2026 Team Previews

[Yosef1986]

As far as 6-6 record and being happy - that is a difficult question. It depends on how we play. If we are mistake free and play to the ability we have given the player turnover - lose to better teams - I could live with the 6-6 record. If 2026 is a repeat of last year - mistake prone and undisciplined football - then no.

[AppSt94]

As far as 6-6 record and being happy - that is a difficult question. It depends on how we play. If we are mistake free and play to the ability we have given the player turnover - lose to better teams - I could live with the 6-6 record. If 2026 is a repeat of last year - mistake prone and undisciplined football - then no.

Pretty fair and cogent response.

Here is a follow up based on your statement. Say we look better from an execution and coaching standpoint and we are still 6-6. Does that start to reset thoughts on what a good season looks like going forward? I only ask because with the current state of roster attrition year over, it becomes difficult to build momentum.

[AppSt94]

6-5 against programs that are peers or have less resources isn’t a successful season.

It’s really 5-6 as Maine is FCS but your point stands and I agree. Especially when we increased the budget of the 2024 5-6 campaign.

[BambooRdApp]

I typically do not do season projections. I live week by week. In this era, pretty freaking impossible if I wanted to.
With so many transfers in and out. Never know how the team will gel... or other teams for that matter.
On paper, it appears that we had a good freshman recruiting class. Not sure how much of an impact a freshman make on average in first year. Do some excel, yes. However, the norm is that they may be contributors but not stars in year one.
We appear to not have much depth in the trenches. Personally, that is generally where games are won and lost IMHO.
I will look forward to Maine and going 1-0. We will then look forward to EasyU and after.

If I have one wish, I hope to beat Dolly Madison on some fluke play screw up by Billy "miracle on the mountain" Napier. It would just seem right.

[Yosef1986]

As far as 6-6 record and being happy - that is a difficult question. It depends on how we play. If we are mistake free and play to the ability we have given the player turnover - lose to better teams - I could live with the 6-6 record. If 2026 is a repeat of last year - mistake prone and undisciplined football - then no.

Pretty fair and cogent response.

Here is a follow up based on your statement. Say we look better from an execution and coaching standpoint and we are still 6-6. Does that start to reset thoughts on what a good season looks like going forward? I only ask because with the current state of roster attrition year over, it becomes difficult to build momentum.

Yes - I am hoping for an overall improvement. If we are 6-6 and show marked improvement - that would be a step forward. Anby step forward with our reputation for winning would be a big step over the past few years. A winning season and/or marked improvement would help our trajectory.

Another losing season and potential coaching change could be detrimental.

[Saint3333]

6-5 against programs that are peers or have less resources isn’t a successful season.

It’s really 5-6 as Maine is FCS but your point stands and I agree. Especially when we increased the budget of the 2024 5-6 campaign.

No, 6-5 for peers or lower resources programs, FCS schools are included in the lower resourced programs, NC State is excluded in my analysis.

[AtlAppMan]

Who on this board would be satisfied if App averages 7-5 over the next 10 yrs and never exceeds 10 wins in any one year? Would you still give what you give now or would the lack of enthusiasm overcome you and stop contributing? I like App and want to help them but at some point I can't justify it anymore. At this point, I don't feel my contribution is much for student athletes and a program for a bunch of kids wanting to become App State men. It feels more like paying the salaries of a minor league team. Given that, it is purely for entertainment. At that point, I am going to spend my money where I get the most enjoyment and a perennial middling SBC team, or any conference team for that matter, doesn't do it for me.

[spacemonkey]

My main goals are as follows.

Beat ECU and UNCC

Keep up with JMU and try to catch what is needed to land in a conference with ECU and UNCC and JMU and Marshall. I love to hate Georgia Southern, but I would be ok if we left them out. (Especially if it meant staying with JMU and ECU) There is going to be one more shift of conferences and I hope we end in a pretty tight "Good" conference. I hate to see what has happened to ECU....I think it unbelievably unfair. (They are the team that is going to get left out that had it at one time...BigEast) I cannot imagine what it feels like for those fans to get left out, but they are going to get left out.

