A-State Announces 22 Players as Part of its 2018 Signing Class

[Seminole Indian]

ONESBORO, Ark. (12/20/17) – Arkansas State head football coach Blake Anderson announced Wednesday that the Red Wolves have signed 22 players from 12 different states as part of their 2018 recruiting class.

"It's been a mad dash with lot of activity over the last month to get to this point, from preparing for a bowl game to contact period and then to early signing day," said Anderson. "We've always had early signing day, but never to this level where we've added nearly 95 percent of our class. It's new and uncharted territory, but I'm proud of the class that we've put together. It's been competitive along the way to get them here, and it came together in different stages."

A-State's latest recruiting class, the fifth under Anderson, is made up of 14 defensive, seven offensive and one special teams players. The Red Wolves put a large focus on its defensive line and secondary, signing 12 combined cornerbacks, nickelbacks, safeties and linemen for the most among any of the position groups.

The class also includes a pair of linebackers, while the offensive signees feature two running backs, a couple of tight ends, a pair of wide receivers and one offensive lineman.

"All in all, this is already a good, solid class, and we're not completely done yet," Anderson said. "There is still some work to do over the holidays, we're still battling on a few guys and could potentially add some guys in February. This is the bulk of the class, though, and it does give us a chance to stabilize some areas that are a concern. It also gives us immediate help at some positions that could elevate the talent or create depth – obviously potential starters to help us get where we want to next year."

The Red Wolves' 2018 signing class thus far includes eight players who were already enrolled at Arkansas State University and either participated on the 2017 team or redshirted the season. A-State added 14 players on the first day of the early signing period today, including 11 high school players and three junior college transfers.

College of San Mateo (Calif.) transfer defensive linemen Tukua Ahoia and Thomas Toki, as well as Northeast Mississippi Community College transfer tight end Ross Painter and tight end Reed Tyler out of Brandon High School, will count as midyear signees and be available to participate in the Red Wolves' spring camp.

The entire class thus far, including the eight players who were already on the team in 2017, is made up of 14 high school signees, five junior-college transfers and three NCAA FBS transfers. While several honors still haven't been announced for the 2017 season, 16 signees have already been named all-state, all-conference or rated as at least a 3-star prospect by one of the major recruiting web sites, including Toki, who was a four-star recruit when he came out of high school.

The Red Wolves signed three players each from the states of California, Texas and Georgia, as well as two each from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. A-State also inked one player from Alabama, Florida, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri and Oklahoma.

A-State has won five Sun Belt Conference championships over the last seven years and has produced 59 victories for the most in the program's 103-year history over a seven-season span. The Red Wolves also made their school-record seventh consecutive bowl-game appearance in 2017.

2018 ARKANSAS STATE FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS
1. Tukua Ahoia: 6-0, 310, So., DL, Mountain View, Calif. (College of San Mateo)*
2. Triston Anderson: 6-0, 167, Fr., CB, Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)
3. Derrick Bean: 6-2, 195, Fr., LB, Pinson, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville)
4. Antonio Fletcher: 6-0, 183, Fr., S, Lithonia, Ga. (Martin Luther King)
5. Cody Grace: 6-2, 223, Jr.-R, P, Perth, Western Australia (Warwick Senior)***
6. Dahu Green: 6-5, 193, Jr.-R, WR, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oklahoma)**
7. Detravion Green: 6-0, 175, Fr., S, Ashdown, Ark. (Ashdown)
8. Jaden Harris: 6-2, 190, Fr., DB, Monroe, La. (Ouachita Parish)
9. Christian Howard: 6-2, 281, Sr.-R, DL, Indianapolis, Ind. (Independence (Kan.) CC)***
10. Christian Hoz: 6-5, 308, Fr., OL, Covington, La. (Archbishop Hannan)
11. Jevon Jones: 6-0, 160, Fr., CB, Allen, Texas (Allen)
12. Donovan Marshall: 5-11, 179, Fr., RB, St. Louis, Mo. (Lutheran North)
13. Demari Medley: 5-10, 175, So., S, Gainesville, Fla. (Gainesville)***
14. Hunter Moreton: 6-1, 293, So., DL, Fort Smith, Ark. (Southside)***
15. Marcel Murray: 5-10, 200, Fr., RB, Hiram, Ga. (Hiram)
16. Bubba Ogbebor: 6-0, 189, So.-R, WR, Frisco, Texas (Boise State)**
17. Ross Painter: 6-4, 225, Jr., TE, Hernando, Miss. (Northeast Mississippi Community College)*
18. Kevin Powers: 6-0, 213, Jr.-R, LB, Sacramento, Calif. (College of San Mateo (Calif.))***
19. Ryan Taylor: 6-2, 311, Fr., DL, Loganville, Ga. (Grayson)
20. Kevin Thurmon: 6-3, 288, Jr.-R, DL, Chicago, Ill. (Ball State)**
21. Thomas Toki: 6-1, 290, So., DL, Mountain View, Calif. (College of San Mateo (Calif.))*
22. Reed Tyler: 6-3, 236, Fr., TE, Brandon, Miss. (Brandon)*
*midyear signee available for spring camp
**already enrolled and sat out 2017 season due to NCAA transferring rules
***enrolled fall 2017 and participate in the 2017 season, but counted toward the 2018 signing class

