This time, athletic director Doug Gillin stayed in the family by promoting Clark, the offensive line coach and former App State All-American. He had been an assistant with the program since 2016, and was promoted to head coach following the departure of Eliah Drinkwitz . Senior Mike Evans will back up Pearson and play a lot in multiple-tight end sets. NFL-style clock rules could come to college football, but the most extreme proposal will not. Its just the bottom line of getting guys out there when the bullets start coming and seeing how they react, Jones said. (Jeremy Brevard / USA Today), The Shawn Clark era began with a win in the New Orleans Bowl. He's married with two kids and lives just south of Grand Rapids in Byron Center, MI. In his debut, the Mountaineers defeated UAB in the New Orleans Bowl. The rest of the offensive staff includes Brian Haines (running backs/special teams), Pat Washington (wide receivers), Justin Watts (tight ends) and Nic Cardwell (offensive line). App State coaches know they need to develop the next group and expect to sign three or four receivers in the next recruiting class. The Mountaineers have clearly outperformed those rankings, with at least a share of four consecutive conference titles. The 6-foot-3 Sutton, a second-team All-Sun Belt pick and former Kansas State transfer, has 17 touchdowns and has averaged 16.2 yards per catch in two years at App State, but he missed the final three games of 2019 after tearing his ACL. We had two kids, DMarco and Trey Cobb, start at Will (last year), two guys who have starts, so we feel good at those positions. The teams only major offensive personnel loss is the early departure of Darrynton Evans, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year who rushed for 1,480 yards as a junior. Taylors seven sacks led the team last year, and his 13 tackles for loss were the second most, earning first-team All-Sun Belt honors. Hes going to be the No. The time is now for me.. We feel great about our line, Petersen said. He could stay in that role or find more playing time at safety. The addition of Tennessee running backs coach David Johnson put the finishing touches on. Theres no question, in this defense, we want those crazy kinds of guys, said Jones. Round to SF. A specific title has not yet been given to the veteran assistant. SPORTS App State announced the following football staff changes Friday: Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and Director of Athletic Performance Brad Bielaniec are no longer with the program. 2023 Appalachian State University Athletics, Contracts (Director of Athletics/Head Coaches), Appalachian Sports Network from Learfield, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital, Assistant Head Coach/Passing Game Coordinator/Tight Ends, Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks, Director of Athletic Performance for Football, Associate Athletics Director for Football Operations, Director of Player Personnel/General Manager, Assistant Director of Football Athletic Performance, Graduate Assistant (Offense/Special Teams), Graduate Assistant (Recruiting & Operations), Assistant Athletics Director for Sport Psychology and Mental Wellness, Academic Services for Student-Athletes Assistant Director / Lead Football Coordinator, Director of Athletics Performance Nutrition, Director of Football Athletic Training Services. 2021 Appalachian State Season 0-0. In 1995, App State went undefeated in the regular season, won the Southern Conference championship and advanced to the FCS quarterfinals. He led the teams tight ends with eight catches for 75 yards. Braswell released a statement through the University about the new opportunity this season, saying, This is a tremendous opportunity for me to be at the best place in the country to coach, Braswell said through a school press release. You cant wait too long to start getting ready for that next season, Petersen said. Things like this just dont happen for kids from rural northwest Georgia. The NCAA Football Rules Committee approved a proposal to keep the clock running when a team makes a first down except in the last two minutes of a half. You could say, Why did you change it at all? Virgil, who is also an All-Sun Belt sprinter on the schools track and field team, specifically stood out to Clark in the spring. While most schools got little to no spring practice, the Mountaineers started early, as they traditionally do. Jones, who coached Louisvilles inside linebackers in 2019, worked with the same position group in his last five seasons with the Mountaineers. The official Football Coach List for the Kansas State University Wildcats . Jones is part of the third new coaching staff the football program has seen in the last three years. The other nine are: Per the school, position assignments for the offensive and defensive assistants will be announced soon. When you look at a defensive anchor, theyve got to be an intimidating presence to quarterbacks.. 