MONROE, La. -- The pictures line the wall in the film room at Arkansas State University, 31 freeze frames of each of the football team's sacks that rank fourth in the nation this season.
The date is printed on the picture, and the defender who recorded the sack signs the picture.
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
INTERNET ESPN3
BETTING LINE
It's a practice that ASU defensive line coach Brian Early started this season to recognize and encourage the team's pass rushers. When Early reviews game film, he'll pause it when he sees a sack and print the image.
The tradition has served as an interactive museum for senior defensive end Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, who needs to sign three more pictures to become the NCAA Football Subdivision's all-time leader in career sacks. He'll have a chance to do so today at 2 p.m. when the Red Wolves (6-3, 5-1 Sun Belt) face Louisiana-Monroe (4-6, 4-3) at James L. Malone Stadium.
His 11 sacks this season are tied with Central Michigan's Joe Ostman for the most in the nation, and his 41½ career sacks are just 2½ shy of the record set by Arizona State's Terrell Suggs from 2000-2002.
The NCAA's all-time sack leader is in Division III -- Waynesburg's Mike Czerwien, who recorded 53½ from 2004-2007.
Rolland-Jones said he tries not to focus on the record, although it "goes to my mind every now and then." But he grew alarmed early in the season when the freeze frames were posted without his name.
Rolland-Jones, who didn't record a sack in the first three games, watched others sign their names: Caleb Caston, Kyle Wilson, Ronheen Bingham.
"It started off a little slow," Rolland-Jones said.
Clifford Thomas, Jarrod Chandler. Clifford Thomas again.
"I had to make up for it," Rolland-Jones added.
In the fourth quarter of the fourth game, he did.
On third and 11 against Georgia Southern, Rolland-Jones swiped past two blockers and dragged the quarterback down for his first sack of the season. He popped up after the play and pressed his hands to the sky as if to say, "Thank you."
Rolland-Jones has signed his name on a freeze frame in every game since, and he has had multiple sacks in three of the past four games.
He has recorded more than two sacks in four of his 45 career games, which makes it possible for the record to fall today against Louisiana-Monroe.
The Warhawks rank 44th in the nation in sacks allowed (1.7 per game), and ULM Coach Matt Viator has accounted for Rolland-Jones.
"If he's in there, he's playing relentless," Viator said. "I mean, even if you block him a couple times, if you chip him or do something, you can't do it every play. And he just continues to play hard and play through it.
"A lot of accolades for his sacks, which he should, but he's very good against the run also. Just a complete football player, and you've just got to know where he is. We gotta be able to do some things to try and help guys against him. You don't want to leave one person one on one with him all night."
Last season, ASU defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen said, the coaching staff worked on trying to make Rolland-Jones an "every down player." The effort led to Early benching Rolland-Jones at the start of a game to send a message to pursue effort on every play.
"I couldn't have told you this time last year that he was playing every down with great motor, and he's doing that," ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. "He's practicing that way too, I just think he's taking this season on as having to make a statement. He wants to be a drafted player. And there were questions going into the season whether he would be or wouldn't, and he wants to make sure that's not a concern, that he can play every down, that he will play the run, that he's got a great motor, that he's willing to play through bumps and bruises, which he has."
Rolland-Jones entered the season as Phil Steele's No. 22-ranked draftable defensive end in college football. Houston's Phillip Hunt (2005-2008) is the only player on the Top 10 career sack list who was not drafted. Five were drafted within the first two rounds.
If Rolland-Jones breaks the record, he will be the third ASU player to hold an NCAA FBS record. Former Red Wolves safety Tyrell Johnson holds the record for most solo tackles in a game (20 against North Texas in 2005), and former defensive lineman Jimmy Lisko holds the record for most combined blocked kicks in a season (eight in 1975).
Sports on 11/25/2017