In an exciting development for App State Football, head coach Dowell Loggains announced on Wednesday that Ryan Pugh will be taking on the role of offensive line coach for the Mountaineers. This decision marks a significant step for the team as they look to enhance their coaching staff with a knowledgeable and experienced leader.
Ryan Pugh, who was a standout center for Auburn's national championship-winning team in 2010, brings a wealth of experience to this position. At just 37 years old, he has spent the last four seasons coaching the offensive line at Abilene Christian University, where he led the team to a successful nine-win season in 2025, culminating in back-to-back appearances in the FCS playoffs.
"Ryan possesses a winning mindset cultivated from both his playing days and coaching career, and we are thrilled to welcome him and his family to App State," said Loggains. "His reputation as a savvy offensive strategist is well-deserved, given his extensive background as both an offensive line coach and coordinator. His accomplishments as a national champion at Auburn lend him immediate respect among our players."
Pugh began his coaching journey at his alma mater, Auburn, under Gene Chizik, before expanding his expertise within the FBS ranks at institutions like Virginia Tech alongside Frank Beamer, and later at Cincinnati and LSU. He took on the role of offensive line coach at UTSA in 2016, and has since held similar positions at BYU, Troy, Southern, and most recently, Abilene Christian, where he garnered a Broyles Award nomination for being one of the top assistant coaches in the nation while serving as the offensive line coach and coordinator at Troy from 2019 to 2020.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Pugh stated, "I am incredibly grateful for the chance to join a program so steeped in tradition as App State. I eagerly anticipate arriving in Boone to begin working with the offensive line. This program has a robust legacy of excellence in offensive line play, and I am committed to building on that strong foundation every day!"
A native of Hoover, Alabama, Pugh excelled academically as a four-time Academic All-SEC player during his time at Auburn, notably snapping the ball to Cam Newton throughout their undefeated championship season. He graduated cum laude with a degree in building science from Auburn in 2012. Throughout his coaching career, he has mentored a dozen players who have successfully transitioned to the National Football League.
In his coaching tenure, Pugh has been part of three conference championship teams within four seasons, including one year where he also coordinated the offense. Under his guidance, six offensive linemen from Abilene Christian earned all-league distinctions between 2022 and 2025: Reese Moore, Alan Hatten, Jacob Thielen, Tay Yanta, Luke Roaten, and Colter Lynch.
During the 2025 season, the Wildcats enjoyed a successful playoff run, scoring 26 rushing touchdowns and averaging over 400 total yards of offense per game, finishing with a record of 9-5 overall, which included two losses against FBS competitors, and a strong 7-1 performance in conference matchups.
In 2024, Pugh’s offensive line played a crucial role in establishing one of the most high-octane offenses in the FCS, ranking fourth nationally in total yards per game (469.6), seventh in passing yards (304.2), and sixteenth in points scored (33.8).
Before his time at Abilene Christian, Pugh served as the offensive line coach and running game coordinator at Southern University, where his efforts resulted in five all-conference selections in 2021. That year, Southern led the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) with an impressive average of 197.8 rushing yards per game and boasted the highest third-down conversion rate in the league at 41.4 percent. Notably, Kobe Dillon broke a conference record by rushing for 267 yards on only 14 carries in a game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Ja'Tyre Carter was named the SWAC Offensive Lineman of the Year.
Prior to his role at Southern, Pugh dedicated nearly ten years to coaching at the FBS level. While at Troy, his offensive line received Pro Football Focus recognition as the best pass-blocking unit in the FBS during his 2019 Broyles Award-nominated season. The Trojans surpassed 500 yards of offense six times that year, setting a program record.
During his stint at BYU in 2018, Pugh coached two Freshman All-Americans, James Empey and Brady Christensen, along with Austin Hoyt, who was honored as an All-Independent first-team player. That season, the Cougars achieved a significant increase in rushing touchdowns, scoring 27 times on the ground, which was 15 more than the previous year.
Before his tenure at BYU, Pugh spent two seasons at UTSA, where he was instrumental in leading the Roadrunners to their inaugural bowl game in 2016. Additionally, he helped secure the highest-ranked signing class in Conference USA history in 2017 and significantly reduced the number of sacks allowed in the 2017 season compared to 2015.
Pugh lives in Alabama with his wife, Cathey Lee, and their two daughters, Etta Graceyn and Ellen James.
Ryan Pugh at a Glance
Coaching Experience:
- 2012: Auburn (Graduate assistant)
- 2013: Virginia Tech (Graduate assistant)
- 2014: Cincinnati (Graduate assistant)
- 2015: LSU (Graduate assistant)
- 2016–17: UTSA (Offensive line)
- 2018: BYU (Offensive line)
- 2019–20: Troy (Offensive coordinator/Offensive line)
- 2021: Southern (Offensive line/Running game coordinator)
- 2022: Abilene Christian (Offensive line)
- 2023: Abilene Christian (Offensive coordinator/Offensive line)
- 2024-25: Abilene Christian (Offensive line)
Playing Experience:
- 2007-10: Auburn (Offensive lineman)
Alma Mater: Auburn, 2012
Hometown: Hoover, Ala.
Wife: Cathey Lee
Daughters: Etta Graceyn, Ellen James
Bowl Experience:
Coach:
- 2013: Sun (Virginia Tech)
- 2014: Military (Cincinnati)
- 2015: Texas (LSU)
- 2016: New Mexico (UTSA)
- 2018: Famous Idaho Potato (BYU)
Player:
- 2007 season: Chick-fil-A
- 2009 season: Outback
- 2010 season: BCS National Championship
