Appalachian State Mountaineers

App State enters 2026 with a new starting quarterback after a 2025 season that saw 15 interceptions and 22 total turnovers. Malachi Singleton, a dual-threat who appeared in 11 games at Purdue last year, and Henry Hasselbeck are competing for the job. The winner will have a solid backfield anchor in sophomore Jaquari Lewis, who rushed for 618 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. The receiving corps gets a boost from transfers Chris Lofton, who led the FCS Big South with 934 yards at Gardner-Webb, and Dazmin James, while returning wideouts Sam Mbake and Alex Sanchez combined for just 33 catches a year ago and need to step up.

The Mountaineers allowed 416.6 yards per game last season and need more consistency. Edge rushers Aiden Benton and Caleb Sandstrom are expected to lead the pass rush, while linebacker Colton Phares returns after posting a team-high 101 tackles and three interceptions. Middle linebacker help arrives via transfers Alex Mitchell from Middle Tennessee and Carson Sloan from Samford. In the secondary, cornerback Juan Berchal gained valuable freshman experience, and safety Ja'Den McBurrows could be a playmaker if fully recovered from the injury that cost him most of 2025. Additional cornerback depth comes from Joe Reddish (Virginia Tech) and Khalil Conley (North Carolina), both former ACC players.

App State began its FBS era in 2014 with eight straight winning seasons, but has managed only one winning campaign in the last four. Last year's 5-8 record under first-year head coach Dowell Loggains included growing pains, injuries, and the loss of quarterback Joey Aguilar. The Mountaineers are counting on instant impact from a large transfer class and healthy returns from key players like offensive linemen Tyriq Poindexter and Trent Ramsey, both of whom had injury-shortened 2025 seasons. The schedule opens with a home game against Maine, a winnable matchup that could build early confidence.

The quarterback decision will shape the offense's ceiling, but the offensive line's health is just as critical. If Poindexter and Ramsey can stay on the field, the running game with Lewis should thrive. Defensively, the pass rush from Benton and Sandstrom and the playmaking of Phares and McBurrows will determine whether the unit can improve on last year's yardage totals. Special teams, especially punting, could be a hidden factor in tight conference games. With a favorable opener at home, the Mountaineers have a chance to build momentum early, but the real test will come in Sun Belt play, where they need to show they can close out close games and avoid the turnovers that plagued them in 2025.