The Appalachian State Mountaineers are always good and they just reload and go back to the top of the FCS standings. This year they had a great regular season, but it has to be seen as a disappointment because they lost to Villanova rather early in the playoffs. Their high powered offense returns with DeAndre Presley the high octane quarterback and Travis Cadet the work horse running back returning for their senior season along with the leading receiver in catches and touchdowns Brian Quick. This is their year. They need to make it happen.
Still, the problems last year were on defense. Add to that the fact that leading tackler D.J. Smith is gone. Leading pass rushers Jabari Fletcher is also departed. They will also miss Bobby Bozo's 4 sacks. Mark LeGree, the leading interceptor, is also gone. Thus, a few major defensive pieces are missing from a defense that struggled from time to time.
This year's recruiting class is not going to pay immediate dividends, but it is a good class. The overall success of this team recruiting class is going to be the success of Kameron Bryant at QB. Appy's attack revolves around the dual threat QB. Bryant fits that mold. He has a fast step and a big arm. Not a lot of accurate passing, but a throw it deep arm. A red shirt is possilbe for this young man. To help go get his deep balls are a few incoming Wide receivers including Sean Price who is 6'4" and can go get the deep ball. They also are bringing in 3 OL with Shaq Counts having the best name. A place kicker is also getting a scholarship. The one new comer who probably will see some immediate action is Steven Miller who is a junior college All-American at running back. He could see real action and add to the offensive attack.
The defense added 10 new names. Two defensive tackles and three defensive ends to try and get a pass rush and stop the running attack of their opponents. They also got two Linebackers. Add in three more Defensive backs and there are your 10 recruits. Brandon McGowan just might be the best of the bunch although only time will tell. McGowan was ranked as a three star prospect by Rivals.com. His development will be important for an Appy Defense that can use a big play line backer. He could earn some time this year.
Things look good if not outright great on offense for the Mountaneers. But the Defensive backfield is very young. A linebacking core that has only one senior Demery Brewer. And Brewer totaled 17 tackles last year. Brandon Grier, who had 64 tackles, will have to step up his game to make up for the loss of D.J. Smith who had twice as many total tackles and had more solo tackles than Grier had total. There are a lot of question marks on the Appy defense and that could spell disaster for this team and the chances of sending out Presley as a national champion.
