It’s a mid-week conference game and it’s on television: UL-Lafayette at Arkansas State kicking off at 7 p.m. Central. It’s Tuesday and it’s game day, people. Let’s have a blast.
We will also host tonight’s #slachat on Twitter during the game from Jonesboro. Follow us @sportinglifeark and use the hashtag #slachat at 8 p.m. Central for the sports chat fun.
ON TAP: Arkansas State returns to league play Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. when it hosts co-preseason Sun Belt Conference favorite Louisiana-Lafayette in an ESPN2-televised game at Liberty Bank Stadium. Every A-State game can be heard live on 107.9 FM in the Jonesboro area as part of the EAB Red Wolves Sports Radio Network, and the live radio broadcast can be accessed through the A-State athletics Web site (AStateRedWolves.com).
THE PRINCIPALS: A pair of undefeated teams early in Sun Belt Conference play will clash Tuesday when 1-0 A-State hosts 2-0 Louisiana-Lafayette. The Red Wolves, coming off their second open week of the season, carry a 3-3 overall record into the game, while the Ragin’ Cajuns bring a four-game winning streak and 4-2 overall mark into the contest. Arkansas State and Louisiana-Lafayette, which both played in bowl games the last two years, have combined to post a 45-19 record since 2011. The two teams met on a Tuesday night in an ESPN2 televised game last year as well with the Red Wolves claiming a 50-27 victory in Lafayette.
BY THE NUMBERS . . .
1 of just 16 FBS programs to win at least 20 games over the last two years (2011 & 2012).
1 receiving touchdown needed by Allen Muse to tie the 9th most (9) in school history.
1 rushing touchdown needed by David Oku to tie the seventh most (22) in school history.
3 ASU was picked to finish 3rd in the preseason Sun Belt Coaches Poll with 45 pts. and 2 first-place votes.
3 consecutive seasons with a victory over the top team in the Sun Belt Preseason Coaches Poll.
4 A-State players (Kennedy, Davis, Jones, Hayes) ranked 1st in the Sun Belt in at least 1 statistical category.
4 players with 100 yards rushing vs. UAPB, making A-State just the 7th FBS team to accomplish the feat.
4 scoring drives put together by A-State on its first possession this season.
5 of the last eight seasons have seen A-State achieve bowl eligibility.
5 players named to one of college football’s major award watch lists.
6 consecutive victories at Liberty Bank Stadium.
6 points needed by Brian Davis to break the school record for points by kicking in a career (288).
6 turnovers lost by A-State is tied for the 11th fewest in the nation.
7 preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selections, the most in the league.
8 players (Albright, Carrethers, Haunga, Kennedy, McCants, Muse, Oliver, Williams) already with their degree.
8 game Sun Belt Conference winning streak held by A-State.
8 passes defended by Rocky Hayes are only one shy of the most by an ASU player for all of last season.
8 consecutive winning seasons at Liberty Bank Stadium.
9 consecutive wins in the month of October dating back to the 2010 season.
9.0 tackles per game by Qushaun Lee puts him on pace to break 100 for the second consecutive season.
9 wins over its last 10 games when coming off an open week.
10 win seasons in 2011 & 2012, making ASU the first team in SBC history w/ back-to-back 10-win campaigns.
10 A-State players named to Phil Steele’s midseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team.
10 Sun Belt Conference Team Academic Awards over the last 11 years.
11 consecutive field goals made by Brian Davis for the second longest streak in school history.
13 votes in the final 2012 USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll, ranking A-State No. 32 in the nation.
13 points needed by Brian Davis to break the Sun Belt record for points by kicking in a career (295).
15 players named to the most recent Sun Belt Conference Commissioner’s List (3.5 GPA or higher).
16 Sun Belt Conference victories over its last 17 league games.
17 receptions by Darion Griswold are the most by an A-State tight end since Trevor Gillott (24) in 2009.
18 statistical categories in which A-State ranks among the top 50 teams in the nation after six games.
18 A-State players named to at least one preseason All-Sun Belt Conference team.
22 A-State wins over its last 30 regular-season games dating back to 2011.
23 All-Sun Belt Conference selections over the last two years combined.
27 players named to the most recent Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher).
28 votes in the final 2012 Associated Press Top 25 poll, ranking A-State No. 32 in the nation.
28.8 yards per kickoff return by ASU is ranked 6th in the nation, and 18.3 ypr KO coverage is ranked 14th.
