Sun Belt East Preview: Talent and Expectations Abound
With Marshall starting over, who is ready to survive the onslaught of the SBC East?
Welcome to the Sun Belt East!
The Sun Belt retains the divisional format for another year, comforting the hearts of those of us that wish for a return to regional rivalries and traditional conference structures. Last year felt like an anomaly for the East Division after Marshall not only claimed the division crown, but the Sun Belt Championship over Louisiana. App State and Coastal Carolina had down seasons, while James Madison tripped up unexpectedly in Bob Chesney’s first season.
Still, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking the East is receding. Bounce back years are expected for each of the traditional contenders, plus Old Dominion and Georgia Southern are on the war path. Let’s dive into the breakdowns….
Appalachian State Mountaineers
2024 in Review
Despite entering the year as one of the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt East, the Mountaineers finished with a disappointing 5–6 record (3–5 in conference play), marking their first losing season since transitioning to the FBS level in 2014. The season concluded with a 29–20 loss to Georgia Southern, leading to the dismissal of head coach Shawn Clark after five seasons.
Key storylines
The Mountaineers have tabbed Dowell Loggains (South Carolina) as the new head coach, bringing NFL experience and a fresh offensive perspective. On the defensive side, former Missouri co-defensive coordinator D.J. Smith returns to his alma mater to lead the defense, aiming to instill a more aggressive and disciplined approach. The Mountaineers finished 104th in the country in total defense, 115th in scoring, (allowing more than 32 points per game), and 118th in rushing defense. It was such an extreme departure from the top 40 defenses that the Mountaineers had fielded, it feels as if there has to be statistical progression back towards the mean this year.
The Mountaineers have a talented group of QBs competing for the starting job. With the transfer of QB Joey Aguilar (UCLA, Tennessee), the job is there for the taking between AJ Swann (LSU), JJ Kohl (Iowa State), and Billy Wiles (Southern Miss). Tennessee transfer Khalifa Keith brings new talent to a historically strong RB room, while LB Brooks Yurachek (Ark), LB Brayshawn Littlejohn (Mizzou), and DT Garrison Butler (Cincy) will bolster the front seven.
“Must watch” game
Marshall beat App State 52-37 in Huntington last year en route to a Sun Belt Championship. App State will get their chance at revenge this year when the Herd comes to Boone in the penultimate game of the year.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
2024 in Review
The Chanticleers finished the 2024 season with a 6–7 record and a 3–5 mark in Sun Belt play, finishing tied for fifth in the East Division. The season ended on an especially bitter note after the 44–15 defeat at the hands of UTSA in their hometown Myrtle Beach Bowl. The team struggled to find consistent QB play after Grayson McCall transferred to North Carolina State in the previous offseason, while the Chants’ defense played like a turnstile for much of the season.
Key storylines
The QB battle will be a major focal point of fall camp on the Surf Turf. MJ Morris (Maryland) had previously been high on our list when he was a rookie at NC State. But after failing to win the job at Maryland, Morris is on his third stop in as many years. Athletically, he’s very gifted, but has struggled to find any consistent form in his career. Perhaps the more stable option is San Jose State transfer Emmett Brown. Brown threw for 1621 yards, 16 TDs, and 5 INTs as a Spartan before being benched in favor of Walker Eget.
The defense has been entirely rebuilt through the transfer portal. Along the line, newcomer Noah Arinze (NM State) is the most productive pass rusher that the Chants will unleash. The secondary is almost exclusively new players, headlined by CBs Myles Mooyoung (Miami) and Jeffrey Ugochukwu (Vandy) and safeties DeAndre Boykins (UNC) and Dante Thomas (KState). Beck and company will need to create a unit that improves on their disappointing mark last year of over 31 points surrendered per game.
“Must watch” game
How can you not pick the return to Kidd-Brewer Stadium to battle the Mountaineers on October 18th? App State and Coastal have developed a fierce rivalry over the last several years, with the winner gaining a serious leg up in the divisional race. Last year Coastal upended App State in Conway. A rebuilt Mountaineer squad will want to return the favor in ‘25.
Georgia Southern Eagles
2024 in Review
Clay Helton heads into his fourth season after an 8-5 campaign, finishing second in the Sun Belt East. Statistically, the Eagles were average to below average in most key areas, but they simply found all manner of ways to win ball games. A three game winning streak kicked off conference play, including a win over the eventual champ in Marshall. They also beat South Alabama, Coastal Carolina, and App State. Georgia Southern would have competed for a conference title had it not been for the blowout at Old Dominion and a stunning loss to Troy. With the third best returning production in the conference, it’s a decent bet that Georgia Southern will be strong once again.