[MrCraig]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... every-team

No one in the SBC above 75 and nine teams below 100 including us. Congrats to everyone that wanted to pay players, you killed football for us.

You're welcome! Sorry for believing everyone should be paid commensurate to their talent. I thought that was generally accepted, but I've learned when it comes to sports, it's not.

Suicidal Empathy. When in reality those that make the rules have structured it so they win and we (along with eventually mid-major olympic sports) lose.

The process will kill athletics and overall number of scholarships so that a few will get paid.

The original goal of college athletics was to provide more opportunities to those that otherwise wouldn't.

You can argue that the money made should have been allocated back to the schools and help subsidize the costs there rather than lining coaches' pocket and building grand halls for training/fans and I'd agree.

The second and third order consequences from standing on the "moral" ground are problematic. Congrats you fell for it.

Sorry to get AP English teacher on you, but your reasoning does not support your claim.
Money is absolutely ruining college sports, but not because the players are finally getting paid for their talent. Mega conferences, multi-million dollar TV deals, overpaid coaches and ADs... all those things ARE ruining college football. The players finally getting their piece of the pie isn't.

You pulling the smug academia card then getting it completely wrong is pretty impressive. As Saint noted, overpaid ADs are not why we are where are now.

Oh ok. Well, you said it, so it must be true.

[MrCraig]

English teacher, hmmm. Logic was sound, I mentioned your point in my post and a better way of how the money should have been utilized.

In addition the results are proof, when did the inflection point occur? When the coaches got paid, when the stadium were upgraded, or when the players of certain programs starting getting paid in conjunction with the no regulation transfer portal?

Hopefully the rules are amended by more than an EO soon or the number of programs available to HS athletes will suffer.

You're still continuing to place the blame on players who are simply doing what every other college student and American is allowed to do- make money on the free market based on their talents and skills. The fact that there's been no regulation is 100% the fault of power conference commissioners and ADs.

Your claim is that the players getting paid is the reason everything is going to hell in a hand basket. However, paying players has nothing to do with expanding the CFP and relegating bowl games. Paying players has nothing to do with the power conferences expanding and damaging the traditions, rivalries, and relevance of smaller conference schools. Paying players has nothing to do with the Big 10 and SEC commissioners politicking to get more of their schools in the CFP and keeping small schools out.

[AppSt94]

Who on this board would be satisfied if App averages 7-5 over the next 10 yrs and never exceeds 10 wins in any one year? Would you still give what you give now or would the lack of enthusiasm overcome you and stop contributing? I like App and want to help them but at some point I can't justify it anymore. At this point, I don't feel my contribution is much for student athletes and a program for a bunch of kids wanting to become App State men. It feels more like paying the salaries of a minor league team. Given that, it is purely for entertainment. At that point, I am going to spend my money where I get the most enjoyment and a perennial middling SBC team, or any conference team for that matter, doesn't do it for me.

Respect the opinion. Fair question(s). My opinion is that whether we like it or not, 7-5 consistentcy will become the mark of a good football team. The bigger issue for me is the quality of the product top to bottom and how the lack of player development will erode the game to the point that it will eventually affect the pro game.

As it stands today, I can say that it won’t stop my giving to App athletics. It may reduce it. It may increase it. I’m not sure. I don’t give my money so that I can feel good on Saturday night after a victory nor I do I ponder if I am wasting my money after a disappointing loss. Please understand that the previous comment is not meant to throw shade at anyone that feels differently. That’s my personal opinion and I respect the opinion of those the feel differently.

What I might do is reduce my giving to YC and reallocate to sport specific giving such as wrestling and track as examples.

[Stonewall]

A league can establish a salary cap as I understand it. Not to include NIL of course.

[311neers]

Academics? A life changing education? A generational accomplishment? Pooooffff!

Nowadays that’s an amazing benefit and opportunity except if you play college football. Apparently the players can only make money playing. It’s crazy to me how we proclaim to “care” so much about these kids but are more than happy to just throw money at them for a couple years and never think of them again. These players have zero idea as to what they may do after football. Have no degree and no ability to manage a truck load of money that’s suddenly handed to them. We aren’t doing these kids any favors and it ain’t got a damn thing to do with them getting their “fair share”. That’s code for exploiting them but couching it in a way to make that fan feel better about themselves

We've got 100 guys on the roster.
How many actually want to be in Boone?

