27 Jan

Gus Malzahn ESPNU Appearance 1:00pm ET On National Signing Day

Posted by Illegal Shift in College Football. Tagged: , , , , .

An ESPN spokesman has confirmed that on national signing day (Feb 1st), ESPNU will interview Arkansas State head coach, Gus Malzahn, around 1pm ET. ESPNU will have 10 hours of continuous coverage throughout the day. ESPN will also have updates and look-ins as the day progresses.

Just a few weeks ago Malzahn was featured on ESPNU during their national championship game coverage. Coach Malzahn made appearances during two shows in which he broke down the defenses of Alabama and LSU. This time Malzahn will be given a prime opportunity to discuss the program he’s building at Arkansas State as well as the players he’s bringing in. Currently Malzahn and the Red Wolves have the highest ranked recruiting class in the Sun Belt.

25 Jan

Timeline: Michael Dyer To Arkansas State

Posted by Illegal Shift in College Football. Tagged: , , , , .

It took about a week for it to become official, but Michael Dyer is now a Red Wolf. Below is a timeline of reports & articles that lay out how the “Michael Dyer to ASU” situation went down.

January 4th. Early afternoon.
National Football Authority – Lisa Turner
http://www.nationalfootballauthority.com/2012/01/auburn-tigers-rb-michael-dyer-filing.html

January 4th. 5:13pm
Auburn Eagle Message Board – Administrator
http://www.auburneagle.com/WEAForum/index.php?topic=42871.0

January 4th. 5:23pm
Fox16 of Little Rock – David Raath
http://www.fox16.com/sports/story/Family-Dyer-transfer-rumors-false/btD8pcKAO0GfJ6J5ZGQQHQ.cspx

January 4th 7:00pm
CBS Sports – Jerry Hinnen
http://eye-on-college-football.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/34195070

January 4th 7:02pm
CBS Sports – Jay Tate
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rapid-reports/post/16719737

January 4th 10:27pm
Press-Register – Mike Herndon
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/arkansas_state_interim_coach_a.html

January 5th 8:21am
Yahoo Dr. Saturday – Matt Hinton
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Headlinin-8217-Rumors-persist-on-the-Michael-?urn=ncaaf-wp12577

January 5th Late Evening
AuburnUndercover – Phillip Marshall
http://auburn.247sports.com/Article/Dyer-granted-release-by-AU-55840

January 8th
Astate Nation – James Bryant
http://arkansasstate.scout.com/2/1146691.html

January 9th Afternoon
Fox16 – David Raath
http://www.fox16.com/sports/story/Dyer-to-Arkansas-State-a-done-deal/8omhqgQ-n02kC2WN8_kQ9A.cspx

January 17th
ASU Athletic Department
http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=35558&SPID=2798&DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205363504&DB_OEM_ID=7200

13 Jan

Arkansas State: Michael Dyer Shows Up In ASU Student Directory

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The last few weeks ASU fans have been waiting for confirmation that Michael Dyer would indeed enroll at Arkansas State. A few days ago Dyer faxed in his papers, but since then everything has been quiet. No word from anyone on whether Michael Dyer’s paperwork was received, yet alone processed. Until now.

If you take a look at Arkansas State’s student directory and search “Dyer, Michael”, you’ll find him. Take a look at. The screenshot below.

http://www.astate.edu/info/directories/student-directories.dot

20120113-205852.jpg

13 Jan

Arkansas State: Malzahn Names Casey Woods As New Receivers Coach & Recruiting Coordinator

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Another former Auburn staff member is coming to Jonesboro. Casey Woods has officially been named wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for the Arkansas State Red Wolves. Woods is another familiar face that Gus Malzahn has decided to bring along. The last 3 seasons Woods served as the Director of Offensive Quality Control for Auburn.

ASU Press Release

JONESBORO (1/13/12) – Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn announced Friday that Casey Woods, who was a part of seven bowl teams at Tennessee and Auburn over the last nine years, has been named the Red Wolves’ wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.

