Knighten shines
Arkansas State quarterback Fredi Knighten had what Coach Blake Anderson described as one of his best days Saturday, with the junior throwing two touchdown passes and no interceptions in a two-hour scrimmage in Jonesboro. The performance may have separated Knighten from three other quarterbacks.
JONESBORO — Fredi Knighten said he didn’t enter Saturday’s scrimmage with his mind set solely on separating himself from other Arkansas State quarterbacks.
He might have done so anyway while reaffirming his place as ASU’s likely starting quarterback.
ASU Coach Blake Anderson and offensive coordinator Walt Bell didn’t go as far as naming a starter for the season opener after the first preseason scrimmage Saturday morning, but after an inconsistent week both coaches offered the most positive thoughts so far on a position that has four players who have yet to start a college game competing against each other.
“I thought it was one of Fredi’s best days,” Anderson said after a two-hour scrimmage at Centennial Bank Stadium in which Knighten threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions. “If he can build on that, that means we’re working in the right direction.”
Those were the most positive comments Anderson has expressed about his quarterbacks since practice began last week. Twice this week he criticized their consistency, saying Wednesday that none of the four quarterbacks “are consistent enough to win with right now.”
Knighten said Saturday the criticism didn’t bother him and that it might have accelerated his progress heading into the scrimmage, which was played three weeks before their Aug. 30 season-opener against Montana State.
“He was honest,” Knighten said. “We weren’t doing well in practice. We weren’t improving the way we needed to. He showed us that if you don’t perform, he will take you out”
Knighten’s first two passes fell incomplete Saturday when he threw behind his receiver and then overshot Tres Houston streaking behind a defender. But Knighten settled in from there, completing his next four passes and throwing a 6-yard touchdown to Houston and a 7-yard touchdown to J.D. McKissic.
Bell said there is definitely space between Knighten and fellow quarterbacks Stephen Hogan, Cameron Birse and James Tabary.
“The biggest thing is he was efficient,” Bell said of Knighten. “He ran the offense well and he didn’t turn the ball over. If we play tomorrow I think he’s done enough to be the starter, but we have to continue to improve. We’re nowhere near where we need to be.”
One thing that was reaffirmed Saturday was Knighten’s comfort while throwing on the run. Both of his touchdown passes came as he rolled to his right, the second of which he fired to McKissic, who had both feet just inside the front corner of the end zone.
Throwing well from the pocket, Knighten said, could be the quickest way for him to nail down the starter’s role.
“Consistency in the passing game and pocket presence, those are the biggest concerns,” Knighten said. “Outside of the pocket, God blessed me with some abilities. … They have to defend me and the guy running the route. We’re making the defenses job really hard.”
Running backs Michael Gordon and DeKeathan Williams sat out the scrimmage because of minor injuries, while freshmen Johnston White, Brandon Byner and Terrance Hollingsworth took turns in their absence.
Freshman Ja’von Jones started at defensive end over junior Chris Stone, Charleston Girley started over Frankie Jackson at nickel back and cornerback Rocky Hayes started over Andrew Tryon.
Defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen spoke highly of Jones, who redshirted last year after sustaining an injury.
“Ja’von is doing a lot of good things, particularly in the pass rush area,” Cauthen said.
ASU will scrimmage again Saturday, after which Anderson said they’ll lighten the load while preparing for the season opener.
“Next week is kind of a money week for us,” Anderson said. “We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to eliminate the mistakes and get better.”