Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

10/10/2011 at 3:11pm

His team is 4-2 and undefeated in the Sun Belt Conference after two road victories; attendance is robust and national television exposure is just around the corner.

Why isn’t Arkansas State coach Hugh Freeze satisfied?

Freeze outlined his championship-caliber expectations and areas that could use improvement on Monday as the featured speaker at the Little Rock Touchdown Club. In his first year as head coach Freeze discussed the philosophy that has helped the Red Wolves (4-2, 2-0) get to where they are and will, it is hoped, lead them to a conference championship and New Orleans Bowl.

“Needless to say, I am very indebted to this Touchdown Club,” said Freeze jokingly as he referred to his promotion from offensive coordinator three days after his appearance at last year’s Touchdown Club finale.

“Believe it or not that was scheduled months in advance,” Freeze said.

Freeze, 42, took over for Steve Roberts, who resigned under pressure last year, and spoke of his respect for Roberts and his efforts in turning Arkansas State into a competitive program.

“Hopefully some of those same attributes we can carry on,” Freeze said.

Now that he is calling the shots, Freeze discussed the “Making it Happen” philosophy he has tried to establish with his players and the “Its” maxims he has for each phase of the program, from offensive production to recruiting.

It is a philosophy that has apparently paid dividends. Heading into the Oct. 18, Tuesday night game with Florida International on ESPN2, Arkansas State has won consecutive Sun Belt road games for the first time since 1985.

“They believe right now they can make it happen,” Freeze said of his players. “I said here last year I believe 80 percent of the game is mental.”

The Red Wolves’ mini-run includes Saturday’s 24-19 victory over Louisiana-Monroe in which quarterback Ryan Aplin was 27 for 43 for 261 yards and a touchdown and receiver Dwayne Frampton had 13 catchers for 147 yards.

But the offense is exactly where Freeze, a proponent of up-tempo, no-huddle football, is somewhat dissatisfied.

“We haven’t played extremely well,” he said.

Freeze dares to think the Red Wolves, one of only five teams to gain 600 total yards twice this season, can do better and won’t sit still for things like the three interceptions and seven first downs his team gave ULM on penalties Saturday. 

“Certainly we’re not producing the points we need to produce to go along with those stats,” Freeze said.

Still, Freeze agreed that the road victories in a home team-friendly league like the Sun Belt have the Wolves fairly well positioned for the second half of the season. There are four home games left at ASU Stadium, which has hit 94 percent capacity in the early going, and Arkansas State will have time to rest both before and after next Tuesday.

“So far I'm pleased with the progress we're making,” Freeze said.

When asked, Freeze said he would play Tuesday night games every week if necessary, as long as they provided national TV exposure.

But when it came to “The” game — a possible Arkansas State-Arkansas showdown — Freeze, who spoke of the need to win recruiting battles in Arkansas, was not inclined to incite rivalries.

His mission was to win supporters, Freeze said, so that on a given Saturday, or Tuesday, central Arkansas fans might look at Arkansas State and say, “Hey, I want to check those guys out.”

Freeze joined the Arkansas State staff last year and directed an offense that broke nine school records.

Before that he coached at Lambuth, was an assistant and interim head coach at Ole Miss and was a head coach at Memphis Briarcrest High School, were he won state championships and famously coached Michael Oher, profiled in the rags to riches book and film “The Blind Side.”

Tagged: ASU Red Wolves, Little Rock Touchdown Club, ESPN2, Sun Belt Conference, Arkansas State Red Wolves, Steve Roberts, Florida International Golden Panthers