ASU working on deals with Miami, Tennessee

This image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, which is consistent with AP reporting, shows a rocket fired by Syrian rebels in Qusair, Syria, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Europe's decision to allow member states to arm Syrian rebels and Russia's renewed pledge to send advanced missiles to the Syria regime could spur an arms race in an already brutal civil war and increasingly turn it into a East-West proxy fight. Britain promises not to transfer any arms before diplomacy is given a chance in Syria peace talks expected next month, while a top rebel commander says he needs Western anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles now to prevent more regime gains on the battlefield. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)
This image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, which is consistent with AP reporting, shows a rocket fired by Syrian rebels in Qusair, Syria, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Europe's decision to allow member states to arm Syrian rebels and Russia's renewed pledge to send advanced missiles to the Syria regime could spur an arms race in an already brutal civil war and increasingly turn it into a East-West proxy fight. Britain promises not to transfer any arms before diplomacy is given a chance in Syria peace talks expected next month, while a top rebel commander says he needs Western anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles now to prevent more regime gains on the battlefield. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

Arkansas State hasn’t officially announced any opponents for the 2014 football season, and Coach Bryan Harsin didn’t make any definite proclamations Tuesday during a stop in Little Rock, but he did let slip a bit of what could be coming.

Harsin said ASU is nearing announcements for future games with Miami and at Tennessee. His comments came during a radio interview Tuesday morning, and he reiterated them in response to a question while addressing the Rotary Club of Little Rock at the Doubletree Hotel and to a small group of reporters after the meeting,

Harsin, who will coach his first game at ASU on Aug. 31 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, didn’t give dates or even years for the games but said the Miami deal will be a home-and-home series and a game against Tennessee would be played in Knoxville, Tenn.

“Those are big ones,” Harsin said in response to a question from the audience at the Doubletree. “Those are brand names.”

Harsin said later he wasn’t sure how close any of the schools are to announcing the games, and when reached by phone, ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said he wasn’t prepared to officially announce the match-ups. Mohajir confirmed the Tennessee game would be played in 2014 but did not give dates for the Miami series.

“Miami, there is nothing set in stone,” said Mohajir, who was not at the Rotary Club event but was expected to be at a fan gathering later Tuesday night in Little Rock. “We’re in negotiations. We don’t have any contracts signed. We’re trying to bring more home-and-homes with [BCS] type conference teams to Jonesboro. It falls in line with our scheduling philosophy.”

If the games do come about, they’ll join a home-and-home series with Missouri - ASU will play in Columbia, Mo., on Sept. 28 and Missouri is scheduled to play Sept. 12, 2015, in Jonesboro -that Mohajir has described as “advanced training games.” He said Tuesday the eventual goal is to have a school from a BCS conference in Jonesboro every season.

The Hurricanes could be considered the most high-profile opponent to play at Liberty Bank Stadium. Miami, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, won five national championships between 1983 and 2001, and went 7-6 last year under Coach Al Golden.

Depending on the dates of the games, a visit from Miami or Missouri would be the first time a BCS conference football program visited Jonesboro since Ole Miss did in 2001, and only the second time ever. ASU played Oklahoma State at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock in 2006 and hosted Cincinnati, now a member of the Big East, in 1998 when the Bearcats were in Conference USA.

“I know those are opportunities for us,” Harsin said. “I think those are brands that we talked about that are very good brands and they’re very good football teams.”

Harsin’s visit to Little Rock came a week after the Sun Belt Conference’s spring meetings concluded in Destin, Fla. The league announced at the meetings it most likely wouldn’t add any additional members for the 2014 athletic season, meaning it would have 11 football members and would not play a championship game in football.

“You don’t need to change just to change,” Harsin said. “I know college football changes, and we’ll adjust like every other conference and we won’t be the only ones. I hope it slows down, personally. and things just kind of stay where they are.”

Sports, Pages 17 on 05/29/2013

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