Appalachian State is Thinking Sun Belt Championship

(This is the 13^th in a series of 14 stories featuring the Sun Belt Conference and 2015 opponents of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.  Today:  Appalachian State.  The Cajuns and Mountaineers meet at Kidd-Brewer Stadium on Saturday, November 28^th.)

It didn’t start out very well for Appalachian State.

After a 4-8 record in their final season in the Southern Conference, the Mountaineers weren’t picked very high in their first year in the Sun Belt.  And, after a 1-5 start, which included a loss to FCS Liberty, it looked like the predictors were right on.  But then it turned around.  App won six straight to end the season and averaged nearly 41 points per game during that stretch.  And, in that stretch, they allowed more than 30 points once.  With 20 out of 22 starters returning and both specialists, fans in the Blue Ridge Mountains have high expectations

OFFENSE—QB Taylor Lamb was voted the top freshman in a league that had some pretty good first year players a year ago.  He threw for 2,381 yards and 17 touchdowns.  He was intercepted nine times.  He also rushed for 483 net yards, over six per carry.  He doesn’t have the strongest arm or blazing speed, but does a lot of things well.  He’s a coach’s son and you can tell by watching him.  Marcus Cox rushed for 1,415 yards and 19 touchdowns and that was only good for second team honors on the all conference team.  Lamb was able to spread the ball around last year and the top six pass catchers return.  Simms McElfresh (42-484-5) and Malachi Jones (36-585-3) are the top two guys.  Appalachian State returns four of their starters up front and that group allowed just eleven sacks a year ago.

DEFENSE---LB John Law (great name) was a second team all league pick last year (91 tackles) and he leads a solid unit.  Ronald Blair had six sacks and seven QB hurries last year.  Free safety Doug Middleton was a first team all SBC a year ago with four picks on a unit.  All in all, the Mountaineers return eleven of their top twelve tacklers.  This unit got their share of sacks a year ago (28) and allowed fewer than 250 yards per game in total defense during that six game winning streak.  Head coach Scott Satterfield would like to see this unit garner a few more turnovers.

SPECIAL TEAMS—Return men Bob Beathard and Isaiah Lewis are back and both were solid in the kicking game a year ago, with Beathard returning a punt for a touchdown.  Bentley Critcher and Zach Matics shared the kicking duties a year ago, but neither was spectacular.  Critcher handles the punting and averaged nearly 41 yards per kick, but had three blocked.

SCHEDULE:  App State’s non conference schedule is manageable.  They have to travel to Clemson, but get Howard and Wyoming at home and travel to Old Dominion.  All three of those games are winnable.  They have to play the other three contenders (Ga. Southern, Arkansas State and UL) but get all three of them in Boone, where the altitude can be a factor (3,333 ft) if you’re not used to it.  Their toughest road game is at ULM.  Appalachian State does not play New Mexico State or Texas State.  It’s a very favorable schedule.

OUTLOOK---If there were questions about the Mountaineers turning the corner in the second half, it was answered when they won in Jonesboro and Lafayette on consecutive weeks.  Thursday night home games against Georgia Southern and Arkansas State will give the Mountaineers to showcase their program and gorgeous campus on national television.  This team likes to run the football and they play good defense.  That’s usually a formula for winning football.  Oh, and they’ll only start six seniors this year. If this team comes out of the gate the way they ended the season, this could be a special season at Appalachian State.

(Information from Phil Steele's College Football Preview contributed to this report.)