2013 Carolina Panthers (DB Coach) 12-4 Lost in Div. Last years backup, 6-1, 260-pound junior George Blackstock, is the leading candidate to take over. App States toughest competition for the Sun Belt title, Louisiana Lafayette, visits Boone on a Wednesday in Week 6, after the Mountaineers have an off week. Not only is my starter a senior, but so is my backup, and Jacob does a great job, new offensive coordinator Tony Petersen said. Bielaniec was hired as the Director of Athletic Performance in 2020 after also serving as an assistant football strength and conditioning coach with the Mountaineers in 2018. The Bruins were 8-4 last year and finished 21st in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, the first time since 2014 that they had been ranked at the end of the season. I told them point-blank, Im a really good coach, a really good recruiter and Im made for this job. After that 2014 campaign, he signed a four-year extension and went on to go 7-4 in 2015, just missing the cut for the FCS playoffs. Cortney Braswell, who was hired before the 2020 season, is no longer on the staff. Those three will be our workhorses. Another addition to the staff includes Courtney Braswell, who was hired after only one year of collegiate experience as defensive quality control coach for Satterfield at Louisville last season. Defensive backs: After replacing both cornerbacks a year ago, both starters return now. After App States historic 2019 season, the football team is looking to a new coaching staff to be even more dominant this year. BOONE The App State Mountaineers football program is losing their second coach in one week after offensive line coach Nic Cardwell announced on Twitter Tuesday that he was leaving the program. Nearly two months after taking over as the head coach of Appalachian State football, Shawn Clarks first staff at the Sun Belt Conference school is complete. Hes comfortable teaching our system of play, particularly in the passing game. Mike Krysl played for Willie Fritz at Central Missouri, coordinated special teams for him at Georgia Southern, and will now coach special teams again at Tulane. Before becoming the head coach at Western Carolina, Mark Spier was an integral part of three FCS national titles and six conference titles on Jerry Moore's staff at Appalachian State. Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and Director of Athletic Performance Brad Bielaniec are no longer with the program. The Mountaineers then played in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, beating Louisiana 4538 where named Sun Belt Conference Champions for the second consecutive year as well. This 2020 class is ranked No. Along with familiarity, Clark has another advantage: App State got in 11 spring practices before COVID-19 shut everything down. Petersen was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Mountaineers in January. Its a program built on player development. Appalachian State head coach Shawn Clark has added some familiar faces to his coaching staff for 2020. Were going to go into the game with ball security being a priority, were going into games being able to run the football, and win the one-on-one battles on the outside.. App State announced the following football staff changes Friday: Defensive line coach Robert Nunn and Director of Athletic Performance Brad Bielaniec are no longer with the program. Hennigan is back as the punt returner. This story is part of a continuing series that serves as an annual offseason assessment of Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams. For our fans, thats probably a bigger game than North Carolina or South Carolina. The 2003-04 seasons with the Mountaineers, which were his first two seasons with the program, he worked with the running backs. 1996 Johnson C Smith. The 2020 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2020 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represented Appalachian State University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. 4, 15.5 points) and total defense (No. "We're excited to welcome Mark and his wife, Paige, back to Boone," head coach Shawn Clark shared in the release. Despite throwing 105 more passes, his interception total didnt increase. Evans also joined Stanfords Christian McCaffrey (2015) and ECUs Chris Johnson (2007) as only FBS players this millennium with at least 1,400 rushing yards, five TD receptions and a kickoff return for a score in the same year. Kelly is 27-29 through five seasons in Westwood, but is 16-8 the past two years. 