Red Wolves Hoping to Get Back to the Sun Belt Throne Room

(This is the eighth in a series previewing the Sun Belt Conference, along with the other opponents on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 2015 schedule.  Today:  Arkansas State.  The Cajuns and Red Wolves play in a nationally televised game at Centennial Bank Stadium on Tuesday, October 20th.)

There isn’t much question about the fact Louisiana and Arkansas State have been the brightest spots in the Sun Belt Conference over the last four years.  The Red Wolves have made four straight appearances in the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile and they’ve done it under four different head coaches.  Last year the Red Wolves were 7-6, their worst record during that four year period.  Second year coach Blake Anderson had an offense that was as good as any in the league.  Their defense, however, didn’t fulfill their part of the bargain.  Anderson and his club are determined to rectify that.

OFFENSE—They’re good.  Really good.  And, for the most part, they’re all back.  Quarterback Fredi Knighten threw for 3,277 yards and 24 touchdowns with just seven interceptions and rushed for 779 more in garnering first team All-Sun Belt honors at quarterback.  He’s back for his senior season.  Michael Gordon rushed for 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns.  He’s back for his senior season.  Tres Houston and J. D. McKissick combined for 105 catches and 1,314 yards receiving.  They are back for their senior season.  And, TE Darion Griswold (18-224-4) is back for his senior season.  See a pattern?  In addition Dylan Paschal (37-642-4) is back to give Arkansas State one potentially lethal offense.  They return three starters on the line.  The offense outgained their opponents in league play by more than 100 yards per game.  Arkansas State scored over 40 points five times last year, including four weeks in a row.  This year they’ll be even better.

DEFENSE—Well, there’s a reason AState went 7-5 last year.  The defense gave up 35 or more points in four of their last six games last season.   And. It wasn’t because of turnovers.  They were even in that department in those four games and +6 overall.  The defense gave up 500 or more yards in four of the last six and gave up 400 or more yards eight times.  Not good.  They gave up way too many big plays, especially in the second half.  They lose all-league player Qushaun Lee, who led the team with 110 tackles.  But they return some talent.  LB Xavier Woodson was second on the team in tackles and sacks.  DE Chris Stone had 7.5 sacks to lead the team.  And, FS Money Hunter (son of Torii) is an all-league candidate.  All in all, six starters return on defense and their task is simple…quit giving up big plays.  If they do that the defense will be much better, and with that offense, will help the Red Wolves be one of the favorites in the league.

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Jamaris Hart is an all-league punt returner, averaging eight per return and he was nearly 25 yards per kickoff return.  Logan Spry, who kicked in the last three games last year, returns and Luke Ferguson is back as the punter.  He averaged 43.8 a year ago.

SCHEDULE:  AState heads to LA for the opener at USC then comes home for a very attractive game against a solid Missouri team.  This is a return visit from two years ago when the Red Wolves led in the third quarter before the Tigers turned on the Jets.  They host Missouri State out of the FCS and then play at Toledo, the first time they’ve faced a MAC opponent in the regular season since 2001.  In conference they don’t play Georgia Southern or Troy.  They get Louisiana at home on a Tuesday night and also get Idaho, Georgia State and Texas State.  But the Red Wolves have to make trips to Appalachian State, ULM and South Alabama and those games could be pretty dicey.

OUTLOOK:  The league schedule is no cakewalk.  Three of their four road opponents in the league could give them some trouble, and the trips to Boone and Monroe come in back to back weeks.  This offensive team is going to score points…a lot of points.  If their defense comes out and competes, this has a chance to be a special season.  But if it’s up to the offense to simply outscore their opponent every week, that record won’t be nearly as good as their offensive talent would indicate.

(Information from Phil Steele's College Football Preview contributed to this report.)