By: Luke Matheson
Arkansas State is coming off of a 45-17 loss to Appalachian State this past Thursday, leaving the team searching within themselves to make corrections that could help them in the back half of the season.
The Mountaineers dominated the Red Wolves throughout the game, but there are things that Blake Anderson believes his team can learn from the loss and use as they move towards the end of the season.
“We just lined up across from a veteran team that has figured out a way to win be consistent,” said Anderson. “That’s what it’s going to look like. That’s what it is going to take if we want to get back to the top.”
Despite Thursday night’s loss to Appalachian State, Anderson said he felt like his team did make some improvements over the past week.
“We made some improvements this week in terms of just our personalities and our attitudes,” said Anderson. “That is something we can build on.”
Anderson liked how the team played better in the second half against the Mountaineers.
“The ability to go out in the second half and play more competitive ball, force some punts and those sorts of things – those are things we can build on,” said Anderson. “We’ve got to continue to grow up. Still a lot of guys playing that have never played before, and we’ve got to continue the process of trying to improve.”
In terms of the Sun Belt Western Division, the Red Wolves still control their own destiny and could still find a way to play for a Sun Belt title, but it will take better play to do so.
“We still control our own destiny,” said Anderson. “We are going to have to play better ball or that’s not going to matter. We will drop another game here is we don’t play better than we did [against Appalachian State].”
One of the areas Arkansas State struggled against the Mountaineers was on the offensive and defensive lines.
“They were bigger and more physical than us on both sides,” said Anderson. “They have recruited and developed well at those positions. We do have some injuries and got some guys that are missing so there are some continuity issues that we are dealing with, but we just physically got handled.”
Anderson said issues along the offensive and defensive lines was a concern of his going into the spring.
“That was our concern going into the spring,” Anderson continued. “That is why we did spring early to have a great, solid season in the weight room to put on 10-15 pounds of muscle for games like this so we could hold up. COVID kind of robbed us of that opportunity and we just didn’t get to do that.”
Anderson also gave his thoughts on where his team stands mentally at the halfway point of the season after a couple of tough losses and dismissals of defensive staff members.
“They are still a group of guys who are still battling,” said Anderson. “I would tell you it is a group of guys who are willing to keep competing and fighting. We’ve got to improve and we’ve got to make less mistakes and capitalize when we have the opportunities.”
“Where are their heads at? I think their heads are where they are trying to win and get better,” Anderson continued. “We ask a lot of them. We just have to keep trying to grow up and grow together. That’s really our only choice.”
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