It?s been three years since Arkansas State last beat the Troy Trojans.
Some of the Red Wolves were redshirt freshmen. Most weren?t even on the team.
For ASU?s seniors, this weekend?s Sun Belt Conference opener with league-favorite Troy is one final opportunity to even the score with a program that has stuck it to the Red Wolves the last couple of years. Arkansas State and Troy open Sun Belt play Saturday afternoon at ASU Stadium.
Troy (1-2) has won two straight over Arkansas State after the Red Wolves won five of the first six meetings, including the first three Sun Belt matchups. Last year?s 35-9 setback in Troy, Ala., was a difficult pill to swallow for many of the Red Wolves, who could have claimed a share of the SBC title and earned a New Orleans Bowl trip with a victory.
?Last year we got beat as a whole team,? fifth-year senior defensive end Alex Carrington recalled. ?They outplayed us, out-schemed us and all of that good stuff. We went into that last game and we just weren?t focused enough. We didn?t have enough sense of urgency for whatever it took to win.?
ASU (1-1) turned the ball over three times and trailed by as many as 35-2 before scoring a late touchdown for its first offensive score in two years against the Trojans.
But the Red Wolves wasted several scoring opportunities, including a fumble deep in Troy territory and two missed field goals. They also turned the ball over on downs at the Troy 1-yard line midway through the third quarter.
Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts, who owns a 3-2 record against Troy with the Red Wolves, is a firm believer last year?s game was much closer than the score.
?There were tons of plays to be made that we just didn?t make,? Roberts remembered. ?We had several opportunities to put the ball in the end zone and put points on the board and we just didn?t cash in. When you have those opportunities, you?ve got to make the most of them, regardless of who you are playing.?
Last year?s outcome was much like the matchup from the year before when Troy shut out Arkansas State 27-0 in Jonesboro. In the last two games, Troy has outscored ASU 62-9.
Arkansas State running back Reggie Arnold said the Trojans have gotten the best of the Red Wolves the last two times. But that doesn?t mean it will happen this weekend.
?Two years ago was the first time they actually had beat us since we have been playing them, so the tides have turned,? the fifth-year senior said. ?They?ve won two ballgames in a row but that happens in conference play. I wouldn?t say they?re a splinter in our side or anything. We just need to play up to our potential. This is a new year so we will go out and see what we?ve got.?
ASU quarterback Corey Leonard has had it especially difficult in the Red Wolves? last two losses to Troy.
Leonard, also a fifth-year senior, threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble on an exchange with Arnold at the Troy 4-yard line in last year?s loss. He threw two picks in the loss two years ago after guiding ASU to a victory the year before as a freshman.
Roberts is hoping his Preseason Sun Belt Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year has a better game this time around. He acknowledged that Leonard struggled in the loss last season.
?We didn?t play well at quarterback last year, didn?t play well at a couple other positions, but were able to move the football,? Roberts said. ?We were able to get some stops. We weren?t able to stick it in the end zone when we had some opportunities. Obviously that will be critical this week, to cash in on the opportunities.?
With seven starters back on offense, including senior quarterback Levi Brown, Troy doesn?t look a whole lot different than last year?s team that won the league and played in the New Orleans Bowl. The Trojans were the coaches? preseason choice to win the league again this year.
Roberts was one of the coaches who voted for Troy to repeat as Sun Belt champs.
?They are very, very similar (to last year?s team),? Roberts said. ?The thing that jumps out at you when you watch Troy is the speed that they have. They have speed all over the field at every position. They?ve got eight or nine wideouts that can really, really run. They get the ball to those guys in space and they are good enough to make you miss and make big plays.?
The last time Arkansas State defeated Troy was 2006, when the Red Wolves pulled off a stunning 33-26 win on the road. The loss was the Trojans? only defeat in Sun Belt Conference action that year.
Carrington didn?t even play that night. Leonard and Arnold started as redshirt freshmen.
As he prepares for another meeting with the Trojans, Arnold said the Red Wolves? recent struggles with them are a thing of the past.
?For me, it?s a new year,? Arnold said. ?You can?t hang your hat on what happened last year. It?s a new beginning for us. We?re a new Red Wolf team, and we?ve got a chance to do something special this year. Troy is on our schedule just like they would be any year. We?ve just got to go out and play to our best potential like we would any ballgame.?