Woods comes to A-State after spending the last three seasons as Auburn’s Director of Offensive Quality Control, working closely with Malzahn during that time.  He was a part of three bowl teams at Auburn, including the 2010 squad that won the BCS National Championship. During his tenure at Auburn, the Tigers also competed in the 2009 Outback Bowl and 2011 Chik-fil-A Bowl.

Prior to Auburn, he served as a graduate assistant coach at Tennessee during the 2008 season, working with wide receivers.

Woods was a three-year letterman at Tennessee from 2003-07, playing in 40 career games while also working two seasons as a player volunteer coach. He played in three bowl games and was a member of three 10-win teams.  He was team captain of the 2007 Tennessee team that won the SEC East and Outback Bowl.

A native of Starkville, Miss., Woods earned bachelor’s degrees in both psychology and political science from Tennessee in 2006. He received his master’s degree in sport psychology from Tennessee in 2007. He is currently pursuing further graduate work in sport psychology.

12 Jan

Arkansas State: Taylor Stockemer Nominated for “Mercedes-Benz Receiver Performance of the Year”

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Congratulations to ASU wide receiver Taylor Stockemer for being nominated for the “Mercedes-Benz Receiver Performance of the Year“. The nomination was due to Stockemer’s 11 receptions for 185 yards (both career highs) and a touchdown in Sunday’s GoDaddy.com Bowl against Northern Illinois.

Fans will determine the winner and results will be announced Feb 3rd. ESPN2 will air “All-Star Football Challenge“, a two-hour special starting at 6:00pm CT, to announce the winner. To vote and receive more information check out the All-Star Football Challenge Facebook page.

ASU Press Release

Stockemer’s reception total and receiving yards in the game both broke Arkansas State records for a bowl game. His 11 receptions tied the third most in school history for any game, while his 185 receiving yards were the fifth highest.

He posted 48 receptions on the season, which rank as the eighth most in school history.  Stockemer’s 756 receiving yards this year are the ninth most in ASU history as well, and his team-leading seven touchdown receptions are the third most. Additionally, he is listed among the top 10 players in school history for career receptions (98), receiving yards (1,663) and touchdown catches (13).

12 Jan

Arkansas State: Kodi Burns Named Graduate Assistant To Malzahn Staff

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ASU Press Release

JONESBORO (1/11/12) – Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn announced Wednesday that Fort Smith, Ark., native and former Auburn standout quarterback and wide receiver Kodi Burns has been named a graduate assistant coach for the Red Wolves.

Burns, who played under Malzahn at Auburn in 2009 and 2010, will work on the offensive side of the ball in his newly appointed role at A-State. Burns was originally recruited as a quarterback at Auburn, but moved to wide receiver later in his career and helped lead the Tigers to the 2010 national championship.

Burns ended his four-year career at Auburn with 16 receptions for 227 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown catch in the 2010 BCS national championship game that saw the Tigers record a 22-19 victory over Oregon. He was a triple threat for the Auburn offense, also recording 799 rushing yards and 1,312 passing yards from 2007-10.

Burns earned his bachelor’s degree in May 2011 from Auburn. He was ranked as the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback prospect in the country and the No. 3 overall recruit in Arkansas by Rivals.com coming out of Northside High School. An all-state selection by the Arkansas High School Athletic Association, Burns threw for 1,903 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, while also rushing for 835 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He is the younger brother of Khayyam Burns, a four-year letterman at Arkansas State from 2004-07 who was a three-time All-Sun Belt Conference selection at his safety position for the Red Wolves.

10 Jan

Arkansas State: Former Wide Receiver Coach Tyler Siskey To Become Recruiting Director for Ole Miss

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Looks like another former member of the ASU coaching staff has landed a spot with Hugh Freeze in Ole Miss. We’ve received word from a person with knowledge of the situation that former ASU wide receivers coach, Tyler Siskey, will become the recruiting coordinator at Ole Miss.

Last week we reported that current Arkansas State head coach, Gus Malzahn, would not be retaining Coach Siskey. That makes 7 former ASU football coaches who have moved on to Ole Miss.

