(Photo Credit: Michael Chang/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Layne Hatcher, RB Lincoln Pare, WR Dahu Green, WR Corey Rucker, TE Reed Tyler, OC Jacob Still, OG Andre Harris, OG Ivory Scott, OT Wyatt Luebke, OT Ernesto Ramirez, DE T.W. Ayers, DT Terry Hampton, LB Jeffmario Brown, LB C.J. Harris, CB Booker Ficklin, CB Kenneth Harris, CB Samy Johnson, FS Elery Alexander, SS Antonio Flethcer, SS Anthony Switzer, PK Blake Grupe, and PT Ryan Hanson.
Key Players Departing:
QB Logan Bonner, RB Jamal Jones, WR Jonathan Adams, WR Brandon Bowling, DT Forest Merrill, LB Justin Rice, and KR/PR Roshuud Paul.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: QB James Blackman (Florida State transfer), ATH Cam Jeffery (Tuscaloosa, Alabama), DE Kivon Bennett (Tennessee transfer), WR Khyheem Waleed (Boise State transfer), LB Thurman Geathers (Louisville transfer), DT John Mincey (Tennessee transfer), DT Quay Mays (West Virginia transfer), WR Akeem Hayes (Kentucky transfer), DE Ethan Hassler (Collierville, Tennessee), and DE Dennard Flowers (Fairburn, Georgia).
2020 Results:
G01 at Memphis L 24-37
G02 at Kansas State W 35-31
G03 at Coastal Carolina L 23-52
G04 CENTRAL ARKANSAS W 50-27
G05 GEORGIA STATE W 59-52
G06 at Appalachian State L 17-45
G07 TROY L 10-38
G08 at Louisiana L 20-27
G09 at Texas State L 45-47
G10 SOUTH ALABAMA L 31-38
G11 UL-MONROE W 48-15
Team Info:
2020 Overall: 4-7 (4th in Sun Belt West)
Home: 3-2
Away: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 2-6
Non-SBC: 2-1
Head Coach: Butch Jones
Arkansas State: 0-0
Career: 84-54
Bowls: 4-2
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Layne Hatcher (116-194, 2058 yards, 59.8%, 10.6 avg., 19 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Jamal Jones (132 car., 578 yards, 4.4 avg., 3 TD)
Receiving: Dahu Green (32 rec., 542 yards, 16.9 avg., 5 TD)
TD’s Scored: Dahu Green/Corey Rucker (5)
Sacks: T.W. Ayers (4)
Tackles: Elery Alexander (54)
Interceptions: Antonio Fletcher/Samy Johnson (2)
Pass Deflections: Kenneth Harris/Samy Johnson (6)
Tackles For Loss: T.W. Ayers/Forrest Merrill (6.5)
Forced Fumbles: 4 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Jeff Foreman (7 ret., 124 yards, 17.7 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Blake Grupe (11-18 fg/fga., 61%, 43-45 xp/xpa., 76 pts.)
Punting: Ryan Hanson (41 punts, 1666 yards, 40.6 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Layne Hatcher (RS JR/TR)
RB: 34 Marcel Murray (SR)
WR: 7 Corey Rucker (SO)
WR: 4 Dahu Green (RS SR/TR)
WR: 13 Jeff Foreman (JR)
TE: 87 Reed Tyler (SR)
LT: 60 Wyatt Luebke (RS SR)
LG: 74 Andre Harris (RS SR)
OC: 64 Jacob Still (RS SR)
RG: 70 Ivory Scott (SR/TR)
RT: 73 Ernesto Ramirez (SR/TR)
KR: 13 Jeff Foreman (JR)
PK: 00 Blake Grupe (RS SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 00 Kivon Bennett (RS JR/TR)
NT: 00 Quay Mays (RS JR/TR)
DT: 97 Terry Hampton (SR)
DE: 45 T.W. Ayers (RS JR)
LB: 22 Caleb Bonner (SR)
LB: 28 Jeffmario Brown (RS SR/TR)
NB: 12 C.J. Harris (RS SO/TR)
CB: 15 Booker Ficklin (SR/TR)
CB: 1 Samy Johnson (JR)
FS: 10 Elery Alexander (SR/TR)
SS: 14 Antonio Fletcher (SR)
PR: 13 Jeff Foreman (JR)
PT: 48 Ryan Hanson (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kicking: B
Punting: C
Schedule:
09/04 CENTRAL ARKANSAS BEARS | Arkansas State trails the series 10-13-2. The Red Wolves won (50-27) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series loss (23-28) was in 2016.
09/11 MEMPHIS TIGERS | Arkansas State trails the series 24-29-5. Last season’s 24-37 loss was the first meeting between schools since 2013.
09/18 at Washington Huskies | First meeting between schools.
09/25 at Tulsa Golden Hurricane | Arkansas State leads the series 3-2. The Red Wolves won (29-20) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
10/02 at Georgia Southern Eagles | Arkansas State leads the series 3-2. The Red Wolves won (38-33) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/07 COASTAL CARLOINA CHANTICLEERS | Arkansas State leads the series 3-1. The Red Wolves lost (23-52) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (28-27) was in 2019.
10/21 LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS | Arkansas State trails the series 21-27-1. The Red Wolves are 4-6 since 2011, and their last series win (47-3) was in 2017.
10/30 at South Alabama Jaguars | Arkansas State leads the series 6-3. The Red Wolves lost (31-38) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (38-14) was in 2018.
11/06 APPALACHIAN STATE MOUNTAINEERS | Arkansas State trails the series 1-3. The Red Wolves lost (17-45) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series win (40-27) was in 2015.
11/13 at UL-MONROE WARHAWKS | Arkansas State leads the series 28-14. The Red Wolves are 10-0 since 2011, and their last series loss (10-16) was in 2009.
11/20 at Georgia State Panthers | Arkansas State leads the series 6-1. The Red Wolves won (59-52) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series loss (38-52) was in 2019.
11/27 TEXAS STATE BOBCATS | Arkansas State leads the series 6-2. The Red Wolves lost (45-47) last season’s meeting between schools, and their last series win (38-14) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 2-4
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
SBC: 2-6
Non-SBC: 2-2
Overall: 4-8 (3rd in Sun Belt West)
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