Many fans know that the App State defense was pivotal in the team’s success in 2016. As a whole, they finished 17th in the country in total yards allowed per game and ninth in points allowed, holding teams to 10 or less on six separate occasions.
A huge reason for this was the linebacker core, and this season, the Mountaineers return seven members of their 2016 squad, including impact players in senior linebackers Eric Boggs and Devan Stringer.
The Mountaineers did lose some key pieces from 2016, including four-year starter John Law, who finished fourth on the team in tackles with 57, and standout Kennan Gilchrist, who finished second in tackles with 89 and made appearances in the 2017 NFL preseason with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.