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Way Too Early Opponent Preview: Arkansas State


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ArkansasState.png?width=40Arkansas State Red Wolves

 

2016 Record: 8-5 (1st Sun Belt)

 

OFF 27.3 (74th)

DEF 21.5 (19th)

 

Top Returners

Justice Hansen 2,719 passing yards (19 TD 8 INT)

Warren Wand 879 rushing yards, 4.4 ypc, 7 TD

Blake Mack 652 receiving yards, 3 TD

Ja'Von Rolland-Jones 56 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 13.5 sacks

 

Arkansas State hasn't reached Boise St heights, but the Red Wolves have become the model of consistency among mid-majors. They overcame having five different head coaches in a five-year span, and in what almost seemed like restlessness, created turnover on the field by taking in a boatload of transfers ... and then won the Sun Belt once again. Next up was Blake Anderson, who has continued the run of success. ASU has won or shared five of the last six Sun Belt titles and is 20-4 in conference play in three years under Anderson. After reaching just one bowl in its first 29 years of Division I/FBS, the program has attended six straight, and Anderson is responsible for three of those.

 

ASU started off 0-4 last season and then rattled of 8 of 9 wins, including a 31-13 bowl victory over UCF. Their biggest strength for this season seems to be the defensive line led by Ja'Von Rolland-James who had 13.5 sacks last season and former top 100 recruit Alabama transfer Dee Liner. Their offensive line has to be rebuilt this year, but the QB and RB will have one season under their belts unlike last year. Justice Hansen (QB) and Warren Wand (RB) started as Freshmen in the backfield.

 

ASU has been awful in September in each of the last two years before hitting the gas in conference play. In 2016, they lost to Toledo and Auburn by a combined 58, fell by two touchdowns to a sketchy Utah State, and suffered an upset at the hands of Central Arkansas. Once Hansen took over QB in game 3, the team started to click in the right direction. Nebraska is paying ASU $1.65M to come play the opener in Lincoln. NU beat Arkansas State 39-9 in 09' and 42-13 in 12'

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