LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas State’s intent after a thumping loss at Nebraska last Saturday was to use the next seven days to recover from a brutal three-game stretch to open the season.
But the Red Wolves (1-2) haven’t forgotten they host Football Championship Subdivision-member Alcorn State (1-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Liberty Bank Stadium in Jonesboro.
Coach Gus Malzahn said defeating the Braves and giving his own players time to heal aren’t mutually exclusive with Sun Belt Conference play starting next week.
“We’ve been pretty beat up the past three weeks through this grind,” Malzahn said. “We need to get our guys healthy again. We know we’re going to get [Alcorn State’s] best coming in here.”
The lumps have mainly been felt on the offensive side of the ball, where starting center Eric Allen and right guard Cliff Mitchell missed their second consecutive games.
Wide receiver Taylor Stockemer, who serves as ASU’s best deep threat, is battling knee and ankle injuries sustained in a 57-34 loss at Oregon on Sept. 1. That has required redshirt freshman J.D. McKissic to be a primary receiver. The 5-11, 184-pounder had eight receptions for 73 yards in the 42-13 loss to the Cornhuskers.
Malzahn, who has said often that he wants to rotate a number of young players into action, said the absences in the receiving group and along the front have allowed him to expedite the goal of seasoning players.
“We’ve played quite a few people the first three games,” Malzahn said. “We’ll try to get some guys some more experience. At the same time, we’re trying to build this [program] the right way. Experience for those young guys is critical.”
There were several close calls Saturday that almost dealt critical blows to the Red Wolves.
Midway through the first quarter, Nebraska defensive end Eric Martin came off the left edge for a free hit on quarterback Ryan Aplin. The blindside hit drove Aplin’s right elbow — his throwing arm — into the turf, and he was examined by trainers on the sideline.
“We were outmatched in some areas,” Malzahn said. “They were very good up front. It’s tough in some situations.”
The hit was one of four hurries and three sacks by Nebraska, which also held ASU to 89 yards of total offense in the second half. Aplin completed only 16 of 32 passes for 138 yards — including only 39 yards in the second half.
“He got hit a couple times early,” Malzahn said. “It affects you the rest of the game. Whether it’s protections or guys getting near you [in the pass rush], it’s a trust factor. He’s learning this offense as we go.”
Late in the second quarter, ASU starting linebacker Nathan Herrold left the game holding his right arm after tackling running back Braylon Heard. Herrold, who finished with 11 tackles, watched the rest of the series as Nebraska scored six plays later on a 2-yard run by Ameer Abdullah to close the half with a 28-3 lead.
Now the Red Wolves draw an opponent from the opposite end of the spectrum in the Braves, who entered the season picked fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s East Division under first-year Coach Jay Hopson and are coming off a 24-6 loss against Arkansas-Pine-Bluff.
“They’re really a good football team,” Hopson said of ASU on Monday. “Anytime you play up in the FBS, you know you’ve got your hands full. ... Nebraska is Nebraska, but they did some good things but just couldn’t stick it in [the end zone]. We know it’s a test.”
Malzahn said scheduling an FCS opponent doesn’t bother him.
“I’m fine with it,” Malzahn said. “I inherited this schedule, and we’re going to make the best of it.”
Recuperating the roster is a necessity ahead of a tough opening stretch in the Sun Belt Conference. ASU opens league play next week against Western Kentucky, which upset SEC member Kentucky last week, then faces fellow conference favorites Louisiana-Lafayette and Florida International over the next month.
“We need to get some momentum going into conference,” Malzahn said. “That’s what we’re focused on and wanting to play well.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 09/19/2012