JONESBORO -- Arkansas State University is in an unusual situation.
On Saturday, the Red Wolves will travel to San Marcos, Texas, to face Texas State days after the Bobcats announced Sunday that head Coach Everett Withers was fired after three seasons.
Elsewhere, ASU's regular-season destiny will be decided in Monroe, La. If Louisiana-Monroe defeats Louisiana-Lafayette and ASU (7-4, 4-3 Sun Belt) wins at Texas State on Saturday, the Red Wolves will advance to the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Dec. 1.
"We've got to maintain focus and really be mature this week to not get caught up into all the other stuff," ASU Coach Blake Anderson said. "We've just got to play our game and find a way to get a win, which honestly is a little nerve-racking considering how well [Texas State] played Troy this past week. They've got our attention, definitely."
Troy, which averages the fourth-most points in the Sun Belt at 31.5, was held to four field goals in a 12-7 victory against Texas State.
Uncertainty is obscuring how Texas State will perform soon after a sudden change at head coach. Defensive coordinator Chris Woods was named interim head coach for the final game of the season.
Will the Bobcats (3-8, 1-6) rally behind Woods. or will they wave the white flag on the season?
"It can galvanize a group," Anderson said. "I don't know what their relationship was to Coach Withers, but he's a good friend of mine. I hate to see what he's going through, and I hate that part of the profession. But I've seen teams play their best under those circumstances. We've got to assume they're going to."
Withers was 7-28 at Texas State.
Clifton honored
The Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week had zero tackles Saturday.
Justin Clifton, ASU's senior nickel back, was named defensive player of the week Monday after securing two interceptions and returning one for a 43-yard touchdown in a 31-17 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday.
Clifton, who's not normally asked to drop into pass coverage as often as he did Saturday, did not record a single tackle during his big game.
"He really showed what kind of player he really is," ASU Defensive Coordinator Joe Cauthen said. "We never really ask him to do a whole lot in coverage, but we also know when we need someone to do that, he can do that. That was his big job."
With Clifton's help, ASU held Louisiana-Monroe big-play senior wide receiver Marcus Green to 71 total yards of offense. Saturday was Green's lowest offensive output since 60 yards at Ole Miss on Oct. 6.
Return possible
ASU is optimistic sophomore tight end Javonis Isaac (deep thigh bruise) will return soon from an injury ASU once believed could end his season.
Pain has begun to subside from Isaac's deep bruise and his mobility has improved, Anderson said. It's unclear whether he will be back Saturday, but he's much closer to being healthy.
Junior offensive lineman Troy Elliott, who missed more than half of this season after consecutive knee and shoulder surgeries, played roughly 12 snaps as ASU's backup tight end behind freshman Reed Tyler on Saturday, said offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.
The Red Wolves used Elliott as their No. 2 tight end Saturday to preserve a redshirt for walk-on freshman T.W. Ayers, the true third-string tight end behind Isaac and Tyler.
Ayers has played in three games this season and is expected to play during his fourth at Texas State, the final game Ayers is given in order to maintain redshirt status.
Elliott went down with a knee injury Saturday and will require "minor surgery to fix some cartilage," Anderson said. He is unlikely to play at Texas State but was not ruled out.
Sports on 11/20/2018