29 of J.D. McKissic’s 35 receptions have come over the last three games (9.7 per game).
30 or more points scored by A-State in 21 of its last 29 games.
35 receptions recorded by Julian Jones over the last five games (7.0 per game).
47.9 third-down conversion percentage by A-State is ranked 27th in the nation.
49 receiving yards needed by Julian Jones to break 1,000 for his career.
68 percent completions by Adam Kennedy currently ties the highest in school history for a season.
209.3 rushing yards per game by A-State ranks 29th in the nation.
300 yards or more of total offense recorded by ASU in 40 of its last 44 games.
300+ passing yards by Adam Kennedy, including a career-high 375 vs Idaho, in each of the last two games.
400 or more yards total offense by A-State in five of its first six games.
481.3 yards of total offense per game ranks as the 26th highest average in the nation.
26.7 million-dollar football facility project in Liberty Bank Stadium’s north end zone announced.
QUICK GLANCE: Tuesday’s game will pit two of the league’s top four ranked teams in both scoring offense and scoring defense against one another, and the two teams possess the conference’s No. 1 (Louisiana) and No. 2 (A-State) ranked rushing attacks. A-State is ranked No. 2 in the conference in total offense (481.3 ypg) and Louisiana is No. 5, while the Red Wolves are No. 6 in total defense (440.2 ypg) and the Ragin’ Cajuns No. 3 (400.5 ypg). Another area to watch is the turnovers battle as A-State is ranked tied for 11th in the nation in turnovers lost (6) and Louisiana No. 7 in turnovers gained (16).
SOMETHING FUN MAKING THE ROUNDS THIS WEEK:
HEAD COACH BRYAN HARSIN: Bryan Harsin was named the Red Wolves’ 29th head football coach on Dec. 12, 2012. Harsin is a 13-year coaching veteran at the NCAA FBS level who has coached in 10 bowl games as either an assistant or offensive coordinator. Harsin, a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award recognizing the top assistant coach in the country, has been associated with two nationally-prominent programs during his rise to A-State’s head coach. Working closely with Chris Petersen at Boise State and Mack Brown at Texas, two of the most well-respected coaches in the country, Harsin spent the last seven seasons as an offensive coordinator with the Broncos and Longhorns.
HIGH MARKS: Arkansas State head football coach Bryan Harsin was ranked as the sixth best hire in the nation among 26 new coaches at the time, according to CBSSports.com. The article written by Dennis Dodd said the following when referring to A-State’s 29th head coach: “We’re talking a Sun Belt program that has changed its AD (once) and coaches (twice) over the last two years. Somehow the Red Wolves went from national championship game offensive coordinator (Malzahn) to Fiesta Bowl-winning offensive coordinator with a stop in Texas (Bryan Harsin). Not too shabby.”
STARTING STRONG: With the Red Wolves victory over UAPB, Bryan Harsin became the Red Wolves first head coach to win his inaugural game at the school since Larry Lacewell in 1979. ASU’s previous seven head coaches all suffered setbacks in their first game, including Al Kincaid, Ray Perkins, John Bobo, Joe Hollis, Steve Roberts, Hugh Freeze and Gus Malzahn.
YOUNGEST FBS HEAD COACHES: At 36 years of age, Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin is the fourth youngest head coach in the nation. Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck is the youngest at 32 years old with a Nov. 29, 1980 date of birth.
Coach Age (DOB)
P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan, 32 (11-29-80)
Matt Campbell, Toledo, 33 (11-29-79)
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech, 34 (8-9-79)
Bryan Harsin, Arkansas State, 36 (11-1-76)
Willie Taggart, USF, 37 (8-27-76)
Justin Fuente, Memphis, 37 (7-30-76)
Matt Rhule, Temple, 38 (1-31-75)
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern, 38 (12-2-74)
Garrick McGee, UAB, 40 (4-6-73)
Matt Wells, Utah State, 40 (8-10-73)
THE ARKANSAS STATE – LOUISIANA SERIES: Arkansas State holds an all-time on-field record of 19-21-1 against Louisiana in the series that dates back to the 1953 season. As Sun Belt Conference opponents, Louisiana leads the series 6-5, but the Red Wolves have won the last two meetings. While A-State picked up a 50-27 win in Lafayette last year, the home team has won 10 of the last 12 meetings. Nine of the last 13 meetings have been decided by six points or less. Tuesday’s game will be the 42nd meeting all-time between ASU and Louisiana. A-State’s 41 games played against the Ragin’ Cajuns are the second most against any opponent in school history behind only its 57 played against Memphis.
