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2025 Sun Belt Football Previews: Appalachian State Mountaineers
89 Plays3 months ago
Brian, Matt and Zeke are joined this week by Appalachian State expert/fan Aikman Chambers to discuss the upcoming Mountaineers team under the leadership of new head coach Dowell Loggains.
The four talk over what went wrong at the end of Shawn Clark's tenure, what needs to change, and who can be impact players among a new group for App State heading into 2025.
Email questions/comments for the show to warmweatherfans@gmail.com!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:16
Speaker
Welcome everybody into another edition of warm of the fans the Sunbelt podcast. ah My name is Brian Stone joined once again this week by Zeke Palermo who was on the previous two episodes that we did last week where we talked about Southern Miss and Georgia State.
00:00:31
Speaker
But this week we're we're once again joined by our third co-host Matt Miguez ah who's in the process of moving. So it honestly Matt thanks for taking the time to to sit down with us.
00:00:43
Speaker
um And then, ah once again, another guest ah that we have had on before, Aikman Chambers, App State fan, historian, aficionado, whatever title he he prefers, ah here to talk about this year's ah Mountaineers team, what went wrong with last year's team, what got Sean Clark eventually out of there. We talked a little bit about that when he was fired, but yeah,
00:01:08
Speaker
but yeah We're all here, full crew today. ah Start with Zeke. Oh, sorry, go ahead. Sorry, i I don't mean to butt in, but for our listeners that don't know, Aikman Chambers is secretly Yosef. He's got the look.
00:01:25
Speaker
He's got the thick black beard. You just need the pipe and the top hat, and you're you're rocking and rolling. I'll only break that out during football season. That's put up in the closet right now. Okay.
00:01:37
Speaker
It's a little bit almost like Mormon Quaker ah attire, just like just like a smidge, a hair in that direction. I know y'all probably ah you know hate that, but it is kind of what it it it looks like. You belong and in upstate Pennsylvania, to be quite honest. um But Aikman, thanks for joining us. How's it going with you, man?
Excitement and Reactions to New Coach
00:01:59
Speaker
Man, it's going great. Thank you guys so much for having me back on the podcast. I really do appreciate it. Been going full steam ahead. Hard to believe that here we are, you know, this last stretch of summer before we really get into things.
00:02:14
Speaker
College football season going to be here before we know it. I'm excited. I'm pumped. it's ah It's a new era for App State football, something we don't say very often,
00:02:26
Speaker
You know, we talked about this when we did the pod together months ago ah when Clark got fired at who may be the next head coach. And if I remember correctly, we saw the rumors of Dow logging. So um I can't wait to get into all this because the one thing I will say off the top, the way that the fan base took the announcement versus where they sit now here in July after seeing the portal and other things,
00:02:54
Speaker
the tone has shifted around Boone quite a bit, and I know we're going to dive into a lot of that.
00:03:01
Speaker
I mean, you kind of have to, right? Like, even if you don't love the hire, you kind of you're at a point where it's like, It's almost like the a roller coaster is about to take off and you're like, yeah, I'm strapped in. Like, what am I going to do now? Like, you know, I'm and i'm going to start crying about it now. Like, no, it is what it is.
00:03:21
Speaker
Matt, you ah you didn't join us last week. How's it going with you, man?
Personal Updates and Podcast Dynamics
00:03:25
Speaker
Man, everything's good. Life has changed quite a bit over the last couple of weeks. Currently, or I was going to say currently unemployed, but as my stepmom told me to tell people, I'm temporarily retired.
00:03:39
Speaker
Um, you know, moved to, uh, moved about 25 minutes outside of new Orleans. currently living with my wife's family. you know, that, that old, know, in between jobs, let's save some money kind of situation.
00:03:56
Speaker
Um, so, uh, Really excited about that.
App State Football Overview
00:03:59
Speaker
Looking forward to talking some Cajuns in a couple weeks and really excited to get into this App State team tonight because I've got a lot of thoughts on, you know, and kind of what the mindset is in Boone and, you know, what can we kind of expect on the field ah from from this team?
00:04:20
Speaker
Sure. And then throwing it around the horn last to Zeke. How are you, man? Yeah, I'm good. ah We touched on this, Matt. I'm also, this is our third season. I'm in my third location.
00:04:32
Speaker
As record, Brian and his setup is the only constant in this ah podcast. It's the same. Death taxes my basement.
00:04:43
Speaker
His basement with that weird sheet of paper to his left shoulder. It's not not paper. I don't know what the hell it is, to be quite honest with you. When I moved in, I thought the the router was back here because AT&T insisted that I had hookups.
00:04:59
Speaker
Turns out I didn't. I don't know what this is. So, sorry. You need to get some memorabilia and hang it behind you. You're looking really bland. I mean, i work in this setup and I usually have a blurred background on Zoom, so no nobody cares except on this podcast. its quite honest with you I guess that's fair.
00:05:20
Speaker
We are gathered here today to talk about the 2025 Abstate Mountaineers and the marriage to new head coach Dowell Loggins. um So Loggins obviously comes over from South Carolina, where he was the offensive coordinator, saw a good bit of success.
00:05:38
Speaker
um You know, they have they have a really dynamic quarterback there. um And he, Lenora Sellers, was tearing things up last year. So logistically, it makes sense that they would they would consider that a big get, getting Loggins to come over from what seems to be kind of an up-and-coming SEC team.
00:06:00
Speaker
ah Now, some of the pieces that they have on this year's team are unfamiliar. And so that leads itself not only with the new head coach, but with these new players to a lot of kind of um uncertainty with the outlook of this team.
00:06:18
Speaker
ah Now, Previous quarterback, Joey Aguilar, UCLA legend Joey Aguilar, having never thrown him ah pass for the the the Bruins, ah is gone.
00:06:30
Speaker
He's now two schools removed ah from App State. So, you know, best of luck to him. um Yeah, Aikman, take us through kind of what is the...
00:06:43
Speaker
i think I think a better way to frame it is what was the kind of the overall general consensus when Loggins was hired and where do what is kind of the consensus today? Where do we kind of sit with with the hire and and how the kind of team is set up to go 2025?
00:06:59
Speaker
Well, it was around Christmas when Dow Loggins was hired as the new App State head coach. And for someone like me, to throw what I thought at first, at first, I'm going to be honest, I was a little bit underwhelmed because we had done the podcast and we were talking about like Neil Brown was a guy we thought was going to be a a coveted candidate for this job. And then as things started to shake out, it looked more and more unlikely that He was going to be the guy, and then Dow Loggins' name started to emerge kind of late in the process, and a lot of people didn't know what to think. They thought, well, this is a guy, you know, he's had all the NFL experience, then he goes to college.
