Hobbled Red Wolves look to conference opener

JONESBORO -- One key injury still lacks clarity, while another serious ailment was added to Arkansas State's growing list Monday.

Two days after a 37-7 loss at Toledo, ASU Coach Blake Anderson said Red Wolves quarterback Fredi Knighten might miss another week with a pulled groin and a starting defensive lineman could become the third starting defensive player to be lost for the season.

Still, Anderson is staying positive about his team after a challenging nonconference schedule.

"Season starts today," Anderson said. "A chance to learn from four tough games and move forward into conference play, is the focal point. We feel confident that we've got the talent to compete in our league."

ASU (1-3) will open its Sun Belt Conference schedule at 6 p.m. Saturday against Idaho in Jonesboro, having lost to Southern California, Missouri and Toledo, all of which were ranked nationally or receiving votes in the national polls at the time they played the Red Wolves. ASU is the only Sun Belt team to have played three such teams so far this season.

The Red Wolves, whose lone victory came against FCS-member Missouri State, have emerged from the schedule a bit bruised and battered.

Defensive tackle Robert Mondie will miss "two to three weeks," Anderson said, after suffering "some kind of medial tear" in his left knee during Saturday's loss. Anderson said Mondie received an injection Monday and a decision will be made in two to three weeks if surgery will be needed. If so, Mondie will join safety Bo Sentimore and linebacker Tajhea Chambers as newcomers to a defense who played well to start the season only to suffer season-ending injuries.

ASU defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen said junior Jake Swalley, freshman Donovan Ransom and freshman Marcus Hudson will get work in Mondie's place.

"It's a big loss," Cauthen said. "He was definitely a guy that was coming along and getting better each and every week. He was definitely a force in there for us."

Knighten's return still isn't certain, a week after Anderson said he thought the senior from Little Rock would be ready to play at Toledo. Anderson said it was decided in the middle of last week that Knighten wouldn't be ready. On Saturday, he suited up and went through pregame warmups, but did not play.

"It just did not progress like we thought," Anderson said. "The bubble in the muscle just didn't dissipate. It just kind of slowed down on us. We kept thinking we'd have another progression, and it just really didn't change."

Offensive coordinator Walt Bell said a workout with Knighten was planned for Monday afternoon, which would help decide his status for the rest of the week.

"I'm going to go downstairs and I'm going to just put him through a lot of the things without a ball that we're going to need him to do," Bell said. "When he does come back, he's got to be healthy. I don't want him to be in a position where he jeopardizes his health for the long term."

If Knighten can't go, Anderson and Bell both said freshman James Tabary will start for the third consecutive week, despite his rough night at Toledo. Tabary threw two interceptions in the first quarter, including one that was returned for a touchdown, and he lost a fumble that led to another score, while completing 18 of 35 passes for 223 yards.

Tabary was also sacked six times and was not helped by a running game that gained 42 yards on 14 carries from running backs Michael Gordon, Johnston White and Warren Wand.

Anderson said Tabary didn't respond well to early struggles, but the game plan designed to attack Toledo's secondary put pressure on the freshman.

"It's a good football team and a tough environment for a freshman to be in, and I think it got the better of him," Anderson said. "He's not the first or the last guy to respond to a tough environment and have a poor game. I think it's more about how he does from this point forward."

Sports on 09/29/2015