Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the Arkansas State Red Wolves season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Arkansas State Previews 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2018 Record: 8-5 overall, 5-3 in Sun Belt
Head Coach: Blake Anderson, 6th year, 39-25
– CFN Preview 2019: All The Team Previews
5. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ARKANSAS STATE OFFENSE
– The Arkansas State offense gets back six starters after leading the Sun Belt in total offense and averaging over 30 points per game. However, it has to replace longtime starting quarterback Justice Hansen, and now has to hope junior Logan Bonner is ready.
There are other interesting options with freshmen Coltin Clack and KaRon Coleman names for the near future, but they’re coming in from the recruiting class. The 6-1, 215-pound Bonner might not throw for close to 3,500 yards like Hansen did, but he’ll push the ball down the field because ..
– The receiving corps will be among the best in the Sun Belt. Kirk Merritt led the team with 83 catches, and veterans Omar Bayless and Jonathan Adams return along with solid TE Javonis Isaac. The recruiting class will help out, with a few good parts to get into the rotation right away – it’ll help if 6-5 JUCO transfer Eugene Minter can become a reliable No. 3 guy.
– Three starters return to the offensive line that was good enough in pass protection to get by, and did a decent job for a ground game that finished averaging 184 yards per game. C Jacob Still is the leader and star of the front five that will pave the way for leading rusher Marcell Murray, who’s coming off an 860-yard, eight touchdown season. The running back depth, though, is thin.
NEXT: What You Need To Know About the Defense, Top Players, Keys to the Season, What Will Happen
4. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ARKANSAS STATE DEFENSE
– The defense that finished fourth in the Sun Belt and allowed 26 points per game gets back seven starters and gets back eight of the top ten tacklers. There are holes, though, at defensive end/hybrid edge rusher – the Bandit position on this D – with 18.5 of the 35 sacks from last season needing to be replaced.
Fortunately, William Bradley-King is a good-sized end who’s ready for a bigger role after coming up with six sacks, and JUCO transfer Kailon Davis will get every shot at playing a role right away. The defensive tackle tandem of Forrest Merrill and Kevin Thurmon are big and experienced – the 338-pound Merrill is one of the Sun Belt’s best interior defenders.
– The linebacking corps gets back two key parts with Tajhea Chambers the big body in the middle after coming up with 79 tackles, and Derrick Bean coming off a good freshman season with 32 stops. There’s good depth for what should be a decent rotation, but again, the Bandit position is a bit of a question mark and has to be figured out in fall camp.
– The secondary that did a decent job of holding up with the Sun Belt’s second-best pass defense gets just about everyone back. Jerry Jacobs is an all-star corner with good ball skills and toughness, and the safety tandem of Darreon Jackson and BJ Edmonds are going to be the big-hitting stars. Jackson led the team with 90 stops, and there’s more JUCO talent – like Jackson was coming into last season – on the way for all four spots.
NEXT: Top Players, Keys To the Season, What Will Happen
3. TOP ARKANSAS STATE PLAYERS
Best Arkansas State Offensive Player
WR Kirk Merritt, Sr.
The former JUCO transfer came through right away as the receiver the offense needed to step up and become a No. 1 guy, catching 83 passes for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 12 yards per grab. The 6-0, 215-pound senior is physical, but he’s also a killer kickoff returner, able to get deep, and be used as a runner from time to time. More than anything else, with a big change at quarterback, the offense needs him to be a volume catcher from time to time like he was last season.
2. RB Marcel Murray, Soph.
3. C Jacob Still, Jr.
4. TE Javonis Isaac, Jr.
5. WR Omar Bayless, Sr.
Best Arkansas State Defensive Player
CB Jerry Jacobs, Sr.
Jacobs came in from the JUCO world and took over a corner job right out of gate, finishing with All-Sun Belt honors. At 5-11 and 204 pounds, he’s a good-sized tackler who came up with 31 tackles and matched up well with the tougher targets, but he was at his best when the ball was in the air with four picks and eight broken up passes.
