ARKANSAS STATE FOOTBALL Jerry Scott Assistant Athletic Director / Sports Information Dir. [email protected] 870-972-3405 870-243-6021 (cell) 870-972-3367 fax GAME 1: Arkansas State (0-0) at Illinois (0-0) Sept. 3, 2011 Memorial Stadium (62,870) Champaign, Ill. 2:30 p.m. CT Radio: EAB Sports Radio Network (107.9 FM, flagship) TV: Big Ten Network (DIRECTV, Ch. 610) LIVE STATS: AStateRedWolves.com ARKANSAS STATE QUICK FACTS Location: Jonesboro, Ark. (67,263) ON TAP: Hugh Freeze will make his debut as Arkansas State’s head coach when the Red Wolves Enrollment: 13,239 open their 2011 campaign Saturday at Illinois in a Big Ten Network televised game. Every A-State Nickname: Red Wolves game can be heard live on 107.9 FM in the Jonesboro area and the live radio broadcast can be ac- Colors: Scarlet and Black cessed through the Arkansas State athletic Web site (AStateRedWolves.com). Stadium: ASU Stadium (30,406) Playing Surface: GEO Surfaces Field Turf THE PRINCIPALS: A-State is coming off a 4-8 season, but five of its eight setbacks were by a touch- Conference: Sun Belt down or less. The Red Wolves’ offense returns all of its statistical leaders from last year’s team that Head Coach: Hugh Freeze (1st Year) Record at ASU: First year ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference, and seven defensive starters are back to take part in a Overall Record: 20-5 (2 years) revamped defensive scheme installed by new defensive coordinator Dave Wommack. 2011 ARKANSAS STATE SCHEDULE HEAD COACH HUGH FREEZE: After enjoying successful stints as both a head and assistant coach at Sept. 3 at Illinois (TV) 2:30 p.m. the NCAA FBS, NAIA and high school levels over the last 18 years, Hugh Freeze was named Arkansas SEPT. 10 MEMPHIS (TV) 6:00 p.m. State’s 27th head football coach on Dec. 2, 2010. Freeze most recently completed his first season Sept. 17 at Virginia Tech (TV) 3:00 p.m. as Arkansas State’s offensive coordinator, guiding the Red Wolves’ offense to a record-breaking year SEPT. 24 CENTRAL ARKANSAS (TV) 7:00 p.m. in 2010. Oct. 1 at Western Kentucky* (TV) 3:00 p.m. Oct. 8 at Louisiana-Monroe* 6:00 p.m. OCT. 18 FIU* (TV) 7:00 p.m. THE ARKANSAS STATE-ILLINOIS SERIES: Saturday’s game will be the third meeting ever between OCT. 29 NORTH TEXAS*^ 6:00 p.m. Arkansas State and Illinois. The Red Wolves and Fighting Illini last met during the 2002 season, with Nov. 5 at Florida Atlanc* TBA Illinois winning 59-7. ASU and Illinois also met in the 1999 season opener, with Illinois prevailing NOV. 12 LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE* 2:00 p.m. 41-3. Both games were played in Champaign at Memorial Stadium. Nov. 19 at Middle Tennessee* (TV) TBA DEC. 3 TROY* 2:00 p.m. *SBC game ^Homecoming All Times Central BY THE NUMBERS . 2 touchdown receptions needed by Dwayne Frampton to tie the 10th most in school history. 2011 ILLINOIS SCHEDULE 3 points or less decided ASU’s last 2 games vs. a Big Ten foe (2 at Indiana in ‘10; 3 at Iowa in ‘09). Sept. 3 Arkansas State 2:30 p.m. 3 ASU players are on a major preseason award watch list, including the Biletnikoff, Lombardi and Rimington. Sept. 9 South Dakota State 11:00 a.m. 3 ASU players have already earned their degree -- Tom Caslaw, Demario Davis and Derek Lawson. Sept. 17 Arizona State 6:00 p.m. 4 stascal categories in which Ryan Aplin already ranks among the top 10 players in school history. Sept. 24 Western Michigan TBA 4 offensive linemen on the current ASU roster that transferred to ASU as part of its 2011 signing class. Oct. 1 Northwestern* 11:00 a.m. 5 preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selecons the most since 2009. Oct. 8 at Indiana* TBA 5.6 career rushing yards per aempt by Derek Lawson -- the fourth highest in school history. Oct. 15 Ohio State* TBA 6 home games are on ASU’s 2011 schedule -- the most since 2007. Oct. 22 at Purdue* 11:00 a.m. 9 offensive school records broken by the ASU offense last season under then OC Hugh Freeze. Oct. 29 at Penn State* TBA 15 recepons needed by Dwayne Frampton to e the 10th most in school history. Nov. 12 Michigan* TBA 16 players have been named All-Sun Belt Conference by at least one preseason publicaon. Nov. 19 Wisconsin* TBA 26 seniors are on the ASU roster, including 12 redshirt seniors. Nov. 26 at Minnesota* TBA 35 current ASU players named to the latest SBC Commissioner’s List or Academic Honor Roll. *Big Ten game All Times Central 36 recepons needed by Allen Muse to e the 10th most in