FAMILIAR FOE: While Arkansas State and Louisiana have both played as members of the Sun Belt Conference since the league’s inaugural football season in 2001, it is not the first time the two teams have shared a conference. The Red Wolves and Ragin’ Cajuns were both members of the Big West Conference from 1993 to 1995 and the Southland Conference from 1971 to 1981.
A-STATE vs. THE SUN BELT: A-State has won its last eight consecutive Sun Belt Conference games to run its all-time record in the league to 50-37. The Red Wolves, who have won 16 of their last 17 league games, hold their most all-time victories against Louisiana-Monroe with 21. With the exception of Texas State and Georgia State, which are in their first season as a member of the league, the Red Wolves have defeated every team in the SBC since the football league was formed in 2001. Along with Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette, A-State is one of three teams that have been a part of the conference since 2001.
99th SEASON UNDER WAY: Arkansas State kicked off its 99th season of football Aug. 31, 2013, vs. UAPB. A-State now holds a 429-460-37 record since its inaugural 1911 season and has played in nine bowl games. ASU did not field a football team from 1942-44 due to World War II. Arkansas State also didn’t have a team in 1918 as World War I was ending.
MIDWEEK MONSTERS: Historically, A-State has performed well in midweek games since joining the Sun Belt Conference. Since the 2001 campaign, the Red Wolves hold an 11-3 record in all midweek games. ASU has won its last six midweek games, including a 41-34 victory over Troy on a Thursday night ESPNU game earlier this year.
RED WOLVES OCTOBER: Arkansas State is undefeated in October over the last two seasons with an 8-0 record over that span and has won its last nine games in the month dating back to the 2010 season. A-State’s first outing in October last year began a 7-game winning streak to close out its regular season. The Red Wolves’ first game in October of 2011 was its second outing in a string of nine straight wins to end the regular season.
COMING OFF THE OPEN WEEK: Arkansas State is coming off the second of two open weeks this season, with the other being prior to the Oct. 12 game against Idaho. Since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2001, the Red Wolves hold a 10-6 record in games played after an open week. A-State has won nine of its last 10 games played following an open week.
AN A-STATE VICTORY WOULD . . .: Make the Red Wolves 4-3 through seven games for the second consecutive year . . . Give it seven consecutive victories at Liberty Bank Stadium and secure a winning home record for the ninth straight season . . . Extend its winning streak in the month of October to 10 games . . . Give it 10 wins over its last 11 games played following an open week . . . Give it nine consecutive Sun Belt Conference victories . . . Extend its winning streak in midweek games to seven . . . Give it seven straight victories at Liberty Bank Stadium.
KNOCKING OFF THE FAVORITE: Arkansas has defeated the top pick in the Sun Belt Conference preseason coaches poll each of the last three seasons. The Red Wolves knocked off preseason favorite FIU in both 2012 and 2011 and Middle Tennessee in 2010.
HOME SWEET HOME: With a 5-1 home mark last season, Arkansas State secured its eighth consecutive winning record at Liberty Bank Stadium dating back to 2005. ASU is now 39-8 at Liberty Bank Stadium since the 2005 season and has won 14 of its last 15 home games. The Red Wolves actual on-field record all-time at Liberty Bank Stadium is 131-71-1 since it opened in 1974. ASU’s six home wins in 2011 were its most since 1985.
THIRD DOWN EFFICIENCY: Arkansas State has been one of the most successful teams in the nation this season converting third downs, ranking 27th in the nation and second in the Sun Belt Conference with a .479 percentage. The Red Wolves have converted at least half their third down attempts in three games and over 43 percent in all but one.
STARTING STRONG: Arkansas State has put together a scoring drive on its first possession in four of its six games, and scored on at least one of its first two possessions in all six. The Red Wolves scored opening-drive touchdowns against UAPB and Idaho and field goals against Auburn and Missouri. A-State also scored a touchdown on its second drive versus both Memphis and Troy. The Red Wolves have 64 points in the first quarter, their most of all quarters.
HITTING TWO-HUNDRED: Arkansas State has rushed for at least 200 yards in two games this season and in six of its last 11 regular-season games dating back to 2011. The Red Wolves have won eight consecutive games when rushing for 200 yards or more, a streak that also dates back to 2011.
