JONESBORO -- Butch Jones has his spot. The 53-year-old coach often walks to the far end of the Arkansas State bench, away from the line of scrimmage.
Jones crosses his arms and angles his body such that he can see the entire field while also keeping an eye on his coaching staff and players.
It's about observing. It's about taking in as much as he can. Beyond winning, that's been Jones' top priority in his first season with the Red Wolves.
"I'm evaluating everything on an hour-by-hour basis in this football program," Jones said after ASU's 48-14 home loss to Appalachian State on Saturday afternoon. "There isn't any stone that goes unturned, there isn't anything that is not evaluated. ... We didn't really know [about this team] going into the season. You have 15 spring practices and you try to create some adversity, but you never really know anything until you get into the heat of the battle."
There's been plenty for Jones to take in during the Red Wolves' eight-game losing streak.
There's a defense that's worst in the nation in yards allowed per game and second-worst in points allowed. There's a rushing attack that's not much better -- still in the bottom five of all FBS teams and barely touching 80 yards per game.
There are depth issues across both lines of scrimmage that have prevented ASU (1-8, 0-5 Sun Belt Conference) from papering over some of their deficiencies. The Red Wolves' passing game has been stymied in recent weeks by an offensive front that is allowing 4.0 sacks per game -- third-worst in the nation -- and Pro Football Focus also grades their run defense third-worst.
The Mountaineers ran all over ASU, racking up 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Jones has learned. Quickly. And painfully.
"I was told, but I know exactly now where we're at in the program. I know exactly where we need to go," he added. "When we came here, we told everybody, 'You are responsible for what you create. You create your personal identity on the field and off the field every single day. ... You have that opportunity. That's a new fresh start.'"
Now into November, there is nothing for the Red Wolves to play for other than themselves. There are three games left, all against sub-.500 teams beginning Saturday at Louisiana-Monroe -- a team Pro Football Focus grades as even worse than ASU.
"This is like a three-game playoff," safety EJ Alexander said. "You can either lose those three games and roll over or you can have a championship mindset."
Guys like Alexander and running back Lincoln Pare are the type of leaders Jones needs to set an example during this final stretch. He'd also benefit from seeing players such as Detravion Green, Jarius Reimonenq, Te'Vailance Hunt and Emmanual Stevenson -- young pieces with multiple years of eligibility remaining -- continue to establish themselves as building blocks for the Red Wolves.
As meaningless as these next three weeks may be in the context of an ASU season that has long been off the rails, they could be vital in getting Jones' program on the right track for a future destination.
"There's no magical cure," Jones said. "You have to recruit, you have to develop, you have to teach discipline, you have to instill discipline and you have to have accountability. You have to develop your players and your program. No more, no less. That's how build programs.
"You see a group of guys that aren't laying down, you see guys that are fighting and competing every day. ... [But] there's no magical potion. [Growth] is through hard work in devotion, in dedication and in toughness."