Key storylines
Coaching staff continuity is increasingly more important to this podcast as roster continuity becomes a thing of the past. In addition to Helton’s fourth year on campus, he also has OC Ryan Aplin (2nd) and DC Brandon Bailey (3rd) returning. Aplin helped JC French breakout last year and will look to continue to progress with his gunslinger as French eyes a 3,000+ yard season in 2025.
Steady statistical improvement will be a theme of 2025 for the Eagles. On offense, the Eagles finished 6th in the conference in passing, 7th in scoring offense, 10th in sacks allowed, and 13th in rushing. On defense, Georgia Southern finished 6th in scoring, 6th in rushing, and dead last passing yards given up. The fact that they were able to win eight games proved they were more than the sum of the parts and was a big reason why so many of us say that the games are played on grass, not paper. A more consistent result on a weekly basis could result in the Eagles contending for the SBC crown.
“Must watch” game
September 27th will feature the Eagles heading to take on the Dukes of James Madison to kick off Sun Belt play. Georgia Southern has the gauntlet of App State, Coastal, and Marshall to conclude the season, but the trip to JMU could give us an indication of how good this team is in the Sun Belt.
Georgia State Panthers
2024 in Review
Georgia State never had much of a chance to succeed in 2024. After Shawn Elliot suddenly left the program to be the TE coach at South Carolina (citing NIL concerns), Dell McGee was suddenly tasked with figuring out how to lead the Panthers on short notice. No, the 3-9 record won’t turn any heads, but there were still a couple of gems hidden in the rough. The Panthers upset Vanderbilt in one of the more shocking results of the entire year, and waylaid Texas State 52-44 to end the Bobcats’ chances at a Sun Belt Championship.
Key storylines
Dell’s first true chance at putting a team and staff together saw him bring in experienced coordinators on both sides. Former NFL head coach Hue Jackson will take over the offense, while well-traveled Travis Pearson assumes control of the defense. Jackson is expected to bring multiple looks to the offense while emphasizing a “run through you” ground game. Pearson was most recently the DBs coach at Troy, meaning he can try to build on a secondary that finished 5th in the conference a year ago.
Per usual, the positional headlines will start with quarterback. Christian Veilleux returns for his second season in Atlanta after transferring from Pitt. It was a mixed bag for Veilleux last year after 13 TDs and 11 INTs. Cameran Brown (West Georgia) and PJ Hatter (Texas State) provide depth and competition.
Maybe the best news for the Panthers was the return of WR Ted Hurst for his senior season. Hurst, who caught 56 passes and 9 TDs last year, entered the portal late in the spring window, but ultimately decided to finish his career with Georgia State.
“Must watch” game
Modern Day Hate is October 18th this year in Statesboro, so mark your calendars accordingly. The Panthers are looking for their first win over Georgia Southern since 2021 (also on the road).
James Madison Dukes
2024 in Review
Bob Chesney leads the Dukes into his second year at the helm with championship aspirations afresh in Harrisonburg. JMU finished with a strong 9-4 record, but the losses to ULM early and the back to back defeats to App State (34-20) and Marshall (35-33 2OT) at the end of the year prevented the Dukes from reaching their ceiling. Lost now are key contributors like QB Alonza Barnett III* (knee injury), WR Omarion Dollison, and DE Eric O’Neill (Rutgers), meaning Chesney’s group will have to reload quickly to contend in 2025.
*Editor’s note: It seems as if Barnett could return sooner than anticipated from his knee injury. It’s not known how far he has to go before being cleared for contact, but it’s looking like Barnett could return during the season.
Key storylines
While the Dukes lost several pieces from ‘24, they couple standout returners like RB George Pettaway (980 yards) and S Jacob Thomas (team-leading 73 tackles) with a host of transfers from the lower levels. Chesney brought in Matthew Sluka (UNLV) and Camden Coleman (Richmond) to compete for QB1. Sluka and offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy had lots of success together at Holy Cross, so perhaps the reunion can revitalize Sluka’s career.
The rest of the offense is littered with stars from the FCS level with Holy Cross, Richmond, and Villinova transfers. Jordan Fuller, for example, had 44 career rushing TDs at Holy Cross and will join Pettaway and Ayo Adeyi (UNT) in a loaded RB room.
Defensively, look for JT Koumane-Yao (Shepherd, D2) and Drew Spinogatti (71 tackles at Holy Cross) to add talent and production to the linebacker room. The Dukes also looked to Chesney’s former stomping grounds for DB depth alongside ‘24 star safety Jacob Thomas.
