UCA vs A-State

[Seminole Indian]

Very interesting game Saturday.

Looks like A-State still has a lot of issues to get ironed out but is getting better, I think..

Probably should have beaten Utah St, who is probably as good as any team left on their schedule (A-State HC said they were robbed, and turned in 17 uncalled penalties by the MWC refs to the MWC, and said they would not stop the Utah St DL from using shifts and simulated snap counts).

UCA is playing solid football especially for a team with so many new starters. They have a solid running game behind a surprisingly sturdy line, and they appear to have the talent to pass effectively if necessary. Play pretty good defense to boot.

A-State has not been effective either running or passing, or stopping the run or stopping the pass.

Really other than some special team play they have not been very good at anything up to this point. Passing game showed some signs of life when they put Justice Hansen in, who will start against UCA.

[holeinthewall]

Probably should have started the season with this game and the stadium would have been sold out. Now that ASU is 0-3 I am betting the crowd is a smaller. Probably still pull 30k.

[Seminole Indian]

Right now I'm thinking more like Jonesboro Westside.

Are they any good?

If they are then somebody that is not very good at all.

[Dropkick]

You really think ASU should have beaten them?

[Seminole Indian]

Should have beaten who?

Right now their coach said they would prefer to be playing someone that is an auto "w" and UCA is not that.

I had A-State with  9 wins +/-1 , and other than throw out the +1, the talent is there to again get 8-9 wins again this year, just like last year when they started 1-3.

Of course getting a "w" against' UCA is not a given by any means, but they are a pretty heavy favorite.

Their coaches said they think A-State started to gel in the 2nd half of the Auburn game, and Utah State is as talented as any team they had left on their schedule, and they had to go out of their way not to win that game.

A-State has apparently had a very, good week of practice, and apparently Justice Hansen is just what the Doctor ordered on offense.

[Seminole Indian]

While their HC has said that mishandling the QB situation is the primary reason A-State is 0-3, it appears that they have more issues than that, and most could be categorized as simply not being ready to play (that is just a politically correct way of saying poor coaching across the board), and Toledo and Auburn are probably just better.

IMO the play of their OL has been a bigger issue than the play of the QB. Take out those eight bad snaps in the Toledo game, and the eight false starts in the Utah State game and their record would probably be a little better, because they would probably have beaten Utah State.

[Dropkick]

Utah State looked like the better team IMHO.

[Seminole Indian]

You have the advantage I did not see the game just the stats and talked to people who watched it. Not A-State fans I might add.

[kodiakisland]

Well, that's got to hurt.

[asuato]

Hurts more than you can imagine to watch a team that returns almost everyone from a conference championship team to start 0-4 and get dominated in the trenches by UCA. Good win for them. They wanted it more.

[kodiakisland]

I probably underestimate UCA, but in my mind there should be a noticeable gap in talent between the two.

[ricepig]

I probably underestimate UCA, but in my mind there should be a noticeable gap in talent between the two.

I'm told it looked about the same, especially some of the line play.

[asuato]

I'm told it looked about the same, especially some of the line play.

It wasn't the same. UCA dominated the trenches on both sides. That's the sad state that ASU football is in right now. No disrespect to UCA as they came to play and wanted it more, but its a bad, bad loss no matter how its presented. AN ASU O-line that returned 5 starters from an 8-0 conference title team was thoroughly whipped tonight, as it has been the previous three games.

[Seminole Indian]

I'm told it looked about the same, especially some of the line play.

I actually watched parts of the 1st quarter, and I though A-State would blow them out. Looked like a mismatch.

Was somewhat surprised by the final score only because A-State had scored 16 in the 1st quarter.

Looking at the stats, and reading the paper this morning, it looks like the biggest issue was A-State could not run the ball, and they had some untimely turnovers.

Looks like UCA just played sound football and hung around until they self destructed.

[GolfNut57]

ASU's new OL coach they hired since last season really sucks. And their new OC from MTSU, Buster Faulkner is a piece of crap too. Sad thing is the MTSU fans warned us about him last winter.

[Seminole Indian]

ASU's new OL coach they hired since last season really sucks. And their new OC from MTSU, Buster Faulkner is a piece of crap too. Sad thing is the MTSU fans warned us about him last winter.

Something has gone terribly wrong in their OL play that is for sure, and probably has been their biggest problem, and they do not appear to have the answers. 

From reading the paper, before and after the game,it appears they were bound and determined on establishing the running game in this game come hell or high water.

Anderson said prior to the game  they would be the more powerful team, and  I'm sure they felt, especially after the way the game started, they could in fact focus on doing just that.

