Four interceptions will jump off the stat sheet when evaluating Trey Owens’ first start at Arkansas State.

But the number doesn’t tell the entire story of what the Red Wolves may have found at quarterback.

Two of Owens’ four interceptions in Arkansas State’s 42-24 loss at Memphis came on catchable passes that bounced off Red Wolves receivers and into the hands of defenders. There were other throws Owens would like to have back, and coach Butch Jones has been clear that his new quarterback must improve his decision-making and game management.

But there was also plenty to like.

Owens completed 21 of 30 passes for 325 yards and a touchdown in the first live college action of his career. He completed 70% of his attempts, connected with eight receivers and helped Arkansas State finish with 434 yards of total offense against a Memphis defense Jones had praised extensively leading into the game.

“I thought Trey did some really good things,” Jones said after the game. “I think we all can see that he’s talented.”

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Arkansas State coach Butch Jones saw plenty to be frustrated about when he went back and reviewed the film from the Red Wolves’ season-opening loss at Memphis.

He also saw enough to remain encouraged about what his football team could become.

Arkansas State fell 42-24 to Memphis on Saturday night at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, but Jones said Monday that the final margin didn’t necessarily reflect how competitive the game was. Instead, he pointed to turnovers, critical penalties, missed assignments and failures in situational football that allowed Memphis to take control.

“Way too many first-game mistakes,” Jones said. “Really kind of the same thought postgame. A lot of critical-down execution.”

Now the challenge is making sure those mistakes don’t follow the Red Wolves into their home opener Saturday against West Georgia.

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Arkansas State’s season-opening 42-24 loss to Memphis was more competitive than the final score might suggest, but it also exposed several areas the Red Wolves will have to address quickly.

Arkansas State produced 434 yards, twice held a lead and pulled within four points late in the third quarter. Memphis, however, took advantage of four turnovers and rushed for 335 yards to pull away.

With one game now providing the first real evaluation of a roster filled with new faces, here’s how each Arkansas State position group graded against Memphis.

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Trey Owens’ first start at Arkansas State provided a glimpse of both the potential that made him the Red Wolves’ choice at quarterback and the growing pains that come with a player taking his first meaningful college snaps.

Owens threw for 325 yards and helped Arkansas State produce 434 yards of offense in Saturday night’s 42-24 loss to Memphis at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. He also threw four interceptions, including two that ended drives deep in Memphis territory.

For Arkansas State coach Butch Jones, evaluating Owens requires looking at both sides of that performance.

“I thought Trey did some really good things,” Jones said. “I think we all can see that he’s talented. But you can’t be reckless and careless with the football.”

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Arkansas State’s 42-24 loss to Memphis was one of those games where the final score doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story.

The Red Wolves rolled up 434 yards of offense, threw for 325 yards and twice held leads against a Memphis team expected to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. At the same time, Arkansas State threw four interceptions and surrendered 335 rushing yards as the Tigers eventually pulled away.

There were positives. There were some glaring problems. And after seeing Arkansas State for the first time in 2026, there’s plenty to think about moving forward.

Here’s the first edition of The 3-2-1 — three things that went right, two things that went wrong and one bold prediction following the Red Wolves’ season opener.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Arkansas State had its chances Saturday night.

The Red Wolves moved the football, produced 434 yards of offense and twice held leads against Memphis. But four interceptions and an inability to slow the Tigers’ rushing attack ultimately proved too much to overcome as Memphis pulled away for a 42-24 victory at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Arkansas State head coach Butch Jones discusses a 42-24 loss to Memphis to open the 2026 season.

Arkansas State opens the 2026 season Saturday night with little room for a slow start.

Memphis already has one game behind it, defeating UNLV 27-21 while showing an explosive offense and a disruptive defensive front. For the Red Wolves to leave Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium with a season-opening victory, they will have to play clean football and prevent the Tigers from dictating the game.

Here are five keys for Arkansas State:

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Arkansas State will not get much time to ease into the 2026 season.

The Red Wolves open Saturday night against a Memphis team that already has a game under its belt and showed in its opener why coach Butch Jones considers the Tigers one of the most complete teams Arkansas State will face this season.

Memphis enters the game 1-0 under first-year coach Charles Huff after defeating UNLV 27-21 on the road last week. The Tigers finished with 418 yards of offense, including 195 rushing, and averaged 7 yards per play.

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Butch Jones isn’t hiding from the uncertainty surrounding Arkansas State’s season opener at Memphis.

