The App State football team made some key changes to head coach Shawn Clark’s supporting staff. Brought in is App State alum Lance Ware as the new tight ends coach and Eric McDaniel who will oversee the defensive line. 

Ware fills the vacancy after former tight ends coach Justin Watts left the Mountaineers after nine seasons to coach at Duke. Watts will serve as the tight ends coach for the Blue Devils. 

Ware served as the long snapper for the Mountaineers from 1992-96 and was the head coach at Shelby High School from 2011-18. At the helm, Ware brought the Golden Lions five state championships and is a member of the Cleveland Country Sports Hall of Fame. In his 22 years as a member of the Golden Lions coaching staff, Ware won a total of eight state titles. 

After this success, Ware rose to the college ranks as the senior assistant to the head coach for the Black and Gold in 2019. In his time at this position, he contributed to a Sun Belt Championship and three bowl victories. 

Ware received high praise from Clark. 

“Lance has been an extremely valuable member of our staff for the last five years after a successful run of winning five state championships as head coach at Shelby High School,” Clarks said. “I’m excited for him to serve in this new role.” 

McDaniel will replace Victor Cabral, who will join West Virginia’s staff for the upcoming season as the defensive line coach. 

McDaniel returns to the High Country after serving as the teams quality control coach during the 2016 season. The new defensive line coach played for the Purdue Boilermakers from 2009-13, where Clark was the offensive line coach for Purdue from 2009-12. 

App State’s new defensive line coach spent time on the coaching staffs of Louisville, Army and Troy. He spent the last two seasons as the defensive line coach for the Trojans, winning two Sun Belt Championships. 

Troy set the Sun Belt record with 47 sacks in 2023. The Trojan defense also ranked top 10 nationally for sacks, points allowed and tackles for loss. 

Due to the Trojan’s defensive success McDaniel was named as a finalist for FootballScoop’s National Defensive Line Coach of the Year. 

“My wife and I are very excited to be heading back to Boone,” McDaniel said. 

Like Ware, Clark had kind words when discussing McDaniel. 

“I’ve known and respected Eric for a long time,” Clark said. “He knows what it takes to win championships and put a great defense on the field. He will be a valuable addition to our staff.”