ARKANSAS STATE ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS MAIN PHONE: 870-972-2541 | FAX: 870-972-3367 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1000, State University, AR 72467 OVERNIGHT ADDRESS: 217 Olympic Dr., Jonesboro, AR 72401 Assoc. AD/SID: Jerry Sco | jsco @astate.edu | 870-972-3405 (offi ce) | 870-243-6021 (cell) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 & 2016 SUN BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS ‘19 & ‘17 Camellia Bowl | ‘18 Arizona Bowl | ‘16 Cure Bowl | ‘05 & ‘15 New Orleans Bowl | 2012-15 GoDaddy Bowl ARKANSAS STATE QUICK FACTS GAME 1: Arkansas State (0-0) hosts Central Arkansas (0-0) Loca on: Jonesboro, Ark. | Enrollment: 13,843 Sept. 4, 2021 | Centennial Bank Stadium Nickname: Red Wolves | Colors: Scarlet & Black Stadium: Centennial Bank Stadium Jonesboro, Ark. | 6:00 p.m. Field: Allison Field Radio: EAB Red Wolves Sports Network (107.9 FM, fl agship) Playing Surface: GEO Surfaces Field Turf MaƩ Stolz (pxp), Phillip BuƩ erfi eld (analyst), JC Cox (sideline) Conference: Sun Belt Television: ESPN3 Head Coach: Butch Jones Brad Bobo (pxp), Pete Cordelli (analyst), Cori Keller (sideline) Record at A-State: 0-0 (1st year) Live Stats: AStateStats.com Overall Record: 84-54 (11 years) Live Game Notes: twi er.com/AStateGameDay Assistant Coaches: ON TAP: Arkansas State is set to kickoff its all- me head football coach on December Asst. HC/Defensive Coord. ..............Rob Harley 2021 season Saturday, Sept. 4, with a 6:00 12, 2020. Jones not only brings 11 years of Off ensive Coord./QBs ...........Keith Heckendorf p.m. home game at Centennial Bank Stadium head-coaching experience at the NCAA FBS OL/Run Game Coord. ............Ma Limegrover against FCS member Central Arkansas. level with him to Jonesboro a er previous Special Teams Coord. .....................Curt Baldus stops leading the football programs at Ten- Running Backs .................................Ryan Aplin THE PRINCIPALS: Arkansas State is set to nessee (2013-17), Cincinna (2010-12) and Secondary ................................. Dalton Hilliard play its fi rst season under new head coach Central Michigan (2007-09), but he also spent Defensive Line ......................... Brandon Joiner Butch Jones, who was tabbed to lead the the last three seasons (2018-20) working as Tight Ends .......................................Andy Kwon Red Wolves’ program this past December. part of Nick Saban’s staff at na onal-power Wide Receivers ..............................Derrick Le A-State’s 31st all- me head coach takes over Alabama. During Jones’ 11 seasons serving Linebackers .....................................Jon Shalala a program that posted a 4-7 record in 2020, as a head coach, his teams combined to win but had previously posted nine consecu ve four conference championships, played in 2021 ARKANSAS STATE SCHEDULE bowl-game appearances and won fi ve Sun eight bowl games and fi nished ranked in the S. 4 CENTRAL ARKANSAS (ESPN3) 6 p.m. S. 11 MEMPHIS (ESPN+) 6 p.m. Belt Conference championships between AP Top 25 fi ve mes. He has coached a com- S. 18 at Washington (Pac-12 Net) 3:15 p.m. 2011-19. bined 77 all-conference honorees and 27 NFL S. 25 at Tulsa TBA Dra picks. O. 2 at Georgia Southern* 3:00 p.m. HEAD COACH BUTCH JONES: Butch Jones O. 7 COASTAL CAROLINA* (ESPNU) 6:30 p.m. was announced as the Red Wolves’ 31st DEBUT GAMES: Just 11 of Arkansas State’s O. 21 LOUISIANA* (ESPNU) 6:30 p.m. O. 30 at South Alabama* TBA BY THE NUMBERS... N. 6 APPALACHIAN STATE*^ TBA 1 of just two all- me programs to win fi ve Sun Belt Conference championships. N. 13 at ULM* TBA 2 consecu ve home games to start the season for the fi rst me since 1987. N. 20 at Georgia State* TBA 5 Sun Belt Conference tles (2011-13, 2015, 2016) over the last 10 seasons (2011-20). N. 27 TEXAS STATE* TBA 9 straight winning seasons and bowl-game appearances from 2011-19. D. 4 Sun Belt Conf. Championship TBA 11 all- me Sun Belt Conference Team Academic Awards, including four of the last fi ve years. *Sun Belt game ^Homecoming All Times Central 13 victories posted by A-State over its last 16 home-opening games. 