MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The struggles that gave Arkansas State University the eighth-lowest red-zone scoring percentage (.719) in the Football Bowl Subdivision contributed to the Red Wolves' 35-30 loss in Saturday's Camellia Bowl to Middle Tennessee State.
Down 28-17 with 5:56 left in the third quarter, ASU redshirt junior quarterback Justice Hansen completed a 12-yard pass to redshirt sophomore receiver Omar Bayless at the MTSU 5. Bayless, hit from behind, lost grip of the football, and the Blue Raiders recovered the fumble at the 6.
Down 35-23 with 8:14 left in the fourth quarter, Hansen's fourth-down fade pass to senior receiver Dijon Paschal sailed out of the end zone, turning the ball over on downs at the MTSU 5. The incomplete pass came after the Red Wolves were set up first and goal at the 5.
ASU (7-5) also settled for a field goal after reaching scoring territory on its first possession of the game.
After a forced interception, the Red Wolves drove to the MTSU 5 before kicking a 20-yard field goal from the Blue Raiders 3.
The Middle Tennessee State defense held ASU to 2.7 yards per carry, and ASU Coach Blake Anderson said the team's failure to run the ball in the red zone has been the problem all along.
"We are just not extremely powerful up front," he said. "We got three pups playing up front at guard and center, and our tackles have maintained their control, but they don't affect the run game down there like the inside three do.
"We just need to build power in the red zone, if you can impose your will you will end up in the end zone. Our inability to run in the red zone has been our problem all year and that is just inexperience. We just need to build those guys and a great offseason will help us. You have to win in one-on-one situations."
ASU entered the season without a regular returning starter on the offensive line, and senior tackle Jaypee Philbert played 12 games at Iowa State before transferring last offseason.
MTSU Coach Rick Stockstill said Friday that he thought the Red Wolves line had improved over the season, and that "you don't throw for that many yards and not be a good offensive line."
ASU finished the season ranked 109th in the nation in pass protection, giving up 2.75 sacks per game. Middle Tennessee State (7-6) had six sacks Saturday, three on the final drive.
The Red Wolves finished 79th in the nation in rushing offense (152.6 yards per game), but Anderson said the running issues begin when the field shortens in the red zone.
Redshirt sophomore kicker Sawyer Williams finished the season 15 of 21 on field goal attempts, with five missed in the red zone.
Red-zone issues were present in all five of ASU's losses.
The Red Wolves were 4 of 8 in the red zone in the 32-25 loss to Troy, with two interceptions, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. In the 24-19 loss to South Alabama, ASU was 4 of 6 in the red zone with a missed field goal and a touchback that occurred when Hansen fumbled while running into the end zone. A similar play happened when senior tight end Blake Mack fumbled on his way into the end zone in the 44-21 loss to SMU. In ASU's 43-36 loss in the season opener at Nebraska, the Red Wolves were 3 of 5 in the red zone, with an interception at the Cornhuskers 9 and an incomplete pass in the end zone as time expired.
"We just have to keep working," Anderson said. "We knew we had a bunch of new guys, and didn't have a lot of experience. The only way to do it is one day at a time, this is not a good lesson to learn.
"You cannot give people opportunity after opportunity to beat you by making mistakes. You have to make them earn it. It is a process, it is a good old' roll your sleeves up and work, and that is what we will do.
Sports on 12/18/2017