ASU report

DL Liner possible in opener

JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University assistant head coach Trooper Taylor said Monday that redshirt senior defensive tackle Dee Liner may play in the season opener at Nebraska on Saturday at 7 p.m.

The 6-3, 325-pound former Alabama transfer injured his groin during a noncontact drill Aug. 12, and head Coach Blake Anderson announced at the time he would be out two to six weeks.

Taylor said Liner has looked "really good in practice," and he will at least "be on the plane, I can promise you that."

Defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen said a final decision on Liner should be made by Wednesday.

"We need to make sure we're smart about it and not bring him back too early," Cauthen said.

Taylor filled in for Anderson at the first of the team's weekly news conferences Monday while Anderson was in Memphis with his wife, who underwent surgery for breast cancer.

O-line not settled

Taylor said the only sure starter on the offensive line is redshirt freshman center Jacob Still, and the rest of the positions are "up for grabs."

Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said sophomore guard Troy Elliott, who started two games last season, is healthy after missing much of preseason practice with a minor ankle injury.

Elliott is the most experienced of the returning linemen, but Faulkner said Iowa State graduate transfer tackle Jaypee Philbert will be "game ready" and the other players will "lean on him."

Philbert has played against Power 5 defenses such as Nebraska, which returns 12 defenders with starting experience.

Faulkner is confident ASU's line will hold up.

"The only thing that they're lacking is a lot of experience, and ... you can't get it any other way than playing them," Faulkner said.

Odds against ASU

Nebraska opened the week as 16½-point favorites over ASU, although the Red Wolves have been outscored 208-79 in its five nonconference games against Power 5 opponents under Anderson.

Taylor said the coaching staff has not mentioned the spread to the team.

"You know with social media, we don't have to talk about it," Taylor said. "As soon as they turn their phones on, I'm sure it's on there. It's not something that we focus on.

"There's a reason people have those spreads; that's someone's opinion. But you still have to play the game, and we know we're going against a great football team with a great tradition."

No more 0-4 talk

ASU used its 0-4 start last season as motivation toward its fourth Sun Belt Conference championship in five seasons, and the team even called a private meeting after the fourth loss to the University of Central Arkansas.

But Taylor said Monday the team isn't using that winless start as motivation this season because he believes the players are tired of hearing about it.

"I think if you keep harping on it, and you keep saying 0-4, 0-4, I think 90 percent of this game is mental and you can build a mental block on your kids," Taylor said. "We really just tried to take things from that and move on from it."

Taylor talk

Taylor said his house has gotten more competitive since his son, senior defensive back Blaise Taylor, became the fastest FBS football player to earn an MBA in August.

The feat was reported in a story by Sports Illustrated, which -- when shared on Twitter -- garnered Blaise Taylor compliments from high-profile players such as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant.

His mother, Evelyn Taylor, has been named professor of the year at ASU, and Trooper Taylor said he and his daughter, Starr, are "going to have to pick it up."

Starr is a sophomore guard on the ASU women's basketball team.

"I just have to beat her," Trooper Taylor joked. "We're very competitive in that house, and I can promise you, she's on track to graduate early as well."

Sports on 08/29/2017

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