Spring football drills begin for AState

Arkansas State opened spring football practice Sunday with what second-year head coach Butch Jones describes as a faster, more explosive team than what the Red Wolves fielded a year ago.

Jones said ASU’s offseason testing gives that observation validity. He said 42 players ran 19 miles per hour or faster in testing, compared to six last April, and nine were clocked at 20 mph or better after none could do so last spring.

The Red Wolves also have 21 players with a vertical jump of 40 inches or more, Jones said, after having only eight who could reach that height last April.

The Red Wolves returned to the practice field Monday afternoon and have another session set for Wednesday. After a week off for spring break. ASU will resume drills March 29 and continue through the April 23 spring game.

ASU returns 51 lettermen from last year’s team that finished 2-10 and has nine newcomers from a touted recruiting class also going through spring drills.

Senior quarterback James Blackman was back on the practice field after missing last year’s final six games with an injury.

After transferring from Florida State, Blackman passed for 1,344 yards and eight touchdowns, with four interceptions, before suffering an injury against Coastal Carolina.

Sophomore Ethan Miner, who started five games at center and six at left guard, has stepped forward as a leader on the offensive line.

Junior tackle Robert Holmes has returned from an injury that ended his season after three games. Redshirt freshman lineman Makilan Thomas, who started last year’s finale, has also had a strong offseason.

Improvement along both lines of scrimmage has been a priority. Jones listed several technical improvements the Red Wolves hope to make on both lines this spring.

Arkansas State lost two key offensive players recently as senior tackle Andre Harris and sophomore wide receiver Corey Rucker entered the transfer portal.

Harris made 43 career starts, including all 12 games last season at left tackle. Rucker caught nine touchdown passes in 2021.

Four new assistant coaches have joined the Red Wolves, including a recent hire in special teams coordinator/defensive assistant Jake Schoonover.

Schoonover was Kansas’ special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach last season. He has also coached at Bowling Green and Illinois State.

Jones said he has known Schoonover for some time and expects him to be an asset to the defensive staff as well as the special teams.