00:07:42
Speaker
He's doing very dynamic things with Spencer Rattler and Lenora Sellers in South Carolina. So when he gets the job, a lot of people don't know – they're kind of like, this is a little bit underwhelming. We were expecting, I think most people had put their eggs in that Neil Brown basket.
00:07:59
Speaker
They had kind of convinced themselves that that was going to be the way that this thing went. um And when it didn't do that, I think a lot of people were left kind of like bummed out simply because they had kind of just already been dreaming about Neil Brown standing from one Mountaineer sideline to another coming from Morgantown to Boone.
00:08:17
Speaker
And, but as, We go through the winter and into the sp spring, and you
Loggins' NFL Connections and Fan Optimism
00:08:23
Speaker
start seeing the moves that that Dow has made in the transfer portal. Some of the moves, I think, as in players going out were necessary. I think we lost some players that it's better off that they went ahead and left, especially after the underwhelming play that was left by some of the starters from a season ago because I think new blood was needed.
00:08:44
Speaker
And I think you're going to see that this fall. But I think he started putting his staff together. There's some guys here who have a lot of NFL ties. ah ah He has the NFL experience, I think.
00:08:57
Speaker
And that's one of the things he has constantly talked about. I've listened to. a few different interviews that he has done. And one, even locally here close to where I live, he was on a radio show ah with a friend of mine. And he, he even said, you know, he, he pointed out NFL, this I was NFL, this, I think that is going to be his calling card.
00:09:17
Speaker
to a lot of guys is trying to get them to say, hey, if you come here, you play well for us, I've got enough connections, I can at least get you headed in that NFL direction. so I think from that perspective, it started to – people's viewpoints on it started to change, look up a little bit, and let's face it, with how last year went at the way the season ended especially – you kind of had no choice but to turn your viewpoint to being somewhat optimistic once a new coach was announced.
00:09:50
Speaker
I mean, I think that's fair, but I mean, also, like I said, yeah you're kind of out of options at this point, at the this far into the the offseason slash preseason at this point, you don't really have a choice, but to be optimistic. I mean, other than that, you're you're sitting around going, all right, well, we're not going very good this year.
00:10:07
Speaker
So like, those are your two options. Um, So, Matt, you said you had a lot of ah takes slash opinions on App State. Do you have any kind of broader ones that you'd like to get off right at the top, or do you want to kind of save those as we get more specific?
00:10:27
Speaker
You know, i do want to say one thing to to what Aikman had to say about Dowell Loggins and how the hire felt a little underwhelming because he didn't have any head coaching experience, spent a lot of time in the NFL, offensive coordinator,
00:10:41
Speaker
things of that nature. Look, I'm not going to put Dow Loggins on this pedestal just yet, but I do remember a couple years ago, another Sunbelt school hiring a guy with no head coaching experience, spent a lot of time at an offensive coordinator, and really had a really good resume.
00:11:02
Speaker
The hire felt a little underwhelming off the top. and it turned out to work pretty well, and his name was Billy Napier. 10 minutes and 54 seconds. That's all it took.
00:11:13
Speaker
That's all it took. ah look Again, I'm not going to sit here and say Dow Loggins is the next Billy Napier and is going to land push P4 job at Florida, but I think, you know, if I can talk to the App State fan base for a little bit.
00:11:29
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, the hire might feel a little underwhelming, but give the guy a real opportunity um to to show you what he can do, because it may turn out to be one of the best things that's ever happened to your university.
00:11:41
Speaker
I definitely believe that. And trust me, with the way that he and his staff have already hit the recruiting trail for 26 and App State already having one of the top group of five recruiting classes for the class of 26, I can promise you, especially over the last, give it two weeks,
00:11:59
Speaker
the mood has changed tremendously. Like, it has become over the moon with some people with the way that he has seen them hit the recruiting trail and everything else. And I think ah thing this was was a possibility that it could happen, obviously.
00:12:15
Speaker
But with his ties and his connections, in this day and age, look, just because you get a good high school recruit for a group of five school, it doesn't mean anything. One year, if they come in as a freshman,
00:12:26
Speaker
you know, they're going to be gone for a sophomore year. And that's just the name of the game now. But if you get them here for one year and you can ball out for one year, that's basically life. Now, you you literally, in the Sun Belt as a group of five school, you have to take it year by year individually.
00:12:44
Speaker
Before we move on there, Aikman, there was something you said also in your ah kind of introductory statement to the team ah was that there are a few guys on this roster that were on the roster last year that are almost addition by subtraction.
Impact of Player Departures
00:12:59
Speaker
And as you look at statistical leaders from this ah past year, leading rusher is gone, quarterback gone, top three receivers all gone. You're missing ah you know some of your top sack getters, some of your top tacklers.
00:13:14
Speaker
Um, so from an outside perspective, it's easy to look at this roster and say, and we're going to go position by position, but from a high level view, it's very easy to say, what of those guys were addition by subtraction? Cause you're losing a 722 yard rusher. You're losing a two 700 plus yard receivers.
00:13:33
Speaker
What are some of those guys that you think the team is better off, uh, might be better off without this year? Well, I'll go ahead and start out and tell you this. I mean, Caden Robinson's not one of those guys. That's one of those guys, man, losing Caden Robinson.
00:13:49
Speaker
And honestly, I'm going to go out on a limb and say another guy that I thought was a loss that's going to hurt is also Grant Tucker. Those two guys in the receiver room I think would have been killer had they found a way to be able to come back like they did.
00:14:05
Speaker
ah know Caden Robinson had the the help thing at the end of the year, then the way they was – Could he play at UCLA? Would they give him the ability to and whatnot? So I understand how that planned out. There's a couple other guys, more so on the defensive side of the football, um with some people that I had talked to that were in close connection with things going on that I don't want to name them by name, simply just out of respect, but a couple of bigger names that are gone are addition by subtraction because locker room, off the field, things of that nature, the attitudes were not necessarily where they should be.
00:14:51
Speaker
ah yeah I'm trying to think of the best way to say it without naming anybody out, just out of respect, because they're gone now, and so I wish them nothing but the best. But from people that I had spoken with, you know, that had gave me some information, that they just kind of – The locker room, it wasn't exactly the most, you know, everybody in one accord, which you can kind of expect when you're not loose used to losing and you have a losing season like that and you pretty much know your coach is going to be gone at the end of the year and you're just trying to get through the season.
00:15:22
Speaker
It's one of those things that I think just a combination of things caused it to boil over.
Quarterback Situation and Offensive Strategy
00:15:29
Speaker
Okay, so so let's start at the top ah at one of the most, or I guess the most important position on the offensive side of the ball. You got the quarterback spot, which I made the reference to. Aguilar is now, again, two stops now removed from App State, never having taken a snap in L.A., is now in Tennessee.
