5 Reasons App State Will Win The Sun Belt Title

Winning championships isn’t new in the High Country, so with a talented and experienced team back this fall, it stands to reason projecting a potential Sun Belt Conference title for Appalachian State in 2018 isn’t much of a reach.

The Mountaineers have been picked by numerous preseason publications and outlets to win the East Division in the Sun Belt as well as the league’s first championship game, which will be played the home stadium of the team with the highest College Football Playoff ranking. The game will be played on Dec. 1 and air on ESPN.

The stiffest competition will come from Arkansas State and Troy, both of which the Mountaineers play in the regular season. But to get to the title game, they have to finish ahead of Troy, so a possible rematch with the Red Wolves might be the path to claiming the outright Sun Belt championship.

Here are 5 Reasons App State will win the Sun Belt championship this season:

The Mountaineers may be ushering in a new starting quarterback after four years with Taylor Lamb running the show, but a strong offensive line – perhaps the top unit in the conference – leading the way for one of the best running backs in the nation in Jalin Moore is a great component for a championship-caliber team to possess. The depth behind Moore is strong, but if he stays healthy, he will have no problem turning his 3,170 career rushing yards into well past the 4,000 mark.

Okay, so the guys opening holes for Moore form one of the top units in the Sun Belt, as well. Led by offensive tackle Victor Johnson, this group should be able to overcome losing two starters to graduation. Noah Hannon and Ryan Neuzil give the unit a terrific threesome with loads of experience. OL coach Shawn Clark has spoken very highly of the contenders for the open spots, which includes former defensive tackle Baer Hunter.

ASU has one of the top cornerbacks in the nation in Clifton Duck as well as 2017 first-team All-Sun Belt corner Tae Hayes. This tandem is the best in the conference and would do well in any Power 5 league. Safety is a strength, as well, especially with Josh Thomas healthy again and Desmond Franklin owning a year of significant experience. This group can cover and forces a ton of turnovers, which are always elements on title teams.

Myquon Stout, an appropriate name if there ever was one, and Okon Godwin will anchor the Mountaineers up front. Stout does an excellent job of occupying blockers so others can make plays. Godwin came on last season and could really explode this time around. Demetrius Taylor played 12 games as a true freshman a year ago, but a lot is expected from him this fall. Take a snap shot of his game in September and then again in Bovember and the difference should be considerable, a reason ASU is a legit Sun Belt contender.

Appalachian State wins football games. Period. And it contends for championships, be it the FCS title back in the day or the Sun Belt crown now. Doing so is what App State is all about, and it’s that culture that drives players to go the extra mile in offseason conditioning and skills training, and it leaves a constant standard that the players strive for. Programs that sustain a level of success always have cultures conducive to winning, and App State is no different.