Bios of each player included on official site writeup.

http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7200&ATCLID=211690504

[Seminole Indian]

Few more notes (from memory) from Anderson's press conference.

College of San Mateo (Calif.) transfer defensive linemen Tukua Ahoia and Thomas Toki, are listed as sophomores, and neither played this season.

Toki is in the 330-340 weight range. They are lucky to have him for three years.

Had a long drawn out battler with Kansas State for Freshman DL Ryan Taylor( 6-2, 311).

Ball State DL transfer Kevin Thurmon( 6-3, 288), was unblockable on the scout team, and should be a star player for them.

Very high on both WR transfers-- Dahu Green( 6-5, 193, Oklahoma) , and Bubba Ogbebor(6-0, 189, Boise State). Both are very fast and should make major contributions next year.

Freshman TE Reed Tyler( 6-3, 236) will join the team at mid-term, along with JC TE Ross Painter(6-4, 225).

Freshman DB Jaden Harris(6-2, 190) was offered late by Mississippi State but stuck.

Not sure who all offered the other players late, but several are P5 caliber, and there were hard fought recruiting battles for all of them.

Still fighting for a couple of players.

Would like more players from Arkansas--offered 18+ players  from Arkansas, but can not wait on them to make up their mind when other players, who are as good or better, want to commit.

Cannot take chances on signing players that don't qualify so several commits are on hold until their academic status is better known, so will sign in February if everything looks good with their mid-term grades.

Not sure the effect of December signing, but they signed about  95% of the players they expect to sign for next fall today.

Could still add some blue-shirts after this class is filled-- just like the eight signed today from last year, if  a need arises or when a player comes available they feel they can't walk away from, like WR Dahu Green .

[Seminole Indian]

BIOS:

Tukua Ahoia: 6-0, 310, So., DL, Mountain View, Calif. (College of San Mateo)
Midyear signee who will be able to participate in A-State's 2018 spring camp and will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Red Wolves . . . Named an All-NorCal Conference selection in 2016 . . . Helped lead the Bulldogs to a 7-3 record in 2016 . . . Finished his freshman season at San Mateo with 46 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery . . . Varsity letterman at St. Francis High School . . . Recorded 36 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery and 4 quarterback hurries as a senior.

Triston Anderson: 6-0, 167, Fr., CB, Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall)
Prepped at Rockwall High School in Rockwall, Texas . . . Named First-Team All-District 11-6A at cornerback as a junior and senior . . . Defended 16 passes in just eight games as a senior . . . Posted 40 tackles and had 17 passes defended along with four tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles as a junior . . . Played running back as a sophomore and had 1,250 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com, 247Sports and Scout.com.

Derrick Bean: 6-2, 195, Fr., LB, Pinson, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville)
Prepped at Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, Ala. . . . Helped the Cougars to an 11-3 record as a senior and an appearance in the Class 6A semifinals . . . Registered 59 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and returned an interception for a touchdown during junior campaign . . . Ranked as a 3-star recruit by Rivals.com, 247Sports and Scout.com . . . 247Sports lists him as the No. 63 player in the state of Alabama . . . Also recruited by schools such as Memphis and Troy.

Antonio Fletcher: 6-0, 183, Fr., S, Lithonia, Ga. (Martin Luther King Jr.)
Varsity football letterman at Martin Luther King Jr. High School . . . Recorded 70 tackles, 7 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery as a senior in 2017 . . . 3-star recruit by 247Sports and Scout.com . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com . . . Listed as the No. 261 wide receiver in the nation by 247Sports . . . Also recruited by schools such as Appalachian State, Kent State, Nevada, Toledo.