00:15:49
Speaker
um they now have what Phil Steele projects and Aikman, this might be incorrect, so feel free to correct us if any of this information's wrong. But Phil Steele, as of today, has A.J. Swan penciled in as the presumed starter.
00:16:05
Speaker
um Matt, it says that his most recent stop was at LSU last year where he participated in two games. Did you see anything out of A.J. Swan last year? I mean, a lot of what he he did was garbage time.
00:16:20
Speaker
Um, you know, he was really, he was listed on the depth chart as second string, but I really think he was more of the third string guy. um now look, he, he did some impressive things in 2023 when he was at Vanderbilt.
00:16:35
Speaker
Uh, this is a guy that is going to stand in the pocket. He's going to make good decisions with the football. Uh, he's not going to too, um, well, he's not going to get too cute with it, right?
00:16:48
Speaker
um He's going to make good decisions. It's not going to be flashy. It's not going to be exciting, but he's going to get the job done. And I think if you put good running backs and good receivers around him, especially an offensive line to protect him, I we're going to get into that here in a little bit.
00:17:03
Speaker
App State's offensive line only has 22 career starts among them. So, you know, that that's going to be a big question mark, obviously. ah But if they can figure that out pretty quickly and have him protected,
00:17:15
Speaker
you I think he's a solid option to quarterback. Aikman, I have a question for you. With Loggins being a primarily offensive guy, Is there a philosophy or scheme change that App State fans are anticipating from what Clark had been running out in years past to now?
00:17:34
Speaker
Because I don't know Swan's game, Matt. I don't know if he was like a scrambler in the vein of Lenore Sellers. No. Okay. So. Pocket baster.
00:17:45
Speaker
It felt like I watched a decent bit of South Carolina last year. It felt like their offense was almost akin to like in the pros, like the Baltimore Ravens. Like it's like they have a very specific guy with a skill set that does X, Y, and Z.
00:18:01
Speaker
And what happens when you take a new team that doesn't have somebody with that kind of similar skill set? What does the offense look like? So Aikman, are there any, are is there anything you guys have been able to glean so far as to, as to what the ah offense is supposed to look like as opposed to what it looked like under Sean Clark?
00:18:22
Speaker
Well, you know, even ever since App State really even made the jump to the FBS level, they've really been a run-first team because we've had ah a consistent stable of running backs to be able to be that run-first team to open up the pass. Yeah.
00:18:37
Speaker
It's one of those things I've heard that there's going to be a lot of similarities between the South Carolina offense at what App State's going to bring to the table. Now, I think that looks different.
00:18:48
Speaker
Personally, I think you look more like South Carolina with J.J. Cole over A.J. Swan. Just my opinion, if you're going to base it purely off of the South Carolina style of things, J.J. Cole really intrigues me, the Iowa State quarterback transfer, because he's got that 6'6", 6'7", frame, you know, Got some mobility there, maybe even a little bit more mobility than A.J. Swan. And to see a guy of that stature running around doing some quarterback reads and stuff like that. But from what I have seen, neither guy looked to be in complete control in the spring game back in April.
00:19:24
Speaker
Both had really good moments when they took the majority of the reps in the spring game, but I would not say that either one had this ginormous lead over the other. um But as of about a week and a half ago, I was told AJ Swan probably has the advantage sitting here as we get ready for fall camp to open up at the end of the month.
00:19:47
Speaker
Um, That doesn't mean anything. He can still change. But as of right now, if i I would lean to the way that Phil Steele was going because that's what I'd been told is that A.J. Swan more than likely will be that week one starter when they play Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium on August 29th or 30th, whatever date it is.
00:20:08
Speaker
and Okay. um So Zeke, we don't know what the the the quarterback spot at this point is going to look like, what kind of offense
Running Back Room Analysis
00:20:17
Speaker
they're going to run. However, there is a familiar name in the running back room, and that's Kanye Roberts.
00:20:22
Speaker
And as of today, Phil Steele, as of this reading, has a ah transfer from Arkansas slated to start over Roberts. Do you think that's a mistake? Because I thought he was pretty good last year.
00:20:36
Speaker
Now, maybe he ends up being more of a change of pace type guy, but he's got some decent size to him. So I don't really understand unless you're just looking at pedigree like, hey, this guy played at SEC school.
00:20:48
Speaker
I don't really understand what the knock would be. i I mean, that's, I guess, a question for Aikman because I remember really like seeing ah liking what we saw in Kanye Roberts.
00:20:59
Speaker
He was obviously second fiddle to ah in a very good running back room but sat behind Imani Marshall last year. um i was shocked to see that name. Again, who who's to say what's the truth?
00:21:12
Speaker
I guess I'll deflect over to Aikman. Who's getting the carries out of this backfield? It is hard for me to sit here and think that Kanye Roberts would not be the guy, but Rashad DeBinion, the guy you're talking about from Arkansas, I believe that that Dow Loggins, one of his few SEC transfers and one of two highly regarded Arkansas transfers that he was able to bring And he's going to make a strong, strong push for that starting running back position. and
00:21:43
Speaker
This is a guy there that runs hard. I think at the Sun Belt level, his speed's going to look even better, like it naturally would for a lot of guys that are dropping down, ah think, from the SEC to the Sun Belt. You know, there were times last year...
00:21:58
Speaker
Kanye, he had some injury issues a little bit. yeah I know that Sean Clark wasn't always happy. He felt like he put the ball on the turf a little bit too much ah at times, and that was kind of a back and forth, I think, at times between those two. But it's it's a fresh start for Kanye with a new coaching staff, a new quarterback.
00:22:18
Speaker
I still think Kanye Roberts is going to be a weapon in this ah offense this fall. But, But I would not be surprised to see Rashad DeBinion be the guy that runs away with this thing. There's also another guy I want to throw in there that I think will be in the mix, too.
00:22:33
Speaker
ah He come from Tennessee. His name is Khalifa Keith. Now, you tell me, i mean, maybe the dude should have been a rapper. I don't know, with a name like Khalifa Keith. I mean, that – you know That sounds like a rapper name, but I think that guy, I mean, you get two pretty good you know transfers from the SEC, one from Arkansas, one from Tennessee in your running back room, and you still bring guys that have been there like Jalen Calhoun back with Kanye Roberts.
00:22:57
Speaker
This is still maybe the deepest and most athletic part of this team, especially on offense is its running back room. I want to bring up one point on, on, on the Benion.
