When head coach Blake Anderson left for Utah State after the 2020 season, it felt like a good move for everyone. The team was coming off a 4-7 Covid season, its one highlight a victory over Kansas State. But it had been a good stint in Jonesboro, overall. As A-State head coach, Anderson had taken the Red Wolves to six bowl games (of which he won two) and delivered a pair of SBC championships. He hooked Arkansas State fans on a sugar rush of scoring, putting guys like Freddie Knighten and Justice Hansen behind center and letting them cook. The Fainting Goat provided the university with an odd mix of shame and fame – a brand of reckless fun which, at times, could either be breathtakingly effective or painfully catastrophic.

But with Anderson’s success came the yang of worrisome trends. The locker room was getting smaller and slower while the rest of the Sun Belt was getting faster, bigger and dabbling with playing good defense. Anderson’s mantra of “faith, family and fun” was fine when the program was winning, but it seemed unserious once opponents began to pull ahead. When Utah State called, fans offered Anderson a heartfelt farewell. He needed a break from us, and we wanted a change from him.

Six seasons later, Blake Anderson is back as a head coach in the Sun Belt, this time building a team in Hattiesburg almost from scratch. When Charlie Huff left after one season for Memphis, he took most of Southern Miss’ defense and a chunk of its offense with him. What he left was his OC, Blake Anderson.

Like Too Many SBC Programs, Southern Miss is Missing Defense

For a burst of time, it seemed that the Sun Belt was all-in on fielding great defenses. Them days are over. Perhaps it’s a sign that NIL and unlimited transfer has offered SBC coaches a dismal choice: you can have offense, you can have defense, but you can’t afford both. Of the five worst defenses in FBS football, three are Sun Belt: Marshall, Southern Miss and ULM.

The Golden Eagles give up about 475 yards a game and nearly 35 points per contest. Statistically they’re better at stopping the pass than the run, but that may be because more opponents chose to run on Southern Miss than throw. They don’t deliver many sacks (though they’ve recorded more than Arkansas State, who is dead last in that department) and they don’t force many turnovers.

Basically, Arkansas State is receiving another round of South Alabama’s defense.

Another Southern Miss Similarity to South Alabama: Tulane

Earlier in the season, Tulane defeated South Alabama 28-24. A couple weeks later, the Green Wave dumped Southern Miss 24-21. (The defending American champion has yet to win against any opponent that doesn’t belong to the SBC.) That both the Jaguars and the Golden Eagles held Tulane to under thirty is either telling on Tulane or revealing about South Alabama and Southern Miss – the latter being that maybe both SBC teams can play defense when confronted with the right offense.

The Red Wolves Can, When Triggered, Play Some Offense

After five weeks of dilly-dallying on offense, the Red Wolves finally put up explosive numbers in their loss to South Alabama – 516 total yards and seven touchdowns, to be exact. Were it not for Trey Owens’ three ugly turnovers, the Red Wolves QB likely would have contended for SBC Player of the Week.

Still, it was heartening to see Hunter Summers become Owens’ main man, freeing Chauncy Cobb to do his mysterious magic. It was also good to have the experience of Kenyon Clay at running back, providing a punishing added layer along with freshman Solomon Baggett & Company. Was the Jaguars outburst an anomaly or an awakening?

Red Wolves Defense Has Some Work to Do

“We have to find a way to make more stops,” said head coach Butch Jones during Monday’s presser. Against South Alabama, the Red Wolves managed to force a turnover and a pair of punts, but for the most part the Jaguars’ offense did whatever they wanted. Some of the problem is fundamentals – missed assignments and poor tackling. Some is simply DC Griff McCauley forced to work with the clay that is offered. However, McCauley has done well in finding ways to make his guys effective.

Eagle to Clip: Senior Wide Receiver Mario Sanders

An Illinois transfer, Sanders is on a tear, recording four touchdowns and 171 receiving yards his last two games – cementing himself as Landry Lyddy’s go-to guy.

The Final Anlaysis

For the second week in a row, the Red Wolves will face a poor defense coupled by a capable offense. South Alabama certainly offers lessons and even a few affirmations – Arkansas State can unleash the offense. As for the defense, the great philosopher Warren Sapp once said “it is what it is.” On Saturday, the Golden Eagles will deliver a heavy dose of running backs Steven Robinson and Jamarice Wilder, and the Red Wolves defense will have to prove they can stop them before Southern Miss turns to Landry Lyddy’s arm.

If the Red Wolves stop the run, they get the win.

IMAGE: Something I cobbled together