JONESBORO — Trailing 28-10 against Nebraska last Saturday, Arkansas State needed to cover only 15 yards to change the complexion of the game after recovering a muffed Cornhuskers punt return with five minutes left in the third quarter.
The Red Wolves missed their chance.
Quarterback Ryan Aplin’s swing pass to running back Rocky Hayes in the flat went for no gain. On second down, ASU called timeout with only 10 men in the huddle, then Aplin missed wide receiver Josh Jarboe on a quick out route. Finally, Aplin overthrew Jarboe in the end zone.
Kicker Brian Davis then kicked a 32-yard field goal, the final points for ASU in a 42-13 loss.
“You score a touchdown there, it gets pretty tight and the complexion changes in the third quarter,” ASU offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. “For us to be a really good offense and to win games, we’ve got to score touchdowns in the red zone.”
Failing to convert inside the opponent’s 20-yard line has been a recurring problem for Arkansas State (1-2) as it prepares to face Alcorn State at 6 p.m. Saturday in Jonesboro.
So far, the Red Wolves’ 13 trips inside the red zone have produced five touchdowns and five field goals.
“A lot of it has been lack of execution,” Arkansas State Coach Gus Malzahn said. “There were some things last week we felt we could do and we just couldn’t do it.”
Aplin said leaving points off the board isn’t acceptable. ASU is averaging 478.5 yards per game but generating an average of only 26.7 points per game.
“You’ve got to get it done,” Aplin said. “The biggest thing is making throws and keeping drives alive while you’re down there. If you’ve got a chance to get a first down, much less score, you’ve got to convert.”
Aplin hasn’t been as efficient inside the red zone as he has been during regular drives, completing 42.9 percent of his passes (6 of 14) for 38 yards and 1 touchdown. The third-quarter series against the Huskers stands out as one Aplin clearly wants to do over, especially that first throw to Hayes.
“If I’ve got a bubble route, I can’t fling it behind the guy and make him spin,” Aplin said. “It throws off his momentum and doesn’t help him get downfield and make someone miss. You’ve got to hit him in the hand when he puts it up and let him run.”
The Red Wolves haven’t thrived running the ball off, either. On 18 carries in the red zone, they are averaging 2.3 yards per carry. When combined with struggles in the passing game, the average play inside the 20 nets only 2.5 yards
“We just couldn’t run the ball down there,” Malzahn said.
Part of the problem rests in the offensive line, where starting center Eric Allen and right guard Cliff Mitchell are nursing injuries. Their status for Saturday’s game is in doubt. It’s forced ASU to press true freshman Bryce Giddens into action at center, with Allen Right filling in for Mitchell.
Malzahn and offensive line coach J.B. Grimes have praised Giddens, a 6-0, 285-pound native of Moultrie, Ga., but Giddens said there is no excuse for the lack of execution so far despite facing elite programs in No. 4 Oregon and No. 25 Nebraska.
“You want to go out there and execute the plays, and it don’t matter who you’re playing,” Giddens said. “You want to have success with your schemes and focus on yourselves.”
That makes facing the Braves, who went 2-8 last season and are picked to finish fourth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, an ideal opponent this weekend.
“We’re just not getting execution done,” Lashlee said. “That’s what we’ve worked hard on this week.”
Up next ARKANSAS STATE
VS. ALCORN STATE
WHEN 6 p.m. Saturday WHERE Liberty Bank Stadium, Jonesboro RECORDS ASU 1-2; Alcorn State 1-2 COACHES ASU: Gus Malzahn (1-2 in first season at ASU and overall); Alcorn State: Jay Hopson (1-2 in first season at Alcorn State and overall) RADIO KFIN-FM, 107.9, in Jonesboro; KKSP-FM, 93.3, in Bryant/Little Rock INTERNET astateredwolves.com, alcornsports.com, ESPN3.com
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/20/2012