Bojowolf

I figure our depth chart will come out sometime next Monday during the weekly presser. We've got a few interesting battles to look for as well before we head to Lincoln.

Blaise is already the SBC leader in total punt return yardage. He's not going to wow you with speed, but he is great at reading blocks and plays with great technique in pass coverage.

I guess Snow Cones are good, USC did that and they should be fairly well versed in NCAA infraction policy by now.

Well, we're under a week away from football being played and under two from the Red Wolves traveling to Lincoln. Anyone got a good feel for this one yet? As I've said before, I don't know if any outcome would surprise me (well, except if AState runs Nebraska off the field, that would shock me), but I'm leaning to a 14-21 point loss for my Wolves. We're going to need some big plays in the special teams and some turnovers to have a chance I think.

Hope he's alright, the kid we started at C against y'all in 2012 as a true freshman had his career cut short after his sophomore season from multiple concussions. Made the decision to quit playing when he was out almost all summer with symptoms.

Defense played like they did most of the year, offense also played like most of the year, all or nothing. Our OL from last year was full of seniors, so we had hoped for a good year, but they regressed hard, and we're not sure why. We have a whole new crew up front and they seem to be a more physical bunch, and are definitely bigger and probably stronger. The thing is, Memorial Stadium for the first game for a new OL, not a great place to break in a whole new gang. That and having a new group of safeties (only one player saw time last year, and we brought in 3 JC Safeties this summer) tend to lead me to hope for the best but expect the worst.

Just to give you a little refresher, the last time Arkansas State beat a P5 team was 2008 when the Red Wolves went into College Station and beat A&M 18-14. Since the one and done era started (2011) the closest we have come to beating a P5 on the road is: 2014 at Tennessee. Lost 33-18. We've put scares into Iowa and Indiana since 2008, but no wins. We did have Mizzou down at our place two years ago, but our QB pulled a hamstring/groin and we lost by seven, 27-20. I figure we go to Lincoln, play hard, hopefully come out healthy and with a decent showing and move on to hosting Miami, because we decided to schedule the teams that won seven national titles between 83-97 in the same year.

Unfortunately, I will be in Jonesboro that weekend. I do wish I could make it though, last time the Arkansas State fans were really complementary of the way they were treated in Lincoln.

Well, the last two times we've played you guys, you've wound up in the conference championship game, and had a 10 win season. So..... After to research, in 2009, Zac Lee was the QB, and he threw for 340 yards, coincidence abounds with this game.

I know, right?

Nebraska may very well walk all over us, again, I don't have a great feel for this AState team. I can make an argument for everything from 5-7 to 10-2, so who knows? I do know that there is the potential for this team to be very good, and the potential for them to fall flat.

That would break a streak of the last two times coming to Lincoln and losing by 29 points. 38-9 in 2009 43-14 in 2012

We took our lumps early in the season last year, as we were dealing with a new OC, QB turmoil situation to start the season. Pitt transfer Chad Voytik came in during the summer, after Hansen had been here since January. Voytik did some things the coaching staff liked and took over the starting role about 2 weeks before the Toledo game. His unfamiliarity with the receivers and OL was evident. Hansen played spot minutes early, but he took over the job during the Utah State game. The team that played the Bowl Game (or the game at Troy for that matter, a 35-3 domination) wouldn't have lost a badly early on. Honestly, it took losing to Central Arkansas, an FCS opponent, to get the season turned around after an 0-4 start.

The score of the bowl game was a little misleading, as we got a blocked punt for a score and they fumbled a kickoff that directly led to another short TD drive, however, the defense did come to play, punishing former Husker QB Scott Frost's bunch. The Knights avg 2.9 yards per play and only 0.4 yards per rush. The Knights only averaged 3.6 yards per pass attempt as well. Also, there were two other fumbles other than the KO return that aided the cause. Also, we didn't win out to finish the season, putting out a rather lackluster effort against UL Lafayette late in the year. Offensively, we are replacing ALL the main starters from last year. Troy Elliott started a couple games later in the year, but we had five 5th year seniors starting most of the season. I can't tell you what to expect from this squad, they could be good, or they could be all sound and fury amounting to nothing.

Sounds like Lee has impressed some folks. Heard Phil Savage said he should be a first round QB.