Siskey was with Arkansas State for 4 seasons as their wide receivers coach.

10 Jan

Arkansas State: Former O-Line Coach Darren Hiller To Ole Miss

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We reported last week that former ASU offensive line coach, Darren Hiller, would not be retained by Gus Malzahn. That was confirmed yesterday when ASU announced that it was hiring J.B. Grimes as their new offensive line coach. When Hiller was let go we weren’t sure about where he would end up. But since then we’ve learned that coach Hiller is joining Hugh Freeze at Ole Miss.  Freeze has already filled the position of offensive line coach, with Matt Luke, so it’s uncertain in what capacity Hiller will join the Ole Miss staff.

Coach Hiller spent the last 10 seasons at Arkansas State serving as offensive line coach. This past year, under Freeze, he had “run game coordinator” added to his responsibilities.

10 Jan

Arkansas State: Gus Malzahn Names J.B. Grimes Offensive Line Coach

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The Arkansas State athletic department and Gus Malzahn have officially announced J.B. Grimes as the new offensive line coach for ASU. This past weekend we reported that former offensive line coach, Darren Hiller, would not be retained. Today we find out his replacement. See the official press release below for more information on Grimes’ coaching past.

Press Release

JONESBORO (1/9/12) – Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn announced Monday that J.B. Grimes, a veteran coach who has been a part of 14 bowl games and a national championship in his career, has been named the Red Wolves’ offensive line coach.

Grimes most recently spent the last two seasons as Kansas’ offensive line coach, but has also overseen the position group at Mississippi State, East Carolina, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Arkansas, Louisiana-Monroe and Delta State as an assistant coach over the last 29 years.

“J.B. has deep ties to the state of Arkansas, and he is one of the top offensive line coaches in America,” said Malzahn. “We’re extremely excited to add a coach of his caliber to our staff.”

Prior to his time with the Jayhawks, Grimes spent five seasons as the offensive line coach at Mississippi State (2004-08). In his inaugural season, MSU rushed for 1,744 yards, the most at the school in four years. Behind his offensive line, Mississippi State produced three seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher.

In his one season at East Carolina (2003), the Pirates’ offensive line paved the way for its third straight 1,000-yard individual rusher. At Texas A&M (1998-2002) Grimes coached the offensive line under R.C. Slocum for five seasons as the Aggies posted a 40-22 overall record while playing in four straight bowl games.

While at Virginia Tech (1993-97) coaching for Frank Beamer, Grimes helped the Hokies to back-to-back Big East championships and five bowl games in five seasons.

Grimes also coached at Arkansas, serving as a graduate assistant in 1981-82 and as a full-time assistant coach in 1989-92, where he helped the Razorbacks to the Southwest Conference Championship and a Cotton Bowl appearance in 1990. At Arkansas, Grimes worked for Lou Holtz, Ken Hatfield and Jack Crowe.

Grimes also coached at Louisiana-Monroe (1979-80, 1985-88), Delta State (1983) and Missouri (1984) after spending his first two seasons at the high school level in the state of Arkansas at Nashville (1977) and Des Arc (1978). Louisiana-Monroe won the 1987 Division I-AA national championship.

As an offensive lineman at Henderson State, he helped his team to a 40-6 record in four seasons, including a berth in the 1974 NAIA Championship game.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Henderson State in 1977 and a master’s degree in education from Louisiana-Monroe in 1981.

Grimes grew up in Clarendon, Ark. and is married to the former Jennifer Graves. The couple has four children, including sons Aaron and Nick and daughters Danielle and Lindsey.

9 Jan

Michael Dyer Faxes Transfer Papers To ASU

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Multiple outlets are reporting that Michael Dyer has officially faxed in his transfer papers to Arkansas State University. We’ll update once more information becomes available.

Dyer, an Arkansas native, is transferring from Auburn University, where he played the last two seasons under then offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn. Dyer was granted his release from Auburn last week and Arkansas State was thought of as one of the destinations that Dyer would be allowed to possibly transfer to.

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