300-PLUS: Dating back to the 2010 season, Arkansas State has posted at least 300 yards of total offense 40 of its last 44 games. The Red Wolves have posted at least 400 yards total offense in all but one game this season and is ranked 26th in the nation (481.3 ypg).
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD: Including a 62-point outburst in its season opener, 41 points scored against Troy and 48 versus Idaho, A-State has posted at least 30 points in 21 of its last 29 regular-season games dating back to the 2011 season. The Red Wolves’ 10 games with at least 30 points last year were their most since 1951 when they hit the total 10 times as well.
SUN BELT PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Senior quarterback Adam Kennedy and sophomore wide receiver J.D. McKissic were named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive and Special Teams players of the week following A-State’s victory over Idaho. Kennedy recorded career highs for passing yards (375), total offense (397 yards) and passing touchdowns (4) during the game. McKissic recorded a career-high 125 kickoff return yards, including a 98-yard return for a touchdown in the contest. The return for a touchdown was the first by an A-State player since 2001.
MIDSEASON ALL-CONFERENCE: Arkansas State placed 10 players, including five first-team selections, on the Phil Steele’s Midseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team. The Red Wolves 10 selections tied Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe for the most in the conference, and their five first-team picks matched the most along with the Ragin’ Cajuns. The A-State offense and defense were both represented by four players, and two Red Wolves made the list as special teams choices. Arkansas State’s first-team selections included sophomore center Bryce Giddens (Moultrie, Ga.), senior guard Steven Haunga (Richmond, Calif.), senior defensive lineman Ryan Carrethers (Nashville, Tenn.), sophomore cornerback Rocky Hayes (Heflin, Ala.) and senior kicker Brian Davis (Brentwood, Tenn.). The Red Wolves’ second-team selections included senior running back David Oku (Midwest City, Okla.), senior wide receiver Julian Jones (Germantown, Tenn.), junior linebacker Qushaun Lee (Prattville, Ala.) and senior safety Sterling Young (Hoover, Ala.). Sophomore wide receiver J.D. McKissic (Phenix City, Ala.) was also a second-team choice as a kick returner.
COVERING AT CORNERBACK: Sophomore corner Rocky Hayes has made a big impact in his first season on the defensive side of the ball, leading the team in both pass break-ups (6) and interceptions (2). He is ranked first in the Sun Belt Conference in passes defended with eight, which is only one shy of the most by an A-State player for all of last season (Chaz Scales, 7 PBU, 2 INT).
ON THE RISE: Senior WR Julian Jones has recorded at least four receptions in five straight games and six or more in four of the last five, including a career-high 10 versus Missouri. He now has 35 total catches over the last five games (7.0 per game). Jones has either led or tied for the team high in receptions in all but two games this season and is ranked 33rd in the nation in receptions per game (6.2). Jones’ 37 total receptions are 20 more than he had for his entire career entering the 2013 season.
MORE ON JONES: Senior WR Julian Jones not only recorded a career-high 10 receptions against Missouri, he also finished the game with a career-best 136 receiving yards. He followed that up by posting 135 yards against Idaho to give him 271 over the last two game. He is ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference and 50th in the nation with 78.2 yards per game. Jones has been on the receiving end of a score in eight of the last 12 games dating back to last year. Jones enters Tuesday’s games needing just 49 yards to break 1,000 for his career.
LEADING THE LEAGUE: Senior quarterback Adam Kennedy currently leads the Sun Belt Conference in total offense with 285.8 yards per game, which also ranks 26th in the nation. Kennedy recorded 358 yards of total offense against Auburn, 334 versus Missouri and a career-high 397 against Idaho. He also just missed going over 300 versus Troy with 299 to his credit. His 397 yards last game were the fifth most in school history.
MAKING A CONNECTION: Senior QB Adam Kennedy tied the school record for completions in a game with 37 against Missouri (tied Ryan Aplin, 2011 vs. Western Kentucky). Kennedy has already completed 138 passes, leaving him just 18 shy of the 10th most in school history for a single season. He is ranked 13th in the nation in completions (23.0 pg) and 19th in completion percentage (.680). His current completion percentage currently stands tied for the highest in school history with Aplin’s .680 set in 2012.
INSIDE FORCE: A member of the Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy Watch Lists, senior defensive lineman Ryan Carrethers is ranked second on the team and 13th in the Sun Belt in tackles with 38 through six games. He is averaging 6.3 tackles per game, one more than he averaged last season when he finished with 68 total for the most by an A-State interior defensive lineman since former NFL standout Jon Bradly in 2002. His 38 tackles this season are the most in the Sun Belt Conference by a defensive lineman.
