Dowell Loggains leaving Gamecocks football for App State head coaching job

Coach Shane Beamer and the South Carolina football team are in the market for a new offensive coordinator.

The Gamecocks’ Dowell Loggains was announced on Saturday afternoon as the next Appalachian State football coach.

The App State board of trustees formally approved Loggains’ hiring during an emergency meeting on Saturday afternoon, per the Watuaga Democrat. The school announced that it was going to be a five-year deal for Loggains.

Loggains will be introduced as the new coach on Monday at noon.

“My family and I are thrilled to join the Mountaineer family and build on the rich championship tradition of App State Football,” Loggains said in a App State release. “Thank you to the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Norris, Doug Gillin, and all of App Nation for this incredible opportunity to lead such a storied program. We are eager to become part of the community, engage with the student-athletes and fans, and give our All for App State.”

ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news earlier on Saturday, one week after South Carolina won at Clemson to complete a 9-3 regular season. The Gamecocks are currently ranked No. 14 in the College Football Playoff Top 25.

App State’s BOT met Saturday at 5 p.m. to approve the hire.

Loggains has been the Gamecocks’ offensive coordinator for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He has more than 15 years experience coaching in the NFL and was Arkansas’ tight ends coach for two seasons before joining Beamer’s staff.

Loggains was making $1 million annually at South Carolina and, according to his contract, won’t owe the university anything because he’s leaving for a college head coaching job.

“Congrats to Dowell and his family!” Beamer posted to X. “Appreciate all you’ve done in Columbia. Excited to see you get this opportunity.”

App State fired head coach Shawn Clark on Dec. 2. The Mountaineers were 40–24 in his five seasons, including 5-6 this year.

Loggains is the third Beamer assistant to take a head coaching job in the last two years joining Pete Lembo (Buffalo) and Jody Wright (Murray State). Lembo has Buffalo in a bowl game during his first season.

Beamer will have to hire the third offensive coordinate of his tenure at USC. His first OC, Marcus Satterfield, left to coach at Nebraska after two seasons with the Gamecocks.

Beamer will also have to decide who leads the offense and calls plays for the team’s to-be-determined bowl game.

That duty could fall to Mike Shula, the former Alabama head coach who served as Loggains’ offensive assistant this season. Or USC could turn to tight ends coach Shawn Elliott, or a combination of coaches, to call plays.

Beamer will meet next with local media on Sunday evening once South Carolina learns of its bowl destination.

South Carolina’s offense, led by redshirt freshman QB LaNorris Sellers, was sixth in scoring in the SEC this season (31.6 ppg) and ninth in yards per game (409.3).

The State’s Chapel Fowler contributed to this story.