00:23:10
Speaker
i just looked at Arkansas stats. Cause I remember watching him a little bit last year um playing for the Razorbacks. He finished fourth and team rushing. Obviously, Taylor green at quarterback was in that mix.
00:23:24
Speaker
I think he was their second best rusher, but in terms of running backs, he finished third at 335 yards. ah So to Aikman's point, talking about his, his ability to,
00:23:35
Speaker
be a hard runner and and he has that breakaway speed, I think he's going to be a really nice option for App State. And he might get the majority of the carries being that he's coming from an SEC program.
00:23:49
Speaker
But this is going to be an offense that features two running backs really heavily. Kanye Roberts might be the second name listed on the depth chart, but he is still going to get his. Sure.
00:24:01
Speaker
And that, and I mean, that makes sense. They, you know, if you've got depth of that position and you can take a lot of the, uh, exertion off of AJ Swan's plate, having played very, very sparingly at LSU, ah last year. And, and frankly, even at Vanderbilt the year before, I mean, he only started six games. So it wasn't like he was got a full season of reps and, and that was two years ago at this point. So who, who knows?
00:24:27
Speaker
Um, Aikman, as far as ah you you talked about the receiving room kind of been hollowed out as opposed to what it's looked like, especially in years past when it felt like almost as deep as the running back rooms that you guys had been fielding.
Receiving Core Assessment
00:24:45
Speaker
the name The only name that i i'm I see on the page and go, oh, I remember that, is Dalton Stroman. Everybody else is kind of like, who are these guys? So is there anybody else? or do you Do you expect Stroman to kind of take over as that one, or do you think that it's going to be receiver by committee, or do you expect one of these transfers to kind of lead the pack?
00:25:08
Speaker
Dalton Stroman is still going to be one of the guys in this ah offense. What I love, and this is probably my favorite thing that now Loggins has done in the transfer portal, is he hit the receiver room hard. I mean, we brought in, there's some guys from – the sec level there's guys from the fcs level that were impact players at the fcs level that i think will contribute in this offense but don't strowman is he's been there he's going to be a consistent number one or number two option but davion dozier from arkansas is another guy i'm really curious to see how he's going to take uh to dropping down and playing at app uh
00:25:51
Speaker
This is what I love. You look at Dalton Stroman, Davion Dozier, William Fowles, all these guys are 6'3 or taller, a couple of 6'4 and 6'5. There is height and there is athleticism with these guys that are tall, lanky, can go up, catch the fifty fifty balls.
00:26:09
Speaker
This is, to me, the biggest boom or bust portion possibly of the offense. Like you see the potential all over the page with the athleticism and what they could do. Now, again, a lot of it's unproven. Dalton Stroman's really the only guy you look at and say, okay, he's been there.
00:26:27
Speaker
We know he can make an impact. We just got to see how he does it with A.J. Swan or J.J. Cole under center versus having a Joey Aguilar or someone else. So this receiver room is something I'm really excited about watching to see who really emerges as the true number one.
00:26:47
Speaker
I think we could all point preseason and say, yeah, Dalton Stroman, Davian Dozier, I mean, it could end up being a guy that we're not even thinking about. um I've heard that they that the coaching staff really loves a kid by the name of Jaden Barnes, who they brought up from Austin Peay, who had a really good year at the FCS level last year, that they really liked the way he has taken to things throughout the spring.
00:27:10
Speaker
and into summer workouts and everything else. So I'm excited. I mean, I think this receiving core could be something really fun to watch, but that's what this offense needs. This ah offense needs to have guys on the outside that can – we know about the run game. We've talked about it, what it can do. But this ah offense, to really get back to where we need to be, we've got to have these guys on the outside step up and be impact players.
00:27:38
Speaker
Do you think that that's what App had kind of been missing the last couple of years? Like, obviously, Clark had to say it was rocky as a tenure would be kind of an understatement.
00:27:50
Speaker
um You know, there there would be a year where they were in the Sunbelt title game and then the next year it's 500 below 500 ball. five hundred below five hundred ball What offensively, what do you think was the biggest kind of a kit? Do you think the receiving room was the biggest kind of Achilles heel of like trying to just get consistent production out of those guys?
00:28:09
Speaker
It definitely was one of the major things I looked at. I mean, obviously, Caden Robinson at the time was pretty much on an island. I felt like where he was like the only guy. waving his hands out here. But the problem is when the defensive backs and the safeties and the linebackers, when they all know that, okay, well, we can account for this guy. Let's make one of these other guys step up and beat us. And then, you know, at times there was times, you know, that the offensive line had been shaky as well. And I know we'll get in to the offensive line and everything else because it's kind of been rehauled a little bit as well with some transfers in and out of the program. But I definitely think there was a lack of playmaking ability on the outside.
00:28:51
Speaker
I think if you just – you turn on the film and watch it, especially last year's games. Now, granted, we turned the ball over quite a bit, so it's hard to – you know, when you turn the ball over at the rate we were turning the football over at times last year, it's hard to say anybody had a chance to be a playmaker.
00:29:07
Speaker
on the outside, but it's one of those things where you, we've got to have this receiving room, get back into form and get back into playing high level football.
Offensive Uncertainties
00:29:16
Speaker
If we want to compete in the Sunbelt East division, especially.
00:29:21
Speaker
Yeah. um Zeke, I want to give you a chance to kind of break in here. Is there anything that you have questions about for Aikman or, you know, you can even transition to asking a question about the off offensive line and we get, cause we're moving toward that direction anyway. Right.
00:29:35
Speaker
Aikman, this does lead a little into the offensive line because it's ah a pretty overturned unit as a whole. When was the last time that you felt this level of uncertainty about the offense and the direction of the offense?
00:29:49
Speaker
ah with this team. This uncertainty is something that I experienced very recently last season with Georgia State getting a new head coach. So I understand that adds a layer to it. But I mean, when was the last time even that you didn't weren't 100% sold on who the starting quarterback was? Because you know you had Chase Bryce and then you know Ryan Berger for a day, and then ah you had Joey Aguilar. So when was the last time that you had this level of uncertainty, and how did how does it make you feel as a fan?
00:30:18
Speaker
And then also as someone ah you know around the team? You know, it's it's definitely interesting interesting because i don't – at first I didn't know how to feel because it was the first time in in quite a while that I'd sit back and looks like we're coming off just a dreadful season. Like the fan base was livid.
00:30:39
Speaker
People knew there had to be a change. People knew a change was going to be coming because it was just that time. And then now – It's one of those things where it's like the unknown. And it's like Brian said, you don't really have a choice at this point. But the unknown, I think, is kind of a good thing for us right now. I think you we need it.