Cody Grace: 6-2, 223, Jr.-R, P, Perth, Western Australia (Warwick Senior)
Enrolled at A-State last fall and participated in the 2017 season, but counts toward the 2018 signing class . . . 2017 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist (1 of 10 in the nation) . . . Third Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection . . . Didn't allowed a touchback and saw 45 of his 49 punts go unreturned for a .918 percentage, helping him compile a 40.9 net putting average . . . 24 of his punts pinned A-State's opponents inside their own 20-yard line for a Sun Belt Conference-high .490 percentage . . . The Red Wolves' punt return defense allowed just two yards per attempt to lead the conference and rank third in the nation . . . Recorded 49 punts for 2,014 yards, giving him a 41.1 average per attempt . . . Posted nine punts covering at least 50 yards, including a long of 61 yards against Middle Tennessee in the Camellia Bowl . . . Posted a season-high five punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line against New Mexico State, but also has at least one in every game and multiple in all but three . . . Played Australian rules football at Warwick Senior High . . . 2017 Australia Camp punting champion . . . 2017 Chris Sailer Kicking's Vegas 30 camp "consistency competition" and "last man standing" champion . . . Also Vegas 30 punting finalist.

Dahu Green: 6-5, 193, Jr.-R, WR, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Oklahoma)
Oklahoma transfer who is already enrolled at A-State and sat out the 2017 season due to NCAA transferring rules . . . Played in 15 games at Oklahoma, including seven as a true freshman in 2015 and nine as a sophomore in 2016 . . . Lone career start came during the 2016 season against Kansas State (10/29) . . . Did not record any stats as a freshman, but posted three receptions for 89 yards (29.7 avg.) as a sophomore . . . Longest catch covered 51 yards versus Texas . . . Registered receptions of 13 yards against Kansas and 25 yards at Texas Tech . . . Made his Sooners debut against Akron on Sept. 5, 2015 . . . Coming out of high school was a consensus three-star recruit by Rivals, Scout, 247Sports and ESPN . . . Slotted as the No. 49 wide receiver by Rivals, No. 64 by 247Sports, No. 71 by ESPN and No. 98 by Scout . . . Selected as the No. 6 player in Oklahoma by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports . . . Caught 58 passes for 961 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Westmoore (Oklahoma City) High School after registering 39 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior . . . Also had offers from Louisville, Cincinnati and Washington State, among others.

Detravion Green: 6-0, 175, Fr., S, Ashdown, Ark. (Ashdown)
Prepped at Ashdown High School in Ashdown, Ark. . . . Helped the Panthers to the Class 4A state quarterfinals with a 9-4 record . . . Rushed for 1,536 yards and 21 touchdowns and added 14 catches and another score as a senior . . . Also added two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and a forced fumble on defense in senior campaign . . . Ran for 901 yards as a junior and 10 scores along with 22 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns . . . Recorded 867 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns as a sophomore . . . Earned All-Area Second Team honors from the Texarkana Gazette and was an All-Conference selection as a junior . . . Listed as a 3-star recruit by 247Sports and Scout.com, which also ranks him as the No. 23 player in the state of Arkansas . . . Also recruited by teams such as Louisiana Tech and ULM.

Jaden Harris: 6-2, 190, Fr., DB, Monroe, La. (Ouachita Parish)
Varsity football letterman at Ouachita Parish in Monroe, La. . . . Named to the 2017 All-District 2-5A team as a first-team selection . . . 3-star prospect by 247Sports and Scout.com, which also ranks him as the No. 73 player in the state of Louisiana and the No. 146 safety in the nation . . . 2-star recruit by Rivals.com . . . Also recruited by schools such as Louisiana-Monroe, Memphis, Texas State and Mississippi State.

Christian Howard: 6-2, 281, Sr.-R, DL, Indianapolis, Ind. (Independence (Kan.) Community College)
Enrolled at A-State last fall and participated in the 2017 season, but counts toward the 2018 signing class . . . Made an immediate impact on the defensive line in his first year at A-State in 2017, helping the team rank among the top 16 teams in the nation in TFL and sacks . . . Started one game (versus Coastal Carolina) . . . Produced 16 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries . . . 6.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks both were either the most or tied the most on the team among interior defensive linemen . . . Tallied at least one tackle in nine games, including a season-high six against New Mexico State . . . Also posted 2.0 TFL and 2.0 sacks against the Aggies – both season highs . . . Responsible for at least a half-TFL in six games . . . Played the 2016 season at Independence Community College . . . Spent his freshman season (2014) playing at Dodge City Community College and redshirted the following season while at LA Pearce . . . As a sophomore in 2016, totaled 33 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks in eight games . . . Also added two fumble recoveries for the 5-4 Pirates . . . Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports and two-star by Scout . . . Also recruited by Colorado State, New Mexico, Georgia State and Louisiana Tech . . . 2014 graduate of Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis, also attending Thomas Carr Howe.

