A New Coaching Staff Leads Appalachian State

(This is the sixth in a series previewing the 2019 opponents for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.  Today:  Appalachian State.  The Mountaineers and Cajuns meet at Cajun Field on Wednesday, October 9th at 7:00 pm in a game to be televised nationally on ESPN2.  Information from Phil Steele's College Football Preview was helpful in this story.)

Appalachian State rolled to eleven wins last year and won the inaugural Sun Belt Conference Championship Game.  After their fourth straight bowl win, a 45-13 thrashing of Middle Tennessee, head coach Scott Satterfield was rewarded with the head coaching job at Louisville.  North Carolina State OC Eli Drinkwitz was tabbed to replace him.

That's about all that's getting replaced at App State...at least on offense.

The Mountaineers return ten starters on the offensive side of the football.  Quarterback Zac Thomas threw for 21 scores a year ago and rushed for nearly 600 yards.  His three receivers all return, as does running back Darrynton Evans, who rushed for 1,187 yards.

Defensively, the Mountaineers have a few more holes to fill, returning six starters.  Linebackers Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jordan Fehr, both first team all-Sun Belt performers, return.  Eight of their top ten defensive linemen are back as well.  They've got to replace their corners after losing Clifton Duck, but there's plenty of talent on this side of the ball as well.

SCHEDULE:  Appalachian State travels to both North and South Carolina, while hosting East Tennessee State and Charlotte.  They avoid Arkansas State in league play and get Georgia Southern at home.  They travel to Troy on the final week in a game that could decide the East.

OUTLOOK:  There aren't a ton of questions surrounding this team.  The scary thing is, most of their starters on offense will be juniors this season.  As long as the transition from Satterfield to Drinkwitz goes smoothly, this is the team to beat...again