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Defense stars as Arkansas State football wraps up first scrimmage

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Defense stars as Arkansas State football wraps up first scrimmage


JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Saturday marks an important day for many college football programs, including Arkansas State.

The Red Wolves wrapped the first scrimmage of fall camp at Centennial Bank Stadium.

A-State competed in the elements as rain poured Saturday afternoon. Butch Jones’ pack practiced for 2 hours, with the scrimmage taking up the bulk of the day.

“It will be one’s on one’s, offense vs defense with some situational football,” Jones said of the format last week.

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The scrimmage saw some highlights, including two newcomers linking up for a score. Quarterback JT Shrout, who took the first snap at quarterback in Saturday’s session, found Khmari Thompson in the back of the end zone inside the red zone for the first and only touchdown of the scrimmage.

Jones said that the quarterback race, which appears to be between Shrout, Jaxon Dailey and Jaylen Raynor, is “nowhere close” to being decided, which the coach said isn’t unexpected.

“Nobody has really taken reins of [the starting role],” Jones said. “They’re battling every day. They’re competing every day. They want to do it. A lot of times, the quarterback is the byproduct of the other 10 individuals around them and being able to protect them in the pocket, being able to run precise routes and catch the ball on the perimeter and establish the run too. Too many times today we were one-dimensional, we were behind the chains, so again those are all things that we will continue to get better at and grow from.”

The defense was the story for the bulk of the day, forcing several turnovers including a pick by UCF transfer Justin Hodges. Turnovers and penalties marred the offensive momentum.

Jones said last week that this would be the first practice of fall camp with officials.

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“Overall, we did not handle the elements very well,” Jones said of the first scrimmage. “We had too many balls on the ground, we couldn’t handle snaps. We couldn’t snap the football. Too many holding penalties, too many pass interference penalties down the field. And in catastrophic moments where it’s third and long, we have a defensive pass interference or we have a big play in offense and it’s nullified by a holding penalty, but also that’s why you practice and those are great learning opportunities in moving forward.”

“Everyone has to have a tremendous sense of urgency in our organization,” Jones added. “Right now, our execution is not there. We talked about three things heading into this scrimmage. The first thing is your effort… The second thing is fundamentals and details. And then the third thing is playing with a level of physicality. So they’ll be graded on those three things and then we’ll assess everything tonight and then get back and work at it tomorrow.”

The Red Wolves open their season in three weeks at Oklahoma. The Sooners checked in at #19 in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll this week. Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. on ESPN.



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Arkansas

WATCH: Oklahoma HC Porter Moser, Players Central Arkansas Postgame

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WATCH: Oklahoma HC Porter Moser, Players Central Arkansas Postgame


CARSON FIELD

Carson Field has worked full-time in the sports media industry since 2020 in Colorado, Texas and Wyoming as well as nationally, and he has earned degrees from Arizona State University and Texas A&M University. When he isn’t covering the Sooners, he’s likely golfing, fishing or doing something else outdoors.
Twitter: https://x.com/carsondfield



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Purdue football adds another linebacker from Arkansas

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Purdue football adds another linebacker from Arkansas


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WEST LAFAYETTE − Purdue football continues to stockpile Arkansas linebackers.

After snagging Razorback Alex Sanford out of the transfer portal, the Boilermakers picked up a commitment from Carson Dean.

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Dean was a redshirt freshman for Arkansas this season and played in two games.

Dean, from Frisco, Texas, was a three star prospect by 247Sports out of Hebron High who had 17 offers, including Purdue.

In high school, Dean was an all-district outside linebacker after compiling 85 tackles, including 21 for loss as a senior in 2022.

At the time of his commitment, Barry Odom was Arkansas’ defensive coordinator and Mike Scherer, recently hired as Purdue’s defensive coordinator, was the Arkansas linebackers coach.

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Scherer recruited Dean to Arkansas.

Odom’s staff, in need of linebackers after Kydran Jenkins graduated and Yanni Karlaftis transferred to Northwestern.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.



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Purdue lands pledge from Arkansas LB transfer Alex Sanford

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Purdue lands pledge from Arkansas LB transfer Alex Sanford


Purdue is starting to pick up steam on the transfer portal market as former Arkansas linebacker Alex Sanford announced his commitment to the Boilermakers following an official visit to West Lafayette this weekend.

Sanford becomes Purdue’s second transfer portal pickup of the cycle and second from Arkansas, following quarterback Malachi Singleton, who announced his commitment to the Boilermakers earlier this week.

The redshirt freshman linebacker had committed to Arkansas to play for Barry Odom and Mike Scherer when the two were coaching in Fayetteville. Two years later he now follows the Boilermakers’ new head coach and defensive coordinator to West Lafayette at a position of need.

Purdue had a thin linebacker corps this season, which saw Kydran Jenkins and Yanni Karlaftis depart this off-season. Sanford now joins Hudson Miller, Winston Berglund and Owen Davis as players with experience at the linebacker position for the Boilermakers heading into 2025.

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Sanford has had a minimal role on defense during his career, playing just nine snaps, but he has carved out a consistent role on special teams. Sanford had the third most special teams snaps of any Razorback in 2024, and 328 across his two seasons, serving on the kick return, kick coverage, punt return and punt coverage units, holding a 65.2 Pro Football Focus grade in that regard.

Sanford will have two years of eligibility remaining with the Boilermakers.



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