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 Texas A&M (0-0) August 30, 2008 Kyle Field (83,002) College Station, TX 6:00 p.m. Arkansas State Quick Facts Radio: Arkansas State Radio Network (KFIN 107.9 FM, flagship) Location: Jonesboro, Arkansas Enrollment: 10,869 ON TAP: Arkansas State will open its Roberts is in his seventh year at Nickname: Red Wolves 94th season of football when it travels Arkansas State after leading the Red Colors: Scarlet and Black to College State to play Texas A&M, Wolves to the 2005 Sun Belt Stadium: ASU Stadium (30,406/ProGreen) which is receiving votes in the USA Conference Championship and its most Conference: Sun Belt Head Coach: Steve Roberts (7th Year) Today Coaches’ Poll, Saturday. Every single-season wins over NCAA FBS Overall Record: 80-74-1 (15 Years) Arkansas State game can be heard live opponents in 2006. During his first six Record at ASU: 31-41 (6 Years) on 107.9 FM in the Jonesboro area and seasons as the Red Wolves’ head coach, the live radio broadcast can be accessed he guided ASU to 31 wins for its most 2008 Arkansas State Schedule through the Arkansas State athletic over a six-year span at the school since Aug. 30 at Texas A&M 6 p.m. Web site (astateredwolves.com). 1986-1991. Roberts was named the Sept. 6 Texas Southern 6 p.m. 2005 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Sept. 13 Southern Miss 6 p.m. THE PRINCIPALS: Arkansas State Year. Under Roberts, the Red Wolves Sept. 20 Middle Tennessee* 6 p.m. opens its 2008 season at Texas A&M on have had 53 All-Sun Belt Conference Sept. 27 at Memphis 1 p.m. Oct. 11 Louisiana-Monroe* (TV) 6 p.m. Aug. 30 before returning to Jonesboro selections, an Sun Belt Conference Oct. 18 at Louisiana-Lafayette* 6 p.m. to face Texas Southern in its first of Freshman of the Year, SBC Offensive Nov. 1 at No. 24 Alabama (TV) TBA three consecutive home games. The Player of the Year, SBC Defensive Nov. 8 at Florida International* 6 p.m. Red Wolves return 48 lettermen and 17 Player of the Year and SBC Newcomer Nov. 22 Florida Atlantic* (TV) 2 p.m. starters, including preseason All-Sun of the Year. Nov. 29 at North Texas* 1 p.m. Belt Conference selections Reggie Dec. 6 at Troy* (TV) 6 p.m. Arnold (Jr., RB), Alex Carrington ROBERTS CLIMBING VICTO- (Jr., DE), David Johnson (Sr., TE), RIES LADDER: In his first six sea- 2008 Texas A&M Schedule Matt Mandich (Sr., OL) and Ben sons as the Red Wolves head coach, Aug. 30 Arkansas State 6 p.m. Sept. 6 at New Mexico 4 p.m. Owens (Sr., LB). The Red Wolves are Steve Roberts already has the fifth Sept. 20 Miami (Fla.) 6 p.m. picked to finish fourth in the 2008 Sun most victories among ASU's 26 all-time Sept. 27 Army 6 p.m. Belt Conference race according to the head coaches with 31 wins. Larry Oct. 4 at Oklahoma State* TBA preseason coaches poll, released July 21 Lacewell (1979-89) holds the record for Oct. 11 Kansas State* 1 p.m. at the Sun Belt Conference Media Days. victories with 69 and is followed by Oct. 18 No. 12 Texas Tech* 1 p.m. Bennie Ellender (1963-70) with 52 Oct. 25 at Iowa State* TBA HEAD COACH STEVE ROBERTS: wins, Bill Davidson (1971-78) with 51 Nov. 1 Colorado* 1 p.m. Arkansas State head coach Steve and Forrest England (1946-53) with Nov. 8 No. 4 Oklahoma* 1 p.m. Nov. 15 at Baylor* TBA ARKANSAS STATE GAME WEEK MEDIA SCHEDULE Nov. 27 at No. 11 Texas* 7 p.m. *Big XII game All Times Central Sun., Aug. 24: Limited coaches and player availability. Contact SID. Mon., Aug. 25: Sun Belt Conf. Teleconference begins at 10:30 a.m. No practice. Radio: ASU notes package released. Also available on astateredwolves.com Arkansas State Radio Network Tue., Aug. 26: 3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Coaches and players available after practice. Wed., Aug. 27: 11:00 a.m. ASU Press Conference w/Coach Roberts. ASU Football Facility. KFIN, 107.9 FM (flagship) Sun Belt Conference television satellite feed begins at 2:15 p.m. Matt Stolz (play-by-play), Bill Keedy (analyst) 3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Coaches and players available after practice. Television: Thu., Aug. 28: 11:30 a.m. ASU Press Conference w/Coach Roberts at Little Rock’s Holiday Inn Oct. 11 vs. Louisiana-Monroe ESPN Plus Presidential Hotel (600 Interstate 30 in downtown Little Rock). Nov. 1 at Alabama CSS 3:30 p.m. practice open to the media. Last opportunity during game week for players. Nov. 22 vs. Florida Atlantic ESPN Plus Fri., Aug. 29: Travel Day. Dec. 6 at Troy ESPN Plus Sat., Aug. 30: Game Day. Coaches and players available after the game. 2008 Arkansas State Football 1 astateredwolves.com 2007 Sun Belt Standings 49. 