He is embracing it.

Arkansas State will take a dramatically reshaped roster into Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on Saturday night, where the Red Wolves will face a Memphis team that already has a game under its belt and, according to Jones, may be one of the most complete opponents on A-State’s schedule.

Jones said Tuesday that 75% of Arkansas State’s travel roster has never played a game for the Red Wolves or traveled with the team.

“I’ll know a little bit more about our football team at the conclusion of the game,” Jones said. “But how do we respond in all ways — a hostile environment, the chaos that game day creates, the composure that it’s going to take with road focus to go on the road and play winning football?”

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Arkansas State coach Butch Jones isn’t concerned that the Red Wolves have reached game week without publicly naming a starting quarterback.

In fact, Jones said Tuesday the competition could continue until just before Arkansas State takes the field Saturday night at Memphis.

Ethan Crawford, Drew Dickey, Trey Owens and Jérémy St-Hilaire remain in the competition to replace Jaylen Raynor, leaving the Red Wolves with one of their biggest questions still unanswered days before the season opener.

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Arkansas State coach Butch Jones knows his team will enter Saturday’s season opener with one significant disadvantage.

Memphis already knows what it looks like in a real game.

The Tigers opened their season with a 27-21 victory at UNLV, while Arkansas State will make its 2026 debut when the longtime rivals meet at 6 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.

“I think any coach would tell you the most improvement that a team makes is from week one to week two,” Jones said. “So, we have to be ready to start fast with this challenge ahead of us.”

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Butch Jones knows what Arkansas State will eventually become.

What the Red Wolves’ coach doesn’t know yet is exactly how long it will take them to get there.

With a roster featuring plenty of new faces, an unsettled quarterback situation and a season opener on the road against a Memphis team that already has one game behind it, Jones believes Arkansas State will learn plenty about itself Saturday.

Jones said the Red Wolves had a productive preseason camp, but cautioned that they remain in the early stages of developing the personality that will ultimately define the 2026 team.

“We’re in the infant stages of building our identity,” Jones said. “Back in the day when you didn’t have the portal, it probably took two or three games to kind of build your identity. I think in today’s world, it can take up to six to seven games to build your identity.”

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Arkansas State will open its 2026 season Saturday at Memphis, but one of the biggest questions surrounding the Red Wolves remains unanswered.

Who will take the first snap at quarterback?

Arkansas State coach Butch Jones isn’t ready to say.

With the Red Wolves preparing for their first game and Memphis already having a game under its belt, Jones said Monday there is no reason for Arkansas State to publicly name its starting quarterback yet.

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Arkansas State will play eight nonconference home games and make another trip to Alabama as part of its 2026-27 men’s basketball schedule announced Friday by head coach Ryan Pannone.

The Red Wolves’ 14-game nonconference slate includes eight games at First National Bank Arena, four road contests and two neutral-site games. The schedule completes A-State’s 2026-27 regular-season slate.

Arkansas State opens the season Nov. 2 at home against Toledo in the first round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge before traveling to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Nov. 6. It will mark A-State’s third trip to Alabama in the past four seasons.

The Red Wolves return home for three consecutive games, beginning against UT Martin on Nov. 10. Dillard visits Jonesboro on Nov. 14 before Arkansas-Pine Bluff makes the trip to First National Bank Arena on Nov. 18.

A-State will spend Thanksgiving week in Miami for a three-game multi-team event hosted by FIU.

The Red Wolves will face Southern Utah on Nov. 23 and Long Beach State on Nov. 24 before closing the event against FIU on Nov. 25.

Arkansas State then returns to Jonesboro to host Rice on Nov. 29, Missouri State on Dec. 3 and in-state opponent Little Rock on Dec. 6.

The Red Wolves’ final nonconference road game before Sun Belt play will come Dec. 12 at St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

After opening conference play with home games against South Alabama and Georgia Southern, A-State will host Crowley’s Ridge on Dec. 22 in its final nonconference home game.

The final nonconference game will come Feb. 6 in the second round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. A-State’s opponent and location for that game will be determined later.

Conference play begins Dec. 16 against South Alabama in Jonesboro and continues through a Feb. 26 home game against new Sun Belt member Louisiana Tech.

The Sun Belt Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 2-8 in Pensacola, Florida.

