Arkansas State Football: Red Wolves should control Sun Belt again
Defense
The Red Wolves defense finished 56th in the S&P+ defensive rankings in 2017 but they play an aggressive brand of football that is big play or big failure. ASU’s defense and kicking smothered Scott Frost‘s Central Florida Knights back in the 2016 Cure Bowl in Orlando, FL. The Red Wolves won 31-13 silencing freshman quarterback McKenzie Milton and causing issues for the UCF kicking game. A year later UCF finished 13-0 and Arkansas State finished a let down 7-5 (their contest against Miami was canceled).
The Red Wolves were led by their defensive line and Ja’Von Rolland-Jones but he left due to graduation and ASU has to replace his 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. The 2017 defense was led by the defensive line and cornerbacks and most of those players have departed. Four transfers will bolster the defensive line. The linebackers lost starting Mike linebacker Kyle Wilson and his ninety-three stops.
Returning playmakers
The best player returning might be one without a true position. Justin Clifton is a hybrid defensive back that plays a nickel position in a 4-2-5 defense and had fourteen passes defensed in 2017. Clifton also logged 63 total tackles. Defensive back B.J. Edmonds made 80 and picked off three passes as a junior.
A few other defensive backs return in Darreon Jackson and Michael Johnson. Jackson made 58 tackles while Johnson logged 42 tackles and two interceptions. Ronheen Bingham, a defensive lineman, made eight tackles for loss and five sacks in 2017.
The defense will need immediate help from those JUCO transfers and for development to be the key to their success.