The day after App State put the finishing touches on a 7-5 season and 6-2 Sun Belt record with a 45-28 win over Idaho, the first blow came. Wide receivers coach Justin Stepp, who joined the program in 2012, has accepted the same job at SMU under new head coach Chad Morris.

Stepp, who made $50,000 a year at App State, will undoubtedly make much more at money-rich SMU. He was a grad assistant at Clemson in from 2009 to 2011, working with the offense under then-coordinator Chad Morris during the 2011 season.

Originally hired as the running backs coach, Stepp took over WR coach duties after Alvis Whitted resigned shortly after accepting the same position at Colorado State under Jim McElwain.

Stepp oversaw the emergence of freshman sensation Sean Price in 2012, who eventually was dismissed from the program in 2013 after multiple legal incidents. Stepp has coaches former standouts Tony Washington, Andrew Peacock along with current receivers Simms McElfresh, Bobo Beathard, Malachi Jones and freshman sensation Shaedon Meadors.

Stepp was a two-time all-SoCon wide receiver at Furman in 2005 and 2006, ranking fourth all-time at Furman in receptions.