)
RB: 14 Kanye Roberts (RS SO)
WR: 13 Christian Horn (RS SR)
WR: 15 Makai Jackson (JR/TR)
WR: 2 Kaedin Robinson (RS SR/TR)
TE: 87 Eli Wilson (RS SR)
LT: 72 Markell Samuel (RS JR)
LG: 74 Griffin Scruggs (RS SO/TR)
OC: 52 Cayden Sweatt (RS FR)
RG: 70 Thornton Gentry (RS JR/TR)
RT: 67 Thomas Shrader (RS JR/TR)
KR: 2 Kaedin Richardson (RS SR/TR)
PK: 99 Michael Hughes (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 12 Shawn Collins (SR JR/TR)
NT: 9 Markus Clark (JR)
DE: 29 Santana Hopper (RS SO)
LB: 90 Nate Johnson (SO)
LB: 56 Kyle Arnholt (RS JR)
LB: 26 Caden Sullivan (RS JR)
NB: 11 Avarion Cole (RS JR/TR)
CB: 6 James Chambers (JR/TR)
CB: 2 Ethan Johnson (JR)
FS: 4 Myles Farmer (RS SR/TR)
SS: 7 Jordan Favors (RS JR)
PR: 2 Kaedin Robinson (RS SR/TR)
PT: 49 Mitchell Lake (SO)
(WR Kaedin Robinson – Appalachian State Athletics)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 ETSU BUCCANEERS | Appalachian State leads the series 18-2. The Mountaineers won (42-7) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
09/07 @ Clemson Tigers | Appalachian State trails the series 0-5. The Mountaineers lost (10-41) the last meeting between schools in 2015.
09/14 @ East Carolina Pirates | Appalachian State leads the series 21-12. The Mountaineers won (43-28) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (33-19) the prior meeting in 2021.
09/19 SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS | Appalachian State leads the series 4-1. The Mountaineers won (31-7) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/28 LIBERTY FLAMES | Appalachian State leads the series 7-3. The Mountaineers lost (48-55) the last meeting between schools in 2014.
10/05 @ Marshall Thunder Herd | Appalachian State leads the series 16-10. The Mountaineers are 2-2 since restarting the series in 2020, and their last series loss (21-28) was in 2022.
10/12 @ Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns | Appalachian State leads the series 8-3. The Mountaineers lost (16-24) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
10/26 GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS | Appalachian State leads the series 10-0. The Mountaineers won (42-14) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (42-17) the prior meeting in 2022.
11/02 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | Appalachian State leads the series 3-1. The Mountaineer lost (21-28) last season’s meeting between schools, and they won (27-14) the prior meeting in 2022.
11/07 @ Coastal Carolina Chanticleers | Appalachian State leads the series 7-3. The Mountaineers are 4-3 since restarting the series in 2017, and their last series win (30-27) was in 2021.
11/23 JAMES MADISON DUKES | Appalachian State leads the series 9-2. The Mountaineers won (26-23 OT) last season’s meeting between schools, and they lost (28-32) the prior meeting in 2022.
11/30 @ Georgia Southern Eagles | Appalachian State leads the series 21-16. The Mountaineers are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (48-51) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 7-1
Non-SBC: 3-1
Overall: 10-2 (2nd In SBC East)
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