00:30:59
Speaker
we all We need it and we needed it at the same time, if we can make that make any sense from Southern Dictionary. But um the way I view this is one of those deals where – as uncomfortable as it may be not knowing which guy is going to make an impact, say, at receiver or which guy is going to be the standout on the offensive line, I think that's a good thing because it opens the playing field up for these, you know,
00:31:27
Speaker
Power five recruits that Dow was able to bring in to jump into these spots and make an impact. And maybe his scheme ends up being a better fit for some of the guys that stayed, that stayed through last year, that are back this year, that are going to get a chance to play.
00:31:44
Speaker
Because when I look at that offensive line especially, you have Griffin Scroggs and Jaden Ramsey. That's it. That's the only two guys I look at and say, yeah, these guys are probably going to be starters ah that were contributors in the Sean Clark era.
00:31:58
Speaker
Outside of that, your tackle spot, center, it's all going to be up for grabs out of these – guys he's brought in from the transfer portal or maybe even some guys that have decided to stay that were there a season ago are going to get a chance to see if they can step up in this new system.
00:32:16
Speaker
But it is something that I myself personally am glad that I feel this way, as crazy as it may sound, because we needed it. We needed to go outside the box.
00:32:27
Speaker
App always had this stigma attached to it where we got to stay in the family. We got to stay in the family when it comes to hiring coaches for football or whatever else from that Jerry Moore tree.
00:32:39
Speaker
Going outside the box worked well when you got Eli Drinkowitz. Now, granted, it was only one year, but it worked really well. I don't think we get Dow Loggins for just one year if he has a miraculous turnaround. I don't. I think maybe two or three to really prove himself as a head coach for the first time at the collegiate level.
00:33:00
Speaker
But I just – I love the new vibe and the uncertainty feel, and I especially love reading all the preseason projections that's talking about maybe like fourth in the Sunbelt East Division, eighth or ninth overall in the conference. Like, it's new territory for App to be in since they're moved to the Sunbelt.
00:33:22
Speaker
But I also think it's a new way to really hit reset to the fullest degree. And just kind of put new things and new goals into perspective and be like, OK, we're still Appalachian State. We're not used to losing seasons. This isn't what we do. This isn't what we have, you know, made a living off of, especially, you know, in the last 25 years since the turn of the century.
00:33:46
Speaker
It was needed and it's a good thing.
00:33:51
Speaker
Aikman, I wanted to ask you about something. I remember you bringing this up as a point. I can't remember whether you or i you and I talked about it privately or whether we talked about it on the episode you were on. App State doesn't have an official offensive coordinator in title, right? No.
00:34:07
Speaker
To my knowledge, Dow Loggins will call the plays. like He's basically your offensive coordinator and head coach in one.
00:34:16
Speaker
That's still pretty unique to me. I feel like even if you have a guy where you're like, I know the the head coach is calling the plays, you at least have a guy there in title. Now, what that guy does, I assume he helps with scheming or like tape you know review, like trying to find mismatches, things like that.
00:34:34
Speaker
But that is ah I feel like this is going to be either this is kind of the way that things should move or it's going to be like next year you have you guys have an offensive coordinator December 1st.
00:34:48
Speaker
and And it's going to be like we at least need somebody there entitled to help out with playing game planning and stuff like that. So that's pretty unique. Well, and you know that's something that I've found to be interesting because it was probably – I was two, maybe three weeks ago when I was going through some of my notes for stuff and I was like – They've never hired anybody to be offensive coordinator. And I was like, maybe I'm dreaming. And I went back through and looked through my notes and, you know, went through the entire offensive staff page twice just to make sure I read everybody's title right, that maybe it wasn't buried, you know, as like the second or third thing on, you know, a position coach, or a receiver coach or a tight end coach or whatever else.
00:35:33
Speaker
But no, but from what I've been able to understand and find out is that Dow Loggins is basically head coach and offensive coordinator for year one. Okay.
00:35:44
Speaker
well Well, we'll see how that all works out on the offensive side of the ball. um Defensively, let's let's kind of transition to def defense here. um Historically, App State having a really good defense has kind of been the bread and butter along with running the football and not making mistakes, not turning the ball over.
Defensive Challenges and Changes
00:36:03
Speaker
Last year, you kind of saw some of the cracks start to form. There were a lot of games. I feel like One game they would put together a pretty good performance, and the next game it was totally the opposite. I think i think you guys had a game against South Alabama that that rings ah in my memory. Let's not talk about that South Alabama game. I'm sorry to cut you off, but oh, dear God.
00:36:26
Speaker
No, let's go that's like the furthest game from my memory because I was ah was working that game back at the studio where I work at where we're the flagship for the football and basketball broadcast. And that was a long Thursday night, man. That was a long Thursday night.
00:36:43
Speaker
Well, it was just it it was more just saying last year defensively it felt like you were all over the place. And i I don't know if you felt this way or not, but the thing that felt different to me, the most different, um you know, obviously having Scott Sloan be the defensive coordinator at the time, I kind of...
00:37:03
Speaker
Went on a little bit of a rant when you were on the the episode last time ah after Sean Clark's firing. It was like, here's all the problems we had under Scott Sloan at Southern. Did any of this sound fa familiar? And you were like, oh, yeah, that sounds exactly right. So clearly some of that still had some trickle down.
00:37:19
Speaker
I felt like the thing for app that really hindered them last year was the lack of salt, like one really, really solid pass rusher that I feel like had been kind of the, the backbone of, of defenses at app in the past. Did you feel kind of this a similar way about that?
00:37:36
Speaker
Absolutely, and not to mention the fact that it felt like the secondary was just kind of you know, playing with an open blanket in the middle of the field that said, here, here's a guy, you know, 20 yards in the middle of the defense.
00:37:49
Speaker
Go ahead, and we'll just make sure he doesn't – we'll try to make sure he doesn't gain 40 yards, but we'll give him 30 yards, basically, is how it felt watching the defense at time but ah a year ago. Because for so many years since they made the transition – to the Sun Belt, it was like, okay, can the ah offense just not turn the ball over, get the running game going, and then the defense do its job that it could consistently do.
00:38:13
Speaker
That wasn't the case last year. Last year it was, my God, we've got to go play defense, and I know that chances are we're not going to stop anybody. And that's pretty much how it felt all year. I mean, the South Alabama game was one of the many games you could look at a season ago you know and just be like,
00:38:33
Speaker
what are we even doing? There was no communication at times it seemed anything. i mean, i know we talked about this, you know, the the problems with Scott Sloan that but you also have felt the pain of as well. But the lack of communication, so many things that just irked me to my core watching this team play defense a season ago.
