Tag: Arkansas State

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Arkansas State College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Arkansas State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

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Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview
Head Coach: Butch Jones, 2nd year at ASU, 2-10
13th year overall, 86-64, 2021 Preview
2021 Record: Overall: 2-10, Conference: 1-7
Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Arkansas State Top 10 Players | Arkansas State Schedule

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022

It’s been a rough run for a program used to playing for big things in the Sun Belt.

While others like Louisiana, Appalachian State, and Coastal Carolina have become the stars of the conference, and with other good new parts coming into the league, Arkansas State has sputtered and struggled over the last two seasons with no defense, not enough of an offense to keep up, and without and semblance of a break.

Butch Jones is a solid head coach. Things might not have gone perfectly at Tennessee, but he’s got the chops to use 2021 as a rebuilding season and turn this year into a big step forward.

First, getting more out of the defense would be nice. More on that in a moment.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022: Offense

The Red Wolves have the passing attack. Part of the reason they were on top of the Sun Belt in passing was out of necessity. They had to keep throwing to try keeping up the pace, but they also had the parts.

The O averaged close to 400 yards and 25 points per game, but the ground game wasn’t good enough and the offensive line gave up way too many sacks. The passing attack really was strong, but …

Losing top wide receiver Corey Rucker to South Carolina hurts, but 6-1, 208-pound Te’Vailiance Hunt and deep threat Jeff Foreman are decent veterans to start with. This was a very, very, young group, and now there’s decent depth to keep rotating into the mix.

Former Florida State starter James Blackman was terrific at times over the first half of the year before getting knocked out for the season with a shoulder injury. Layne Hatcher stepped in and kept bombing away, but with Blackman back he’s gone to Texas State. The Red Wolves will keep throwing, but …

Again, the ground attack has to be better. That starts with needing more from a line that had a mix or different parts last year but now will go younger, a slew of new guys will be in the mix, and … it might take a little bit to come together after a rough spring. It’s not a massive line outside of 340-pound tackle Robert Holmes, but this group should be able to move.

Now the backs need more work. Arkansas State only ran 349 times last year for 989 yards and four scores. Averaging under three yards per carry, the backs had nowhere to go. Smallish speedster Lincoln Pare led the way with 455 yards and a score, but now he’s in the transfer portal.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022: Defense

Not everything was awful about the Arkansas State defense. Yeah, it was last in the nation against the run, and yeah, it was the second-worst in college football overall, and it allowed 506 yards and 39 points per game, but …

There was pressure. Not enough of it, but former Tennessee transfer Kivon Bennett generated eight sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss from one defensive end spot, and fellow former Volunteer John Mincey is a veteran to start with on the inside. Now this group has to hold up a wee bit against the run, even with a slew of new guys in the rotation.

The linebacking corps isn’t big, but it can move. The plays behind the line mostly came from the line, but 6-1, 216-pound junior Jaden Harris and 5-10, 180-pound Melique Straker have the quickness to do more.

Teams were so busy running on ASU that the secondary caught a bit of a break. This group should take a bit to come together, especially at safety. The corners will be fine in time, but losing second-leading tackler Jarius Reimonenq to James Madison stings.

Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Arkansas State Top 10 Players | Arkansas State Schedule

Arkansas State Red Wolves: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

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Arkansas State Red Wolves Top 10 Players: College Football Preview 2022

Who are the 10 best Arkansas State players going into the 2022 season?

Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview 2022: Who are the top 10 players going into the season?

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Arkansas State Red Wolves Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen | Schedule

Alabama executive deputy AD, Jeff Purinton, to be the next AD at Arkansas State

Jeff Purinton will become the next AD at Arkansas State!

Even off of the football field, the University of Alabama has their employees plucked left and right for new positions. This time, Alabama executive deputy AD, Jeff Purinton, is off to Jonesboro to run the Arkansas State University athletic department.

Purinton has been with Alabama since 2007 and his importance to the university can not be understated. He has been a crucial part of everything that Alabama has done, even prior to the arrival of athletic director Greg Byrne. In the past, Byrne has been linked to the PAC-12 commissioner position, the president of the NCAA, so anyone under the tutelage of Byrne comes in high regard.

