Arkansas State football faces ULM in Sun Belt opener

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Arkansas State football is 1-3 for the first time since 2022.

The numbers on defense aren’t pretty. A-State is bottom 10 in the nation in several statistics, including total yards allowed and stopping teams on 3rd down. I asked head coach Butch Jones on how he’s addressing those issues.

“It first starts with communication. First and foremost. Are we lined up properly? It’s the fundamentals and details. It’s our alignment, it’s our stances. The biggest flaw has been our eye discipline. Staring in the backfield, not putting our eyes where they need to be. We talk about see a little, see a lot. You see a lot, you see little. And when you’re trying to see everything, you don’t see anything. So you’re always a step behind. When the play is broken down, it’s been one or two people out of place, not executing their assignment. I think at times, we’re out there playing, whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams, we’re playing as independent contractors. We’re playing as just individuals instead of playing as a cohesive unit. And that’s something we’ll continue to address. The only way I know is to roll your sleeves up, work. Continue to demand. And we have good kids. We have good players, and we have good culture. They’ll be fine. We just gotta stay the course.”

It’s a wide open Sun Belt West Division. Only one team (Texas State) has a winning record. A-State is among 6 teams at or below .500. The gauntlet begins Saturday in Monroe, Louisiana.

“Really, really, really good running back corps,” Jones said about ULM. “I don’t know if we’ll face a more talented, deeper running back corps than what we’ll face Saturday. Have a chance to hit the home run. Defensively, it’s the same thing that you see on the offensive side: Physical style of play. Run to the football. Line of scrimmage dominated.”

Arkansas State submitted a Sun Belt Football Availability Report Wednesday night. DB Malik McConico, WR Nana Burris, and DB Chris Pearson are listed as out. TE Tyler Little and LB Terry Kirksey are doubtful, DL Cody Sigler is listed as questionable. The Sun Belt requires teams to release an initial report to the public three days before each conference game. A final update will be provided by 9:30am CT on gameday. Players must be designated as available, probable, questionable, doubtful or out in the initial report. The final report will list players as available, game-time decision or out.

The Sun Belt opener is also a trophy matchup. Saturday is the first game in the new Rice Bowl Rivalry. It’s a partnership between Arkansas State, ULM, and USA Rice. The name is “inspired by the miles of rice fields that lie between the universities’ campuses in Monroe, Louisiana and Jonesboro, Arkansas, which yield some of the largest rice crops in the United States.”

Arkansas State faces ULM Saturday afternoon in the conference opener. Kickoff is at 2pm. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

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