JONESBORO -- Joe Cauthen vividly remembers the end of the 2014 season, when Arkansas State had suffered so many injuries it couldn't field a competitive defense in losses to Texas State and Toledo.
He also won't forget last year's New Orleans Bowl loss, when injuries at key spots made it hard to keep up with a Louisiana Tech offense that had two players who now are on NFL rosters.
Experience all around
• One of Arkansas State’s strengths is its experience on defense. ASU returns 13 defenders with starting experience, which has allowed coaches to experiment with mainstays at other positions during fall camp.
PLAYER, CLASS;POS.;STARTS;COMMENT
Chris Humes, senior;S;26;Most experienced defender who broke up six passes last year.
Xavier Woodson-Luster, senior;LB;24;First-team all-Sun Belt pick in the preseason.
Ja’Von Rolland-Jones, junior;DE;14;Led Sun Belt with 8½ sacks last season.
Cody Brown, senior;SS;13;Only returner who started every game last season.
Waylon Roberson, senior;DT;12;Led interior linemen with 38 tackles in 2015.
Khari Lain, junior;LB;11;Had a team-high 81 tackles in 2015; started games at two positions.
Robert Mondie, senior;DT;10;Granted sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.
Blaise Taylor, junior;CB;10;Team’s best return specialist turned into best corner last year.
Quanterio Heath, senior;LB;Five;Dependable reserve who has played in 32 games since ‘13.
Chris Odom, senior;DE;Three;Has blocked four kicks, tied for second most at ASU.
Tajhea Chambers, freshman;LB;Started two games before tearing ACL, getting medical hardship.
Bo Sentimore, senior;FS;Two;Returning from broken ankle suffered against Missouri last year.
Justin Clifton, sophomore;NB;One;Played as a true freshman before tearing pectoral muscle.
Up next
Arkansas State vs. Toledo
WHEN Sept. 2, 8 p.m.
WHERE Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro
TV ESPNU
The third-year defensive coordinator has decided to get creative to pre-emptively address depth concerns that may pop up this year.
That's why in Saturday's scrimmage, all-Sun Belt Conference linebacker Xavier Woodson-Luster was starting at nickelback; senior safety Chris Humes was playing cornerback; and sophomore nickelback Justin Clifton spent time at safety.
It's not a luxury Cauthen is afforded often. But with nine returning starters, he's comfortable adding responsibilities to his experienced players' plate.
"Just trying to create depth with the people that we have," Cauthen said. "There's no reason, with our depth at linebacker, for Khari Lain or Xavier Woodson to be on the sideline and us having to put a true freshman on the field."
Lain started eight games at weakside linebacker last year and three at nickel, and although he's likely to play behind Woodson-Luster this year, he'll get plenty of time on the field. Especially if something happens to Clifton at nickelback, which would move Woodson-Luster over to that spot. And, if something happened to one of ASU's corners -- its thinnest position on defense -- Humes slides over, which would create a hole at safety.
That's why Clifton has been taking reps there. Just in case.
"The whole purpose of this is to give us some depth, to give us some other thoughts about where we can get to," Cauthen said. "We got caught in those situations our first year, and we got caught in the end of the situation last year in the bowl game."
Similar experiments weren't possible a year ago, when linebacker Tajhea Chambers was lost for the season with an ACL tear and safety Bo Sentimore suffered a broken ankle, both in the second game, and Lain was still a sophomore learning his way. Now, Chambers and Sentimore are back, transfer Kyle Wilson has impressed since arriving in January, and pieces at linebacker and safety are a lot more flexible.
"It allows us to do some things that you normally don't have an opportunity to do," Coach Blake Anderson said.
The players have embraced the plan. Woodson-Luster, who has started 24 games as a linebacker, said nickelback isn't much different than what he's been doing the past three years. The only differences are that he's typically over a faster receiver and there's more running involved.
"It helps me see the defense as a whole instead of just one position," Woodson-Luster said. "Everything fits together, from the D-line to the linebackers to the secondary. Every piece has a part, just learning the whole picture. My IQ has raised since being here with coach C."
Humes, who has played both safety spots over the past four years, has seen the benefits, too. He first got the test of cornerback in the spring, and he took some snaps there during player workouts this summer. When he works out for pro scouts in the spring, it could pay off.
"If you get to the next level, they can say, 'Hey, man, we can put him anywhere. He knows all these different positions,' " Humes said.
But Humes stressed that his first concern is with his current team, which has high expectations defensively because of the returning talent. He's the most experienced player on that side, having started 26 games since 2012, and having a hand in at least a share of three Sun Belt titles.
Humes was given a medical hardship after tearing a bicep muscle in 2014, and he wants another title -- no matter where Cauthen decides to put him.
"I'm versatile enough to start at corner or safety or do whatever," he said. "I just want to really help this team win. I've watched this program just grow and grow and grow, and I'm down for whatever."
Sports on 08/24/2016