In Jonesboro, Purinton will be meeting up with former Alabama staffer and current head football coach, Butch Jones.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

College Football Rankings, Season Predictions: Sun Belt Spring Version 2022

Sun Belt spring football rankings and predictions with best and worst case scenarios for every team

Sun Belt college football rankings and predictions with the realistic best and worst case records and quick analysis – the 2022 spring version.

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The Sun Belt just got a whole lot bigger, cooler, and more interesting with a shocking expansion that should take the conference up another level.

FCS powerhouse James Madison gets to join in right away, and Marshall, Old Dominion, and Southern Miss were able to leave Conference USA and get in for the 2022 football season.

Here’s the problem – several Sun Belt programs that made strides last year are going to have tougher schedules to deal with. Several teams should be better, but might not have the results to show it.

The rankings are based on how good the teams should be and not the final projected records. Keeping in mind that this all could/might/will change when we make the final calls in August …

– 2022 College Football Schedules By Teams: All 131 Schools

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State Prediction, Game Preview

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 9

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 9

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State How To Watch

Date: Thursday, October 7
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro, AR
How To Watch: ESPNU
Record: Coastal Carolina (5-0), Arkansas State (1-4)
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– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State Game Preview

Why Coastal Carolina Will Win

This isn’t exactly working like it’s supposed to for Arkansas State.

It was coming off a bad 2020, but head coach Butch Jones was a good hire to help change around the defense all while keeping the O going and …

Nope. The D has allowed 52 points or more in three of the last four games, the team is dead last in total defense, and it’s not able to keep up with an offense that lost its running game because the passing attack has to spend so much time bombing away.

Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina just keeps on humming along, ripping through everything in its path.

No. 1 in the nation in third down conversions, No. 1 in passing efficiency, and without a whiff of any pressure so far outside of a road date with Buffalo, both sides of the ball are humming.

The Chanticleers won their last two games by a combined score of 112-9. However, those two games were against …

– Week 6 CFN College Football Expert Picks

Why Arkansas State Will Win

UMass and ULM.

Yeah, beating Buffalo 28-25 on the road was nice, but Coastal Carolina has gotten nice and fat on a schedule full of NO ONE.

Kansas? Nah. Citadel, UMass, and ULM?

It’s not like Arkansas State is crushing it at 1-4, but at least it played Washington, Tulsa, and Georgia Southern on the road after getting into a firefight with Memphis.

Yeah, the D is struggling, but the O is keeping things moving through the air. Averaging 379 yards per game, ASU should be able to make this fun, but …

– Week 6 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews

What’s Going To Happen

Coastal Carolina is playing too well.

QB Grayson McCall has this attack humming. He’s not missing, the O is ripping through everyone to put games away fast, and against a team that’s getting hit for over 260 rushing yards per game, it’s all going to look pretty on a national stage.

– Week 5 CFN NFL Expert Picks

Coastal Carolina vs Arkansas State Prediction, Line

Coastal Carolina 50, Arkansas State 34
Line: Coastal Carolina -19, o/u: 73.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 2.5

5: When Facebook and Instagram are down
1: The Bradshaw Bunch

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Demario Davis to be inducted to Arkansas State Hall of Honor

Saints LB Demario Davis to be inducted to Arkansas State Hall of Honor

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Here’s good news for Demario Davis: the New Orleans Saints linebacker will be inducted to the Arkansas State Hall of Honor in September, where he’ll join other prominent Red Wolves athletes. It’s a big moment for Davis, who credits the coaching and positive environment he encountered at Arkansas State with turning his life around.

He’s got an argument to be the best free agent signing in Saints history behind Drew Brees. Davis answered a decades-long drought at linebacker after joining the black and gold in 2018, playing at an even higher level than fan-favorite predecessors like Jonathan Vilma. He won a spot on the All-Pro first team in 2019 and has become one of the most popular players on the team in recent years.

