JONESBORO — As Arkansas State’s offense has evolved under first-year Coach Gus Malzahn, the Red Wolves increasingly turned to a redshirt freshman wide receiver as a means to finding its proper tempo.

The premise is simple: Get the ball into the hands of J.D. McKissic and let him work.

Expect that strategy to be on display at 2 p.m today when the Red Wolves (8-3, 6-1) take on Middle Tennessee (8-3, 6-1) with the Sun Belt Conference outright championship on the line at Liberty Bank Stadium.

ASU’s ability to get the ball into space against a depleted Blue Raiders secondary could prove critical in setting up the Red Wolves’ ability to run into a less-crowded tackle box and open up intermediate passing routes.

“Sometimes he bails me out, actually, or a lot,” Arkansas State senior quarterback Ryan Aplin said of McKissic. “He’s got a knack for making plays out on the edge and in space, and he’s great at making that first guy miss.”

McKissic, with 84 catches for 849 yards and 4 touchdowns this season, is on pace to become ASU’s single-season receptions leader, closing in on Dwayne Frampton, who set the ASU record for receptions (94) and receiving yards (1,156) in 2011.

Frampton posted those numbers in 13 games. McKissic still has two games - today and a bowl game ahead of him - to surpass Frampton.

McKissic, 5-10, 185 pounds, from Phenix City, Ala., didn’t come into the season with that in mind, setting a modest goal of catching 40 passes and slowly working his way into a seven-man receiving rotation headed up by seniors Josh Jarboe and Taylor Stockemer.

“I can see myself doing the same things he did,” McKissic said of Frampton, who is also ASU’s all-time receptions leader with 163. “But I was surprised to get the ball that much and as early as I did.”

Part of the increased workload for McKissic was a matter of necessity.

In a season-opening 57-34 loss at Oregon, Stockemer went down with an injury and missed the next three games. His absence led to more double coverage on the outside for Jarboe, and ASU’s passing game adjusted with quick throws into the flat, utilizing McKissic on bubble and tunnel screens.

“Taylor is one the best guys in the group,” McKissic said. “Missing him kind of helped me out to get more balls and Josh getting doubled, but I’m glad we have him back adding to what we do.”

McKissic was targeted by Aplin five times at Oregon. A week later against Memphis, Aplin threw 12 passes to McKissic, who had 8 catches for 99 yards. Eleven games in, Aplin has thrown to McKissic 106 times, completing 79.2 percent of those throws for a 159 passer rating.

In the past three games, McKissic has 32 catches for 336 yards, including 12 for 138yards and a touchdown in a 41-34 victory against Troy two weeks ago.

“You never want to see someone hurt but it got him adjusted earlier,” Aplin said of McKissic’s emergence. “As a redshirt freshman he’s handled it well moving forward. He showed up prepared every day and was ready for the opportunity when the chance came to him.”

Aplin leans on McKissic early in games, completing 37 of 45 throws to him in the first quarter when the Red Wolves are trying to spread defenses horizontally to clear room for running back David Oku.

“It helps us, but it almost helps us more in the running game, by them having to protect the run and account for J.D. on the perimeter,” Stockemer said. “That’s hard for them to do both. That also leaves us one on one and bigger guys struggle to stay with us on deep routes.”

McKissic doesn’t delve deep into the rationale behind why he gets the ball early and often. The goal remains fairly basic.

“I just think we want to play throw and catch,” McKissic said.

TODAY’S GAMES All times Central

La.-Lafayette at Florida Atlantic, noon

Middle Tenn. at Arkansas State, 2 p.m.

South Alabama at Hawaii, 10 p.m.

Today’s game ARKANSAS STATE VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE

WHEN 2 p.m. today WHERE Liberty Bank Stadium, Jonesboro RECORDS ASU: 8-3, 6-1 Sun Belt Conference; Middle Tennessee: 8-3, 6-1 COACHES ASU: Gus Malzahn (8-3 in first season and overall); Middle Tennessee: Rick Stockstill (43-43 in sixth season and overall) RADIO KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro; KKSP-FM, 93.3, in Bryant/Little Rock INTERNET astateredwolves.com, goblueraiders.com, ESPN3.com

Sports, Pages 19 on 12/01/2012