NEW ORLEANS ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Appalachian State will be the seventh Sun Belt Conference opponent for Marshall in a Saturday, Nov. 22, matchup in Boone, North Carolina.
The time for the game is to be determined. It will be the last road matchup for Marshall in the regular season.
Like MarshallÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Tony Gibson, Mountaineers coach Dowell Loggains is a first-year coach in the SBC East.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis is a special place with special people,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said in his opening statement at SBC ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Days in New Orleans. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAlways do more than expected. That mentality along with a chip-on-our-shoulder attitude has been with us since Day 1. It resonates with our fans that love being the underdog and proving people wrong.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m excited to be part of that atmosphere for the first time.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Loggains wears his NFL experience on his sleeve and talks about it as often as possible. According to Appalachian StateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s release on the new staff, it has 60 years of NFL coaching experience. Loggains was an offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.
Before coming to Appalachian State, Loggains was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for South Carolina and played a major role in the development of LaNorris Sellers ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” a potential Heisman candidate in 2025.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe thought that with the new landscape of college football that itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s important for our student-athletes to understand the NFL model,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWith 16 years of NFL experience, we know there are contract negotiations. The transfer portal is similar to NFL free agency.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
He said having that experience is a dynamo for recruitment.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe NFL sells,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAll of these guys want to play in the National Football League. When you talk about being there and knowing what it takes, thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s beneficial in recruiting and retention. It also teaches you in negotiations that this is a business.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œCollege football is more similar than ever to the National Football League.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The Mountaineers brings in 54 new players in 2025 after going 5-6 in 2024.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe have 36 from the transfer portal and 18 freshmen. WeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re excited with the way weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve recruited,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œOur staff busted their tails with recruiting. High school recruiting will always be part of our brand. We have great high school football in North Carolina, and weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll always be in our state recruiting.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Loggains brought offensive lineman Jayden Ramsey and defensive lineman Shawn Collins to represent the Mountaineers in New Orleans.
Both saw the community around Appalachian State come together following Hurricane Helene.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re blessed to still have our homes in place,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Collins said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe responded quickly. As players, we helped around town with packaging meals and goods to helicopters to help our community.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Ramsey is seen as a leadership piece by Loggains after a transition to another spot on the line.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œJayden Ramsey started seven games last season at guard,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe had a kid leave in the transfer portal, and (Ramsey) gladly moved to left tackle because itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s what was best for the team. HeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s from Anderson, North Carolina.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe wanted to be part of something special and finish what his brothers have started at App. With the 54 new players, heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s leading those players and building the brotherhood.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
It also speaks to the style of play that both of the players joining Loggains play on the front lines.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe want to be a team thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s built in the trenches,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œTheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re also guys who represent our core values. It shows a commitment of building in the trenches and what we want to be about.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Ramsey was optimistic about the additions to the offensive line.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey did a great job of recruiting new offensive line guys,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Ramsey said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re tight; we communicate well. We love hanging out with each other, and I have nothing bad to say about them. IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m excited.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Appalachian State has not named a starting quarterback, and Loggains pushed back on the concept of naming one in his opening press conference ahead of Week 1.
The Mountaineers brought in AJ Swann, a redshirt junior from LSU who started 12 games at Vanderbilt from 2022-23.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAJ was a kid that we recruited at South Carolina that was committed to us before flipping to LSU,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe built a relationship with him. We love that heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s played, and heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a talented guy.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s one of five guys competing for the job, and weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re happy with all four guys. We had the chance to watch him at Vanderbilt, and he did a lot of good things.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The Mountaineers have historically been a run-first offense. Loggains wouldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t give any trade secrets but leaned in again to his offensive line.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI believe great teams are built up front, but weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to play to the strengths of our team,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Loggains said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIn South Carolina in 2023 with Spencer Rattler and Xavier Legette, we threw the ball more. Then, we had LaNorris, so we built around the quarterback run game.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to build around the talent we have.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Appalachian State opens its season at Charlotte on Friday at 7 p.m. The MountaineersÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ non-conference slate includes Lindenwood, No. 25-ranked Boise State and Oregon State. SBC West opponents for the Mountaineers include Arkansas State and Southern Miss.
