ASU 43, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 25

ASU overcomes Hansen's 4 INTs

Arkansas State receiver Omar Bayless (7) makes a one-handed grab for a touchdown from quarterback Justice Hansen in Wednesday night’s 43-25 victory at Georgia Southern. Hansen threw four touchdown passes but also threw four interceptions.
Arkansas State receiver Omar Bayless (7) makes a one-handed grab for a touchdown from quarterback Justice Hansen in Wednesday night’s 43-25 victory at Georgia Southern. Hansen threw four touchdown passes but also threw four interceptions.

Arkansas State University football Coach Blake Anderson said Thursday that it may be "the new normal" for the Red Wolves starting quarterback to play through back discomfort.

Redshirt junior Justice Hansen was questionable to start Wednesday night's 43-25 victory at Georgia Southern, which he entered with a lower back strain that he suffered against Southern Methodist on Sept. 23.

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ARKANSAS STATE VS. COASTAL CAROLINA

WHEN 6 p.m.

WHERE Centennial Bank Stadium, Jonesboro

RECORDS Arkansas State 2-2, 1-0, Sun Belt Conference; Coastal Carolina 1-3, 0-1

SERIES First meeting

RADIO EAB Red Wolves Sports Network, including KFIN-FM 107.9 in Jonesboro

Anderson said the team doctor felt comfortable that Hansen was OK to play, and that the staff kept an eye on him to be "sure he didn't make it any worse."

Hansen went on to throw a single-game high four interceptions, while completing 12 of 26 passes for 316 yards and 4 touchdowns.

"He was not quite himself," said Anderson, who said Hansen was playing at 85-90 percent health. "It did affect some of his game. Couldn't really turn on the ball like he wanted to. But he always came back from it. He's earned the right to go out there and do that. If there was any point we felt like he was going to make it worse, we'd pull him."

Hansen earned Anderson's confidence by going 8-2 as a starter last season, then set the single-game school record for completions (46) on Sept. 2 against Nebraska, then tied the single-game school record for touchdown passes (5) against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on Sept. 16.

Hansen had the lowest completion percentage (46.2) Wednesday since he was 15 of 35 (42.9) in a 31-16 victory over Georgia State last season.

Anderson said backup redshirt freshman Logan Bonner was "ready to go" and "got warmed up during different courses of the night."

ASU maintained a two-score lead for the majority of the second half, and Hansen was permitted to continue to play.

The injury, Anderson said, is not something where the team could rest Hansen completely and be fully certain of a timetable of recovery, although he is hopeful that Hansen will be fully recovered by ASU's next game against Coastal Carolina on Oct. 14.

"It's completely unknown how his body responds," Anderson said. "This may be something that just nags him. Something that doesn't fully recover."

"He'll adapt to it. Find some confidence in it. I think he's one of the best in our league with what he's doing. I really believe he'll do what it takes to get better."

Hansen's interceptions were part of five ASU turnovers against Georgia Southern, which had four turnovers (2 interceptions, 2 fumbles) of its own.

The last time ASU played in a game with nine turnovers the Red Wolves beat Idaho 44-28 on Nov. 1, 2014.

Idaho threw four interceptions and lost five fumbles in that game, which produced 35 points for ASU.

This time, ASU scored 13 points off turnovers to Georgia Southern's 7.

It also was the fifth time with Anderson as ASU's head coach that the Red Wolves won a game despite having a negative turnover margin, which is usually a consistent indicator of success.

This season, the top five teams in turnover margin -- Central Florida, South Florida, Alabama, San Diego State and Penn State -- are all undefeated, while the bottom five teams in turnover margin -- Missouri, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee State, San Jose State and BYU -- have a combined record of 6-17 (.261).

ASU beat Georgia Southern 27-26 last season despite surrendering a 5-0 turnover margin (the Eagles were only able to score 3 points off those turnovers), and the Red Wolves also defeated Georgia State 48-34 in 2016 despite surrendering a 3-2 margin.

It has also worked the opposite way.

Last season, Toledo beat ASU 31-10 although the Red Wolves won the turnover margin 2-0.

"Historically, when you look at our success, if we win the turnover battle, we win the game," Anderson said. "The question is, when you don't win that battle, can you overcome it? We found a way to do that last night in what was pretty ugly football at times.

"Bad things happen, and we tend to make something happen: responding with a touchdown, or an explosive play. We hadn't done that in the first few games. We let bad plays turn into two. You've got to handle adversity."

After Hansen's second interception Wednesday night, senior defensive end Caleb Caston forced a sack fumble that ASU turned into a touchdown on its following drive to take a 15-10 lead with 6:17 left in the second quarter.

photo

STEPHEN B. THORNTON

Arkansas State University quarterback Justice Hansen

"I think this was just a sign of growing up," Anderson said. "We've been really addressing it as a team. When it happens you can't get it back. We over-emphasize it: 'You're on the road, and if the play goes this way, move forward.' I thought we did a good job of that."

Sports on 10/06/2017

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