2. DT Forrest Merrill, Jr.
3. S Darreon Jackson, Sr.
4. DE William Bradley-King, Jr.
5. DT Kevin Thurmon, Sr.
NEXT: Keys to the Season, Prediction & What Will Happen
2. KEYS TO THE SEASON
Biggest Key To The Arkansas State Offense
Score whenever there’s a chance. This offense likely won’t be quite as potent and dangerous as it was when Justice Hansen was under center, but it’ll still be good. However, it can’t be so bad inside the red zone.
The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl loss to Nevada was the most glaring issue, scoring just one time in five trips inside the 20 – and the Red Wolves lost 16-13. On the year, ASU scored just 78% of the time – 39 scores in 50 shots – just 18 teams were worse. It’s not an overstatement to suggest that this could be the difference between playing for the Sun Belt title, and just going bowling again.
Biggest Key To The Arkansas State Defense
Keep he pass rush going. It’s been one of the strongest parts of the Arkansas State run of solid seasons – the pressure in the backfield is always there.
The Red Wolves have generated 30 sacks or more in each of the last five years, bringing the heat on a consistent basis to get to the quarterback, and doing a great job of getting behind the line time and again.
Now the defense loses Ronheem Bingham and Dajon Emory – the two combined for 31 tackles for loss and were the teams two top sackers – but the defensive scheme always produces the pressure. William Bradley-King outside and Kevin Thurmon inside are good players to start with, but the rest of the line has to rock, too.
Key Player To A Successful Season
QB Logan Bonner, Jr.
Justice Hansen transferred in from Oklahoma and left with over 10,000 passing yards and 83 touchdown passes in a terrific three year run. The 6-1, 215-pound Bonner has been the main backup and has seen a little time, but he only hit 15 of his 32 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown with a pick last year. He’s a baller who can run, and he knows the system, but he has some massive shoes to fill.
Key Game To The Arkansas State Season
Louisiana, Oct. 17
ULM will be dangerous and South Alabama will be far better, but the showdown with the Ragin’ Cajuns should be for the Sun Belt West title. Last year, Louisiana won arguably the best game of the conference season in a 47-43 shootout, and went on to play for the Sun Belt championship. This time around, ASU gets a week off to prepare, while Louisiana has to deal with Appalachian State the week before.
– Arkansas State Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2018 Arkansas State Fun Stats
– Arkansas State 3rd Quarter Scoring: 142 – 4th Quarter Scoring: 63
– Fumbles: Opponents 22 (lost 8) – Arkansas State 11 (lost 6)
– Punt Return Average: Arkansas State 7.9 yards – Opponents -1.9 yards
NEXT: What Will Happen
1. ARKANSAS STATE WIN TOTAL PREDICTION: WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
It’s another very good Arkansas State team that will be deep in the mix for the Sun Belt title, but there are just enough question marks to assume a slight step back.
The receivers are there, but the running backs are a bit thin, the O line needs to find a few key replacements, and losing QB Justice Hansen is a massive hit. Even so, the ASU offense will still be among the Sun Belt’s best.
The defense – as always – will live in the backfield, even without the top pass rushers from last year. The secondary is strong, the linebackers good, and the defense that did more than enough to hold serve should be every bit as productive, but …
Set The Regular Season Win Total At … 7
The Arkansas State win total isn’t going to go under seven and could end up being as high as ten if everything breaks right.
The Red Wolves aren’t going to win at Georgia, and they have to go on the road to deal with UNLV, Troy, ULM and South Alabama. On the plus side, there’s no Appalachian State on the slate, but having to deal with SMU to kick things off is a problem, and facing Louisiana will be a showdown.
It’s Arkansas State. Just like it has over the last eight seasons, it’ll come up with another winning campaign, and it’ll go bowling yet again.
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– Schedule Analysis
