bojo,
What would you consider to be the strength of this year's team?
Am I right to assume that fundamental tackling might be an area for improvement?
Since you've been a fan of the program, what has been Arkansas State's biggest win?
Thank you, and apologies for my limited knowledge of ASU
Biggest win is a debatable topic. We have two top-25 wins in our time as D-1 team. Kent State was
#25 in a bowl game, and last year Troy reached
#25 in the AP poll. Otherwise, 1975, winning at Louisiana Tech to go undefeated (that team didn't go to a bowl game and led to the instituting of the Independence Bowl), or in 2008, after changing our name from the Indians (who we played The U as when Edgerrin James was a Cane) to the Red Wolves, we went into Kyle Field in College Station and beat A&M 18-14.
Strongest part of our team? Before the Nebraska game I would have said the DL, and they didn't have a bad game, but we sort of expected more. The good news is that a couple of DTs that saw very limited action at Nebraska due to some minor injuries, should be better by Saturday. We also have a DE who is 13.5 sacks away from tying the FBS career sack record.
After the game, even with the 10 drops our receivers had, they have to be a bright point for our team. We've got size, some speed, and some quickness. Even have a couple Florida boys out there in Kendrick Edwards and Chris Murray. I know that we'll have our hands full, but I'm interested to see how that group does against a really athletic bunch of Canes. If they have some success, it bodes well for the rest of the year.
I was worried about tackling when they didn't go in pads the week of the game. Last year for fall camp they were very lax on hitting trying to preserve the depth they felt they had. It showed for the first four games. I'm hoping that we bring back some of the physicality before this game, even if we can't simulate the speed of the Canes.