Harsin planning on changes for Red Wolves

Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin watches from the sidelines in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin watches from the sidelines in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Auburn in Auburn, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

JONESBORO - Bryan Harsin isn’t announcing drastic or wholesale changes just yet.

But after what happened Saturday, and what his team faces at the end of this week, the first-year Arkansas State coach isn’t accepting the status quo.

That was his mood Monday, two days after a humbling 31-7 loss at Memphis and at the beginning of a week in which he’s preparing for a second week on the road and another SEC opponent.

“Changing it up a little bit,” he said Monday regarding routines in practices that begin today in preparations for Saturday’s game at Missouri (3-0).

Harsin said after four games it was about time to adjust practice schedules and periods anyway, but after being held to 255 yards of offense and allowing 505 against a Memphis team that had yet to win a game this year, there’s no need to wait any longer.

Most of the adjustments,he said, will involve a practice schedule that will see an infusion of more competition periods. He attributed Saturday’s loss in part to ASU’s inability to match Memphis’ intensity at the start of the game, shown by two touchdowns in the first nine minutes that placed it in a hole it never was able to dig out of.

“There needs to be competition,” he said. “We compete each and every week, but the reality of it is we need to compete each and every day in practice, and that’s where guys get opportunities, too.”

Harsin said he isn’t sure what heightened competition could do for a defense that is allowing 440 yards per game to rank 97th nationally - its allowed an average of 529 yards in its past three games - but hasn’t ruled anything out.

“Nothing on our football team is set in stone,” he said. “That’s really how it should be. … Whether that creates some changes, I don’t know that yet, and won’t until the end of the week. But it sure is going to make each person that’s playing out there better.”

ASU was held to 255 total yards, the lowest output of the season and just the fourth time in the past 42 games an ASU offense was held to less than 300 yards.

Poor first-down production put Harsin in a bind as a play-caller.

It also prompted Harsin, center Bryce Giddens and quarterback Adam Kennedy to utilize the phrase, “Playing behind the chains,” during postgame comments from the Liberty Bowl, explaining how negative yards on first down put the line of scrimmage behind the 10-yard markers signifying a first down.

ASU put itself there plenty on Saturday.

ASU gained 76 total yards on 30 first-down plays, an average of 2.53 yards per play.Kennedy completed 6 of 11 passes on first down plays for 20 yards with 1 interception, ASU ran 18 times for 61 yards and there was also a false start penalty.

“We can’t create negative plays in the run game,” Kennedy said. “We’ve got to go get better as an offense.”

The poor first-down production force Harsin to limit his selection of plays, becoming more predictible in the process.

“It becomes obvious at times what you may have to do,” Harsin said. “Second and 5, everything is open.You’ve got all your options. Run, pass, screen, anything you want you can dial up on. … Those plays in particular need to be successful.”

ASU was put in numerous second-and-long situations thanks to a Memphis defensive line that gained pressure without the help from linebackers or defensive backs. The Red Wolves figure to have a similar challenge on Saturday, against a Missouri defensive line that Harsin called “the best defensive line we’ve seen.”Up next ARKANSAS STATE AT MISSOURI WHEN 6:30 p.m. Central on Saturday WHERE Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.

RECORDS Arkansas State 2-2; Missouri 3-0 TV CSS/CST RADIO KFIN-FM, 107.9 in Jonesboro; KKSP-FM, 93.3, in Bryant/Little RockArkansas State (2-2) DATE OPPONENT TIME/RESULT Aug. 31 UAPB W, 62-11 Sept. 7 at Auburn L, 38-11 Sept. 12 Troy* W, 41-34 Sept. 21 at Memphis L, 31-7 Sept. 28 at Missouri 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 Idaho 6 p.m.

Oct. 22 La.-Lafayette* 7 p.m.

Nov 2 at South Alabama TBA Nov. 9 at La.-Monroe 6 p.m.

Nov. 16 Texas State* 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 23 Georgia State TBA Nov. 30 at Western Kentucky 3 p.m.

    • Sun Belt Conference game

Sports, Pages 17 on 09/24/2013

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