2019s Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year named MVP of both the Sun Belt Championship Game and New Orleans Bowl, Junior starting running back, Darrynton Evans, ran for a whopping 1480 yards, adding 18 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving as well. 1990 Appalachian State. This is home to me. This is where I want to end my career. For the first ever, the Mountaineers were ranked for seven weeks in the AP poll, eight in the Coaches poll, and five in the CFP poll. They finished the season ranked 19th in the AP and 18th in the Coaches. Last years backups, seniorTommy Dawkinsand seniorCaleb Spurlinreturn and will be in the rotation for that open end spot. Like at wide receiver, with so many seniors starting, App State needs to find its future group. The football program is on an upward trajectory, both on the field and in the classroom. 1992 Appalachian State. Special teams: The Mountaineers return both starting kicker Chandler Staton and punter Xavier Subotsch as seniors. App State has established itself as one of the best programs in the Group of 5, and its track record says thats not likely to change. Appalachian State announced the hiring Friday. Asked about who could contribute as a freshman, coaches noted they plan to rotate more players on defense. [3] Shawn Clark serves as the 22nd and current head coach. Though only Jolly had multiple interceptions, the teams 14 were top-25 nationally. Its a great program that Ive been attached to for a while, and Im excited to join the staff and get started.. Flucie Stewart and E. C. Duggins have each served twice as head coach of the Mountaineers. To watch how hes matured, hes got more confidence in his hands. It is my belief that you have to have a group of running backs in this offense.. Another notable loss for the Appalachian State staff is the departure of Garret Riley, brother of Oklahoma Head Coach Lincoln Riley, who will be heading to Dallas as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at SMU. Obviously there are emotional swings with sports and so the mathematical ratings do not always line up with the emotional expectations from a team. The Sun Belt should be deeper than a year ago, but the rest of the schedule is manageable. Ive always come back to visit Boone in the offseason, and I consider it home. App State is 7-15-1 in the series, most recently winning in 2000. He will fill the role of defensive coordinator in the 2020 season. All four earned some form of All-Sun Belt honors last year. The Mountaineers won 13 games, finished ranked No. One would have penalties that are accepted at the end of the first and third quarters enforced at the start of the following quarter rather than having an untimed down. As mentioned before, the Mountaineers will stick with a three-man front. Kelly will also have his third defensive coordinator in as many seasons after hiring DAnton Lynn. Brown played in all 14 games as a true freshman, finishing with 12 tackles. That includes senior Marcus Williams Jr., junior Daetrich Harrington and sophomore Camerun Peoples. This is a complete list of Appalachian State Mountaineers head football coaches. A new starting kick returner is needed with Evans gone. Under Drinkwitz, Thomas improved his pocket passing with increased usage and similar efficiency. The first is James Rowe, who joined the staff on January 9th as a defensive assistant after spending three years with the Washington Redskins as a defensive backs coach. Our kids were focused on the spring, and we were hitting on all cylinders after practice 11, Clark said. At tight end, junior Henry Pearson moves into the full-time starting role after starting eight games last year. Nunn served as the team's defensive line coach for the past three seasons. Is Coach Philip Montgomery on the Hot Seat? Inside linebackers Jordan Fehr and Anthony Flory were first- and second-team All-Sun Belt performers. Under Clark, the new tandem of coordinators Tony Petersen and Dale Jones are working to sharpen skills on each side of the field. Jones previously worked on the Mountaineers coaching staff from 1996 until 2018. Appalachian State played their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium on the school's Boone, North Carolina, campus, and competed as a member of the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. Charlie Harbison, last years cornerbacks coach as well as working with the Arizona Cardinals in 2018, followed Eli Drinkwitz in his surprise move to the University of Missouri as an associate head coach/defensive coordinator. The outside will have less experience. With the College Football Playoff expanding from four to 12 teams in 2024-25, and possibly more in the future, conference commissioners had asked the committee to look for ways to cut down on the number of plays in games in an attempt to mitigate potential injury exposures. To see the methodology behind this . Jan 5, 2020. Now, after being let go back in April after nine seasons leading the Western Carolina program (FCS) he's returning to App State. (Chuck Cook / USA Today). Linebackers: Without a doubt, this is App States biggest question mark. We think the changes are going to be very minimal here, said Smart, the committee co-chair. The committee forwarded two other proposals to keep games moving. 