ON PACE FOR 100: Senior linebacker Qushaun Lee has recorded a team-high 54 tackles, which is also ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference. He is averaging 9.0 tackles per game, which puts him on pace for 100 tackles for the second straight season. The last time an A-State player had at least 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons was 2003 and 2002 when linebacker Les Echols had 123 and 105, respectively. Lee tied his career high for tackles in a game with 15 against Idaho, giving him five career games with double-figure stops.
GRISWOLD VACATION TO THE END ZONE: Senior tight end Darion Griswold tied his career high with five receptions for a career-high 89 yards and his first two career touchdowns against Idaho, earning CFPA national Honorable Mention Tight End of the Week for his efforts. He has now caught 17 passes for 230 yards, both the most in a season by an A-State tight end since Trevor Gillott recorded 24 receptions for 283 yards in 2009.
ON A ROLL: A Freshman All-America selection last season, sophomore WR J.D. McKissic has caught at least one pass in all 19 games of his career at A-State. He has come one strong the last couple of games, recording 24 of his 35 receptions this season against Missouri and Idaho. He had nine versus the Vandals and a school-record 15 against Missouri. McKissic also finished the Missouri game with a season-high 117 receiving yards, marking the fifth time of his career he has posted 100 in a game.
A FLARE FOR THE DRAMATIC: Sophomore RB Michael Gordon is responsible for two of the three longest runs by A-State this year, including a 92-yard outburst against UAPB that was the second longest in school history. Gordon posted a 64-yard touchdown run against Troy as well, and he is averaging 10.8 yards per attempt (21). Gordon has two 100-yard rushing games, including a 102-yard showing against UAPB and a 115-yard effort versus Troy.
WELL ROUNDED: Senior RB David Oku has gone over 100 yards combined rushing and receiving in a game twice this season and nine times during his two-year career at A-State. He narrowly missed the 100-yard mark against Idaho with 69 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards for 96 total.
FINDING THE END ZONE: Senior running back David Oku, who posted 16 rushing touchdowns last season to tie the third most in school history, recorded two rushing touchdowns against both UAPB and Troy this season and one versus Idaho. Oku has now recorded at least one rushing touchdown in 13 of his 19 games played at Arkansas State.
UNBUCKLE THE BELT: The Red Wolves opened Sun Belt Conference play in their third game of the season, the earliest since 2010 when they played their second game against a league opponent. A-State improved to 8-5 all-time in Sun Belt Conference openers with its 41-34 victory over Troy. The Red Wolves’ victory was their first in an SBC opener since 2011.
NFF RECOGNIZES DAVIS: Senior kicker Brian Davis has been announced as a National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Awards candidate and a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the top scholar-athlete in the nation. Davis is among 170 national candidates, including 54 from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), for the NFF’s Scholar-Athlete Awards. Candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least a 3.2, possess outstanding football ability as a first-team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.
CFPA HONORS DAVIS: Senior kicker Brian Davis was named the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) National Specialist of the Week following the Missouri game. He was responsible for 13 of Arkansas State’s 19 points against the Tigers, making all four of his field goal attempts and an extra point to lead the Red Wolves in scoring. Davis has now made multiple field goals in a game 13 times during his career. Dating back to last season, Davis has now made his last 10 field goals in a row to tie the second longest streak in Arkansas State history.
WEEKLY HONORS: Arkansas State had four players named a national Honorable Mention Player of the Week at their respective positions by the College Football Performance Awards after the Troy game. Those players included sr. DL Amos Draper, soph. RB Michael Gordon, soph. TE Darion Griswold and sr. WR Allen Muse. Gordon was also recognized by College Sports Madness as its Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week.
DAVIS HONORED: Senior kicker Brian Davis was named a national honorable mention College Football Performance Awards Placekicker of the Week following the Auburn game. Davis posted a season-high three field goals, giving him 44 for his career that leaves him one shy of tying the fifth most in Sun Belt Conference history. Davis was a perfect 3-of-3 on his attempts that covered 34, 21 and 42 yards. Dating back to last season, Davis has now made his last six consecutive field goals to leave him only one short of tying the sixth longest streak in school history. Including Auburn, Davis now has 12 career games with multiple field goals made.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Arkansas State has 25 underclassmen (sophomores or freshmen) listed on its 2-deep. The list includes 13 sophomores, six redshirt freshmen and six true freshmen. Among the underclassmen, six are listed as starters on the offensive or defensive side of the ball. A-State’s 25 underclassmen on its two-deep was tied for the 14th most in the nation with Colorado and Illinois according to the 2013 initial depth charts. Virginia listed 34 players on its opening-day two-deep for the most among all teams.
