Conference road test awaits Indians
Arkansas State hasn?t been in this position since it joined the Sun Belt Conference.
The Indians are in the thick of a conference race, one game back of first-place Louisiana-Monroe and fighting to earn their first bowl bid as a Division I-A team. They?ve won all four of their games at Indian Stadium and they?re coming off back-to-back last-play victories on field goals by placekicker Eric Neihouse.
The road to the New Orleans Bowl, though, takes a sharp curve today in Murfreesboro, Tenn., when the Indians visit Middle Tennessee State. Kickoff at Floyd Stadium is 4 p.m.
MTSU (2-4 overall, 1-2 Sun Belt) has been a nemesis for the Indians in recent years. The Blue Raiders lead the overall series 5-1, including back-to-back victories over ASU.
Last year?s 45-17 defeat at Middle Tennessee, which included 551 yards offense by the Blue Raiders, was a demoralizing loss that essentially knocked ASU out of the Sun Belt race. This time, there?s much on the line, but ASU coach Steve Roberts isn?t using the past for motivation today.
?We have never been a football team that has used the past to motivate us for the future as much as I think a lot of teams do,? Roberts said. ?As far as our players are concerned, the ones that were there, I?m sure that they have a lot of motivating factors that occurred during the course of that ballgame.?
Arkansas State?s bread and butter this season has been its rushing attack, while Middle Tennessee?s has been its defense, especially stopping the run.
ASU tailback Antonio Warren, who missed 21/2 games with a high ankle sprain, and Shermar Bracey, who sat out against Florida Atlantic with a sore knee, have combined to carry for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns.
The two have participated in practice all week and will be ready for MTSU, according to Roberts.
?We?re probably as healthy as we?ve been since the third or fourth ballgame of the season at running back,? Roberts said. ?Both of those guys are looking very good in practice. I can?t see any limitations on either one of them at this point.?
MTSU coach Andy McCollum said the Blue Raiders are well aware of both ASU running backs.
?Both are physical, talented, have game-breaking speed and have played a lot of games,? McCollum said. ?We have to keep them from making big plays.?
Having success running the football against Middle Tennessee?s defense could be much more difficult than it has been in any other game this season for the Indians. MTSU?s rushing defense is ranked 36th in the country, allowing just 127 yards a game.
Overall, the Blue Raiders lead the Sun Belt in total defense, yielding 327 yards to their opponents.
Roberts said the Indians must establish the running game to pick up their fourth win in five conference games.
?We?ve got to be able to run the football,? Roberts said. ?We?ve told our team all week that the team that is the toughest and the team with most discipline is the team that is going to win this game.?
Passing was the name of the game last year.
MTSU quarterback Clint Marks completed 30-of-34 attempts for 447 yards and four touchdowns against ASU last year. Marks threw for a season-high 218 yards in his last game, connecting on 19-of-24 attempts as he regained some of his form of 2004, when he set the school?s single-season passing record.
Without his favorite targets from last season, Marks has turned to senior Cleannord Saintil. Saintil leads MTSU with 34 catches for 428 yards, including 16 receptions in his last two games.
?Clint Marks, we know firsthand with him how hot he can get,? Roberts recalled. ?He had a tremendous year last year in his completion percentage and a lot of that was due to how well he played against us.?
Middle Tennessee, which upset Vanderbilt 17-15 to end the Commodore?s 4-0 start, is one of the weaker running teams in the Sun Belt. The Blue Raiders average just 108 yards a game on the ground, led by junior Eugene Gross, who has 452 yards and six TDs on 115 carries.
The difference in the Blue Raiders? attack this year is a switch from a full-time one-back set to more of a multiple style. Roberts said he expects MTSU to try to out-slug his team in the trenches.
?Offensively, they have really become much more multiple in what they do,? Roberts explained ?... Now they are more balanced, probably 50-50 with the I formations. Their No. 1 formation is the straight I backfield with a tight end in the ballgame and two wide receivers. They pound the football at you.?
Middle Tennessee?s defense is led by junior linebacker J.K. Sabb, who has a team-best 38 tackles. Other standouts include senior linebacker Dennis Burke and senior noseguard Jeff Littlejohn.
While the Blue Raiders have proven to be very strong up front defensively, the secondary hasn?t performed up to expectations. MTSU has allowed an average of 200 yards a game through the air.
Penalties and turnovers have been MTSU?s downfall. The Blue Raiders lost a close Sun Belt game to North Texas when they committed five turnovers and then another close game to Louisiana-Lafayette when they had 11 penalties for 126 yards.
While ASU is perfect at Indian Stadium this season, Middle Tennessee is still searching for its first win at home.
?It is frustrating we can?t take care of our business at home,? Marks said. ?We just aren?t playing well at home. We just have to change that this week.?
Roberts admitted he?d much rather have the game in Jonesboro than in Murfreesboro, but his biggest concern is whether the Indians can move the football against a strong Blue Raiders defense.
?They are very stingy,? Roberts said ?They play with a lot of discipline and have a great scheme and are very talented athletes. We?ll have to do some things well offensively to have a chance to put some points on the board.?