0. (He also lost to Penn State in overtime in his first start in 2018 and lost to Georgia Southern in 2018 when he was knocked out of the game early.) Petersen plans to continue most of what App State has done a downhill run game out of the Pistol and other formations. Other reserves include former UCLA transfer Jackson Gibbs and true freshman Navy Shuler, who enrolled early and went through spring practice. Kelly has led the Bruins to 17 total wins over the past two seasons. Nunn has spent the last 19 seasons of his coaching career in the NFL. That means the players adjusted to the new staff and scheme tweaks. The proposed changes would go into effect in the 2023 season if approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on April 20. The other would take away the option for a coach to call back-to-back timeouts during the same dead ball period. Though having four senior receivers bodes well for 2020, it leaves a hole for 2021. From watching Coach (Jerry) Moore, I was always impressed by how well the Mountaineers were coached. Petersen played and coached at App State while at Marshall. 2015 Kent State (OL Coach) On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Hes rushing for 500, 600 yards a year, and hell be very valuable for our offense. The biggest thing will be to keep working on depth, Jones said. Its that we have to get two or three guys that get some reps so they start developing so the following year, youve got guys who have reps.. | Shawn Clarks Record with Appalachian State. Mike Norvell officially completed his on-field coaching staff at Florida State this weekend. BOONE According to news outlets, running backs coach Garrett Riley will be named to be the new offensive coordinator at Appalachian State. Staton made 11 of 16 field goals last season. They played UAB and won their eighth overall bowl game by the score of 3117. Of his 71 punts, 26 were downed inside the 20-yard line and 12 went longer than 50 yards. He also mentored 22 all-conference performers, and 12 players have gone on to play in the NFL. The leaders of the new group will be senior inside linebacker DMarco Jackson and junior inside linebacker Trey Cobb. A tough stretch continues in Week 8 with Arkansas State at home. Scott Satterfield left for Louisville after three consecutive Sun Belt championships. Doug has been with FootballScoop for over a decade and currently serves as Director of Content. Well always have a downhill running game, a pro-style offense that will stretch the field vertically.. As a Super Bowl-winning assistant coach in the NFL and a head coach in junior college, he is going to bring a wealth of knowledge to our staff and players.. That was the premise of our conversation. Theres not a place I would rather coach. 5 or lower. He took over after Jim Mora Jr. was fired in 2017 and had a roster predominantly filled with underclassmen his first two seasons. 1 guy, and weve got some guys behind him. The greatest coach in college football history wonders aloud how the SEC could possibly be so cruel to the Crimson Tide. Photo Courtesy App State Athletics. I like Henry, Petersen said. Sophomores Nick Hampton and KeSean Brown are the likely starters. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. He won just 3 games in his first two seasons before going 7-5 in 2014. 19 in the AP poll and found themselves in contention for a New Years Six game. The Oklahoma native has served as a line coach at that level with the New York Jets (2017-18), Cleveland Browns (2016), New York Giants (2010-16), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009) and Washington Redskins (2003). Still Laying the Foundation of the Program. Kayla Hill. All varsity teams compete in the Sun Belt Conference, except for field hockey and wrestling. In 2019, Washington cornerback Quinton Dunbar was among the NFLs top interception artists, while in 2018 Rowe helped oversee a defensive backs group that was one of the best in the league in forcing turnovers. Before that, Braswell served as head coach for Ridgeland High School in his hometown of Rossville, Georgia. The Mountaineers need a new starter at nose tackle. One coach that has returned to the program which some App faithful may recognize is Dale Jones, who served as Appalachian defensive coordinator from 1996-2018 until leaving with Scott Satterfield to join him in Louisville after Satterfield left for the ACC. Clarks first game as head coach was the 2019 New Orleans bowl. We need depth, because we play a ton of 11 personnel, but also 12 personnel and even 13 sometimes.. 