IN THE POLLS: Arkansas State ended the 2012 season receiving votes in the final major polls, including 28 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and 13 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll. Both totals placed the Red Wolves 32nd in the nation. The Red Wolves were also among “others receiving votes” in the 2013 preseason and week two USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll.
NCAA RECORD: A-State became the seventh FBS team in NCAA history to have four players (David Oku, Fredi Knighten, Michael Gordon, Sirgregory Thornton vs. UAPB) rush for over 100 yards in the same game. The other teams include Arizona (1951), Texas (1969), Alabama (1973), Army (1984), Nebraska (2001) and Nevada (2009).
FOR STARTERS: A-State improved to 45-47-6 all-time in season openers with its victory over UAPB on Aug. 31. The Red Wolves claimed a win in their season-opening game for the first time since 2009.
RUSHING RED WOLVES: The Red Wolves piled up 509 rushing yards versus UAPB, which were the most in the nation during the season’s first week and still stand as the second most behind BYU’s 550 against Texas. A-State’s total was also the fifth most in school history and the second most in Sun Belt history.
HOMECOMING HISTORY: With its victory over Idaho, Arkansas State improved to 58-27-1 all-time in Homecoming contests. The Red Wolves have now won 10 of their last 11 Homecoming games dating back to the 2003 season.
HOME OPENERS: With its victory over UAPB on Aug. 31, Arkansas State won its ninth consecutive home opener dating back to the 2005 campaign. The Red Wolves now stand 29-11 all-time in home openers at Liberty Bank Stadium and are also 15-6 in such games since moving to the FBS in 1992.
RETURNING ALL-SUN BELT PEFORMERS: Arkansas State returns five All-Sun Belt Conference players from the 2012 season, including first team selections David Oku (Sr., RB) and Ryan Carrethers (Sr., DL). J.D. McKissic (So., WR) and Brian Davis (Sr., K) were both second-team choices, while Qushaun Lee (Jr., LB) was named honorable mention.
PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE: Arkansas State placed a league-high seven players on the 2013 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team. Senior running back David Oku, sophomore wide receiver J.D. McKissic and sophomore center Bryce Giddens all represented the A-State offense on the preseason squad. ASU’s defensive players earning a spot on the team were senior defensive lineman Ryan Carrethers, junior linebacker Qushaun Lee and junior safety Sterling Young. Senior kicker Brian Davis, also made the list.
RED WOLVES TABBED THIRD IN PRESEASON SBC POLL: The Red Wolves were picked third in the preseason coaches poll announced as part of the league’s annual Media Day. A-State received 45 points and two first-place votes behind UL Lafayette and UL Monroe, which both received 57 points.
ASU ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL FACILITY PROJECT: Arkansas State University has announced a $26.7 million football facility project, including a two-level football operations building and 76,000 square-foot indoor practice facility in ASU Stadium’s north end zone.
SUN BELT CHAMPIONS: Arkansas State claimed its second consecutive outright Sun Belt Conference championship in 2012. ASU has won nine conference championships all-time. ASU won the Southland Conference seven times (1986, 1985, 1978, 1975, 1970, 1969, 1968). ASU also won the 2005 Sun Belt Conference title, but it was later vacated due to NCAA sanctions. Prior to the 2011 and 2012 seasons, the last time ASU won back-to-back conference championships was 1986 and 1985 when it was a member of the Southland Conference.
BACK-TO-BACK WINNING SEASONS: Arkansas State secured back-to-back winning seasons in 2011 and 2012 for the first time since 1986-87. ASU won 10 games in both 2011 and 2012, and its 19 combined regular-season victories were its most ever over a two-year span — topping its 18 in 1974 and 1975.
BOWL ELIGIBLE: Arkansas State has been bowl eligible five times over the last eight seasons, including the last two in a row.
ATTENDANCE FIGURES: Arkansas State’s average home attendance last season was a school record 26,398, topping its previous best of 21,256 in 2011. The 31,243 in attendance for A-State’s 2012 regular-season finale against Middle Tennessee was the largest in Liberty Bank Stadium history, and ASU had two home crowds over 30,000 in the same season for the first time ever.
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