By Kenzie Stanford
SouthernPigskin.com

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Looking back at Appalachian State’s 2014 season.

Summary: Appalachian State kicked off its rookie year in the Sun Belt with a poor start, as the Mountaineers lost five of their first six games in the 2014 season. This would be a detrimental start to most teams, but the Mountaineers rallied back to finish the season on the other side of the scoreboard – winning six straight games. The turning point for App State was its 53-14 victory against Troy in October. Mountaineer fans quickly realized that their young quarterback, Taylor Lamb, was more reliable than they originally assumed at the start of the season. Lamb threw for a total of 2,281 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, and his confidence only grew as the wins started to pile up. Marcus Cox was also a large contributor to the final success of this team, with 1,415 rushing yards on the season as a freshman. With a six-game winning streak pushing them into the 2015 season, App State has fueled the fire to spring toward a bowl-eligible season as major contenders in the Sun Belt.

Biggest Surprise: After seeing App States performance in the first half of the season, it would have been hard to believe that the Mountaineers would end the season on a six-game winning streak. The depth of this team goes beyond the emergence of Lamb as a developing quarterback x93 they also have talent in their youth that might just bring some bigger surprises in the upcoming season.

Biggest Disappointment: At the risk of being repetitive, the Mountaineers had a slow start. But another disappointment for them in 2014 is shared with Georgia Southern in the denial of their bowl-game eligibility. They might not have been as deserving as the Eagles, but that is still a bitter-sweet way to end a season that seemed to be just getting started.

Stat of the Year: App State finished the year with the best total defense in the Sun Belt, allowing an average of 347 yards per game. Imagine a team like this with a fully developed offensexa6 Stay tuned.

Offensive MVP: Marcus Cox, RB

Defensive MVP: John Law, LB

Rising Star: Taylor Lamb, QB