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Appalachian State football is on the verge of hiring a new head coach. The Mountaineers fired Shawn Clark after five years at the helm following a disappointing 5-6 season. The program finished sixth in the Sun Belt East standings with a conference record of 3-5. Even though the decision to fire Clark occurred on December 2nd, it didn't take long for the athletic department to have a new hire in mind. That person is South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains.
According to College Football Senior Writer for ESPN, Pete Thamel Loggains is the top target for the Appalachian State head coaching job. As of today, a deal has not been finalized, but it will be soon.
Dowell Loggains has a plethora of experience coaching at the highest level
While Dowell Loggains is only 44, he has 15 years of coaching experience at the NFL and college levels. Before coaching in Columbia, the Newport, Arkansas native moved up the ranks on the professional level and has been an offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets. He joined head coach Shane Beamer at South Carolina in 2023. The Gamecocks have had an incredible regular season this year, finishing at No. 14 in the country.
Loggains has been a large part of South Carolina's success. In 2023, the Gamecocks ranked twelve out of 14 SEC teams in points scored at 26 per game. This season, South Carolina's offense is scoring 31.6 points a contest, coming in at six out of the 16 conference teams.
In particular, Loggains has significantly improved the program's rushing attack under freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers and senior running back Raheim Sanders. That duo helped gain 267 yards on the ground in the Gamecocks' signature win at No. 12 Clemson. Loggains has not yet been a head coach in his career but is primed to take that next step. Once the Gamecocks officially learn their bowl fate, the OC will likely leave for Boone as soon as possible.
Appalachian State ultimately is a program with a lot of room for growth. The twelve-team College Football Playoff means the Mountaineers won't be automatically disqualified from competing for a spot when a new season starts. This new era, therefore, will give Loggains more leverage to sell this program to recruits.
Overall, Appalachian State football has reason to be optimistic going forward. The program set its sights on a target immediately after firing Shawn Clark. And now it looks like the Mountaineers have their new leader just five days later.