Some of the Red Wolves were redshirt freshmen. Most weren?t even on the team.
For ASU?s seniors, this weekend?s Sun Belt Conference opener with league-favorite Troy is one final opportunity to even the score with a program that has stuck it to the Red Wolves the last couple of years. Arkansas State and Troy open Sun Belt play Saturday afternoon at ASU Stadium.
Troy (1-2) has won two straight over Arkansas State after the Red Wolves won five of the first six meetings, including the first three Sun Belt matchups. Last year?s 35-9 setback in Troy, Ala., was a difficult pill to swallow for many of the Red Wolves, who could have claimed a share of the SBC title and earned a New Orleans Bowl trip with a victory.
?Last year we got beat as a whole team,? fifth-year senior defensive end Alex Carrington recalled. ?They outplayed us, out-schemed us and all of that good stuff. We went into that last game and we just weren?t focused enough. We didn?t have enough sense of urgency for whatever it took to win.?
ASU (1-1) turned the ball over three times and trailed by as many as 35-2 before scoring a late touchdown for its first offensive score in two years against the Trojans.
But the Red Wolves wasted several scoring opportunities, including a fumble deep in Troy territory and two missed field goals. They also turned the ball over on downs at the Troy 1-yard line midway through the third quarter.
Arkansas State coach Steve Roberts, who owns a 3-2 record against Troy with the Red Wolves, is a firm believer last year?s game was much closer than the score.
?There were tons of plays to be made that we just didn?t make,? Roberts remembered. ?We had several opportunities to put the ball in the end zone and put points on the board and we just didn?t cash in. When you have those opportunities, you?ve got to make the most of them, regardless of who you are playing.?
Last year?s outcome was much like the matchup from the year before when Troy shut out Arkansas State 27-0 in Jonesboro. In the last two games, Troy has outscored ASU 62-9.
Arkansas State running back Reggie Arnold said the Trojans have gotten the best of the Red Wolves the last two times. But that doesn?t mean it will happen this weekend.
?Two years ago was the first time they actually had beat us since we have been playing them, so the tides have turned,? the fifth-year senior said. ?They?ve won two ballgames in a row but that happens in conference play. I wouldn?t say they?re a splinter in our side or anything. We just need to play up to our potential. This is a new year so we will go out and see what we?ve got.?
ASU quarterback Corey Leonard has had it especially difficult in the Red Wolves? last two losses to Troy.
Leonard, also a fifth-year senior, threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble on an exchange with Arnold at the Troy 4-yard line in last year?s loss. He threw two picks in the loss two years ago after guiding ASU to a victory the year before as a freshman.
Roberts is hoping his Preseason Sun Belt Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year has a better game this time around. He acknowledged that Leonard struggled in the loss last season.
?We didn?t play well at quarterback last year, didn?t play well at a couple other positions, but were able to move the football,? Roberts said. ?We were able to get some stops. We weren?t able to stick it in the end zone when we had some opportunities. Obviously that will be critical this week, to cash in on the opportunities.?
With seven starters back on offense, including senior quarterback Levi Brown, Troy doesn?t look a whole lot different than last year?s team that won the league and played in the New Orleans Bowl. The Trojans were the coaches? preseason choice to win the league again this year.
Roberts was one of the coaches who voted for Troy to repeat as Sun Belt champs.
?They are very, very similar (to last year?s team),? Roberts said. ?The thing that jumps out at you when you watch Troy is the speed that they have. They have speed all over the field at every position. They?ve got eight or nine wideouts that can really, really run. They get the ball to those guys in space and they are good enough to make you miss and make big plays.?
The last time Arkansas State defeated Troy was 2006, when the Red Wolves pulled off a stunning 33-26 win on the road. The loss was the Trojans? only defeat in Sun Belt Conference action that year.
Carrington didn?t even play that night. Leonard and Arnold started as redshirt freshmen.
As he prepares for another meeting with the Trojans, Arnold said the Red Wolves? recent struggles with them are a thing of the past.
?For me, it?s a new year,? Arnold said. ?You can?t hang your hat on what happened last year. It?s a new beginning for us. We?re a new Red Wolf team, and we?ve got a chance to do something special this year. Troy is on our schedule just like they would be any year. We?ve just got to go out and play to our best potential like we would any ballgame.?