He’s also the only player in the NFL to record at least 110 tackles (10 or more of them for loss of yards) and four sacks in each of the last four years, three of which were spent with the Saints. He turned 32 back in January, but he’s still playing the best football of his career.

The ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 3, falling in-between New Orleans’ final preseason game on Aug. 28 and their Week 1 kickoff on Sept. 12. It’s unclear whether Davis will be able to attend with heightened COVID-19 concerns abounding, but here’s hoping he gets to enjoy the moment at some point with those close to him.

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Former Tennessee defensive lineman transfers to play for Butch Jones

Butch Jones was hired as Arkansas State’s head coach on Dec. 12.

Butch Jones was hired as Arkansas State’s head coach on Dec. 12.

Jones served in an off-field role at Alabama from 2018-20, working closely with head coach Nick Saban.

Prior to arriving at Alabama, Jones served as head coach at Tennessee. He compiled a 34-27 record from 2013-17 and was 3-0 in bowl games with the Vols.

Former Tennessee defensive lineman John Mincey is set to play for Jones at Arkansas State.

Mincey appeared in 24 games for the Vols, totaling 18 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.

The 6-foot-3, 276-pound Mincey is from Clinch County High School in Homerville, Georgia.

Butch Jones discusses becoming Arkansas State’s head coach, reflects on career

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Former Michigan State football DE Charles Willekes transfers to Arkansas State

Charles Willekes, the brother of MSU great Kenny Willekes, has committed to transferring to Arkansas State.

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The brother of Michigan State football great Kenny Willekes has found a new home.

After being suspended indefinitely in October of 2020 for a misdemeanor assault charge, MSU defensive end Charles Willekes entered his name in the NCAA Transfer Portal. On Tuesday of this week, he announced that he is committing to Arkansas State to continue his playing career and education.

Willekes did not play for MSU before transferring in 2020. He redshirted in 2019. He will now get a fresh start in a new conference.

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Oklahoma’s baseball series with Arkansas State adjusted

The baseball series between Oklahoma and Arkansas State moved due to weather.

With spring sports comes spring weather. With spring weather comes spring storms. The Oklahoma Sooners announced they have adjusted their schedule for the series with Arkansas State at L. Dale Mitchell Park in Norman.

According to the release from OU Athletics, the series will now be played on Sunday and Monday, instead of Friday-Sunday.

Due to the forecast of inclement weather on Friday and Saturday, the Oklahoma baseball series against Arkansas State has been pushed back to Sunday and Monday, March 14-15, at L. Dale Mitchell Park.

The Sooners and Red Wolves will play a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Sunday and a single game at 1 p.m. Monday. Game two of Sunday’s doubleheader will begin approximately 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

Tickets for the games originally scheduled for Friday (March 12) and Saturday (March 13) will be valid for the doubleheader on Sunday. One ticket will gain admission for both games of the doubleheader. Tickets for the contest originally scheduled for Sunday (March 14) will be honored at Monday’s game.

After losing three of the last four games prior to their matchup with UT-Arlington, the Sooners were able to get their second 10-run win in three games. The Sooners currently sit at 6-6 overall, with a 2-1 record at the Dale. Following their three-game series, the Sooners will travel to Fayetteville for a one-game matchup with the Razorbacks.

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VFL Chance Hall joins Butch Jones at Arkansas State

Butch Jones was hired as Arkansas State’s head coach on Dec. 12.

Butch Jones was hired as Arkansas State’s head coach on Dec. 12.

He served as Tennessee’s head coach from 2013-17.

Offensive lineman Chance Hall played for Jones at Tennessee. Hall played in 24 games for the Vols from 2015-18.

He missed the entire 2017 season with a knee injury. During his freshman season in 2015, Hall made seven starts. He started six contests in 2016 for Tennessee.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Hall served as a student assistant with Tennessee after retiring due to his injury. He will now assist with the offensive line under Jones at Arkansas State.

Jones joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” and discussed Hall joining him at Arkansas State.

The entire show with Jones can be listened to here or below.

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