Appalachian State University Football

A respected offensive play-caller at both the NFL and college levels, Dowell Loggains was named the head coach of App State Football on Dec. 7, 2024.   Hired at

Aaron Fierbaugh was hired to be App State's safeties coach in January 2026.   Fierbaugh spent the 2023-25 seasons as Liberty’s safeties coach, helping the 2023

Anthony Shakir was hired as the defensive recruiting coordinator and edges coach in January 2025. Edge defender Kevin Abrams-Verwayne led the 2025 team with 5.0

Antonio James was named App State's defensive line coach in January 2026. James served as an assistant defensive line coach on Bret Bielema’s staff at Illinois

Clyde Christensen, who has coached the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison and Jameis Winston during his 45-year career, was hired as

Curtis Fuller joined Dowell Loggains' first App State staff as the defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach in December 2024. During the 2025

App State alum DJ Smith, a championship-winning player and coach during his previous tenures on the mountain, was tabbed as the program’s defensive coordinator and

Justin Harper was hired to be the Mountaineers' wide receivers coach in January 2026.   A native of nearby Catawba, N.C., Harper was drafted into the NFL following

Mike Anthony was hired by App State Football as the Mountaineers' offensive coordinator in February 2026.   Anthony was a member of South Carolina’s offensive

Riley Watkins joined App State’s football staff in December 2024.   Watkins worked on SEC staffs at Arkansas, Missouri and South Carolina during the previous four

Former NFL player and record-breaking college standout Ryan Yurachek was hired as the Mountaineers' tight ends coach in December 2024. During the 2025 season,

Tyler Kelley was hired as App State's running backs coach in January 2026.   Kelley spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as an assistant on Jon Sumrall’s staff at Tulane,

Tyler Zielenske was named App State's special teams coordinator in January 2026.    Zielenske served as Samford’s special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator