Sun Belt preseason football capsules

APPALACHIAN STATE

Head coach: Steve Satterfield (11-13 in two seasons overall and at Appalachian State).

2014 record: 7-5, 6-2 Sun Belt.

Returning Starters: Ten on offense; eight on defense.

Players to watch: Taylor Lamb (Soph., QB); Marcus Cox (Jr., RB); Malachi Jones (Sr., WR); Parker Collins (Jr., OL); Jesse Chapman (Sr., OL); Ronald Blair (Sr., DE); Tyson Fernandez (Jr., NT); John Law (MLB, Jr.); Doug Middleton (Sr., FS).

Schedule

Sept. 5 Howard

Sept. 12 at Clemson

Sept. 26 at Old Dominion

Oct. 3 Wyoming

Oct. 10 at Georgia St.

Oct. 17 at Louisiana-Monroe

Oct. 22 Georgia Southern

Oct. 31 Troy

Nov. 5 Arkansas St.

Nov. 14 at Idaho

Nov. 28 Louisiana-Lafayette

Dec. 5 at South Alabama

ARKANSAS STATE

Head coach: Blake Anderson (7-6 overall in one season and at Arkansas State).

2014 record: 7-6, 5-3 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Eight on offense; five on defense.

Players to watch: Fredi Knighten (Sr., QB); J.D. McKissick (Sr., WR); Michael Gordon (Sr., RB); Ja’Von Rolland-Jones (Soph., DL); Chris Stone (Sr., DL); Xavier Woodson (Sr., LB); Blaise Taylor (Soph., DB); Luke Ferguson (Sr., P).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at Southern Cal

Sept. 12 Missouri

Sept. 19 Missouri St.

Sept. 26 at Toledo

Oct. 3 Idaho

Oct. 13 at South Alabama

Oct. 20 Louisiana-Lafayette

Oct. 31 Georgia St.

Nov. 5 at Appalachian St.

Nov. 14 at Louisiana-Monroe

Nov. 28 at New Mexico St.

Dec. 5 Texas St.

GEORGIA STATE

Head coach: Trent Miles (21-59 in seven seasons overall; 1-23 overall in two seasons at Georgia State).

2014 record: 1-11, 0-8 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Five on offense; seven on defense.

Players to watch: Nick Arbuckle (Sr., QB); Donovan Harden (Sr., WR); Robert Davis (Jr., WR); Joel Ruiz (Sr., TE); Joseph Peterson (Sr., LB); Trey Payne (Soph., LB); Tarris Batista (Sr., S).

Schedule

Sept. 4 Charlotte

Sept. 12 at New Mexico St.

Sept. 19 at Oregon

Oct. 3 Liberty

Oct. 10 Appalachian St.

Oct. 17 at Ball St.

Oct. 31 at Arkansas St.

Nov. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette

Nov. 14 at Texas St.

Nov. 21 South Alabama

Nov. 27 Troy

Dec. 5 at Georgia Southern

IDAHO

Head coach: Paul Petrino (2-21 overall in two seasons and at Idaho).

2014 record: 1-10, 1-7 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Eight on offense; seven on defense.

Players to watch: Matt Linehan (QB, Soph.); Elijhan Penny (Sr., RB); Dezmon Epps (Sr., WR); Jordon Ross (Soph., OL); Kaden Ellis (Fr., LB); Quentin Bradley (Sr., DL); Marc Millan (Sr., LB); Austin Rehkow (Jr., P).

Schedule

Sept. 3 Ohio

Sept. 12 at Southern Cal

Sept. 19 Wofford

Sept. 26 Georgia Southern

Oct. 3 at Arkansas St.

Oct. 17 at Troy

Oct. 24 Louisiana-Monroe

Oct. 31 at New Mexico St.

Nov. 7 at South Alabama

Nov. 14 Appalachian St.

Nov. 21 at Auburn

Nov. 28 Texas St.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE

Head coach: Mark Hudspeth (102-37 in 11 seasons overall; 36-16 overall in four seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette).

2014 record: 9-4, 7-1 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Six on offense; four on defense.

Players to watch: Elijah McGuire (Jr., RB); Al Riles (Jr., WR); Jamal Robinson (Sr., WR); Mykhael Quave (Sr., OL); Darzil Washington (Sr., DL); Otha Peters (Jr., LB); Dominique Tovall (Sr., LB); Tracy Walker (Soph., DB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at Kentucky

Sept. 12 Northwestern St.

Sept. 26 Akron

Oct. 3 at Louisiana Tech

Oct. 10 Texas St.

Oct. 20 at Arkansas St.

Oct. 31 Louisiana-Monroe

Nov. 7 at Georgia St.

Nov. 12 at South Alabama

Nov. 21 New Mexico St.

Nov. 28 at Appalachian St.

Dec. 5 Troy

LOUISIANA-MONROE

Head coach: Todd Berry (56-93 in 13 seasons overall; 27-34 overall in five seasons at Louisiana-Monroe).

2014 record: 4-8, 3-5 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Five on offense; nine on defense.

Players to watch: Rashon Ceaser (Sr., WR); Ajalen Holley (Jr., WR); Colby Mitchell (Sr., OL); Ben Benogu (Fr., DL); Hunter Kissinger (Sr., LB); Gerrand Johnson (Sr., DL); Mitch Lane (Sr., DB); Trey Caldwell (Sr., CB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at Georgia

Sept. 12 Nicholls St.

Sept. 26 at Alabama

Oct. 3 Georgia Southern

Oct. 10 at Tulsa

Oct. 17 Appalachian St.

Oct. 24 at Idaho

Oct. 31 at Louisiana-Lafayette

Nov. 7 at Troy

Nov. 14 Arkansas St.

Nov. 19 at Texas St.

Nov. 28 at Hawaii

Dec. 5 New Mexico St.

NEW MEXICO STATE

Head coach: Doug Martin (32-74 in eight seasons overall; 3-21 overall in two seasons at New Mexico State).

2014 record: 2-10, 1-7 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Six on offense; eight on defense.

Players to watch: Tyler Rogers (Jr., QB); Teldrick Morgan (Jr., WR); Larry Rose III (Soph., RB); Andrew Allen (Jr., WR); Rodney Butler (Jr., LB); Derek Ibakwe (Soph., LB); Lewis Hill (Sr., CB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at Florida

Sept. 12 Georgia St.

Sept. 19 UTEP

Oct. 3 at New Mexico

Oct. 10 at Mississippi

Oct. 17 at Georgia Southern

Oct. 24 Troy

Oct. 31 Idaho

Nov. 7 at Texas St.

Nov. 21 at Louisiana-Lafayette

Nov. 28 Arkansas St.

Dec. 5 at Louisiana-Monroe

SOUTH ALABAMA

Head coach: Joey Jones (40-35 in seven seasons overall; 37-28 overall in six seasons at South Alabama).

2014 Record: 6-7, 5-3 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Three on offense; two on defense.

Players to watch: Cody Clements (Sr., QB); Dami Ayoola (Jr., RB); Danny Woodson II (Sr., WR); Chris May (Sr., OL); Joseph Scelfo (Jr., OL); Aleem Sunanon (Jr., PK); Roman Buchanan (Jr., DB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 Gardner-Webb

Sept. 12 at Nebraska

Sept. 19 at San Diego St.

Sept. 26 N.C. State

Oct. 3 at Troy

Oct. 13 Arkansas St.

Oct. 24 at Texas St.

Nov. 7 Idaho

Nov. 12 Louisiana-Lafayette

Nov. 21 at Georgia St.

Nov. 28 at Georgia Southern

Dec. 5 Appalachian St.

TEXAS STATE

Head coach: Dennis Franchione (210-126-8 in 28 seasons overall; 23-23 overall in four seasons at Texas State).

2014 record: 7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Seven on offense; five on defense.

Players to watch: Tyler Jones (Jr., QB); Robert Lowe (Sr., RB); Brandon Smith (Sr., WR); Adrian Bellard (Sr., OL); Ryan Melton (Jr., OL); David Mims II (Sr., DB); Dallas McClarty (Jr., DL); Trey McGown (Sr., LB); Aaron Shaw (Sr., DB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at Florida St.

Sept. 12 Prairie View

Sept. 19 Southern Miss.

Sept. 26 at Houston

Oct. 10 at Louisiana-Lafayette

Oct. 24 South Alabama

Oct. 29 at Georgia Southern

Nov. 7 New Mexico St.

Nov. 14 Georgia St.

Nov. 19 Louisiana-Monroe

Nov. 28 at Idaho

Dec. 5 at Arkansas St.

TROY

Head coach: Neal Brown (first season as a head coach).

2014 record: 3-9, 3-5 Sun Belt.

Returning starters: Eight on offense; six on defense.

Players to watch: Brandon Silvers (Soph., QB); Brandon Burks (Sr., RB); Bryan Holmes (Sr., WR); K.D. Edenfield (Sr., WR); Dalton Bennett (Sr., OL); Montres Kitchen (Sr., DB); Tyler Roberts (Sr., DL); Jamal Stadom (Soph., DL); Lonnie Gosha (Sr., DL); Tarris Lewis (Jr., LB); Tyler Roberts (Sr., LB).

Schedule

Sept. 5 at NC State

Sept. 12 Charleston Southern

Sept. 19 at Wisconsin

Oct. 3 South Alabama

Oct. 10 at Mississippi St.

Oct. 17 Idaho

Oct. 24 at New Mexico St.

Oct. 31 at Appalachian St.

Nov. 7 Louisiana-Monroe

Nov. 14 Georgia Southern

Nov. 27 at Georgia St.

Dec. 5 at Louisiana-Lafayette

This story was originally published August 29, 2015 at 11:09 AM with the headline "Sun Belt preseason football capsules ."