Part 3 of the 12 part 2014 Miami Hurricane Opponent Video Series - Arkansas State 9/13

 2014 Arkansas State Football Preview

In Part 3 of the 2014 12 part opponent video series. I’m going to talk a little about the Arkansas State Red Wolves, our opponent on Sept 13^th at Sun Life Stadium.

Lets first look at their Talent:

They have back 8 starters on defense from 2013. They are led by Qushaun Lee, who led the Sun Belt Conference in tackles with 134. They also have back their entire secondary, which gives them a lot of valuable experience back there. .
As for their offense, the biggest question mark is at the QB position, if they can get that ironed out, Arkansas State is going to be one to watch this season. The talent is there and they will play very tough games with the best of them. They’ll be in another bowl game this year when it’s all said and done.

Next, I want to talk about the Coaching:

They will be on their 4^th coach in 4 years, not good from a consistency standpoint, but when you consider the success they’ve had in going to the post-season each year, it’s pretty impressive. Their most recent coach, Bryan Harsin, left for Boise to replace Chris Petersen, who bolted for Seattle to take the UW job. The two years before that, you have Gus Malzahn bolt for the Plains (Auburn) and Hugh Freeze, bolt for Oxford to take the Ole Miss job. It seems to me that Jonesboro is a stop along the way to bigger and better things.
Now it’s Blake Anderson’s turn. Consider this fact: Malzahn, Freeze and Harsin combined to win 28 games in their three combined seasons in Jonesboro.
The background on Anderson is that he’s coming from his stint as OC in Chapel Hill (UNC). His offensive background means you’re going to see him get a QB to develop and run his offense, who play tough non-Sun Belt games against Tennessee and Miami in back-to-back weeks. That's certainly tough for any team, let alone one from the Sun Belt. But the Red Wolves believe they can play with both of those schools.

Now, to their 2014 Schedule:

Off an 8-5 record in 2013, which included a bowl win over Ball State in the GoDaddy.com bowl, 2014 will have another brutal schedule for the Red Wolves, so let’s break it down.

In their opener, they host Montana State, a team that went 7-5 last year, and is a team that is not to be taken lightly (ask SMU, as they narrowly beat the Wildcats in Week 2 31-30). It’s a dangerous opponent off the bat, but at home in Jonesboro, the Red Wolves should win this one.  

In Week 2, they start a tough stretch of two straight road games vs. Power 5 opponents. First, it’s a trip to Knoxville to take on Tennessee. This is a game that the Red Wolves don’t win. The Vols have too many weapons in this one, Vols cruise here.

In week 3, it doesn’t get any easier for the Red Wolves because they get us (CANES). Miami has too many weapons, even more so than Tennessee the week prior. The only chance the Red Wolves would have is if Miami looks ahead to the big one the following week out in Lincoln. CANES roll easily in this one. 

In week 4, they’re back in Jonesboro to host an underrated Utah State Aggie team that has a lot of talent back on both sides of the ball. Some believe the Aggies will give Boise a serious challenge in the Mountain West this year. As for this game, I have to believe Utah State wins this on the road due to the better talent they have here.

In week 5, they have a BYE, so when they come back in Week 6, they will host Monroe, who’s going to have to replace some key personnel lost to graduation. One notable player gone is Kolton Browning. All he did was threw for better than 10,000 yards in his career. They do have back Brayle Brown, who did play when Browning was hurt. They did have some pretty solid players back in key areas, like WR Rashon Ceaser and RB Centarius Donald. Ceaser caught 65 passes last season while Donald led the team in rushing. They also have a pretty solid tight end transfer from Colorado in Vincent Hobbs.
From a defensive perspective for them, they are in transition. Last year, they gave up an average of 427 yards a game and went 6-6. If the Red Wolves are going to catch them, this would be the game to do it, coming off a BYE. Red Wolves win this one handily.

In Week 7, has the Red Wolves coming east to Atlanta to take on Georgia State, which was pitiful in 2013 going winless for the season. This is going to be a very easy win for the Red Wolves in Atlanta here, as it will take a while for them to be good. Red Wolves easily in this one.

In Week 8, they’ll have their 2^nd BYE, and in Week 9, off the BYE, they will take on Louisiana-Lafayette on the road on a Tuesday Night, who some predict will win the Sun Belt title. What the Red Wolves will face is a team that is loaded with talent. This game will be for the Sun Belt title, and at the end of the day, the Rajun Caguns will be a bit too much for the Red Wolves here. Lafayette wins, but in a very close one.

In Week 10, they are on the road again, this time with a trip to Moscow, Idaho to take on the Vandals. This will be the Vandals bowl game has they are ineligible to go to an actual bowl game this year because of NCAA academic sanctions. The Red Wolves, I predict will respond to the Vandals intensity and win this one on the road. Red Wolves get the nod here.

In Week 11, they’re back in Jonesboro to host South Alabama. The Jaguars are pretty thin experience and depth wise, with 28 seniors gone to graduation in Mobile. They are still solid and one that the Red Wolves will have to deal with in this game. In the end, the Red Wolves find a way to pull one out vs. the Jaguars.

In Week 12, they will host a power in the FCS for many years in App State, who makes the jump to the FBS. This is still a very dangerous opponent (ask Michigan), however, this is November, and the Red Wolves will not be caught off guard here. Red Wolves win comfortably in this one.  

In Week 13, they make the trip to San Marcos, TX on a Thursday Night to take on Texas State, which went 6-6 in 2013. This is a young team that will gain more experience as the season progresses, but at the end of the day, the Red Wolves are just too much here. Arkansas State wins handily here.

In the season finale in Jonesboro, they will host New Mexico State, which struggled mightily last year. Given what Arkansas State possibly has to play for here, and it being Senior Day in Jonesboro, this is a game the Red Wolves win and do so going away to finish the 2014 season at 8-4.

My prediction on the Game vs. CANES:

If there were a danger game for us, this is it, with a trip to Lincoln the next week; there could be a chance for us to look ahead. Al will not let that happen. Like with FAMU the previous week, the only thing that would concern me is if someone got hurt (a la Morris last year vs. Savannah State).
 
In Part 4 of the 2014 series, I will talk about a team that we’ve had some historic games with, and that’s the Nebraska Cornhuskers, whom we play in Lincoln on September 20^th in Prime Time on ABC/ESPN.