My guess is a handful.
The rest are here to collect a check for 9 months and move on.
The system enabled this thought process for the kids.

[Saint3333]

English teacher, hmmm. Logic was sound, I mentioned your point in my post and a better way of how the money should have been utilized.

In addition the results are proof, when did the inflection point occur? When the coaches got paid, when the stadium were upgraded, or when the players of certain programs starting getting paid in conjunction with the no regulation transfer portal?

Hopefully the rules are amended by more than an EO soon or the number of programs available to HS athletes will suffer.

You're still continuing to place the blame on players who are simply doing what every other college student and American is allowed to do- make money on the free market based on their talents and skills. The fact that there's been no regulation is 100% the fault of power conference commissioners and ADs.

Your claim is that the players getting paid is the reason everything is going to hell in a hand basket. However, paying players has nothing to do with expanding the CFP and relegating bowl games. Paying players has nothing to do with the power conferences expanding and damaging the traditions, rivalries, and relevance of smaller conference schools. Paying players has nothing to do with the Big 10 and SEC commissioners politicking to get more of their schools in the CFP and keeping small schools out.

Well you said it so it must be true.

Paying the players was the pivot point, it was handled poorly and provided too much leverage in the hands of the "power schools". And a lot of people praised the decision not understanding the consequences. Wish I could find the thread on here were this was debated.

[t4pizza]

A lot of folks have second thoughts about the hire . A lot.

We don't need to be paying buyouts. If it is so bad that he has to go this year then Gillin should be gone as well. I really hope they don't rush and fire Loggains in 2026 unless they have cause.

I would say a losing record against peer schools is sufficient cause to fire him. If he can't get this team over .500 in year two, he needs to go in my opinion. A losing record would make three consecutive years of losing records, how often do you think that has happened in App State football history? NEVER, it has never ever happened in the entire history of our program. It is bad enough that we have had 3 losing seasons in 4 years but if we go 3 in a row and 4 in 5 years then he needs to go.

[RaleighApp27609]

Haven't been on here in a while. Can someone help me understand why the low predictions for 2026 when I thought we had a highly rated recruiting class and transfers coming for this upcoming season?

[Stonewall]

They also receive a free college education, unlike the other students who are “ working” to pay the bills.

[ASUFan4863]

Haven't been on here in a while. Can someone help me understand why the low predictions for 2026 when I thought we had a highly rated recruiting class and transfers coming for this upcoming season?

Low predictions due to so many unknown variables and that it’s easiest for these random publications to just go off something similar to the prior year.

The freshman recruiting class was highly rated, but it may be a stretch to expect that to pay huge dividends in 2026.

I don’t think the transfer class was highly rated, but I also don’t believe ratings are placed on those in the same way. Most transfers will receive arbitrary ratings based on their previous school that often do not reflect the talent.

[AtlAppMan]

In regards to paying players, salary caps and league wide budgets vs pros, here is my opinion, for what its worth.

In most major league sports, NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA, (for the most part) the individual teams/owners view their success, in part, to the overall success of the league. They recognize that they have a monopoly in their respective league (i.e. football or baseball) but also understand they are also competing for entertainment dollars with other entities. They want to maximize their total league revenue/profits as it will benefit their individual revenue/profits. Therefore they have to act together in ways that provide some balance. Thus a few teams being able to spend $500M/yr while most can't spend more than $50M/yr doesn't benefit the whole league and eventually it loses in the long run. That is why they have mostly tried to balance that out.

In college, the top programs see their "league" as their conference ONLY, they don't see the league as FBS. They only care about their SEC/B1G conferences and what is in their best interest. As long as they see it that way and have massive control over those decisions inpacting those conferences, they will never align to the best interest of the "FBS".

[BallantyneApp]

Some of the cfb leagues have gone to unequal revenue sharing as well.

The SEC has discussed it also. Why should Ga/bammer/Texas etc make the same as miss st/ark/so car?