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NCAA Football Betting Online: The Arkansas State Red Wolves have been a perennial contender for the Sun Belt this decade. Arkansas State has won at least a share of the conference championship in five of the past six seasons. They are one of the favorites to win the conference yet again this season, but there are some big questions this team needs to answer in order to rise to the top of the Sun Belt once again. The Red Wolves have made bowls in six straight seasons and should make it seven in a row unless the wheels come off.
Justice Hansen should be one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. Hansen had a solid debut season last year, completing 58 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards. He was a four-star recruit who originally signed with Oklahoma, so there’s no doubt that he has the talent to succeed. Hansen doesn’t have a big arm, but was accurate in his time at junior college and will be more efficient in his second year in Blake Anderson’s system.
Arkansas State’s stable of running backs will return this season as well. There was no real difference between the Red Wolves’ top three options last season as all three averaged either 4.4 or 4.5 yards per carry last season. Starter Warren Wand is just 5’5 so durability has always been a lingering concern, but that hasn’t stopped him yet.
The big concern with the Red Wolves heading into the season is along the offensive line. There are no returning starters from last year’s squad and the two-deep is littered with JUCO transfers. This unit will have to gel quickly if Arkansas State is going to succeed.
Defensively, only five starters return from last season. The most important player does return though. Ja’Von Rolland-Jones destroyed opposing backfields in 2016, registering 19.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. His explosiveness off the ball left many in awe and he was named Sun Belt Player of the Year for his performance.
Aside from Rolland-Jones, Dee Liner and Kyle Wilson will both be solid contributors in the front seven. The secondary does lose three starters from a unit that only allowed one 300-yard passer in 2016.
2017 Arkansas State Red Wolves Schedule
September 2: Arkansas State at Nebraska
September 9: Arkansas State vs. Miami (FL)
September 16: Arkansas State vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
September 23: Arkansas State at SMU
October 4: Arkansas State at Georgia Southern
October 14: Arkansas State vs. Coastal Carolina
October 19: Arkansas State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
October 28: Arkansas State at New Mexico State
November 11: Arkansas State at South Alabama
November 18: Arkansas State vs. Texas State
November 25: Arkansas State at Louisiana-Monroe
December 2: Arkansas State vs. Troy
List of Arkansas State Red Wolves Seasons
| Year |
Record |
Bowl Game |
| 2016 |
8-5 |
W – AutoNation Cure Bowl |
| 2015 |
9-4 |
L – New Orleans Bowl |
| 2014 |
7-6 |
L – GoDaddy Bowl |
| 2013 |
8-5 |
W – GoDaddy.com Bowl |
| 2012 |
10-3 |
W – GoDaddy.com Bowl |
| 2011 |
10-3 |
L – GoDaddy.com Bowl |
| 2010 |
4-8 |
|
| 2009 |
4-8 |
|
| 2008 |
6-6 |
|
| 2007 |
5-7 |
|
| 2006 |
6-6 |
|
| 2005 |
6-6 |
L – New Orleans Bowl |
| 2004 |
3-8 |
|
| 2003 |
5-7 |
|
| 2002 |
6-7 |
|
| 2001 |
2-9 |
|
| 2000 |
1-10 |
|
| 1999 |
4-7 |
|
| 1998 |
4-8 |
|
| 1997 |
2-9 |
|
| 1996 |
4-7 |
|
| 1995 |
6-5 |
|
| 1994 |
1-10 |
|
| 1993 |
2-8-1 |
|
| 1992 |
2-9 |
|
| 1991 |
1-10 |
|
| 1990 |
3-7-1 |
|
| 1981 |
6-5 |
|
| 1980 |
2-9 |
|
| 1979 |
4-7 |
|
| 1978 |
7-4 |
|
| 1977 |
7-4 |
|
| 1976 |
5-6 |
|
| 1975 |
11-0 |
|
| 1974 |
7-3 |
|
Arkansas State was a middling program until it decided enough was enough and hired Hugh Freeze in 2011. Freeze started a trend of talented coaches who used the school as a springboard to bigger jobs, but the relationship was mutually beneficial. He took the Red Wolves to just their second bowl appearance ever and laid the groundwork for future success in Jonesboro.
After Freeze, Gus Malzahn was the head man for the 2012 season and Bryan Harsin took the reins in 2013. Both coaches followed Freeze in bolting for a higher-profile school the first chance they got, so the school turned to someone who was more likely to stay for a while.
Blake Anderson was born in Jonesboro and has been the coach here since 2014. The school has continued to win under his watch and he doesn’t look set to leave any time soon.
This season will start off difficult for Arkansas State with games against Nebraska and Miami first on the docket. Things get easier quickly with an FCS opponent and SMU to round out non-conference play. The Red Wolves will end their season with Troy in a game that could determine the winner of the Sun Belt.
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