1995 Johnson C Smith. This may come at a somewhat underrated loss for the recuperating secondary for Appalachian, as senior and all-conference safeties Desmond Franklin and Josh Thomas will no longer be with the team in 2020 after graduating this Spring. Having played offensive guard for the Mountaineers from 1994-98, Clark returned to Boone after coaching stints at Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, Purdue and Kent State. There arent schematic overhauls planned. The True Hiring Score or THS is compiled by a complex formula bringing together many different factors. He previously served as App States defensive coordinator from 2010-12. 2019 Appalachian State (AHC/OL Coach) 12-1. Jones left for one season to go with Scott Satterfield to Louisville; but returned for the 2020 season and has served as defensive coordinator since. How much are Football Coaches Really Worth? Try a week on us. West led Richmond's pass defense to the highest-rating in the CAA in 2020. We are constantly tweaking our formula so that we can find the sweet spot of when a coach is technically on the hot seat. Behind Thomas is senior Jacob Huesman, who has thrown 48 career passes, including just seven in 2019. The thing about the Wake game is weve got some tradition there against each other, Jones said. Few teams have out-performed their recruiting rankings better than App State, both within in the conference and nationally. In an offense, you want to run the ball better. His official title will be senior analyst, the team announced yesterday. The next week, they travel to rival Georgia Southern, which has defeated App State in each of the past two years, for another Wednesday game. 2020 Appalachian State Coaching Staff Football Coaches & Staff 2020 Appalachian State Shawn Clark's Coaching Tree and History February 15, 2021 THS 85/100 Appalachian State's Last Game: Bowl Week: Did not make a Bowl in 2020 9-3 | Season Record (Win Expectations: 3.6) 10-3 | Shawn Clark's Record with Appalachian State (0.769%) 10-3 One of the things that intrigued me about him was the success that Appalachian State had running the ball and the unique ways they did so. And for good reason. The 5-9 Jolly grabbed five interceptions in 2019, the only Mountaineer with more than one, and he was named first-team All-Sun Belt. A running total of the number of coaches of the Mountaineers. 1989 Appalachian State. While most recently working as an offensive analyst at Missouri last season, Petersen also had stints coaching offenses at Marshall, Louisiana Tech and East Carolina. With Nunns hiring, all 10 of Clarks on-field assistants have been hired. That group includes Thomas Hennigan (61 catches, 773 yards last year), Corey Sutton (41 catches, 601 yards), Malik Williams (55 catches, 598 yards) and Jalen Virgil (24 catches, 383 yards). App State men's basketball fell in the second round of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, Jon Jon Millner of regular season champion App State has repeated as SoCon Wrestler of, Catawba Valley Community College softball pitcher Mayson Lail has been named the National Junior College, Copyright 2023 Long Communications LLC | Design by, Two More Staff Changes for Appalachian State Football, Appalachian State Mens Basketball Season Comes to a Close, Appalachian State Wrestling Earns Seven All-Conference Honors, Millner Repeats as Wrestler of the Year, CVCC Softballs Lail Named NJCAA Division 2 Pitcher of the Week. Steve Shaw, NCAA secretary-rules editor and national coordinator of officials, said the rules committee took a conservative approach to begin the process of shortening games. Hes a guy that can really stretch the field vertically. Not very big, but we can run and do what we do on offense.. App State defensive coordinator Dale Jones is back for his 24th year on the Mountaineer staff. The roster is set up for big success. The question will be depth. Senior Shemar Jean-Charles and junior Shaun Jolly will man the outside again. Speir is now back on the campus he's intimately familiar, as his son played quarterback under Scott Satterfield a handful of years ago, and his youngest son is currently a student.