Arkansas State Coach Blake Anderson has said the only way his team will improve on the offensive and defensive lines is through recruiting. The Red Wolves took their first steps in that direction Wednesday when they announced a class of six mid-year transfers.
ASU announced offensive linemen Joseph Bacchus and Brandon Berg and defensive linemen Waylon Roberson and Jake Swalley as mid-year signees who will go through spring practice in March. Those four will arrive at ASU next month to help bolster units that struggled the most during Anderson's first season as coach.
Defensive backs Cody Brown and Allen Sentimore also signed.
Bacchus, a 6-5, 285-pound guard from Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss., was rated a two-star prospect by Rivals.com, which reported he had offers from Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern, Georgia State and Louisiana-Lafayette.
Berg, a 6-2, 275-pound center, was a two-year starter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Originally from Tulsa, Berg was a first-team all-Southwest Junior College Football Conference selection this year. He'll compete at center, a position that loses senior Tyler Greve, who started all 13 games this season.
Roberson, a 6-2, 340-pound tackle, had 37 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks and 2 1/2 tackles for loss at New Mexico Military Institute.
Swalley, a 6-2, 285-pound tackle, had 25 tackles, 4 sacks and 6 1/2 tackles for loss for Highland (Kan.) Community College. A two-star prospect by Rivals.com, Swalley also had offers from Illinois, Memphis and Southern Miss.
Cody Brown, a safety, had 39 tackles, 9 pass break-ups and 2 interceptions for Independence (Kan.) Community College.
Allen Sentimore helped lead East Mississippi Community College to a 12-0 record and a National Junior College Athletic Association national championship this year. He had seven interceptions, tied for the fifth most in the NJCAA, and eight pass break-ups.
ASU loses senior Dexter Blackmon, who started 12 games at defensive tackle this season. The Red Wolves started five different players at defensive tackle this year.
Sports on 12/18/2014