2026-27 Arkansas State men’s basketball schedule

Nov. 2 — Toledo, Jonesboro
Nov. 6 — at Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Nov. 10 — UT Martin, Jonesboro
Nov. 14 — Dillard, Jonesboro
Nov. 18 — Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jonesboro
Nov. 23 — vs. Southern Utah**, Miami
Nov. 24 — vs. Long Beach State**, Miami
Nov. 25 — at FIU**, Miami
Nov. 29 — Rice, Jonesboro
Dec. 3 — Missouri State, Jonesboro
Dec. 6 — Little Rock, Jonesboro
Dec. 12 — at St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minn.
Dec. 16 — South Alabama*, Jonesboro
Dec. 19 — Georgia Southern*, Jonesboro
Dec. 22 — Crowley’s Ridge, Jonesboro
Dec. 31 — at James Madison*, Harrisonburg, Va.
Jan. 2 — at Marshall*, Huntington, W.Va.
Jan. 7 — App State*, Jonesboro
Jan. 9 — Georgia State*, Jonesboro
Jan. 14 — at Louisiana Tech*, Ruston, La.
Jan. 16 — Southern Miss*, Jonesboro
Jan. 23 — at Old Dominion*, Norfolk, Va.
Jan. 27 — Louisiana*, Jonesboro
Jan. 30 — at Troy*, Troy, Ala.
Feb. 3 — at South Alabama*, Mobile, Ala.
Feb. 6 — MAC-SBC Challenge, TBD
Feb. 10 — ULM*, Jonesboro
Feb. 13 — Troy*, Jonesboro
Feb. 17 — at Louisiana*, Lafayette, La.
Feb. 20 — at ULM*, Monroe, La.
Feb. 24 — at Southern Miss*, Hattiesburg, Miss.
Feb. 26 — Louisiana Tech*, Jonesboro
March 2-8 — Sun Belt Tournament, Pensacola, Fla.

* Sun Belt Conference game
** FIU multi-team event

Arkansas State coach Butch Jones isn’t circling a date on the calendar for naming his starting quarterback.

It could happen soon. It could stretch deeper into fall camp. Jones joked that the competition might even last through pregame warmups.

For a position carrying so much attention entering the 2026 season, Jones isn’t interested in forcing an answer before one presents itself.

“You never put a timeline on it,” Jones said. “It has to organically and naturally happen.”

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Arkansas State defensive coordinator Griff McCarley knows his defense will look different when the Red Wolves take the field in 2026.

With 33 newcomers among the 50 players on the defensive side of the roster, it almost has to.

But after watching a veteran-heavy defensive front emerge as one of Arkansas State’s strengths a year ago, McCarley believes this year’s group has the depth and versatility to replace what was lost — even if it takes more players to do it.

“I do think that this is going to be a little bit more by committee,” McCarley said. “Last year, I kind of thought the same thing, and then really we had two guys on the outside and two guys on the inside that really either elevated, improved their play, really bought in — mature guys that had played a lot of football for us.”

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Garrett Altman isn’t ready to name Arkansas State’s starting quarterback, but the Red Wolves’ first-year offensive coordinator has made it clear what will ultimately separate the winner of the four-man competition.

Trust.

Ethan Crawford, Trey Owens, Drew Dickey and Jérémy St-Hilaire remain in the mix as Arkansas State moves deeper into fall camp, with Altman saying each has made noticeable progress since the Red Wolves began preparations for the 2026 season.

“They’re all four doing well, from Ethan, Trey, Drew and Jeremy,” Altman said. “They’re all doing great. Seeing big leaps in all of them. Biggest thing we want to see for them is a continuation of the growing in leadership and everything of that nature.”

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For Arkansas State coach Butch Jones, building a successful football team is about more than what happens between the lines.

It is about how players respond to one another, how they handle someone else’s success and whether they genuinely want to see their teammates succeed.

That philosophy has a name: Mudita.

Jones introduced the word to his players during the offseason, defining it as “joy in other people’s successes.” He believes the concept has become an important part of the culture he is trying to build at Arkansas State.

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Arkansas State coach Butch Jones has seen plenty to like during the early stages of fall camp, but the sixth-year coach knows there is still considerable work to be done before the Red Wolves open the 2026 season at Memphis.

With a large number of new players in the program and no returning quarterback having taken a snap in a game for Arkansas State last season, Jones said the Red Wolves are still developing their identity.

“We’ve been through six practices, had our first padded practice last night, and I don’t really know yet where we’re at,” Jones said. “I think if a coach stands up here and tells you they do, then they must know a lot more than we do about our players.”

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