Rant Sports 100 in 100 College Football Previews: No. 86 Arkansas State Red Wolves
Today, we’re 86 days away from the kickoff of the 2012 college football season. As such, we’ll preview the No. 86 team in our Rant Sports 100 in 100 college football previews, the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
To know Arkansas State football, you need only know one name, Guz Malzahn. The former Auburn offensive coordinator was hired by the Red Wolves in December, and has plenty of expectations placed on his shoulders for the program’s success this season and going forward.
After a 10-3 season in 2011, Arkansas State fans are on cloud nine, but the reality is, their expectations should be much more tempered for 2012, even with Malzahn’s arrival.
Impact Players
Redshirt senior Ryan Aplin will start the 2012 season at quarterback for the Red Wolves, but will have significantly less proven weapons with which to work this fall. The loss of wide receiver Dwayne Frampton will leave the biggest hole to fill.
Frampton arguably was one of the top small-school receivers in the country last season, tallying 94 catches for 1, 156 yards and six touchdowns. Returning wideouts Taylor Stockemer and Josh Jarboe will be asked to carry the load in 2012, in spite of showing little consistency when turned to last season.
An offensive line with few starts between them is another question mark in 2012, but if they can step up as a unit the way the 2011 version did in a similar scenario, concern regarding them may be overstated. Former three-star running back Frankie Jackson will be asked to run the ball most often in 2012.
Jackson, who backed up Derek Lawson last season, carried the ball 88 times for 367 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2011 and will be expected to ramp up these numbers for the Red Wolves.
Overall, Applin’s success and the emergence of young, unproven talent will tell plenty about how offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee‘s offense performs this season.
Defense
First-year defensive coordinator John Thompson will be looking also to fill many holes from a unit that was solid, and at times, dominant, during the Red Wolves’ 2011 10-win campaign. A total of 60.5 tackles for loss will have to be replaced in 2012, and Thompson will need a variety of guys to step up and create a patchwork defensive line which will be competitive.
Tim Starson, Amos Draper and Ronnell Wright will be asked to anchor this line which has some interested, but unproven talent. How these guys, and a trio of junior college transfers in at the second-level perform together will be absolutely essential.
The Red Wolves secondary shouldn’t see much of a drop-off in 2012 as key play-makers including safety Don Jones and cornerback Chaz Scales return to the mix and should do a nice job limiting the pass production of opposing quarterbacks.
Schedule
Arkansas State opens their non-conference schedule with two tough road tests in three weeks against the Oregon Ducks in Eugene Week 1 and the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln Week 3. The positive way to look at these two games is a nice early-season litmus test for Gus Malzahn to see just how much work lies ahead, and where his team is on the backside of fall practice.
Weeks Two and Four include home games in Jonesboro against the lowly Memphis Tigers and FBS Alcorn State. Two wins are realistic here entering into Sun Belt Conference play which promises to be as tough as it has been in years.
While a 10 win season probably isn’t in the cards for the Red Wolves in 2012, a return bowl trip is certainly reachable.
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Kris Hughes is the College Football Network Manager for Rant Sports. If you enjoy his takes, you can follow Kris on Twitter, check out his personal Facebook page, or stop by his personal Tumblr page.
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[...] Rant Sports 100 in 100 College Football Previews: No. 86 Arkansas State Red Wolves Today, we're 86 days away from the kickoff of the 2012 college football season. As such, we'll preview the No. 86 team in our Rant Sports 100 in 100 college football previews, the Arkansas State Red Wolves. To know Arkansas State football, … Read more on Rant Sports (blog) [...]
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This program will easily have a 9 win season. Will go to go daddy bowl.. Defense has been practicing against two 5 star running backs where one will be playing while the other has to sit out