Red Wolves’ ‘D’ showing little bite
SEATTLE — Arkansas State knew full well where its defensive issues lay entering 2021.
Only one Football Bowl Subdivision team in the nation allowed more passing yards per game last year than the Red Wolves, who gave up an average of 314.0. Pro Football Focus graded the ASU pass coverage as sixth-worst — behind five sides that combined to go 3-35.
The Red Wolves had to get better in the secondary. It’s why Coach Butch Jones brought in transfers like Denzel Blackwell and Leon Jones and shuffled other pieces, making Jarius Reimonenq and Taylon Doss starters.
Yet ASU’s defensive backfield has shown little improvement, with its opponents combining for 1,111 passing yards through three games (370.3 ypg). The latest foe to do so was Washington, which threw for 398 yards behind quarterback Dylan Morris, as the Huskies picked apart the Red Wolves’ defense in a 52-3 rout.
“Anytime you have success, it breeds confidence,” Jones said following Saturday’s loss, noting that his team’s failure to impact Morris behind the line of scrimmage. “When you’re not getting home with a four-man rush, you have to bring six individuals. Now all of sudden, you’re in firezone coverage or some type of man coverage, and that’s not what you want to be living in on third down.”
Washington converted on nine of its 15 third- and fourth-down plays, most notably a leak-out by tight end Cade Otton on fourth and 1 inside the Red Wolf 15-yard line for the Huskies’ first of seven touchdowns.
There were also the explosive plays — going for 20 yards or more — that sucked the life out of ASU just as they did a week earlier against Memphis. A 30-yard completion on the Huskies’ third series put Washington in ASU territory before they scored a second touchdown to make it 14-0.
The next two Husky drives each had significant catches as well. First, it was Taj Davis hauling in a 39-yarder over Blackwell that initially looked like an interception before Davis wrestled the ball away. Then Morris connected with Jalen McMillan for a 30-yard touchdown to extend Washington’s lead to 28-0.
McMillan, who played just three games last year, had just one career catch entering Saturday when he finished with 10 receptions for 175 yards.
“As a senior, it hurt my heart to see my teammates down,” safety Elery Alexander said. “Starting tomorrow, there’s going to be some changes to the energy.”
Throughout fall camp, ASU never seemed to lack energy. The Red Wolves looked to be revived under new defensive coordinator Rob Harley, saying they were flying around to the ball in a way they hadn’t before.
There was even a guarantee from Reimonenq that ASU’s defense was “definitely going to be better than what was put on the field last year.”
“We’re going to keep staying the process, we’re going to stay driven, nothing’s going to change,” Alexander said.
“We’re going to have the same culture, we’re just going to make it better and better. We’re going to set our standard higher and higher and meet or exceed it every single day.”
“As a senior, it hurt my heart to see my teammates down. Starting tomorrow, there’s going to be some changes to the energy.”
Safety Elery Alexander