Christian Hoz: 6-5, 308, Fr., OL, Covington, La. (Archbishop Hannan)
Four-year starter on the varsity football team at Archbishop Hannan . . . Helped lead his high school to a 10-3 record and third round of the playoffs as a senior in 2017 . . . 2016 All-District 7-2A selection . . . Listed as a 2-star prospect by Rivals.com, 247Sports and Scout.com . . . Rated as the No. 102 player in the state of Louisiana and No. 186 offensive tackle in the nation by 247Sports . . . Also recruited by teams such as Marshall, Navy, UCF, Louisiana-Lafayette and Troy.

Jevon Jones: 6-0, 160, Fr., CB, Allen, Texas (Allen)
Prepped at Allen High School in Allen, Texas . . . Has helped the Eagles to a 15-0 record as a senior and will play for the 6A-DI State Championship . . . Earned First-Team All-District 6-6A accolades as a junior after helping the Eagles to a league championship and 14-1 overall record with an appearance in the Class 6A-DI state semifinals . . . Also played wide receiver . . . Older brother Jaylon is a defensive back at Ole Miss . . . 3-star recruit by 247Sports and Scout.com, which also lists him as the No. 204 player in the state of Texas and the No. 128 cornerback in the nation . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com . . . Also recruited by schools such as SMU, Houston, Kansas, Marshall, Nevada and New Mexico.

Donovan Marshall: 5-11, 179, Fr., RB, St. Louis, Mo. (Lutheran North)
Named the 2017 St. Louis Football U's Junior National Elite recipient, given to a student that exemplifies standards in community service, academics and on-field performance . . . Named a second-team Missouri All-State selection . . . Rushed for 1,042 yards and 18 touchdowns and also became Lutheran North's all-time leader in career rushing yards . . . Led Lutheran North to the 2017 conference and district championships . . . Lutheran North scored 94 touchdowns for a school record 692 points, while rushing for 4,410 yards as a team . . . Ran for 1,476 and 17 touchdowns as a junior . . . Added 13 touchdowns and 1,160 rushing yards as a sophomore, including a season-high 278 rushing yards against Lutheran South . . . Rated as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports and Scout.com, which also lists him as the No. 18 player in the state of Missouri and No. 93 running back in the nation . . . Rated a 2-star recruit by Rivals.com . . . Also received offers from schools such as Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Vanderbilt, Purdue, Syracuse, Toledo, Iowa State, Minnesota, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan.

Demari Medley: 5-10, 175, So., S, Gainesville, Fla. (Gainesville)
Enrolled at A-State last fall and participated in the 2017 season, but counts toward the 2018 signing class . . . Recorded 17 tackles (7 solo, 10 assisted) as a true freshman in 2017 . . . Recorded at least one tackle in six outings and multiple stops in four games, including a season-high eight against Louisiana-Monroe . . . Varsity football, track & field and wrestling letterman at Gainesville High School . . . Also recruited by schools such as Iowa State, Ohio and Tulane.

Hunter Moreton: 6-1, 293, So., DL, Fort Smith, Ark. (Southside)
Enrolled at A-State last fall and participated in the 2017 season, but counts toward the 2018 signing class . . . Played in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2017, including seven as a starter . . . 23 tackles were the second most on the team among interior defensive linemen, while his 5.5 tackles for loss were the third most . . . Posted 2.0 sacks as well to go along with a fumble recovery for four yards . . . Posted a season-high six tackles against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and his second most in a game were four against both Texas State and Troy . . . Produced at least 1.0 TFL in four outings, including a season-high 2.0 versus Texas State . . . Both sacks came in different games against Louisiana and New Mexico State . . . Three-year varsity football starter at Southside High School . . . 2016 All-Arkansas Preps second-team selection . . . Named to the 2016 Class 7A All-State Team . . . Helped lead Southside to an 8-5 record and the semifinals of the Class 7A state playoffs in 2015 . . . Southside posted a 9-3 record and advanced to the state semifinals Moreton's sophomore year as well . . . Listed as a 2-star recruit by Rivals, Scout and 247Sports . . . Younger brother of Austin Moreton, a four-year letterman on the A-State football team from 2013-16.

