Are Arkansas State Red Wolves prepared to exceed expectations?
By Tommy Tabler
Arkansas State has momentum going into this season. The question facing Arkansas State is, will Arkansas State exceed expectations?
The Arkansas State Red Wolves have something that they are not used to as they entered the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday night, and that is stability.
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Head coach Blake Anderson did not pursue another coaching job and decided to stay in Jonesboro during the offseason. As Grantland’s Doug Gillett observed, “Red Wolves fans were just thrilled they still had a coach.” Which gives the faithful in Jonesboro some hope and excitement going into the 2015 season.
Arkansas State has weapons going into the matchup against the USC Trojans. Quarterback Fredi Knighten impressed many in the bowl victory over Toledo. The rushing attack is going to be very good, with Michael Gordon leading the Red Wolves’ rushing attack. The odds of being able to cause problems for Southern California is not good on paper, but football is not played on paper.
On the defensive side of the ball improvement will be needed from the defensive line. Putting some pressure on the quarterback and stopping the run is going to be a high priority for Anderson and the Red Wolves. Red Wolves’ fans should look for defensive tackle Chuks Ota to take a step forward in disrupting the opponents rushing attack. The defense may not show much improvement the first two games of the season but it will be a must when Sun Belt play starts.
The USC game will be a chance to compete against a National Title contender and prove that you are not there for a check. Arkansas State has a chance to show the improvement and consistency that a coach staying in Jonesboro more than a year at a time can accomplish. The Red Wolves just need to play well against USC and Missouri to exceed expectations. Pushing for nine wins and a Sun Belt Conference Title would keep the program heading in the right direction.
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