Post Spring thoughts on A-State

[Seminole Indian]

For the first time in half a decade A-State players were able to  focus on getting better, and not adjusting to new coaches and their system ,and terminology.

A big plus for Anderson & Company is they return most of their roster so at most positions they are exiting spring  with the luxury of being able to concentrate on who their  # 3 is.

A-State fans have good reason to have Championship expectations for 2015.

Based on multiple sources here is an over view of where they are at exiting spring practice.

Offensive line
The starters will likely be some combination of Colton Jackson(6-4,276, JR), Devin Mondie (6-5, 291, JR), Jemar Clark( 6-6, 304, SR), Kyle Harris( 6-4, 280, SR) , and Daniel Keith (6-5, 275, RSFR).

Other than at the center position where starters Mondie or Keith will probably back up each other, there is above average talent behind them, and should have a very solid 2-deep.

Coaches think freshman  Dalton Ford(6-5, 295) has the talent, and could follow in Daniel Keiths and play as a true.

This is a very athletic group who should be the best OL in the SBC, and among the best in G5.

Running Back
All the players from last year  return, and returning starter Michael Gordon (5-9, 200, Sr), and back-up Johnston White (5-11, 180, So) are still  1A and 1B. If healthy Gordon is the best in the SBC, and among the best in G5.

While there is talent behind them, none of the other returning players have been able to break out of the pack, and established any kind of order.

Look for prized recruits  Jamal Jones(5-9, 200),  Warren Wand (5-5, 175) to earn playing time, as could late addition Chauncey Mason (5-10, 180) .

Receiver/TE/A-Back
After losing only one player to graduation, should be  the best in the SBC, and one of the better in G5.

TE Darion Griswold (6-5, 264, Sr), and   A-Back J.D. McKissic (5-11, 193, Sr) are returning starters and both are all-star caliber players.

At WR Tres Houston (6-2, 188,Sr), Dijon Paschal (6-1, 196, So), are potential All-SBC  players, with  rising star Blake Mack (6-3, 200, So), and big play specialist Booker Mays (5-10, 170,Jr) sharing duties with them.

There are good players backing these guys up, but numbers are again not where they should be, so look for several talented freshmen to play this fall.

Freshman Omar Bayless (6-2, 187)  has the talent to  be an impact player from day one.

Quarterback
Everyone was expected to return, but last year's  #2 QB decided to go ahead and graduate, and the fact is  he was not expected to hold on to the #2 spot.

Returning All- SBC QB Fredie Knighten (5-11, 190, SR) is the returning starter, and a star.

Backing him up will be either Cameron Birse (6-2, 215, So) or James Tabary (6-2, 200, RSFR), and according to their coach both are ahead of where Knighten was this time last year.

Both freshmen will probably redshirt.

Defensive line
Despite the fact they return all but one player from last year, and when healthy were very good, this is an area that has been completely revamped. On the interior look for only one of the returning players to see much, if any, PT this year.

Transfers Waylon Robertson (6-3, 340, Jr), Robert Mondie (6-2, 300, Sr), Jake Swalley (6-2, 292, Jr),  plus Marcus Hudson (6-4, 265, RS FR) , who was ineligible last year,  join  returning starter Chuks Ota (6-2, 285, So) on the inside.

At the ends All-SBC Chris Stone (6-2, 252, Sr), and 1st team Freshman All-American  Ja'Von Rolland‐Jones (6-2, 230, So) return, as to all the backups.

This position is loaded, but look for Auburn transfer Chase Robison (6-4, 255, Jr) to make a strong push for PT.

While the freshmen will probably redshirt, it is not out of the question that Griggin Riggs (6-3, 235) talent is just too much for the coaches to allow him to sit on the bench.

Linebacker
This position will feel the loss of their star middle linebacker to graduation, but everyone else returns.

Look for Xavier Woodson (6-1, 215, Jr), Quanterio Heath  (6-3, 220, Jr), Austin Copeland (6-1, 215, Sr), and Sterling Wright (6-2, 215, Jr), to form a small but athletic 2-deep.

Depth is a concern here so look for the freshmen to have a chance to play, especially Justin Clifton (6-0, 210), who turned down SEC, and Big10 schools for the hopes of immediate PT.
 
If his academic ship is righted, AJ Turner, who was to be a starter this past year, is  expected to rejoin the team.

Cornerbacks/Safeties/ Nickel
This area was hit a little more than most by graduation losing both starting corners, and a starting safety. Depth at corner back is a big, and still open issue.

At corner 2013 starter, and star Rocky Hayes (5-11, 180, Sr) has reclaimed his starting spot, and will joined by either highly recruited but small Blaise Taylor (5-10, 175, So),  or small Jamaris Hart (5-9, 170, So). 

Nehemiah Wagner (6, 175) was another prize  recruit, and is expected to the 4th player in the 2-deep.

Beyond these four who knows, and they did not recruit any corners. Big time issue here.

At safety next level talent , Chris Humes (5-11, 207, Jr) returns to his starting role after missing almost all of last season, and looks to join either his replacement Money Hunter (6-1, 193, Jr),or transfers  Cody Brown (6-1, 206, Jr), or Allen Sentmore (6, 190, Jr). 

Should be a solid more athletic 2-deep, but like the corners uncertainty after the top 4 players, but unlike the corner spot there is additional candidates on the current roster who  can play.

At the nickel position  injured Charleston Girley (6, 190), returns to claim his spot. Khari Lain (5-10, 190), showed the coaches he has the talent to start even as a true., but may or may not stay at the position, beyond these two is still an open question.

Special Teams
Luke Ferguson (6, 210, Sr) is the returning punter, and handles kicking off, and is a good one. His expected backup, who has transferred from Purdue, has now transferred to Arkansas, so depth is an unknown.