Marcel Murray: 5-10, 200, Fr., RB, Hiram, Ga. (Hiram)
Four-year varsity letterman at Hiram . . . Senior season recorded 121 rushing attempts for 1,208 yards (10.0 average) and 16 touchdowns, while also posting six 100-yard rushing games . . . Finished junior campaign with 642 yards and 12 touchdowns on 112 rushing attempts . . . Carried the ball 92 times as a sophomore for 469 yards and seven touchdowns, while his freshman year saw him rush eight times for 24 yards . . . His career totals include2,343 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on the ground . . . Named the West Georgia Neighbor "Athlete of the Week" on Sept. 5, 2017 . . . Also a varsity track & field letterman . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com . . . Also recruited by teams such as Coastal Carolina and James Madison.

Bubba Ogbebor: 6-0, 189, So.-R, WR, Frisco, Texas (Boise State)
Boise State transfer who is already enrolled at A-State and sat out the 2017 season due to NCAA transferring rules . . . Appeared in 10 games, both at wide receiver and on special teams, as a true freshman at Boise State in 2016 . . . Made one tackle on special teams . . . Coming out of high school, listed as a three-start recruit according to ESPN.com, Scout.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports . . . Three-year letterman rated one of the top 20 receivers in the state of Texas according to Scout . . . Named first-team All-District 9-5A both his junior and senior seasons for head coach Che Hendrix at Heritage (Frisco) High School . . . Caught 74 passes for 1,282 yards and 14 touchdowns during his final prep campaign . . . Caught 64 passes for 1,056 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Coyotes to the district championship . . . As a sophomore, garnered honorable mention All-District 10-4A honors after catching 11 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns . . . two-time letterman in track and field.

Ross Painter: 6-4, 225, Jr., TE, Hernando, Miss. (Northeast Mississippi Community College)
Midyear signee who will be able to participate in A-State's 2018 spring camp and will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Red Wolves . . . Played in 15 games during his two-year career at Northeast Mississippi, including six as a freshman and nine as a sophomore . . . The 2017 campaign saw Painter record 25 receptions for 300 yards and three touchdowns with a long of 40 yards . . . As a freshman in 2016, posted three catches for 17 yards and a touchdown . . . Two-star recruit by Rivals.com . . . Also recruited by schools such as Bowling Green, Ohio and Troy . . . Varsity football letterman at Hernando (Miss.) High School.

Kevin Powers: 6-0, 213, Sr.-R, LB, Sacramento, Calif. (College of San Mateo (Calif.))
Transferred from College of San Mateo and was a member of the team in 2017, but counts toward the 2018 signing class . . . Did not play in any games at A-State in 2017 . . . College of San Mateo posted a 7-4 record and advance to the Nor Cal playoffs during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, while Powers' freshman year in 2014 saw the team compile a 9-2 record that included a victory over Laney in the Bothman Bulldog Bowl . . . Squad won the Bay 6 Conference championship in 2016 . . . Redshirt sophomore season stats included 47 tackles, two tackles for loss of nine yards, one sack and a pass break-up . . . Did not play as a true sophomore in 2015 while redshirting the season . . . Varsity football letterman at Burbank High School.

[Seminole Indian]

Ryan Taylor: 6-2, 311, Fr., DL, Loganville, Ga. (Grayson)
Recorded 28 tackles and two sacks while helping Grayson High School to a 10-2 record in 2017 . . . Had 12 quarterback hurries and averaged four tackles a game . . . Recorded 34 tackles as a junior and helped his team win the Class 7A state titles and finished ranked sixth in the nation by MaxPreps.com . . . Rated as a 3-star recruit by 247 Sports and Scout.com, which lists him as the No. 195 player in the state of Georgia and No. 143 defensive tackle in the nation . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com . . . Also recruited by teams such as Coastal Carolina, Kansas State, Wake Forest, Florida Atlantic and Troy.

