Red Wolves establish foothold with ground game

JONESBORO -- Arkansas State has shown in consecutive weeks that it can win a game when it chooses to run the ball, and it can win a game when it is forced to run the ball.

Neither of those outcomes -- which resulted in victories over Idaho and South Alabama when the Red Wolves rushed 53 times in each game -- mean ASU is turning into a replica of Georgia Southern, the triple-option running defending Sun Belt champions, but Coach Blake Anderson and his players said they like to know the ability to keep it on the ground is there.

"If they don't stop the run, we'll keep running it," running back Johnston White said earlier this week.

That might be a tad simplistic for Anderson's tastes, but the numbers over the past two weeks have shown a larger dedication to the ground than at any point in the coach's first two seasons.

Anderson said he felt ASU needed to take pressure off freshman quarterback James Tabary in an Oct. 3 victory over Idaho, so the Red Wolves rushed 53 times for 333 yards and 6 touchdowns. Last week, senior quarterback Fredi Knighten returned from injury but struggled attempting to throw in the second half, so ASU again rushed 53 times, this time for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The 53 rushes are tied for the most for ASU under Anderson, and the past two games have raised the Red Wolves' rushing output to 193.4 yards per game, which ranks 34th nationally. The Red Wolves are averaging 5.3 yards per carry, 279.5 yards per game and have run on 71.1 percent of their snaps in two Sun Belt victories.

It's not exactly a new identity, but Anderson said he thinks it's a possible avenue to victory in key Sun Belt games, starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday night against Louisiana-Lafayette (2-3, 1-0).

"I'd like to think we can," said Anderson, when asked if ASU can win consistently with a run-heavy offense. "I think the whole definition of balance is being able to do what you've got to do to win."

ASU has developed a bit of depth, too, with all those carries the past two weeks.

Senior Michael Gordon is fifth in the Sun Belt at 82.0 rushing yards per game and third in the conference at 6.4 yards per carry, but he watched for much of the second half of last week's victory over South Alabama with a knee injury. White scored a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter in relief of Gordon and freshman Warren Wand rushed 14 times for 85 yards, both season highs, in his most extensive playing time yet.

Gordon sat out practice Friday but returned Sunday. So did Wand, who was nursing a hamstring injury, Anderson said. Both "should be fine" for Tuesday, which means ASU should have its varied running attack at full strength for the Ragin' Cajuns, who rank fifth in the Sun Belt in rushing yards allowed per game (188.6) and sixth in yards allowed per rush (4.84).

"We're a run-first team," said White, who is averaging 5.3 yards per rush this season. "It makes us feel good knowing that we're going to get the ball a bunch. If Fredi continues to make the right decisions, whether it's to pull it or keep it, we're going to be successful."

The continued emergence of Wand is the latest boost for the Red Wolves. He had nine rushes and 51 yards in the second half while Gordon was limited.

"We all knew he could make some guys miss, but he's been better every day that we've had him," Anderson said. "He ran the ball very physical, stepped through some tackles. Finished off a couple of runs and that was a surprise from what I've seen already."

Wand's emergence has been a welcome sight to Knighten, who missed three games with a groin injury and was 10 of 17 for 119 yards against South Alabama, his first complete game since the Sept. 5 season opener.

"We'd love to be able to throw that thing 30-40 times a game, but you've got to do what you've got to do to win," Knighten said. "To be a good team, you've got to be able to run the ball when you have to."

Sports on 10/19/2015