The 2021 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team represented Arkansas State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Red Wolves played their home games at Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and competed in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference.
Prior to the season, Arkansas State hired Butch Jones as head coach after Blake Anderson departed for Utah State. The team announced Rob Harley as their new defensive coordinator shortly after Jones' arrival.
Preseason
Recruiting class
Source:
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason Maxwell Award Layne Hatcher QB RS-SO Doak Walker Award Marcel Murray RB JR Ray Guy Award Ryan Hanson P RS-FR Sources:
Sun Belt coaches poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Red Wolves were picked to finish second in the West Division and fourth overall in the conference.
Personnel
Schedule The 2021 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Red Wolves traveled to Sun Belt foes Georgia Southern, South Alabama, Louisiana–Monroe, and Georgia State. Arkansas State would play host to Sun Belt foes Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, Appalachian State, and Texas State.
Arkansas State would host two of the four non-conference opponents at Centennial Bank Stadium, Central Arkansas, from NCAA Division I FCS ASUN Conference and Memphis of the American Athletic Conference, and traveled to Washington of the Pac-12 Conference and Tulsa of the American Athletic Conference.
Game summaries
Central Arkansas
Statistics Central ArkansasArkansas State First downs 15 25 Total yards 338 513 Rushing yards 42 194 Passing yards 296 319 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 25:58 34:02
Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Arkansas Passing Breylin Smith 23/42, 296 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Darius Hale 13 carries, 28 yards Receiving Tyler Hudson 7 receptions, 118 yardsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 16/26, 169 yards Rushing Alan Lamar 18 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD Receiving Corey Rucker 9 receptions, 138 yards, 3 TDs
Memphis
Statistics MemphisArkansas State First downs 24 35 Total yards 680 680 Rushing yards 263 98 Passing yards 417 582 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 24:04 35:56
Team Category Player StatisticsMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 22/33, 417 yards, 5 TDs Rushing Brandon Thomas 18 carries, 191 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Calvin Austin 6 receptions, 239 yards, 3 TDsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 19/28, 306 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Lincoln Pare 6 carries, 36 yards Receiving Jeff Foreman 8 receptions, 198 yards, 1 TD
At Washington
Statistics Arkansas StateWashington First downs 15 30 Total yards 268 598 Rushing yards 48 200 Passing yards 220 398 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 25:06 34:54
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 16/38, 176 yards Rushing Johnnie Lang Jr. 6 carries, 18 yards Receiving Lincoln Pare 7 receptions, 69 yardsWashington Passing Dylan Morris 23/39, 367 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Richard Newton 10 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jalen McMillan 10 receptions, 175 yards, 1 TD
At Tulsa
Statistics Arkansas StateTulsa First downs 20 26 Total yards 359 663 Rushing yards 38 308 Passing yards 321 355 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 25:36 34:24
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 23/37, 321 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Johnnie Lang Jr. 4 carries, 27 yards Receiving Corey Rucker 4 receptions, 115 yardsTulsa Passing Davis Brin 17/25, 355 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Shamari Brooks 22 carries, 155 yards, 1 TD Receiving Josh Johnson 9 receptions, 127 yards
At Georgia Southern
Statistics Arkansas StateGeorgia Southern First downs 34 20 Total yards 524 540 Rushing yards 81 503 Passing yards 443 37 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 31:04 28:56
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing James Blackman 28/43, 292 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 7 carries, 54 yards Receiving Jeff Foreman 6 receptions, 83 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Cam Ransom 2/5, 29 yards Rushing Logan Wright 10 carries, 214 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Khaleb Hood 2 receptions, 19 yards
Coastal Carolina
Statistics Coastal CarolinaArkansas State First downs 23 16 Total yards 685 273 Rushing yards 294 18 Passing yards 391 255 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 36:27 23:33
Team Category Player StatisticsCoastal Carolina Passing Grayson McCall 18/23 365 yards, 4 TDs Rushing Shermari Jones 10 carries 113 yards, 1 TD Receiving Isaiah Likely 8 receptions 232 yards, 4 TDsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 13/29 185 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Lincoln Pare 6 carries 29 yards, 1 TD Receiving Te'Vailance Hunt 6 receptions 138 yards, 1 TD
Louisiana
Statistics LouisianaArkansas State First downs 26 22 Total yards 546 413 Rushing yards 424 113 Passing yards 122 300 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 32:47 27:13
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 11/20, 122 yards, 1 INT Rushing Chris Smith 24 carries, 238 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Dontae Fleming 2 receptions, 47 yardsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 16/31, 300 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Lincoln Pare 11 carries, 52 yards Receiving Te'Vailance Hunt 3 receptions, 83 yards, 1 TD
At South Alabama
Statistics Arkansas StateSouth Alabama First downs 14 23 Total yards 224 421 Rushing yards 38 173 Passing yards 186 248 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 24:19 35:41
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 19/37, 186 yards, 3 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 8 carries, 32 yards Receiving Corey Rucker 4 receptions, 67 yardsSouth Alabama Passing Jake Bentley 29/39, 248 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Terrion Avery 22 carries, 113 yards Receiving Jalen Tolbert 8 receptions, 94 yards, 2 TDs
Appalachian State
Statistics Appalachian StateArkansas State First downs 28 13 Total yards 461 199 Rushing yards 264 62 Passing yards 197 137 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 35:33 24:27
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Chase Brice 15/26, 163 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Nate Noel 23 carries, 122 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 4 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TDArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 17/30, 137 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs Rushing Johnnie Lang Jr. 6 carries, 43 yards Receiving Te'Vailance Hunt 3 receptions, 35 yards
At Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics Arkansas StateLouisiana–Monroe First downs 22 18 Total yards 538 372 Rushing yards 94 177 Passing yards 444 195 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 32:23 27:37
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 34/50, 444 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 22 carries, 73 yards Receiving Corey Rucker 7 receptions, 103 yardsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Rhett Rodriguez 12/29, 160 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Malik Jackson 22 carries, 166 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Boogie Knight 5 receptions, 76 yards
At Georgia State
Statistics Arkansas StateGeorgia State First downs 16 21 Total yards 270 434 Rushing yards -3 282 Passing yards 273 152 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 30:52 29:08
Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 28/48, 273 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Lincoln Pare 13 carries, 33 yards Receiving Lincoln Pare 6 receptions, 118 yards, 1 TDGeorgia State Passing Darren Grainger 10/21, 152 yards, 1 INT Rushing Jaymest Williams 16 carries, 125 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Jamari Thrash 4 receptions, 103 yards
Texas State
Statistics Texas StateArkansas State First downs 14 25 Total yards 333 471 Rushing yards 203 194 Passing yards 130 277 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 24:51 35:09
Team Category Player StatisticsTexas State Passing Tyler Vitt 11/25, 121 yds, 1 TD Rushing Calvin Hill 13 car, 125 yds, 1 TD Receiving Trevis Graham Jr. 4 rec, 67 yds, 1 TDArkansas State Passing Layne Hatcher 25/37, 277 yds, 2 TD Rushing Alan Lamar 12 car, 88 yds Receiving Corey Rucker 8 rec, 85 yds, 1 TD
References