Kevin Thurmon: 6-3, 288, Jr.-R, DL, Chicago, Ill. (Ball State)
Ball State transfer who is already enrolled at A-State and sat out the 2017 season due to NCAA transferring rules . . . Sophomore season at Ball State in 2016 saw him play in 10 games with four starts on the defensive line, recording 23 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss of 36 yards . . . Made his first collegiate start in the opener at Georgia State . . . Finished second on the team with 4.5 sacks . . . Tallied a pair of tackles for loss, including a sack, at Georgia State on Sept. 2 . . . Recorded a personal-high six tackles against Northern Illinois on Oct. 1 . . . Notched two fourth-quarter sacks and a forced fumble in the season finale at Miami . . . Freshman season in 2015 saw him play in the final 10 games of the season . . . First collegiate action came at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 19 . . . Totaled 11 tackles on the season . . . Picked up at least one tackle in seven games . . . Tallied a season-high three tackles in the season finale against Bowling Green on Nov. 24 . . . Played football for coach Frank Lenti at Mount Carmel High . . . Helped team to an 8-5 record as a senior and 36-8 mark in his career . . . Mount Carmel won state championships in 2012 and 2013 . . . All-state as a senior . . . Ranked as the 21st best player in the state of Illinois by 247Sports . . . Managed 46 tackles with 16 sacks as a senior . . . Tallied 39 tackles and nine sacks as a junior.

Thomas Toki: 6-1, 290, So., DL, Mountain View, Calif. (College of San Mateo)
Midyear signee who will be able to participate in A-State's 2018 spring camp and will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Red Wolves . . . Recorded 3 tackles, including a half-tackle for loss, while playing in three games in 2016 . . . Helped lead the Bulldogs to a 7-3 record in 2016 . . . Originally signed with Washington State out of high school . . . Attended Juanita High School in Kirkland, Wash. his first three years . . . Attended St. Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif. as a senior . . . Named No. 49 prospect in Preseason Scout.com Western 150 . . . Made 57 tackles and earned West Catholic Athletic League Honorable Mention honors . . . Named to Tacoma News Tribune's Western 100, one of 11 defensive lineman selected . . . Member of 2015 U.S. Under-19 National Team that participated in 2015 International Bowl in Arlington, Texas . . . As a junior, earned First-Team All-KingCo after making 29 tackles, 17 solo including four sacks . . . All-Area Frist Team and earned First-Team All-KingCo as a sophomore . . . Rated a four star prospect by ESPN.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com . . . Ranked the No. 21 defensive tackle prospect in the country by ESPN.com and Rivals.com . . . Rated the No. 22 overall prospect in California by ESPN.com . . . Rated the No. 5 defensive tackle prospect in California by Scout.com . . . Ranked the No. 180 prospect in the ESPN 300.

Reed Tyler: 6-3, 236, Fr., TE, Brandon, Miss. (Brandon)
Midyear signee who will be able to participate in A-State's 2018 spring camp . . . Selected to play in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game as a senior . . . 2017 preseason Class 6A All-State selection . . . Clarion Ledger "10 Seniors to Watch" in 2017 . . . Posted 40 receptions for 405 yards as a senior while helping lead Brandon to the state playoffs . . . Posted 24 catches for 268 yards and a touchdown while helping lead Brandon to a 10-4 record and the state playoffs in 2016 . . . Also a varsity baseball letterman . . . 2-star prospect by Rivals.com, 247Sports and Scout.com . . . Rated as the No. 39 player in the state of Mississippi by 247Sports . . . Also recruited by schools such as Colorado State, Georgia State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Memphis, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Troy and UTSA . . . Grandfather, Bob Tyler, was the head football coach at Mississippi State from 1973 to 1978 . . . Father, Breck, played wide receiver at both Mississippi State and Ole Miss.

[GolfNut57]

ONESBORO, Ark. (12/20/17) –

A-State has won five Sun Belt Conference championships over the last seven years and has produced 59 victories for the most in the program's 103-year history over a seven-season span. The Red Wolves also made their school-record seventh consecutive bowl-game appearance in 2017.

that would also be a STATE record too. 

[hog of steele]

Way to go state. Keep it up!

[holeinthewall]

Early signing period could be a big help for teams like ASU that often see their better recruits offered late by a P5 team and then flip.  Which most of the time is a bad move on their part as they never see the field at the P5 school.

[Seminole Indian]

I really  don't keep up with most of the players P5's have poached from A-State ,but the ones the Razorbacks have taken have done well up on the hill.

I do agree they would have almost certainly have lost a few of these players had they had to wait until February.

Several of the new P5 coaching staffs are still trying finding out where they are at with the players that were already committed to their school.

[Seminole Indian]

The bottom line is that with these signees, A-State continues to up their game in the talent department, and should add a few more players before next fall.

Rivals, and 247 has this class as the best in the SBC, and 247 already had them with the best roster of talent in the SBC.