2021 CENTRAL ARKANSAS SCHEDULE 16 consecu ve seasons with a winning record at Centennial Bank Stadium (2005-20). S. 4 at Arkansas State 6:00 p.m. 16 victories by A-State over its last 17 games played against an FCS opponent. S. 11 at Missouri State 7:00 p.m. 39 passing touchdowns in 2020 by A-State was a school & Sun Belt record & the 3rd most in the na on. S. 18 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 6:00 p.m. 58 Sun Belt Conference victories over the last 10 (2011-20) seasons (58-23 league record). S. 25 SAM HOUSTON 4:00 p.m. 79 victories by A-State over the last 10 seasons (2011-20) ranks ed for the 29th most in the na on. O. 2 at Abilene Chris an 6:00 p.m. 90 all- me Sun Belt victories by A-State -- the most in the history of the league by any program. O. 16 EASTERN KENTUCKY 4:00 p.m. 310 receiving yards by Corey Rucker in A-State’s last game of 2020 were the most ever by an FBS freshman. O. 23 at Lamar 6:00 p.m. 364.4 passing yards per game last season by A-State was the 2nd highest average in the na on. O. 30 at Jacksonville State 1:00 p.m. 488.9 yards total off ense per game last season was the 14th highest average in the na on. N. 6 TEXAS WESLEYAN 4:00 p.m. N. 13 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 4:00 p.m. ARKANSAS STATE MEDIA SCHEDULE N. 20 at Tarleton State 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, A. 31 .......................................................12:30 p.m. press conference w/HC Butch Jones All Times Central Post-prac ce media availability. Open media periods TBA. Wednesday, S. 1 ................................. Post-prac ce media availability. Open media periods TBA. 7:00 p.m. Live with the Red Wolves radio program (Lost Pizza Co., Jonesboro). Saturday, S. 4 .................................Game Day. Coach Jones and players available a er the game. Sunday, S. 5..........................10:35 p.m. Red Wolves Coaches Show w/HC Butch Jones (KAIT-ABC) Mon., S. 7 ............. SBC Weekly teleconference begins at 10:30 a.m. (Coach Jones at 11:05 a.m.). 2021 ARKANSAS STATE FOOTBALL 1 AStateRedWolves.com 2021 ARKANSAS STATE FOOTBALL NOTES: vs UCA 2021 SUN BELT STANDINGS fi rst 30 all- me head coaches claimed a vic- HEAD-TO-HEAD tory in their fi rst ever game at the school. Conference Overall West Each of the two head coaches (Blake An- Arkansas State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 derson and Bryan Harsin) immediately pre- Louisiana 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 ceding Butch Jones won their ini al games, ULM 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 but Harsin in 2013 was actually the fi rst to South Alabama 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 do so since Larry Lacewell in 1979, snap- Texas State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 ping a streak of seven head coaches to drop Arkansas State (2020) UCA (2020) 4-7 ...................... Record ....................5-4 East their debuts. A-State’s head coaches to win Appalachian State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 their fi rst game at the school include Ander- 32.9................ Points Avg. .............32.3 Coastal Carolina 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 son (2014), Harsin, Lacewell, Bill Davidson 488.9............ Total Off . Avg. .........362.6 Georgia Southern 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 (1971), Gene Harlow (1955), Glen Harmeson 124.5............. Rushing Avg. ..........114.0 Georgia State 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 364.4............. Passing Avg. ..........248.6 Troy 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 (1954), Bill Adams (1939), Jack Dale (1931), Bill Stanley (1924), Foy Hammons (1919) and 40% .............. 3rd Down Pct. ...........34% 2021 PRESEASON SBC COACHES POLL Clint Young (1913). 50% ........... 4th Down Pct. ........ 50% EAST DIVISION: T1. Coastal Carolina (6): 44 points | T1. 28:42 ............. TOP/Game ...........27:43 Appalachian State (4): 44 points | 3. Georgia State: 24 THE ARKANSAS STATE - UCA SERIES: Satur- 37.2............Scoring Defense ......... 29.0 points | 4. Georgia Southern: 20 points | 5. Troy: 18 day’s game will mark the second consecu ve 470.1............Total Defense ......... 387.6 points year A-State and UCA have played each other 156.1............ Rush Defense .........162.9 a er the Red Wolves claimed a 50-27 victo- WEST DIVISION: 1. Louisiana (9): 49 points | 2. Arkansas 314.0............ Pass Defense ......... 224.7 ry at Centennial Bank Stadium last season. State (1): 38 points | 3. South Alabama: 27 points | 4. 20-157 ......... Sack by-Yards .......26-182 Texas State: 25 points | 5. ULM: 11 points A-State and UCA have played 26 mes since -4 .............. Turnover Margin ............ +4 1916, but will meet for just the sixth me 19.8............Kick Return Avg. ......... 23.8 since 1947. The Bears hold a 13-11-2 lead 2021 PRESEASON ALL-SUN BELT TEAMS 1.8............. Punt Return Avg. ........ 11.0 Preseason Off ensive POY: Grayson McCall (CCU, So., QB) in the series, but have won just one of the 39.4.............. Avg. Per Punt ........... 37.2 Preseason Defensive POY: Carlton Mar al (Troy, Jr., LB) last nine mee ngs. The Red Wolves stand 56.5.......... Penalty Yards Avg. ....... 49.9 8-6 all- me versus UCA in games played in FIRST TEAM OFFENSE Jonesboro. son-opening wins since moving to FBS status QB: Grayson McCall - CCU (RS So.) | RB: Camerun Peo- ples - App St. (Jr.), Des n Coates - Ga. St. (Sr.) | OL: Baer include: Hunter - App St.