school history. RADIO: 57 redshirt players on the current ASU roster. EAB Sports Radio Network 97 A-State football will kick off its 97th season in 2011. KFIN, 107.9 FM (Flagship) 146 kickoff return yards needed by Rod Hall to become the ninth player in school history to post 1,000 yards. Matt Stolz (play-by-play), Bill Keedy (analyst) 551 rushing yards needed by Derek Lawson to become the 12th player in school history to record 2,000. TELEVISION: 907 career receiving yards by Taylor Stockemer -- the most among current players on the ASU roster. Big Ten Network (DIRECTV, Ch. 610) Tom Hart (play-by-play) Chris Martin (analyst) Rebecca Haarlow (sideline) ARKANSAS STATE GAME WEEK MEDIA SCHEDULE Monday, Aug. 29.............Sun Belt weekly teleconference begins at 10:30 a.m. (Coach Freeze @ 10:44 a.m.). 2011 ASU TELEVISION SCHEDULE: 1:00 p.m. press conference with head coach Hugh Freeze (ASU Football Facility, 3rd floor). Sept. 3 at Illinois . Big Ten Network Sun Belt Conference television highlight/interview package available on FTP. Sept. 10 vs. Memphis . ESPN3 Tuesday, Aug. 30..........3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Coaches and players available after practice. Sept. 17 at Virginia Tech . Fox Sports Net Wednesday, Aug. 31....3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Coaches and players available after practice. Sept. 24 vs. UCA. KATV-7 Thursday, Sept. 1 .........3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Coaches and players available after practice. Oct. 1 at Western Kentucky . Sun Belt Network Friday, Sept. 2 ..............................................................................................Travel Day. No player availability. Oct. 18 vs. Florida International . ESPN2 Saturday, Sept. 3...................................................Game Day. Coaches and players available after the game. Nov. 19 at Middle Tennessee . ESPN3 Sunday, Sept. 4...............................Closed practice. Contact ASU Sports Information to arrange interviews. 2011 Arkansas State Football 1 AStateRedWolves.com 2011 ARKANSAS STATE FOOTBALL NOTES: AT ILLINOIS, SEPT. 3 2010 SUN BELT STANDINGS A-STATE vs. THE BIG TEN: Arkansas State is 0-5 A-STATE INDIVIDUAL CAREER RECORDS Conference Overall all-time against Big Ten opponents, but have Team W L Pct. W L Pct. been close to breaking into the win column the TOTAL OFFENSE Troy 6 2 .750 8 5 .615 last two years. The Red Wolves dropped a 24-21 Yards Years FIU 6 2 .750 7 6 .538 decision to No. 13 Iowa in 2009 and most re- 1. Corey Leonard 8,887 2006-09 Middle Tennessee 5 3 .625 6 7 .462 cently fell by just two points, 36-34, at Indiana 2. Cleo Lemon 7,309 1997-2000 ULM 4 4 .500 5 7 .417 last year. Illinois claimed a pair of victories 3. Roy Johnson 6,779 1988-91 Arkansas State 4 4 .500 4 8 .333 against ASU in 2002 and 1999 and Minnesota 4. James Hamilton 5,764 1968-71 Florida Atlantic 3 5 .375 4 8 .333 5. Dwane Brown 5,672 1984-87 topped A-State 17-14 in 1998. North Texas 3 5 .375 3 9 .250 6. Nick Noce 4,841 2003-05 UL Lafayette 3 5 .375 3 9 .250 7. Ryan Aplin 4,558 2009-cur. WKU 2 6 .250 2 10 .167 ON THIS DATE: ASU has played just four times on Sept. 3 and holds a 2-2 record in those games, PASS ATTEMPTS 2011 PRESEASON ALLSUN BELT winning its first two before dropping the last two. No. Years OFFENSE A-State first played on the date in 1983, picking 1. Cleo Lemon 1,128 1997-2000 Corey Robinson (Troy, So., QB) up a 31-0 win over Tennessee-Martin in its sea- 2. Corey Leonard 1,088 2006-09 Lance Dunbar (NT, Sr., RB) son opener. ASU also knocked off Delta State by 3. Johnny Covington 824 1992-95 4. James Hamilton 799 1968-71 Bobby Rainey (WKU, Sr., RB) a 28-15 score on the date in its 1988 debut. The 5. Roy Johnson 680 1988-91 Dwayne Frampton (ASU, Sr., WR) Red Wolves two setbacks on Sept. 3 came T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Sr., WR) 6. Nick Noce 638 2003-05 against Virginia Tech in 1994 (34-7) and Missouri Luther Ambrose (ULM, Sr., WR) 7. Ryan Aplin 528 2009-cur. Ladarius Green (ULL, Sr., TE) in 2005 (44-17). Tom Castilaw (ASU, Sr. OL) PASS COMPLETIONS Caylin Hauptmann (FIU, Jr., OL) AN A-STATE VICTORY WOULD . .: Improve its No. Years Ryan McCaul (ULM, Sr., OL) record in season openers to 3-1 over the last four 1. Corey Leonard 571 2006-09 Matt Tomlinson (NT, Sr., OL) years . Snap a seven-game non-conference skid 2. Cleo Lemon 551 1997-2000 3. Johnny Covington 409 1992-95 James Brown (Troy, Sr., OL) .