Red Wolves work on stopping stunts

JONESBORO -- The disruption of one of the nation's top offenses statistically began on a first-quarter play in Las Cruces, N.M.

It was Oct. 28 and Arkansas State University had just come off a 47-3 drubbing of Louisiana-Lafayette. But the Red Wolves' offense, which ranked 12th with 41 points per game, did not score easily against New Mexico State.

On first and 10 at the ASU 29, freshman center Jacob Still hunched, gripped the football and looked up at the Aggies' 310-pound defensive tackle Myles Vigne, who was lined up across Still's right shoulder.

Still knew it was a run play and that he and sophomore right guard Troy Elliott would need to drive Vigne backward, clearing a hole for senior running back Johnston White to run through.

It was a play meant to build rhythm.

Going into that game, ASU was averaging 4.4 yards per carry -- the kind of yardage that draws a defense's focus toward the middle of the field, which opens up the edges of the field.

"We're trying to spread you out and run it vertical," ASU offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said this week.

When Still snapped the ball, Vigne unexpectedly attacked toward Still's left shoulder, which left Elliott driving forward into empty space. New Mexico State defensive end Cedric Wilcots sneaked behind Elliott into the backfield and helped tackle White for a loss.

Vigne's post-snap move, called a "stunt," threw Still and Elliott off their original blocking plan and forced them to adapt. New Mexico State repeated the stunts in variation to cut off ASU's running game, which forged a blueprint for other opponents on how to slow down the ASU offense.

The stunts began to disrupt the offensive line's pass protection as well, and redshirt junior quarterback Justice Hansen was sacked a season-high seven times in the game.

Although ASU won 37-21, South Alabama used similar stunts to sack Hansen four times and hold the Red Wolves to 66 rushing yards -- 2 yards per carry -- in a 24-19 victory over ASU (5-3, 4-1 Sun Belt).

Now, with a Texas State (2-8, 1-5)) defense that already uses post-snap stunts on defense, the ASU offensive line is faced with solving its flaw.

"You've just got to kind of go with the flow," Still said. "Just adapt to it. You've got to be able to react real quick. That's just part of playing O-line.

"The defense isn't just going to stand there in one spot. You have to just take your footstep and be able to adjust and do your responsibility."

ASU has given up 11 sacks in the past two games, which is the same number of sacks the team gave up in its first six. The Red Wolves combined to rush for 2.5 yards per carry in the past two games.

"Anytime you're not running it well, it allows the defense to tee off," Faulkner said. "They pin their ears back and come after the quarterback. So from that aspect, it not only puts pressure on the quarterback, but it puts pressure on the offensive line. Puts pressure on the receivers to make plays.

"We're at our best when we're playing with good tempo, and we're keeping you off balance with both run and pass, and that's where we've got to be."

The blocking issue partly is rooted in the ASU offensive line's inexperience. The unit entered the season without a returning starter, although Elliott had two relief starts last season and senior tackle Jaypee Philbert transferred from Iowa State.

"I think that's a little bit of it," Still said. "We're a lot of young guys, first season playing together, so a little bit of growing pain there. We've been really working on it this week. I think we'll be able to handle it better."

Sports on 11/18/2017

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