Editor’s commentary: I’ve seen several big names picking JMU to run the table and make it to the CFP. While it’s certainly possible, and wouldn’t be a surprise to JMU fans, I would just slightly tap the breaks. The schedule is fraught with landmines and much of the roster will be transfers from the lower levels. Rooting for the Dukes, and they’re one of my favorites to win the SBC, but I wonder if a couple of national experts actually did their homework before making that prediction.
“Must watch” game
The schedule is BRUTAL. The Dukes face Louisville, Liberty, Texas State, Marshall, and Coastal Carolina. All on the road. At home, they’ll host Georgia Southern, Louisiana (SBC runner-up), App State, and Washington State.
Whew.
I want to see what JMU’s transfer-heavy roster looks like against great competition, so we’ll say the Friday night game against Louisville is appointment viewing (Sept 5th).
Marshall Thundering Herd
2024 in Review
Marshall had a statement season in 2024, finishing with a 10-3 record and securing the Sun Belt Conference title with a victory over Louisiana. However, the program faced significant transitions during the postseason. Head coach Charles Huff departed for Southern Miss after contract extension negotiations with the university fell through. Subsequently, over 25 players entered the transfer portal, leading to the team's withdrawal from the Independence Bowl due to roster depletion. While there are many dark sides to the transfer portal and coaching carousel, Marshall got the worst of both worlds.
Key storylines
Following Huff's departure, Marshall swiftly appointed Tony Gibson, former NC State defensive coordinator and a native West Virginian, as head coach. Gibson brings over two decades of FBS coaching experience and is known for his aggressive 3-3-5 defensive scheme.
Marshall lost a boat load of talent and contributors. That much is obvious. Many of them followed Huff to Southern Miss, while some like RB AJ Turner (Minnesota) and WR Christian Fitzpatrick (Okla State) transferred to P4 schools.
But hope springs eternal! Zion Turner (Jax State) is the presumed starter in Huntington, and he brings a wealth of athleticism to the position. RB Michael Allen (UNLV) transferred back closer to home, while RB Tony Mathis Jr (Houston) gives Marshall options in the backfield. The offense also got P4 transfers from WR Antonio Harmon (Miss State) and G Bryce Biggs (WVU). They’ll look to replicate (dare I even say improve?) on a top 40 scoring offense from 2024.
“Must watch” game
Texas State comes to town for Marshall’s homecoming on October 18th. Your fun fact of the day? Marshall and Texas State have never played each other! The first edition should have plenty of fireworks.
Old Dominion Monarchs
2024 in Review
Old Dominion tied for third in the Sun Belt East with a 5-7 overall record, including their 4-4 mark in conference play. While ODU showed flashes of potential, inconsistencies on both sides of the ball prevented them from reaching the postseason. The Monarchs actually averaged 28 points scored AND given up per game, resulting in NINE one-score games. ODU finished 3-6 in those games.
Key storylines
In order to win those coin flips, head coach Ricky Rahne and the Monarchs need to start by simply taking better care of the football. The Monarchs were able to move the ball, and converted once they reached the red zone. The issue was losing the ball before crossing the 20.
Quarterback Colton Joseph returns for his redshirt sophomore season after a promising 2024 campaign, where he accounted for 22 total touchdowns, passing for 1,627 yards and rushing for 647 yards, despite not playing the full season. His dual-threat ability provides the dynamic element to the offense that could be the difference maker over the course of a full season. The offensive line sees reinforcement with transfers like Ryan Joyce (Fordham) and Griffin Duggan (Virginia Tech), aiming to build upon the top rushing attack in the SBC a season ago.
Defensively, the key is to stop the run. The Monarchs were particularly susceptible to the ole ground ‘n’ pound approach in 2024. LB Jason Henderson is a key piece to that defense (knee injury) if he’s fully back and healthy. The Monarchs’ star has logged over 400 total tackles in his career.
“Must watch” game
The Monarchs host in-state rival Liberty on Saturday, Sept 27th, in the final non-conference game. A win over a Flames team who will be replacing quite a bit of production would be monumental for the Monarch’s confidence heading into Sun Belt play. The secondary received talented reinforcements like little known playmaker Lucas Struck (Iowa Western) at safety. From the P4 level, Safety Nickendre Stiger (KState) and corner Botros Alsandro (Purdue) will be expected to help push Ricky Rahne’s squad to, dare I say, the doorstep of Sun Belt Championship contention?
Thanks for reading our first conference preview of the season! Stay tuned for the Sun Belt West preview coming soon. Want even more? Subscribe and get ready for a written and video preview for every single FBS team in the country!