00:38:54
Speaker
But when you go get a guy like DJ Smith from Missouri – to be the offensive coordinator. You know, the former Mountaineer, this is the guy they brought back home, so to speak. So at least, you Dow Loggins had the ability to say, you know what, we're going to stick to a little bit of App State tradition here. and We're going to bring a guy the fan base has been wanting to see come back for quite a while.
00:39:16
Speaker
You know, it helps that Dow has the relationship with Eli Drinkowitz. Drinkowitz and DJ Smith both now share that App State connection. So I felt like this was probably like, ah There wasn't much of a sell job here to be had to DJ to be able to be the defensive coordinator. And i think you're goingnna see I think you're going to see much better communication this year out of the defense. I mean, quite frankly, I don't know that communication can be much worse than what we saw a season ago.
00:39:45
Speaker
– but They brought in some good transfers on the def defenses on the defensive side of the football, especially a linebacker and defensive back. Now, we lost some pieces up front. You know, you lose a guy like Santana Hopper. You know you lose a guy like Nate Johnson. You know, you you lost some key guys on that defensive front.
00:40:04
Speaker
But, again, I don't know that it is – while their loss will be felt, I do feel like there's going to be guys that come in because, again, we don't really know is it going to be straight-up Missouri-style defense that DJ tries to run?
00:40:20
Speaker
Is it going to be a combination of something new? You know, what is the defense going to look like formation-wise? I think the same questions we had for the ah offense when the staff is completely new like it is and so many new players that have different skill sets,
00:40:36
Speaker
yeah this is where it gets intriguing because it almost feels like you are playing a true guessing game. Aikman, I want you to expound a little bit on, um and by the way, expound is my educated ass word of the day.
00:40:50
Speaker
um But I want you to to go a little deeper, you know, on this defense, you talked about the new defensive coordinator being familiar with app and what, you know, he's going to bring to Dow Loggins, staff,
00:41:04
Speaker
But sometimes when you get a new head coach and a new coaching staff, you don't particularly like when you have half your defense from the year before coming back. ah You do have five starters returning from a year ago.
00:41:15
Speaker
ah where Where do you stand on that? or Are you happy about that experience coming back? Or do you wish it was just you know a whole new lot of faces that were that that we're leading this defense?
00:41:27
Speaker
You know, that's where the defensive side of the football is one of those where I was like, okay, I really felt like the new blood was needed simply because we were so dreadful at times a season ago.
00:41:39
Speaker
But there is some guys, you know, that we as a fan base, I'm speaking for the fan base here, but also I think that we'll still be an impact player. ah think Jordan Favors coming back is going to be a help to have a piece in the defensive secondary that can do some good things. But I'm a big fan of who they were able to bring in. DJ Smith obviously has the connection here at linebacker, but he was able to bring in a guy that I'm curious to see if he doesn't step in and play, maybe not right away, but I think his name's going to be one that's really talked about as we get in to fall camp. And that's Bray Sean Littlejohn. I believe I'm saying his name right.
00:42:23
Speaker
Um, is the young man from Missouri. He's a linebacker from Missouri, and I think he's going to step in, and I think he's going to play a ah key part of this defense. I think at the linebacker position, you also get Jaden Bethea, a redshirt sophomore who does come back that I think is going to see ah some playing time this year. Kyle Arnholdt is a redshirt senior. He's one of your more experienced guys overall.
00:42:50
Speaker
that you've got coming back. He was one of the better tacklers for if you if you wanted to track that stat for our defense a season ago. He was one of the better – linebackers and overall defensive players I felt that we had. So there is some old blood that is still in the mix.
00:43:09
Speaker
But I think with D.J. Smith and the new staff, once they get, you know, some things ironed out, and it may take two or three weeks, you know, the Charlotte game, you may see breakdown in coverages. You're probably going to see some things possibly get miscommunicated in week one. That's to be expected.
00:43:27
Speaker
You get that Lindenwood game to get it sorted out, to kind of get your feet under you before a very, very – and I can't emphasize this enough – important Southern Miss game in week three, because not only because that's the first Sunbelt game, but because people's going to view Southern Miss a lot differently this year, too, with what they've got in the coaching ranks,
00:43:47
Speaker
um this year with Huff going from Marshall to Southern Miss. That Southern Miss game is going to be so key. So they've got a couple weeks where they can get it straightened out, but I think it's going to be a matter of once they get it straightened out, there's guys at that linebacker position and in the backfield that are going to be kind of the guys you look at. Okay, we've got some hybrid edge rushers.
00:44:09
Speaker
that that we've brought in from the transfer portal as well that's going to be guys to watch. I honestly think you will get a defensive front of rotation at the beginning until guys really start to make a name for their themselves. so I think the first two weeks you're going to cycle guys in, but if not by series, every other series.
00:44:28
Speaker
I think it's going to be a ah pure rotation to start to see who really takes you know the brass ring, so to speak.
00:44:37
Speaker
Zeke, did you have anything else on the on the defense before we kind of flip the page over to the schedule and look at potential wins and losses for the upcoming season? Yeah, I just wanted to make sure because Matt had asked this question. I just want to make sure that I understood you right, Aikman.
00:44:53
Speaker
You said that ah you were pretty pleased that ah App went, as you said, out of the family for Dowell. ah But the consensus is pretty pleased with the hiring of ah with going in-house for the D.C.?
00:45:08
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. Most people love the fact that DJ Smith was back because he played for for Jerry Moore, was a part of the you know the first run of national championships in the mid-2000s.
00:45:20
Speaker
It helped getting the program put on the map. And so it's a guy that they opened their arms wide open to seeing him come back to the sidelines and boom.
2025 Schedule and Key Games
00:45:31
Speaker
All right, so let's go ahead and transition over to the schedule for the upcoming season. um Some of the games ah Aikman has already mentioned. Charlotte to open the season on a Friday night at Charlotte.
00:45:45
Speaker
Lindenwood as a tune-up game. Southern Miss, who Aikman mentioned. um Aikman, not only do you have to contend at Southern Miss with...
00:45:56
Speaker
Charles Huff, but now Blake Anderson, former Arkansas State head coach, coming back to be their OC. that If you're still having breakdowns in coverage by week three, he's probably going to make really make it hurt for that.
00:46:10
Speaker
um And then you get a bye. You know, out of conference, two out of conference games, Boise State and Oregon State. ah You get to play Oregon State at home, which is nice. ah Usually that wouldn't happen, but the Pac-12 is still in shambles at this point as it sits today. So, you know, take it, take them where you can get them.
00:46:29
Speaker
um I think my biggest question is and if we want to get into specific games that we're looking at. My question is, as of today, the DraftKings Sportsbook has AppStates over-under for the season win totals at five and a half.
