ASU enters league play seeking 4th title in row

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK MCFARLAND--08/18/14--    ASU football coach Blake Anderson speaks a fan event at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock Monday.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK MCFARLAND--08/18/14-- ASU football coach Blake Anderson speaks a fan event at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock Monday.

JONESBORO -- Blake Anderson said it when he was hired as Arkansas State's football coach in December, he said it again last spring and once more right before fall practice began last month. Not once, he said, would he state to his team a goal of winning a fourth consecutive Sun Belt Conference title.

With the start of an eight-week sprint through the Sun Belt schedule set to begin Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe at Centennial Bank Stadium, Anderson still hasn't strayed from his original message.

Up next

Arkansas State vs. Louisiana-Monroe

WHEN 6 p.m.

WHERE Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro

RECORDS Arkansas State 2-2, 0-0 Sun Belt Conference; Louisiana-Monroe 3-1, 2-0

COACHES Arkansas State: Blake Anderson (2-2 in first season at ASU and overall); Louisiana-Monroe: Todd Berry (26-27 in fifth season at Louisiana-Monroe, 55-86 in 13th season overall)

SERIES ASU leads 21-14.

RADIO KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro; KKSP-FM, 93.3, in Bryant/Little Rock

INTERNET ESPN3.com, astateredwolves.com

ASU (2-2, 0-0) has emerged from its bye week rested, healthy and ready to host the Warhawks (3-1, 2-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday. But what hasn't changed at the ASU football complex is a focus on immediate tasks rather than what may be available down the line.

"One week at a time, one game at a time," Anderson said Monday. "I hope we get to talk about it when the season is over with, I really do. But it wont' be talked about between now and then."

The Red Wolves, who were off last week following a 21-14 victory over Utah State on Sept. 20, certainly have other issues to address.

The good news for ASU is that starting running back Michael Gordon is likely to return. Gordon hasn't played since a Sept. 6 loss at Tennessee because of bruised ribs and hasn't played a full game yet this season. He missed a loss at Miami and the victory over Utah State, but Anderson said he was "full go" during practices last week.

"Unless there's a setback this week, I would expect him to be ready to roll," Anderson said. "That was the reason to hold him out, and that seems to have worked."

Offensive coordinator Walt Bell said Gordon's return is a start in getting a stalled ASU offense back on track. ASU was held to a season-low 316 yards against Utah State, while quarterback Fredi Knighten threw an interception and twice had the ball slip out of his hand as he dropped back to pass. Utah State recovered both fumbles..

Bell said Gordon, who has been limited to 85 yards on 14 carries this year, looked "really fresh" during practices last week, but his return won't cure all of ASU's ills.

"I don't think his aura and just being in a jersey is going to somehow make us better up front or make my quarterback not drop the ball," Bell said. "Will he make a difference? Without a doubt. But just being being there, I don't think will make those other 10 guys do their jobs any better."

Anderson said Gordon's absence and other injuries -- tight end Kenneth Rains hasn't played since the season opener because of a knee injury -- along with the newness of the coaching staff and other starters have led to the offense's slow start.

After four games, ASU ranks sixth in the 11-team Sun Belt in rushing (160.8 yards per game), seventh in total offense (380.8) and scoring (24.2 points per game), and eighth in passing yards (220.0).

"It's been all of the above," Anderson said. "New guys up front. Dinged-up guys up front. We've just got to keep working through it. We've got what we got. Those are the bodies we've got, and they'll get better as we go. But it was glaring this past week, against a really good defense."

ASU's task on offense won't get any easier Saturday against a Louisiana-Monroe defense that leads the Sun Belt in total yards allowed per game (314.8) and rushing yards allowed (103.8).

Ten of the Warhawks' defensive starters are juniors or seniors, including their top two tacklers, safety Mitch Lane, who is from Pine Bluff, and linebacker Hunter Kissinger, who is from Springdale. Bell said the Warhawks move players around inside their 3-3-5 defensive alignment, making it difficult to know before the snap where each player will line up.

"They're playing good. They're in the top 25 in defense [nationally], so they're doing something right," Bell said. "With this style of defense, where you don't know where they're going to be a lot of the time, we're a lot more worried about us."

Sports on 09/30/2014

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