In 2012, my brother Rex Steele and I managed to secure some specialty tickets in the South End Zone complex for the Red Wolves conference opener. Aside from the novelty, they were not great tickets for watching a football game – the tunnel vision made it difficult to gauge distance. It was easy to confuse a four yard gain for a 20-yard play. But I was completely stoked nonetheless. A special season awaited.
Like this season, Arkansas State started 2-2 with losses to Oregon and Nebraska. (A chief difference: the Red Wolves defeated Memphis.) The conference opener opponent was Western Kentucky, led by running back Antonio Andrews. He’d put 171 yards on A-State in a 26-13 victory over Gus Malzahn’s squad. I was crestfallen. All the hype! All the promises! The result? Thirteen points against the damn Hilltoppers and a miserable 2-3 record.
The Red Wolves wouldn’t lose a game the remainder of the season, punctuated by a season ender with Middle Tennessee that resulted in a 45-0 destruction of the Blue Raiders. I’m not sure why I bring up this anecdote: it ain’t 2012. Everything is different now. But the past gives me hope.
Jared Hollins is Your South Alabama Quarterback
It was returning starter Bishop Davenport who was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List in the preseason, and it was Davenport who opened the season by leading the huddle against Southeast Louisiana and Tulane, but it’s junior signal caller Jared Hollins who calls the shots now.
Davenport (who was dinged in the game against Tulane) has the feet to move the chains, but Hollins bears some down-field throwing skills that head coach (and former quarterback) Major Applewhite finds intriguing. Since assuming the reins, Hollins (6’4″, 210) has thrown for 779 yards and six touchdowns, with half of that production coming off a three touchdown performance over the Warhawks on Saturday.
That South Alabama Defense is Not Great
Six weeks into the season, only Southern Miss and ULM feature worse Sun Belt defenses than the Jaguars. Much of that trouble can be traced back to injuries. South Alabama lists nine defensive players on the Sun Belt Injury Report, including starting LB Tirrell Johnson, starting DL Emmanuel Waller, starting LB Caleb Dozier and back-up defensive back DJ Moore. As a result, South Bama is surrendering more than 31 points per game, pressuring the offense to find the end zone on nearly every possession.
It’s a Different but Same A-State Offense
For several seasons now, the Red Wolves offense played at a no-huddle, breakneck speed which resulted in either a fast score or (unfortunately) a quick three-and out. Under Garrett Altman, the offense takes a more measured approach, huddling up and turning to more pages in the playbook. The result has been fewer three-and-outs (26.1% in 2025 versus 13.6% in 2026) and longer drives: in the Red Wolves’ two wins, time of possession averaged 32 minutes.
However, scoring points continues to be a challenge for the A-State offense that often finds itself settling for field goals after marching into enemy territory. It’s difficult to pin down the issue – sometimes it’s miscommunication, sometimes it’s failure of execution, and sometimes it’s a questionable play call. It all feels repairable.
The Red Wolves Miss Kenyon Clay
Freshman running back Solomon Baggett has been a fresh-baked addition to the Red Wolves offense, putting the A-State run game on his young shoulders. He’s excellent at hitting open holes, but he still bears a freshman’s downfield vision – breakaway plays have been left on the table.
In this regard, Kenyon Clay’s experience is greatly missed, along with his dynamic pass-catching ability. At the time of this writing, Clay’s availability is “questionable” for Thursday. Should he find himself ready to play, Clay (along with Baggett & Friends) should find plenty of yards against a South Alabama trench that has lost a great deal of talent.
The Defense Miss Too Many Tackles Against the Cajuns
By the end of Saturday night’s contest with Louisiana, the Cajuns were busting through Red Wolves like the defenders were made of Styrofoam. Coming into the season, we knew the A-State defense was a bit light and inexperienced, and it’s becoming clear that the squad isn’t built to protect a slender lead in the waning seconds of the game. Hopefully, Griff McCarley will emphasis tackling technique leading up to Thursday’s game.
Jaguar to Jail: Senior Running Back PJ Martin
South Alabama may like Hollins’ downfield passing ability, but the man to bottle might be Martin, the 5’10” 210lb back who’s found pay dirt five times this season. The Cajuns wore out Arkansas State with relentless running in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Look for Martin to be relied on for some battering ramming.
The Final Analysis
The South Alabama offense is trouble. The connection between Hollins and wide receiver Anthony Eager was on frightening display – 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the last three games, the Jaguars are averaging 201 yards on the ground. We’ve seen good ground games grind the Red Wolves.
However, Arkansas State has a real opportunity to control the game on offense with their own run game, methodically gobbling yards while picking up bigger yards with the pass – the Warhawks’ Aiden Armenta threw for 355 yards on that struggling Jaguars defense. The Red Wolves love one-score games: they’ve played the most since 2024. But this is a game that the Red Wolves will have to provide a two score cushion. That’s the challenge the Red Wolves must accept.
IMAGE: It’s a composite of my own