I think most fans are cautiously optimistic. Lee has gotten rave reviews from outside press as well as the local press and he showed well in the Spring Game. Problem is, every year we have a Spring Game hero and the offensive scheme will be taking the final step to the pro scheme MR likes and fans are still mixed IMO on the results so far, so there is some hesitation to fully buy in. The word on the D is that the back 4 should be stout, MLB is good to go, and we have a couple of players at 1 OLB spot that look to be play makers. The question is about the weak side OLB and how will our DL hold up. There is a fair bit of talent on the DL, but some fans are cautious that maybe we don't have all of the right player types for a 3-4 DL. That being said, I think we all feel confident in the Coordinator and the scheme install has been very smooth thus far by all reports so I think many are confident the D will be better this year, it wasn't bad last year just had some fall off at the end of the year and an embarrassment at OSU. Sounds like our biggest offensive question mark will go against your biggest defensive question mark.

I wish I could actually make the trip, have heard that last time the Husker faithful were very hospitable.

Early in the season, pretty good. Nothing near what I'm sure you're used to, but the average crowd is about 25K or more in the early months. After hunting season or when the weather gets worse, probably closer to 20K. Still working on perfecting the game management to make the atmosphere the best possible, and if you haven't seen, we're working on adding some personality to the stadium with some water features in the corners of the end zone. (People are calling them waterfalls, or tropical settings, when more likely, they'll be more like the river rapids that are actually pretty common around Arkansas.) Seriously, we do have a pretty passionate fanbase, just not as big as others.

If you haven't seen a preview, I will tell you, we're replacing all five main starters on the OL this fall. However, it might be the biggest and most athletic bunch we've fielded. Just going to take some time to gel and not sure Lincoln will provide the most conducive environment for that to happen.

How's the confidence level in Tanner Lee? Is the transition to the 3-4 going to be a big help for the Blackshirts?

As long as we can show well (competitively) and come out healthy from the first two games (Huskers and the Hurricanes...because we decided to schedule the best teams of the 80s/90s on the same season) I think we'll end up okay.

If he can find him That's the idea. Won't find many "big" RBs on our roster. The biggest, Armond Weh Weh, 6'0/225, is coming off ACL surgery so not sure how ready he'll be by the 2nd. Otherwise: Wand: 5'5/179 Johnston White: 5'11/190 Jamal Jones: 5'9/185

By reputation, absolutely would be Ja'Von Rolland-Jones. The RS Sr DE was the Sun Belt Player of the Year after starting the season as a rotational player at DE. He improved his run defense and finished the season with 57 tackles, 20.5 TFL and 13.5 sacks. He has an outside shot at eclipsing Terrell Suggs' NCAA record for sacks this season. If not him on defense, then a toss up between Kyle Wilson and Dee Liner. Wilson, a JUCO transfer from Wichita, KS by way of Hutch, moved into the starting line up at the Mike LB position early in last season and ended up with 79 tackles, 15.5 TFL. Liner, the Alabama transfer, was a monster in the bowl game vs UCF, and has seemingly turned a corner for the Red Wolves. He finished with 8.5 TFL, with at least one in the last four games of the year. Offensively, hard to tell you. Justice Hansen was an Oklahoma signee out of HS, where the former 4* recruit redshirted before transferring to Butler CC. Last season he threw for 2700 yards, 19 TD against 8 INT. He also ran for 131 yards, but was slowed by a knee injury last season. Warren Wand is the top returning rusher, the 5'5 running back, ran for 879 yards last year, and 7 TD. He also 279 yards receiving and 3 TDs. Blake Mack might be the best offensive player, the 6'4/245 TE is the leading returning receiver with 34 catches for 600+ yards and 3 TD. Arkansas transfer Kendrick Edwards, at 6'6/215, gives the outside pass catchers a new dimension in length. I know that wasn't a direct answer, but best I could come up with.

Hello Huskers. With 25 days left before my Red Wolves once again make the trip to Lincoln, I was wondering how the Big Red faithful see their team going into the season. I am not coming here with any delusions of grandeur or predictions of a close game, just interested in the take that Nebraska has in their team as well as your thoughts of the Arkansas State squad. If you have any questions (I can answer without giving away state secrets) I'll do my best. Sincerely, Bojo