00:46:46
Speaker
um Personally, I feel like that's probably a good barometer for it because I think there's just so much uncertainty at every almost every position and with the coaching ah situations that if you're going to set it basically at six and be like,
00:47:07
Speaker
here Here it is. Either they make a bowl game or they don't. What you what do you want to bet on? I think that's a pretty good barometer. But, um yeah, I mean, I was looking at some of the games. It's like,
00:47:19
Speaker
I think Southern Miss is going to be a tough ah tough one. i think you I think you guys were really blessed not to have to play Ashton Janty and Boise last year and getting them this year instead.
00:47:30
Speaker
I think they still have some good talent, but i mean he i mean he went number five in the draft. like let's let's Let's put the cards on the table here. ah But in conference, it's like Southern Miss, maybe Old Dominion.
00:47:42
Speaker
You get Georgia Southern. ah That game gets moved up from the end of the season to November 6th. I don't know. I don't exactly know how I feel about that. um Don't love it. I loved it. I liked it better when it was rivalry week. And now it's like, now it's like Georgia Southern is probably going to play like Marshall to close the season. And I'm going to be like, eh, who cares?
00:48:03
Speaker
and Well, we're playing Arkansas State. So we've played completely on that. Right. And then, uh, Yeah, so I mean, really, to me on paper, the tough conference games for you guys are Southern Miss, maybe Old Dominion. They have to have some pieces around Colton Joseph because frankly, he was running like a one man show last year in in Norfolk.
00:48:24
Speaker
um Georgia Southern rivalry game, always tough. ah even it you get it at home, but it's still always ah ah uncertainty. At James Madison, and then that's kind of it.
00:48:36
Speaker
Like a lot of the other conference games you guys have are teams that are either trying to retool it like a Marshall or a... Let's be honest. I think Tim Beck is days are numbered at Coastal. So I think you guys can probably win that game or you'll be playing against the team without a head coach at that point in the season. Like we we don't know.
00:48:55
Speaker
So can I can I just say real quick that James Madison scares the bejesus out of me. So the fact that you guys have to go to Harrisonburg. um my my My thoughts and prayers are with the App State community that week.
00:49:07
Speaker
That's what people said two years ago, too, when we went to Harrisonburg the last time and we walked out of there with last-second win. these's got this This team, now granted, it's a new coach and a new staff, but we have traditionally gotten up to play James Madison. There's old blood there from the FCS days in the playoffs. Those two teams have had some phenomenal games.
00:49:29
Speaker
over the years, whether it be at the FCS or the FBS level. I love playing James Madison because I think, like Georgia Southern, it just brings the best out of the two programs because they want to beat each other. I think getting those two games back-to-back on the schedule in November, I mean, you couldn't ask for it to possibly roll out for Apt to be the true make-or-break stretch.
00:49:54
Speaker
of the season. It's like if you get through Georgia Southern and James Madison, let's say you split it or, you know, if you have the miraculous thing that you go two and o in that stretch, to finish out with Marshall and Arkansas State, you have the ability to really finish on a strong note, but that two that two out of the last four stretch of Georgia Southern,
00:50:16
Speaker
And James Madison, man, that's that could be the make or break point on the over-under for the season on the win total. Me personally, I don't care to say it, I took the over not just because I'm a fan, because I think six to seven wins is a really good starting point ah for this team in year one for Dow Loggins.
00:50:37
Speaker
But – I don't know that I've ever looked at it with a team to say, I can see this team possibly if transfers click, guys stay healthy, you know, all that all that stuff we talk about preseason.
00:50:52
Speaker
Could they win eight games? But at the same time, could they also only win four games if the transfers don't click? You know, I think it's a very high and low range that you can see for this team. That's why I think you see a lot of preseason predictions for this team all over the map.
00:51:10
Speaker
i think I think tentatively I would take the under, but I think I would have you guys at like five five wins or so. um Just frankly, i think with the the amount of uncertainty, i think you guys don't leave yourselves a ton of room for error, i think is is sort of where I sit with it, where it's like, yeah, the the conference slate is pretty easy, but Charlotte, I have no idea what to expect from Charlotte. I don't follow them as a program. I don't and don't have any inkling of how they're going to be this year.
00:51:46
Speaker
Lindenwood is a win. i think you guys probably dropped the game to Southern Miss in Hattiesburg in Game 3. I don't think you beat Boise. Oregon State, i I kind of like what their head coach there is building, but like again,
00:52:03
Speaker
I don't know what the the ghost of the Pac-12 looks like at this point. um i They have to come to Boone, which does play in our favor. Yeah. I think you beat both Georgia State and Coastal.
00:52:17
Speaker
ah I think both of those teams are are even further in the rebuild mode than App is. But to me, you know, we talked about the other games, but to me, Like you said, you're going to have to probably beat Marshall and Arkansas State to end the season, I think, to make sure that you are breaking through that win total. Because I think you could even lose...
00:52:39
Speaker
I think you could, you wouldn't want to, but I think you could even lose the stretch of Old Dominion, Southern and Madison if things go right early in the season, but you have to beat Marshall and Arkansas State to end it if you're going to hit that number. So that's, that's just sort of where I sit with it.
00:52:55
Speaker
Tentatively, like I said, I would sit about five wins, but that's just because if you trip up in any of these games or a quarterback gets hurt or Swan isn't what you wanted him to be or any of those number of different things, you Loggins has this plate full from both being the OC and the head coach. Like you find out all these things or one of these things doesn't work.
00:53:14
Speaker
Then you're, then you're just kind of left with, without many options. So I I'm going to tentatively go under, but it's like by a game or so it's not, it's not like I'm saying, Oh, you guys are going win two games this year.
00:53:25
Speaker
So, yeah I ah genuinely believe the Charlotte game will set the tone for non-conference, not just because it's week one, but because if we come out and we play really well in the Charlotte game and we win by, you know, two or three scores or whatever, you you roll through that Lindenwood game in week two in which you should have absolutely no problem with. If you do, you have bigger issues.
Season Predictions and Key Matches
00:53:53
Speaker
Then the Southern Miss game with Boise and Oregon State, that three-week stretch, the thing I do love, though, that maybe some people don't look at, you play that game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, you get a bye week before you have to go back out and play Boise.
00:54:10
Speaker
So if things don't go right in the Southern Miss game, you've got a whole extra week to iron some things out, to watch what Boise's doing. You know, they've got they've got some pretty – if I'm not mistaken from what I've looked over their schedule, they've got some pretty good games in their non-conference schedule with that kind of sandwiched right in between.
00:54:31
Speaker
And so, you know – I'm like you. I'm glad we're playing Boise this year instead last year ah because I do think they are going to be more vulnerable this season.
