The Arkansas State University football team (6-3, 5-1 Sun Belt Conference) entered last Saturday’s game against Texas State with a stagnant run game and ineffective pass protection, which in the previous two games had contributed to the team’s second-lowest run production and its highest sack total.
In those two games, New Mexico State exposed the inability of ASU’s young offensive line to handle defensive stunts — post-snap alignment shifts made to confuse blocking assignments — and the Aggies sacked redshirt junior quarterback Justice Hansen a season-high seven times in the Red Wolves’ 37-21 victory. Next, South Alabama exploited the weakness in its 24-19 victory over ASU by holding the Red Wolves to 66 rushing yards and sacking Hansen four times.
But on Saturday, the ASU offensive line countered Texas State’s defensive stunts with its own post-snap shifts, which caught defenders out of position and helped junior running back Warren Wand rush for a career-high 138 yards. ASU won 30-12.
It was a correction the Red Wolves offense needed with two games left in the regular season in which ASU is contending for its third consecutive Sun Belt championship.
“It was encouraging that we were able to run the ball,” ASU offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said. “In the second and fourth quarter, when you look up and you’ve got the ball 10 minutes and 50 seconds in one of the quarters and 12 minutes in another quarter, that’s a testament to the offensive line and the backs and everybody that’s involved with blocking.”
ASU rushed 61 times in the game, the most since a 52-21 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in 2007 in which the Red Wolves rushed 62 times.
On several of those 61 running plays, ASU pulled a backside offensive guard or tackle toward the side of the field where the play was directed.
“When you start pulling linemen, it gets [defenders] out of gaps, messes them up,” ASU freshman center Jacob Still said. “Really, that’s why we had success, kept pulling a lot, got them out of the gap, and we were able to run the ball.”
At times, ASU even used two tight ends to help block — a formation that has not been used frequently this season. Senior tight end Blake Mack is primarily used as a receiver, but redshirt senior Jonah Hill and redshirt freshman Javonis Isaac were used as extra blockers in a combined 46 snaps.
“I liked the way we were able to close out the game with both those guys on the field at the same time,” Faulkner said. “That package, with both those two kids on the field, was good again down in the goal line area, so it’s something we can build on. If it helps us move the ball and control the game, it’s something that we’ve got to do.”
Faulkner and Still both said they expect Louisiana-Monroe (5-5, 4-2) to run similar defensive stunts in this Saturday’s game, which ASU would counter with its new-found adjustments.
“They remind me of South Alabama,” Stills said. “Lots of twists, stunts, and they pressure a lot. We’ve gotta make sure we execute our technique. Hold strong to our rules. If we play like we did last week, we should be good.”
Louisiana-Monroe has the worst defense statistically in the Sun Belt, allowing 38.3 points per game and 510 yards per game.
“I know the numbers are bad,” ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. “I get it. A lot of that has to do with how they play offense, and they have to play a lot of snaps — as do our defense.
“But, yeah, I’m going to challenge our offense: we’ve got to score more than them. We respect what they do on both sides. We know their offense is scoring points, so, yeah, we have to go out and expect to not punt.
“And if we do, we understand that we’re putting our defense at risk by putting them out there against a team that’s scoring a lot of points. So it’s a lot of pressure on our offense to do their job.”
Saturday’s game
ARKANSAS STATE
AT LOUISIANA-MONROE
WHEN 2 p.m. Central
WHERE James L. Malone Stadium, Monroe, La.
RECORDS Arkansas State 6-3, 5-1 Sun Belt Conference; Louisiana-Monroe 4-6, 4-3
TV None
INTERNET ESPN3