As far as place kicking, and extra points Ferguson started last year handling both, but was anything but solid. After holding tryouts mid-season. the coaches gave the job to walk-on Logan Spry, who performed very well under the circumstances. Spry was not awarded a scholarship, and is not expected to return leaving Ferguson as the current starter.

Coaches have said they expect to add some  additional players here by the fall.

Anything less than an SBC Championship in 2015 should be a disappointment for Red Wolf fans.

[Seminole Indian]

Because I follow recruiting rather closely, that A-State has the talent to again have a good shot at a successful season, and earn a bowl bid is not a surprise. In fact they will probably be one of, if not the favorite to win their Conference Championship.

The reason is simple, they will have more talent than all but 2, maybe 3, of the teams on their schedule, and are the most talented team in the SBC.

Returning their entire  coaching staff should help make their talent advantage over most of the teams they play more evident than it has been during this prolonged period of coaching turnover.

While I'm not predicting they will beat every team they have more talent than, because other things factor in, I have no problem saying they are now a solid 8 +/-1 win program. That is a very, very good place for any program to be at, at any level, much less the FBS level.

The good thing for them  is their talent level has continued to get better every year, and they are just now in the process of adding the things the better athletes expect to have before they will pick a school.

Bottom line for A-State fans is enjoy the ride because it is just beginning, and the best is yet to come. In fact a lot better.

[DeltaBoy]

ASU is been on a roll of late and I expect a better season than last year.

[Seminole Indian]

As I expected thus far most prognosticators think A-State will have a successful 2015, and the primary reasons appear to the return of the coaches, and their offense.

Found these articles and links on HowlYes.com

"For the first time in half a decade, the Red Wolves claim a returning head coach. That consistency, plus explosiveness on offense and defense, bodes well for a successful 2015—even with games against USC and Mizzou to open the season."

"How the Red Wolves beat you: After coach Blake Anderson was hired in December 2013, he made plain his plans for the O: "We will be one of the fastest-operating flying-around football teams in the country." So they were. The Red Wolves recorded 33 two-minute TD drives, fifth most in the nation. And their 19 one-minute TD drives were third most. Dual-threat senior QB Fredi Knighten (3,277 pass yards, 779 rush yards) makes Anderson's up-tempo tick, often with his own wheels: His 211 rushes led the team in '14."

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/110421/arkansas-state-red-wolves-preview

This is how they ranked in the 'tempo' department last year.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/5/15/8586169/hurry-up-offense-fastest-slowest

Anderson was disappointed with the tempo last year, and feels they should  be faster this year. he wants them to be #1 in that department.

[Two Socks]

Last year was spoiled by a gapping hole in the defensive line.

[Seminole Indian]

Another 2015 prediction for A-State.

"The offense should be even more potent, but the defense could take a step back. However, even with games against USC and Missouri to start the season, Arkansas State will be able to get back to another bowl. And with a couple new Sun Belt bowl affiliations, maybe they can go somewhere else besides the GoDaddy Bowl."

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/11602

[Seminole Indian]

Phil Steele has A-State at # 78 of 128 in it's composite ratings for 2015.

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2015/JUNE15/DBJune08.html

[Seminole Indian]

Per Phil Steele here is the G5 top 25, and their compost ranking going into 2015:

25 BOISE ST
43 BYU
46 CINCINNATI
53 UCF
55 UTAH ST
56 TEMPLE
57 MARSHALL
60 MEMPHIS
61 HOUSTON
62 NAVY
63 W KENTUCKY
65 N ILLINOIS
68 TOLEDO
70 SAN DIEGO ST
72 LA TECH
75 E CAROLINA
77 GEORGIA SOUTHERN
78 ARKANSAS ST
79 COLORADO ST
81 W MICHIGAN
84 BOWLING GREEN
86 APPALACHIN ST
87 AIR FORCE
88 NEVADA

[Seminole Indian]

CFN thinks A-State is in a strong position to return to championship form in 2015.

"There's too much talent and experience returning to not make it four(championships) in five years."

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1554117.html

[Seminole Indian]

Athlon Sports has A-State at # 76 (#15 in G5, and #1 in the SBC).

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25

[Seminole Indian]

Here is the Athlon SBC predictions:

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/sun-belt-football-2015-predictions

[Seminole Indian]

The Orlando Sentiniel has A-State at #72, and making a bowl.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/college-gridiron-365/os-college-football-countdown-no-72-arkansas-state-2015-post.html

[holeinthewall]

The new suites and press box look much better than a Sun Belt program.

[Seminole Indian]

The new suites and press box look much better than a Sun Belt program.

Very nice, and should be a big plus in recruiting, which is 80% of winning.

Their stated goals are much bigger than being a SBC program, they want to be THE G5 program that has a shot at the G5 spot every year.

I still have them as a 8 +/-1 program which is very good by any measure , but not quite the level their AD says they ARE going to achieve. Need to be at least a 9 +/- 1 win program, and maybe 10 +/- 1 program, so we will see.

At 'current state' the national media by their rankings has them as a top 15 or so G5 program( not bad when you take into consideration that they don't spend as much in pursuit of athletic fame as most G5's, and a fraction of what P5's spend, which is really not a bad thing if you think about it).

Look forward to seeing what the impact the  upgrades in their facilities  will have. Maybe they will become THE G5 program.

[theFlyingHog]

I'm surprised at how small some of the players are. I didn't think there was that much difference from an SEC school

[Kicking Wing]

There's not a real huge difference.  You see more guys like Girley in the rover position and a smaller DE on the weak side to deal with spread offenses and the linemen in some offenses are lighter because of the need to move.