94th SEASON ABOUT TO BEGIN: Arkansas State will kick off its 94th sea- Team Conference Overall DEBUT FOR THE RED WOLVES: son of football this week with its game Florida Atlantic*! 6 1 .857 8 5 .615 The Arkansas State football team will against Texas A&M. ASU holds a 402- Troy* 6 1 .857 8 4 .667 play its first ever game as the Red 429-37 record since the inaugural 1911 UL Monroe 4 3 .571 6 6 .500 Middle Tennessee4 3 .571 5 7 .417 Wolves Saturday. ASU changed its season and have played in seven bowl Arkansas State 3 4 .429 5 7 .417 nickname and mascot from the Indians games. UL Lafayette 3 4 .429 3 9 .250 to the Red Wolves at the conclusion of North Texas 1 6 .143 2 10 .167 the 2007-08 athletic seasons. More ROBERTS AND ASU STADIUM: Florida Int’l 1 6 .143 1 11 .083 *Sun Belt Conference co-champion information on the Red Wolves mascot Arkansas State head coach Steve !Conference representative in New Orleans Bowl and logos, as well as the change in Roberts has led the Red Wolves to a names can be found on page 171 of the 22-7 record at ASU Stadium over the 2008 Preseason All-Sun Belt 2008 ASU Football Media Guide. last six years for a .759 winning per- OFFENSE centage. Not only that, the Red Wolves QB: Rusty Smith (FAU, Jr.) THE ARKANSAS STATE - TEXAS are 13-2 at ASU Stadium over the last RB: Reggie Arnold (ASU, Jr.) A&M SERIES: Arkansas State will three seasons. RB: Tyrell Fenroy (ULL, Sr.) face the Aggies for the second time WR: Cortez Gent (FAU, FAU, Jr.) under head coach Steve Roberts and ROBERTS IN CLOSE GAMES: WR: Casey Fitzgerald (NT, Sr.) the fourth time ever when they meet in Seventh-year skipper Steve Roberts TE: David Johnson (ASU, Sr.) the season opener. The Aggies pulled has seen numerous close games during TE: Zeek Zacharie (ULM, Sr.) out a 26-11 victory over ASU at Kyle his tenure with the Red Wolves, hold- OL: Matt Mandich (ASU, Sr.) Field in 2003, the last time the two ing an 18-9 record in games decided by OL: Nick Paris (FAU, Sr.) teams met, and escaped with a narrow eight points or less (38 percent of all his OL: Chris Fisher (ULL, Jr.) 22-21 win in College Station in 1984. games). Roberts' teams have been OL: Kelvin Drake (NT, Jr.) Texas A&M collected a 38-0 home vic- especially successful recently in games OL: Dion Small (Troy, Sr.) tory in the series first game, played in decided by just one score, holding a 16- DEFENSE 1983. 6 record in its last 22 games that ended DL: Alex Carrington (ASU, Jr.) DL: Robert St. Clair (FAU, Sr.) ARKANSAS STATE vs. BIG 12: HEAD-to-HEAD DL: Jervonte Jackson (FAU, Sr.) ASU has played nine opponents that are DL: Kenny Mainor (Troy, Sr.) currently a member of the Big 12 LB: Ben Owens (ASU, Sr.) Conference, including Baylor (0-1), LB: Frantz Joseph (FAU, Sr.) Kansas (0-1), Kansas State (0-2), LB: Boris Lee (Troy, Jr.) Missouri(0-2), Oklahoma (0-2), DB: Tavious Polo (FAU, So.) Oklahoma State (0-2), Texas (0-1) and DB: Corey Small (FAU, Sr.) Texas Tech (0-1) in addition to Texas Arkansas State Texas A&M DB: Greg James (ULM, Jr.) A&M (0-3). The Red Wolves’ three 2007 RESULTS & STATS DB: Alex Suber (MT, Sr.) games against the Aggies are its most 5-7 . .Record . .7-6 DB: Sherrod Martin (Troy, Sr.) against any member of the conference. 291 . .Points . .363 DB: Tavares Williams (Troy, Sr.) The Red Wolves are 0-14 against Big 12 24.2 . .Points Avg. .27.9 SPECIAL TEAMS opponents. 243 . .First Downs . .275 P: Scott Love (ULM, Jr.) 20.3 . .First Downs Avg. .21.2 PK: Drew Edmiston (ULL, Sr.) SEASON OPENERS: The Red 38.3 . .Rushing Att. Avg. .44.3 176.0 . .Rushing Avg. .211.6 RS: Desmond Gee (MT, Jr.) Wolves dropped a tough 21-13 decision 4.6 . .Yards Per Rush . .4.8 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR to then-ranked No. 4 Texas in last 16 . .Rushing Touchdowns. .31 Rusty Smith (FAU, Jr., QB) year’s season opener.