00:54:42
Speaker
And in that Oregon State game, man, flip a coin because, you know, obviously – You don't know what Oregon State's going to ultimately look like in early October.
00:54:53
Speaker
You don't know how their September is going to go the ghost of the Pac-12. But if they – I'll make a bold prediction. This is a bold prediction. This is just what I think. I think after Oregon State – There is a decent chance after Oregon State that we are walking through, that would be the first five games, there is a solid chance that we're four and one going into that Georgia State game if things fall right.
00:55:23
Speaker
I think that stretch of Georgia Southern, James Madison, um that that is the most interesting stretch maybe in the East all year because those are the three teams, as we look preseason, that are going to be in anywhere close to contention for that East spot in the championship game.
00:55:41
Speaker
And again, if App comes out of those both with wins, You look at them be like, shoot, man, yeah you're you're probably walking into the conference championship game ah with those two wins. So I'm really excited for that early November slate because I especially with that. I mean, Georgia Southern game, that game on a Thursday ah will hopefully get some extra eyes than it normally would.
00:56:04
Speaker
um However, it's got to obviously contend with Thursday night football. um the Those two games, I think, from App's perspective, could ultimately decide where they end the season ah in the East standings.
00:56:18
Speaker
Oh, absolutely. That November is going to be must-watch TV if you're an App State football fan, simply because, you know, with Georgia Southern and James Madison, your first two games, that it doesn't get any bigger because it very easily could dictate the Sun Belt East right there, especially if you take care of Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, and Old Dominion leading up to that.
00:56:46
Speaker
If you do what you need to do, even if you lose the Southern Miss game, if you do what you need to do against those interdivisional opponents at Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, and Old Dominion, that sets it up for that two-week stretch with Georgia Southern and James Madison could be your spot in the Sunbelt Championship game, and it's going to be a super tall task to get it done,
00:57:09
Speaker
but At the end of the day, I mean, I'm for anything crazy sometimes. i mean, that's why we call it the fun belt, because crazy things can happen no matter from the East Division or the West
Sun Belt Football and Rivalries
00:57:23
Speaker
Division. Would it really shock anybody if a team that was at the at the bottom of the division a season ago, basically, and in the back end of the conference overall rose up to have a chance for a bid at a conference championship game one year later? I mean, it's kind of –
00:57:42
Speaker
the tagline to the Sun Belt is fun things happen here. yeah Yeah, and and didn't didn't we kind of see Marshall just do that a little bit like a year ago, where the year before they were DOA and had no quarterback, and then all of a sudden, oh, guess what?
00:58:00
Speaker
We've got this guy who's just been a ah diamond in the rough hanging out on the bench waiting to waiting to go in. so You mean Cole Pennington was better for a short while than that guy? No. but Stone Earl neither. Nope, none of them.
00:58:15
Speaker
All right, so as we as we sort of wrap up here, ah ah Zeke, Matt, any sort of last-second thoughts before we kind of plug our socials and get out of here? But I feel like this has been a good, comprehensive look at App State in the year ahead.
00:58:31
Speaker
You know, I say this all the time when when I talk about App, um and I think it really stems from the multiple years in a row of rivalry um that app and the cajuns had in the sunbelt championship game played each other know the first was it four great um and so you know i think that there's a lot of mutual respect between both programs um i always find myself cheering for app when they're not playing ul um so you know i'm hoping for for better years ahead for the mountaineers and um
00:59:08
Speaker
Aikman, as always, enjoy having you on, man. Your insight into App is great, and you're welcome here anytime. I appreciate it, Matt. Thank you. And I will say, whenever you know you talk to other fans and other other people that support the App State program,
00:59:25
Speaker
I've never heard anybody say anything bad about the Cajuns. Like, that's just – you look across the division, and it's like if the Sun Belt could have those cross-divisional games that were automatic every year, like this East Division team plays this West Division team every year no matter what.
00:59:44
Speaker
To me, App and the Cajuns, man, that's that's one that I would be on board for keeping going from the East Division to the West Division because, like we talked about with, you know, App and Georgia Southern and App and James Madison, that's two teams in this conference that every time they play each other, they're going to they're gonna bring out the best to each other to get the win.
01:00:06
Speaker
Absolutely. ah All right. So last minute thoughts, Zeke, you got anything? And if not, go ahead and just plug your socials and then we'll throw it to Aikman and then Matt, and then I'll finish up here and we'll sign out.
01:00:21
Speaker
No, man. ah Aikman, thanks for being here as always. ah ah You guys can find me on Twitter at Zeke Palermo, Z-E-K-E-P-A-L-E-R-M-O.
01:00:32
Speaker
That's it. Aikman, go ahead. Well, guys, thanks again for having me. I really appreciate all three. of You guys do a wonderful job. I listen just about every week when you guys put something out, you know, just because I'm, you know, I've got my head in the App State bag all the time. I'm always watching the conference, keeping up with what's going on because I love what the Sun Belt.
01:00:55
Speaker
is doing. i love the future talk of, you know, now that we're losing Texas State, who are we going to bring into the fold now to, you know, make this conference, you know, even more regionalized in a day and age where teams don't care to travel, you know, 2,000 miles across the country to play conference games.
01:01:15
Speaker
Damn it, the Sun Belt is going to keep it in the true portion of the United States where it needs to be and the throughout the South, and I absolutely love it. It's why we fell in love with college sports, was those regional games, those rivalries that we had to hang our hats on.
01:01:31
Speaker
And I love that the Sun Belt is just embracing their footprint in this part of the country, but's from North Carolina to Louisiana and Arkansas, you know, to say this is who we are and we're keeping our teams together.
01:01:43
Speaker
So thank you guys again. You can follow me on Twitter, at Radio Guy AC, anytime. I appreciate it. Look forward to hopefully coming back on during the season with you guys.
01:01:56
Speaker
Absolutely. Matt? You can find me on social media at Miguez Matt. Sayonara to the Bobcats. ah You will not be missed. um I'm just going to be very blunt. You won't be missed.
01:02:09
Speaker
ah Good luck and in the pack eight. But anyways, again, you can find me on on social at Miguez Matt. Backriding for Underdog Dynasty covering the Sunbelt. ah So you can check that out, of course, at underdogdynasty.com.
01:02:24
Speaker
As always, you can follow the show on Twitter at WarmWeatherFans. You can send us an email, WarmWeatherFans at gmail.com. We obviously have our our all of our social platforms. We're at WarmWeatherFans, whether it be YouTube, TikTok, again, Twitter, what have you.
01:02:40
Speaker
And you can follow me personally on Twitter at WatchTheStone. We will be back later this week with an episode on the Troy Trojans. This has been an episode of WarmWeatherFans.