They have underachieved a little the last couple of years, but their HC is making  no bones about them  having a lot of talent in 2018, and that is a good place to start.

[asuato]

Yeah the December signing period I think is what allowed us to hold on to Donovan Marshall. If it had gone until February I think  P5s would have offered and he would have switched. He is a big time get for us at RB.

[Seminole Indian]

He had a few P5 offers before he committed, and certainly would have had more had he waited. 

There were 5 or 6 other signees that would probably been at risk of being poached.

A-State benefited big-time that a few schools were still figuring out where they were at because of coaching changes.

[holeinthewall]

So 11-1 next year?

[Seminole Indian]

They will have the most talented team in 11 of their games.

[GolfNut57]

So 11-1 next year?

Not a chance. Things will happen as they always do under Anderson to where they will lose a game they had no business losing. I expect 9-3 with a 7-1 conference record. MAYBE 10-2 but then the league's conference title game playoff starts in 2018 so ASU will go into that with their 7-1 Sunbelt record, lose it because, "Anderson was just happy to be a part of it and didn't prep the team properly", and then head into their eighth consecutive bowl game, this one in Mobile, with a 9-4 record.

[holeinthewall]

Not a chance. Things will happen as they always do under Anderson to where they will lose a game they had no business losing. I expect 9-3 with a 7-1 conference record. MAYBE 10-2 but then the league's conference title game playoff starts in 2018 so ASU will go into that with their 7-1 Sunbelt record, lose it because, "Anderson was just happy to be a part of it and didn't prep the team properly", and then head into their eighth consecutive bowl game, this one in Mobile, with a 9-4 record.

I should have noted my sarcasm at this. Talent helps but coaching wins games.

Rivals, and 247 has this class as the best in the SBC, and 247 already had them with the best roster of talent in the SBC.

[Seminole Indian]

I should have noted my sarcasm at this. Talent helps but coaching wins games.

Well Anderson & Company got the recruiting down pat, maybe this year they will get the coaching thing figured out.

If they would just figure out how not to lose to teams they are better than, they would be off to the races.

[GolfNut57]

If they would just figure out how not to lose to teams they are better than, they would be off to the races.

Well there ARE quite a few head coaches out there that lose to teams they are better than every year. Anderson isn't alone in that. It's just that in the Sunbelt it is perceived to be a bigger stigma.

[Seminole Indian]

Well there ARE quite a few head coaches out there that lose to teams they are better than every year. Anderson isn't alone in that. It's just that in the Sunbelt it is perceived to be a bigger stigma.

IMO he has lost a few more than he should, and 2018 is really important because their fan base is getting a little antsy.

Anderson has put together a really solid roster of talent for 2018, so hopefully he will get over the hump, as far as the bad losses.

[HogCzar1]

Well Anderson & Company got the recruiting down pat, maybe this year they will get the coaching thing figured out.

If they would just figure out how not to lose to teams they are better than, they would be off to the races.

Races to where?
13-0?
Power 5 conference? If so, which one?

I'm not being sarcastic, just asking the questions. 2 years ago the expectation was an undefeated season and a spot in the New Year's 6.

Then this year, we were told the talent was even greater with improved recruiting over what was already in place. Result was 7-5. And not a win over a team with a winning record.

We are now told that the results were because of poor coaching. And that's going to be fixed next year. And at least one on the ASU board who has stated an expectation of 13-0 next year.
And, yes, that includes a W at Tuscaloosa.

What is the true expectation at ASU?

[Seminole Indian]

Races to where?
13-0?
Power 5 conference? If so, which one?

I'm not being sarcastic, just asking the questions. 2 years ago the expectation was an undefeated season and a spot in the New Year's 6.

Then this year, we were told the talent was even greater with improved recruiting over what was already in place. Result was 7-5. And not a win over a team with a winning record.

We are now told that the results were because of poor coaching. And that's going to be fixed next year. And at least one on the ASU board who has stated an expectation of 13-0 next year.
And, yes, that includes a W at Tuscaloosa.

What is the true expectation at ASU?

From what their AD said, compete for SBC Championship every year, and be the Group of 5 representative at some point( question of "when" not  "if") .

As far as a conference affiliation their AD said that is the AAC invited them they would say "yes" immediately, any of the other G5's and they would have to crunch the numbers. They are not a candidate for a P5 Conference.

