Former Arkansas State University quarterback Ryan Aplin is set to join Butch Jones' staff as a running backs coach, according to reports Tuesday from The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Chris Vannini.
Aplin, 30, spent five seasons with the Red Wolves from 2008-12, leading ASU to back-to-back Sun Belt Conference titles in 2011 and 2012 and a victory at the 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl. The two-time conference player of the year most recently served as co-offensive coordinator at Western Kentucky during the 2020 season.
As of Tuesday, only Brandon Joiner -- who has been with the program since 2016 and will coach the defensive line under Jones -- officially has been named to the new coaching staff.
Aplin was central to ASU's program resurgence under Hugh Freeze and Gus Malzahn in 2011 and 2012, when the Red Wolves achieved consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in program history en route to the pair of Sun Belt championships and the program's first bowl win since 1970.
Aplin started 12 games as a redshirt sophomore in 2010, throwing for 2,939 yards and 21 touchdowns to earn first-team All-Sun Belt honors. The next year, Aplin guided ASU to a 10-3 record and its first outright Sun Belt title, tossing 3,588 yards and 19 touchdowns on his way to becoming the first Red Wolf to be named Sun Belt Player of the Year.
He took home the conference honor again in his senior season when Aplin threw 24 touchdowns to only four interceptions as 10-3 ASU marched to a second-straight conference title and a bowl victory over Kent State. By the end of his college career, Aplin owned 25 program records and left the Sun Belt as the conference's all-time leader in total offense, passing yards and completions.
-- Eli Lederman