Arkansas State Athletic Director Terry Mohijar not panicking after latest loss.

JONESBORO — Arkansas State is off to its worst start in 15 years, but calls for support from inside the team are more prominent than anyone asking for overall change.

Two days after the Red Wolves’ 28-23 home loss to Central Arkansas, its first to an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision team since 2001 — when ASU last started a season 0-4 — Athletic Director Terry Mohajir voiced support for Coach Blake Anderson, who did the same for offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.

“He’s a good coach,” Mohajir said Monday of Anderson, who is 16-14 in three seasons at ASU. “He’s disappointed. We have talent. … But it’s not over. We have 10 days to really kick this thing into gear and start a new season.”

ASU does not play Saturday and opens Sun Belt Conference play Oct. 5 at home against Georgia Southern on ESPN2.

Anderson stood behind Faulkner, whom he hired from Middle Tennessee in January, on Monday despite the slow start. The Red Wolves rank 125th of 128 teams nationally in scoring (16.8 points per game) and 102nd in total offense (354.5 yards per game).

Anderson said he called the first play of Saturday’s loss, as well as the reverse pass that was fumbled and recovered by UCA. He said Monday those duties won’t be adjusted.

“Buster Faulkner is my offensive coordinator,” Anderson said. “He was hired to come in and run the offense. He knows that it is his job to get that room right. I’m going to give all the input I possibly can, but I hired him to run the offense and that’s exactly what he’s going to get the chance to do.”

The biggest point of concern, Anderson said, is how to insert a jolt into a stagnant running game. ASU was held to 45 yards on the ground against UCA. The Red Wolves have not yet had a player rush for more than 77 yards in a game this year, and they rank 125th nationally in rushing at 80.8 yards per game and 2.34 yards per rush.

The Red Wolves averaged 231.1 rushing yards last season, which ranked 15th nationally. It’s puzzling to Anderson, considering all five offensive linemen who have started the four games this season also started at least five games last year and top returning backs Warren Wand and Johnston White played considerable roles.

But ASU, which Faulkner called a “perimeter-oriented run team,” took a hit after last year losing tight end Darion Griswold and receiver J.D. McKissic, both considered good blockers. Anderson said tight end Blake Mack, a converted receiver, is still learning to block, while receivers Cameron Echols-Luper and Sterling Stowers aren’t as physical as McKissic.

“The running game is going to take all 11,” Faulkner said.

Anderson voiced support of his offensive line Monday and said he didn’t expect to make any personnel changes. The week will instead be spent

trying to find what Faulkner called “an identity.”

Anderson said ASU’s early-season struggles are similar to what he faced in 2008 at Southern Miss, when Anderson was a coordinator under Larry Fedora. The Golden Eagles started 2-1 — which included a 27-24 victory at ASU — before losing five games in a row. They rallied for four victories to cap the regular season, then beat Troy in the New Orleans Bowl.

“We were working hard and spending a lot of time and had good plans, but [were] plagued with turnovers or mistakes,” Anderson said. “We stayed the course, we believed in the process and we had a group of kids that didn’t quit.”

Anderson said he sees the same elements in place now. ASU didn’t practice Sunday because of the extended break in front of them, but Anderson said senior safety Cody Brown led a players meeting that was met positively.

An extended break and the start of the Sun Belt season provides a new page, Anderson said. The Red Wolves can still contend for a Sun Belt title and reach a bowl game. Georgia Southern, 13-1 in its first two Sun Belt seasons, provides a sizable hurdle, but Anderson said he doesn’t expect the slow start to affect effort.

“They’ve responded every time we’ve asked them to in terms of work, in terms of attitude,” he said. “Attitudes have been phenomenal, work ethic in practice has been phenomenal. There’s been no dissension. We’ve got to get that carried over to game day.”