As far as the poor coaching or talent being the problem, that has not come out of Anderson's mouth. Basically he says the problem has been trying to mesh recruits from multiple coaching staffs. Thinks that is for the most part behind them now( may take a few more blue-shits in August).

The poor coaching  is coming from the people that have watched his team play.

As far as anyone saying they expect to beat Alabama, I have not seen that.

All Anderson is saying at this point is that A-State will have a lot of talent in 2018, and they will.

[GolfNut57]

And at least one on the ASU board who has stated an expectation of 13-0 next year.
And, yes, that includes a W at Tuscaloosa.

I don't believe anyone on the ASU board expects to beat Alabama next year and go 13-0. If you saw such a post I would like to see a link to it.

[ImHogginIt]

They will have the most talented team in 11 of their games.

Are they still planning on signing the WR from Batesville ?

[Seminole Indian]

Are they still planning on signing the WR from Batesville ?

Yes.

Think they want to sign all four of their current commits, and add 2-3 more in February.

Know he and the young man from El Dorado wanted to sign early, but all Anderson said was he wants to wait and see all four commits  semester grades.

I think they are just tight on their numbers and cannot make a mistake.

If their grades are solid, my guess is the worse case is they end-up as a blue-shirt.

[HogCzar1]

Ok, here you go. I figured you thought I was making it up.

redwolvesinlondon 872 posts
Dec 10, 9:39 AM
via Mobile
ASUFanHogsland said... (original post)
I know the "wait 'til next year" expression can get old, but I can't recall a time in ASU history when "next year" looked so promising.
I too was disappointed with losses to SMU, USA, and Troy, but the truth is from the beginning, this year had "rebuilding year" written all over it.

That's absurd. This was not a rebuilding year by any stretch. This should have been a 2 year run of at least 11/12 wins. 12 wins (this year) or 13 wins (next year) including the bowl.

[GolfNut57]

Ok, here you go. I figured you thought I was making it up.

redwolvesinlondon 872 posts
Dec 10, 9:39 AM
via Mobile
ASUFanHogsland said... (original post)
I know the "wait 'til next year" expression can get old, but I can't recall a time in ASU history when "next year" looked so promising.
I too was disappointed with losses to SMU, USA, and Troy, but the truth is from the beginning, this year had "rebuilding year" written all over it.

That's absurd. This was not a rebuilding year by any stretch. This should have been a 2 year run of at least 11/12 wins. 12 wins (this year) or 13 wins (next year) including the bowl.

Ok.........re the bold. Nowhere in that post did the poster claim ASU would go 13-0 and win at Tuscaloosa. What he said was ASU should/could win 13 games INCLUDING the bowl game.

Fact is ASU will play a 12 game regular season schedule next year. Then if they should win their league division they will go to the Sunbelt Championship title game which starts in 2018, (which would be their 13th game of the year). Win that and obviously they are guaranteed their 14th game of the year in a bowl somewhere. Win THAT game and they could conceivably go 13-1 with a loss to Alabama.

Now do I think they will do so? Nope.....at best I will likely pick ASU to go 9-3 (7-1 in conference play) regular season, including a loss to Bama, possibly go to and win the league title game to make themselves 10-3 and then MAYBE win a bowl game to finish the year 11-3.

It also would not surprise me to see ASU go 9-3 regular season, make it to their league title game, lose that and then go to a bowl game only to lose it too and finish the year with a 9-5 record.

[HogCzar1]

Thanks for the explanation. I had a different interpretation of his meaning, but that's fine. I did want to offer the post of the basis of my statement. I didn't take he meant 13-1.

[holeinthewall]

Thanks for the explanation. I had a different interpretation of his meaning, but that's fine. I did want to offer the post of the basis of my statement. I didn't take he meant 13-1.

I think you didn't realize the Sun Belt has a title game next year and ASU could play 14 games.  If you look at the non con schedule UNLV, Tulsa and SEMO are all winnable games.  Bama is not.

ASU definitely gets a favorable split in the divisions at this time.

East: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Troy
        West: Arkansas State, Louisiana, ULM, South Alabama, Texas State


Schedule for 18 includes App st at home.  Improved discipline on the field with Turnovers and penalties could be an 8-0 run in the  Sun Belt.  I believe the title game is played at the highest ranked teams stadium.  Troy gets Nebraska and Boise next year. Boise is at home. Probably the leagues best shot at a non quality win

Arkansas State Schedule 2018

Home
Appalachian State
Georgia State
ULM
South Alabama

Away
Coastal Carolina
Georgia Southern
Louisiana
Texas State