By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — News reports surfaced on Jan. 7 that former App State running back Nate Noel has committed to Missouri after entering the transfer portal on Dec. 7. Although former App State head coach Eli Drinkwitz was hired by Missouri at the end of the 2019 season and Noel’s first year as a Mountaineer was the following season, it would be a good bet that Drinkwitz became familiar with Noel during the recruiting process.
Noel was a 3-star recruit coming to the Mountaineers, later proving to be a highly productive running back for App State even though he battled through injuries. Entering the 2023 season, Noel had rushed for 2,240 yards and 13 seasons, including nine 100-yard-plus games. In 2021, he played in all 14 games and started 10 of them, leading the Sun Belt Conference with 1,126 rushing yards. Although his 2023 campaign was hindered by injuries, he managed 851 yards in 173 rush attempts, including five TDs.
Other prominent names to enter the transfer portal from App State include wide receivers Dashaun Davis, Milan Tucker and Coen Sutton, as well as quarterback Ryan Burger, who won the starting job in the preseason but lost it to Joey Aguilar after getting injured in the first game of the 2023 season.
Other than Noel, the only other former Mountaineers to commit elsewhere as of Jan. 7 are Tucker to Florida Atlantic, offensive lineman Seth Williams to East Tennessee State, defensive lineman Donovan Spellman to Charlotte, and cornerback James Edwards to Tennessee Tech.
New commitments to App State include wide receiver William Fowles from Louisville, outside linebacker Thomas Schrader from Florida State, cornerback Jason Chambers from North Carolina Central, wide receiver Zavier Short from South Carolina, offensive lineman Michael Marotta from Valdosta State, and defensive back Avarion Cole from North Carolina A & T.
