Arkansas State College Football Preview 2024: Key Players, Game Schedule, Season Predictions

Arkansas State College Football Preview 2024

Finally, Arkansas State is starting to look and play like it’s supposed to.

A Sun Belt power for years, the program enjoyed nine straight winning seasons and bowl appearances from 2011 to 2019, clinching five Sun Belt titles along the way.

Then, 2020 happened, and the Red Wolves endured three consecutive losing seasons before finally returning to a bowl game last year.

Yes, it was still a fourth straight losing season - ASU was dealt a blow by a bad call on an onside kick in the 21-19 loss to Northern Illinois in the Camellia Bowl - but it showed improvement. Head coach Butch Jones rebuilt and developed the team, which progressed from two wins to three to six. Now, this group is loaded.

The offense can compete with just about everyone on the schedule - perhaps not Michigan or Iowa State, but certainly all the Sun Belt teams. Plus, there’s a fortunate break in missing matchups against Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, James Madison, and Marshall.

There’s a real shot to at least contend for the Sun Belt title, but the team needs a lot more consistency from the ...

NOTE: The previews were published early this summer. We tried to catch the changes, but if we missed anything, please let us know at @ColFootballNews and we'll fix it right away.

Arkansas State Football Preview 2024: Offense

- It was a strange year for the offense. It didn’t do anything early, caught fire against the bad teams, was good in the second half of the year, stalled a bit, hit Texas State for 77, and … yeah, the thing was inconsistent. The Red Wolves were 6-0 when scoring 31 or more, and was 0-7 scoring 21 or fewer.

But here’s the plus. It could’ve done a lot more, and the experience is in place to explode week in and week out.

- The passing attack hit a whole slew of deep passes. The Red Wolves led the Sun Belt in yards per completion, and now QB Jaylen Raynor has a year of experience under his belt. He can run - close to 400 yards and five scores - with 2,550 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven picks.

Corey Rucker wasn’t back to his 2021 form - he left ASU for a year with South Carolina and then came back - but the veteran receiver led the team with 705 yards, averaging almost 20 yards per catch. Courtney Jackson came up with a team-high 39 grabs and seven scores, and there’s more talent to spread the ball around.

- The offensive line has to be far better in pass protection, but it could grow into one of the best in the Sun Belt. C Jacob Bayer and OT Makilan Thomas are All-Sun Belt blockers, and the left-side combination of OG Mekhi Butler and OT Noah Smith could be even better.

The 1-2 rushing punch of Ja’Quez Cross and Zak Wallace is back after combining for over 1,200 yards and 13 scores. These two can move.

Arkansas State Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The defense made strides in 2022 and struggled in 2023. It was consistently mediocre against the pass, occasionally awful against the run, and it needs more of a pass rush.

Top end Thurman Geathers is done, but the Red Wolves loaded up in the transfer portal with plenty of options for all four spots - Georgia Tech end Noah Collins should be the best of the bunch. The returning tackles aren’t huge, but they’re quick.

- Charles Willekes is one of the team’s best all-around players making 90 tackles with two sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss from his outside linebacker spot. Like the line, there are decent options from the transfer portal for depth and rotation.

- More big plays are a must from the secondary, but this group can pop. Safety Trevian Thomas led the team with 91 tackles, and Justin Parks added 44. Jordan Mahoney is a veteran corner from UMass who’ll step in right away.

Key To The Arkansas State Football Season

Just be okay against the run.
The offense will do its part, but it’ll once again be great against the okay defenses and struggle against the strong ones. Everyone will throw for at least 200 yards against the ASU secondary, but if the front six can hold up a bit against the run, good things will happen.

Last year’s team was 5-1 when allowing fewer than 175 rushing yards - 4-0 when under 150 - and 1-6 when allowing more.

Arkansas State Key Player

Aidan Ellison, PK Jr.
There weren't too many close games last season, but the 21-19 Camellia Bowl loss to Northern Illinois stayed close - and came down to the bizarre finish - because Arkansas State PK Dominic Zvada hit two field goals, and NIU’s kicker missed his two.

Zvada connected on 17-of-22 field goals - two of those misses occurred right away in the opener against Oklahoma - but Michigan snatched him up. Ellison might not be as good, but the difference between a good and great season could come down to him.

Arkansas State Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Jordan Mahoney, CB Sr. A good all-around veteran corner, the three-year performer at UMass finished with 100 tackles, three picks, and 12 broken-up passes. He missed a chunk of last season, but he’ll step right into a starting role.

Top Transfer Out: Javante Mackey, LB Soph.
The defense that struggled needs as many good-tackling playmakers as possible, but it lost one of its best young linebackers. Mackey was fourth on the team with 84 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, but now he’s gone to Memphis.

Arkansas State Key Game

South Alabama, Oct. 5
The Red Wolves were starting to roll over the second half of last year, but the offense stalled in a 21-14 road loss to South Alabama. This year, it’s the Sun Belt opener before going on the road for four of the next five conference games - and the home date is against Troy.

Making things worse, this comes after playing Michigan and Iowa State on the road. In other words, win this, Arkansas State.

10 Best Arkansas State Football Players

1. Charles Willekes, LB Sr.
2. Courtney Jackson, WR Sr.
3. Jaylen Raynor, QB Soph.
4. Corey Rucker, WR Jr.
5. Trevian Thomas, S Sr.
6. Jacob Bayer, C Sr.
7. Ja’Quez Cross, RB Jr.
8. Jordan Mahoney, CB Sr.
9. Makilan Thomas, OT Jr.
10. Mehki Butler, OG Sr.

Arkansas State 2023 Fun Stats

- Time of Possession: Opponents 33:43, Arkansas State 26:17

- 4th Down Conversions: Opponents 19-of-25 (76%), Arkansas State 7-of-20 (35%)

- Fumbles: Opponents 11 (lost 8), Arkansas State 6 (lost 4)

Arkansas State Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

There can’t be any wasted winnable games.

Last season, the Red Wolves managed to beat the teams they were supposed to, lost to the teams they were supposed to, and were too close to Northern Illinois in the bowl loss. Get ready for more ups and downs.

Tulsa is a 50/50 must-win home battle, and forget about a bowl if ULM and Old Dominion aren’t locked down in the final two games. And why?

With four road games in five dates - again, at Michigan, at Iowa State, at Texas State, at Southern Miss. If that wasn’t bad enough, it stretches into a run of six road games in eight.

But the 2024 Red Wolves are better than the 2023 version. They should pull off one win they probably shouldn’t, and they’ll keep the momentum going with a fun season filled with lots and lots of high-scoring fights.

With Troy and South Alabama at home, the West is theirs for the taking.

Set The Arkansas State Win Total At … 6

Likely Wins: Central Arkansas, Old Dominion, ULM

50/50 Games: at Georgia State, at Louisiana, South Alabama, at Southern Miss, at Texas State, Troy, Tulsa

Likely Losses: at Iowa State, at Michigan

2024 Arkansas State Football Schedule

Aug 31 Central Arkansas
Sept 7 Tulsa
Sept 14 at Michigan
Sept 21 at Iowa State
Sept 28 OPEN DATE
Oct 5 South Alabama
Oct 12 at Texas State
Oct 19 at Southern Miss
Oct 26 Troy
Nov 2 OPEN DATE
Nov 9 at Louisiana
Nov 16 at Georgia State
Nov 23 ULM
Nov 30 Old Dominion

Missing: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Marshall