Appalachian State hires South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains as head coach

BOONE, N.C. (AP) - South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday.

The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013.

Loggains was South Carolina’s offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets.

"He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football,” Gillin said. “He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State."

Loggains’ offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference’s third-ranked rushing offense.

Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas’ tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL.

The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference’s East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play.

App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons.