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Know the Foe: Arkansas State

Know the Foe: Arkansas State

Football Sep 28
By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

Arkansas State seems to have ULM's number. In Sun Belt games, Arkansas State has won 12 straight over the Warhawks and leads the series 17-4 after beating ULM 27-24 in Monroe last year. Overall, A-State leads the all-time series 30-14. The current 12-game winning streak versus the Warhawks is the longest versus any opponent in school history. But those numbers don't add up to much for ULM coach Terry Bowden, who is 0-1 in his only game against the Red Wolves as a Warhawk. And after snapping a four-game losing streak to Louisiana Lafayette last weekend, ULM (2-2, 1-0 Sun Belt) is in reset mode when it comes to unfavorable trends. "I'm not locked in really good mentally to the history of these things because I'm not a part of it," Bowden said. "Historically, in real life, that has very little to do with how this game is going to be won or lost." ULM visits Centennial Bank Stadium Oct. 1 for the 45th meeting between the teams. Kickoff is 6 p.m. Like the game against ULL though, Bowden does acknowledge that a winning effort in Jonesboro, Ark., would be another positive step in ULM's reclamation project. "Just for the very fact that we haven't had a good record against them, that's a perception game for our fans and for our people that follow our sport," Bowden said. "These games become very, very big." Under the direction of second-year head coach Butch Jones, A-State sits 1-3, 0-1 after losing 29-26 at Old Dominion last week. The Red Wolves beat Grambling in the season opener and lost to Ohio State and Memphis in non-conference games. "In terms of ULM, they challenge you," Jones said. "They're a very good football team and well coached. Schematically, they challenge you in all three phases.

"They have belief. Obviously, (ULL) was a great win for them." Arkansas State comes in averaging 32 points while allowing 30.3 points through four games. The offense generates 403.8 yards while the defense gives up 379.3 yards per game. The Red Wolves returned four starters on offense this season in tight end Emmanual Stevenson, wide receivers Jeff Foreman and Te'Vailance Hunt and center Ethan Miner. Florida State transfer James Blackman, in his second year in the program, is now the starting quarterback. A veteran with 43 career games and 34 starts under his belt, Blackman has completed 83-of-123 passes for 958 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception. Recognized on the Doak Walker Watch List, Johnnie Lang Jr. leads the ground game with 219 yards and one touchdown on 45 carries while Brian Snead has 164 yards and four scores on 39 attempts. A-State boasts a 100-yard receiver in four consecutive games for the first time since at least 2000. Diminutive 5-foot-6, 155-pound senior Champ Flemings, an Oregon State transfer, paces the Red Wolves with 20 catches for 234 yards and one touchdown. Seydou Traore, a 6-4 sophomore, has 16 catches for 231 yards and two scores. Foreman had four catches for 115 yards in the loss to ODU. Four starters are back on defense from 2021, including defensive end Kivon Bennett, linebacker Jaden Harris and cornerbacks Samy Johnson and Leon Jones. The A-State 4-3 defense has tallied 36 tackles for loss, including nine sacks, with one interception and one fumble recovery. Linebacker Melique Straker is tops on the team with 29 tackles, including five stops for losses. Linebacker Jordan Carmouche, a Houston transfer, has 29 tackles, three tackles for losses and one quarterback hurry. Defensive tackle John Mincey, who began his collegiate career at Tennessee, has at least a tackle for loss in seven of his eight games at A-State. The Red Wolves have been sharp on special teams. Punter Ray Hanson, who appears on the Ray Guy Award Watch List, leads the Sun Belt with his 45.8-yard average. Freshman kicker Dominic Zvada is a perfect 13-for-13 on PATs and 6-for-6 on FGs, including 2-of-2 from 45-plus yards. Lang was a first-team All-Sun Belt return specialist in 2021 "Every week, the games become bigger and the teams become more difficult to beat," Bowden said. "Arkansas State is very talented and has a very talented quarterback. Great team speed. Arkansas State is 1-3, but that's the way a lot of our conference starts." Warhawk connections: ULM's Jabari Johnson was Ouachita Parish High School teammates with Arkansas State junior linebacker Jaden Harris. Harris ranks fourth on the team with 16 tackles. Red Wolves report: ULM's last win in the series was 16-10 on Oct. 13, 2009 in Monroe. ULM's last win in Jonesboro was 16-7 on Nov. 17, 2001. … The Red Wolves rank second all-time in Sun Belt Conference victories with 91, four behind UL Lafayette. ULM ranks fourth with 67 Sun Belt wins. … Blackman set his career high with 30 completions in 2019 vs. ULM while still at Florida State … Sophomore cornerback Kenneth Harris is from Caldwell Parish High School in Columbia, La. He's played in 23 career games with six starts. … The teams competed in the Southland Conference from 1982-86. … Jones is 2-5 in home games since becoming the A-State head coach.
 
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