In hindsight they probably should have focused on doing whatever it took, and not doing so enabled UCA, a solid well coached team with talent, to hang around.

[ATLHog]

As a proud UCA alum the Bears' win over State helps ease pain of Hogs loss...a little bit.
http://ucasports.com/news/2016/9/24/football-bears-finish-off-28-23-win-over-red-wolves.aspx

[BR]

Way to go UCA................. A-State go back to the Sun Belt and try and survive

[FineAsSwine]

Was at that game with 4-H. In the 1st quarter it looked like ASU was going to run away with it.

[Inhogswetrust]

Boise State of the south...........oops. Congrats to UCA.

[BR]

Boise State of the south...........oops. Congrats to UCA.

Now thats funny...

[Seminole Indian]

Was at that game with 4-H. In the 1st quarter it looked like ASU was going to run away with it.

I think their coaches did also, and were going to use the rest of the game to fine-tune their run game.

[Ben]

Move UCA to the FBS!

[FineAsSwine]

I think their coaches did also, and were going to use the rest of the game to fine-tune their run game.

ASU qb was very inaccurate at times on his throws. Not sure if receivers were off or if it was all on him but in either case, the passing game seemed disjointed.

[Seminole Indian]

The Opening Rant section in the attached article pretty much hits the nail on the head.

"The question today as Red Wolves administration, coaches, players, and fans awake to see that there is a morning sun after last nights embarrassing 28-23 loss to FCS in-state foe UCA, is just what is going on in Jonesboro? "

Also interesting; "The player are having a closed door meeting on Sunday to address internal issues that are obviously preventing this team from reaching its potential and can hopefully find a way to help the coaching staff right the ship."

That's good because their fans think this coaching staff needs all the help it can get.

http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2016/9/25/13047544/central-arkansas-stuns-arkansas-state-28-23-the-post-mortem-red-wolves-bears-southland-sunbelt

[FineAsSwine]

Wow, looked at the stats and saw where ASU qb passed for over 400 yards. I know he hit some long passes in the first half but their drives often stalled short of the endzone. In spite of all those yards, it still seemed to me that he missed some easy throws.

Guess I had too many drinks in the tailgating. Left after the first half with ASU ahead 16-13. Got home and was shocked when I heard the score.

[Seminole Indian]

I was shocked by several scores Sunday morning after watching or catching the 1st quarter scores.

Again this should have been a fairly easy (not real easy UCA is a pretty good team) win for them, and  IMO had Anderson taken a different approach to this game, or any of the previous three they would probably be at worse 1-3, and most likely 2-2.  Instead of saying  they had an advantage in power, speed, depth, and an advantage in space over UCA, at 0-3 he should have been painting a different picture, but he does not seem willing to do so.

Losing all three QB's, their RB, TE, and a couple of star WR's, plus their OC, OL, and RB coaches gave him every opportunity to temper expectations, and because of their talent still be optimistic, but he chose not too.

[FineAsSwine]

With all of ASU's recent success, they were bound to have a less than stellar season at some point and they have done a great job transitioning between coaches while maintaining a high level of success. Hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar.

[Seminole Indian]

This probably should not have been it, and may still not, because they have talent.

Everyone but apparently their HC knew that getting through those first four games at 3-1, or 2-2 would be great, and 1-3 very possible.

I think he is a pretty good coach but Anderson, is totally responsible for creating the toxic environment they now find themselves in, and that is a career killer.

He is very lucky he is at a school (most schools not in a P5 Conference are such schools) that cannot afford not to stay the course.

[FineAsSwine]

Let's hope this is a wakeup call that results in the ship being righted. Close out with 7 or 8 wins and a bowl and then the early season slip ups could be seen as an aberration.

[Inhogswetrust]

With all of ASU's recent success, they were bound to have a less than stellar season at some point and they have done a great job transitioning between coaches while maintaining a high level of success. Hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar.

A revolving door in the head coaching office is not conducive to consistent winning......................

[Seminole Indian]

Only problem is they won with the one and done's, and their HC told their fan base anything less than Dallas should be considered a disappointment for this talented team. He is certainly getting what he asked for.

[Inhogswetrust]

Only problem is they won with the one and done's, and their HC told their fan base anything less than Dallas should be considered a disappointment for this talented team. He is certainly getting what he asked for.

But one and done's will not keep it as consistent over years.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

Randy Huffstickler threw for 278 yards and 3 TDs; two of them to Ronnie Mallett and the other to Tom McConnaghey.  Vaughn Edwards ran for almost 200 yards.  Mike Painter had 2 sacks and Monte Coleman had 14 tackles.