Critical condition
Wolves in good shape to close out games
BOONE, N.C. — Rocky Hayes wasn’t exactly sure where a commercial jet carrying the Arkansas State football team was headed Wednesday afternoon.
ASU’s senior cornerback knew that he and his teammates were headed east toward Appalachian State for tonight’s game that could decide the Sun Belt Conference champion, and Hayes watched the Mountaineers play at Kidd Brewer Stadium once earlier this season.
Beyond that, Hayes doesn’t know much about what he and his teammates are getting into tonight.
“I’ve never even heard of Boone, N.C.,” Hayes said. “I don’t know what to expect.”
Tonight’s setting and atmosphere might be a mystery to ASU, but one thing the Red Wolves are sure about is their ability to squeeze out close victories down the stretch, which is the type of game they’re expecting tonight against the Mountaineers.
“If it gets bad down there for us, we’ll just get together as a team like we always have,” Hayes said. “No matter what happens when we get to — where is it, Boone, N.C.? — we’re not going to panic.”
ASU (5-3, 4-0) has a chance tonight to put a stranglehold on the Sun Belt Conference for the first time since the final game of its lone season under Gus Malzahn three years ago. The Red Wolves are in position to do that thanks to a comeback sparked by turnovers last month in Mobile, Ala., by thwarting a late rally against Louisiana-Lafayette two weeks ago and by overwhelming Georgia State with three fourth-quarter touchdowns Saturday.
Coach Blake Anderson said his team’s conditioning and
experience are responsible for such fourth-quarter confidence.
“Our guys still had gas left in the tank, and our speed was even more significant in the fourth quarter,” Anderson said, explaining how ASU outscored Georgia State 21-0 in the fourth quarter. “Guys know that we can win in the fourth quarter. Guys know that we can obtain or maintain a lead, and we can come from behind and that we’re never out of it.”
Hayes said he was concerned only for a moment in the fourth quarter last week. ASU trailed Georgia State 34-27 heading into the fourth quarter, but right guard Colton Jackson said he never was concerned.
“We just know the fourth quarter is going to be our quarter,” Jackson said.
That confidence is rooted in a running game that hasn’t been stopped by anyone in the Sun Belt up to this point.
The Red Wolves are averaging 5.53 yards per rush and 290.3 yards per game in conference play. Of the 15 plays they ran in the fourth quarter Saturday, 13 were runs that gained 117 yards. After ASU tied the game at 34-34, its final 10 plays were runs that led to two touchdowns, including Warren Wand’s 60-yard touchdown that put it out of reach.
“I wouldn’t say that we can run on anybody,” running back Michael Gordon said. “But we’ve just got to continue to be us, really.”
ASU will likely face its biggest Sun Belt challenge tonight.
Appalachian State (7-1, 4-0) has won its past 10 conference games, including a 37-32 victory over ASU last season in Jonesboro. The Mountaineers’ only loss since then was 41-10 at No. 1 Clemson earlier this season. They beat Georgia Southern, the
defending Sun Belt champion, 31-13 last month by holding the FBS’ best running team to 188 yards, almost 200 yards less than its average.
The Mountaineers return 20 starters from last season, and 17 players who started against ASU last season in Jonesboro are expected to start tonight. That group includes quarterback Taylor Lamb, running back Marcus Cox, three offensive linemen, three receivers, four defensive linemen and three linebackers.
Appalachian State’s improvement is most noticeable on special teams, Anderson said, but it’s apparent in every formation. Playing an experienced team on the cusp of its first conference title as an FBS member in front of its home crowd is a challenge, but Anderson said he likes his group, too.
Especially in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve been in better shape than our opponents in the fourth quarter all year,” Anderson said. “I think that’s a confidence we carry in. It doesn’t matter about the short week. We’re going to be in great shape.”