Arkansas State Hunts a Raynor Successor as It Rebuilds Both Fronts
Arkansas State went 7-6 (5-3 Sun Belt) in 2025, a record that undersold how the season actually unfolded. The Red Wolves dropped four of their first five games, then reeled off six wins in their final eight, closing with a 34-28 victory over Missouri State in the Xbox Bowl for a fourth straight winning finish. The defining question of the offseason is who replaces quarterback Jaylen Raynor, the clutch operator who engineered six game-winning drives over the past two seasons and has moved on to Iowa State. Career receiving yards leader Corey Rucker is also gone to the NFL. Coach Butch Jones, now 26-37 across five seasons in Jonesboro, brought in Garrett Altman, previously Vanderbilt's quarterbacks coach, as offensive coordinator, a hire that hints at a slightly more deliberate tempo.
Offense
The most important job on the roster is unsettled. Jones opened a four-way competition, and the eventual winner will shape the entire approach. Texas transfer Trey Owens, at 6-foot-5, is the classic pocket passer of the group and drew praise around the league from evaluators who liked him coming out of high school. Ethan Crawford is the running threat, a breakaway option who passed for 849 yards and rushed for 211 at Southern Miss two seasons ago but did not throw a pass for the Red Wolves last year. Vanderbilt transfers Drew Dickey and Jeremy St-Hilaire round out the field with differing skill sets. Crawford is viewed by some as the early front-runner, though the staff has left the door open and Owens would not be a surprise to factor in heavily.
This is the strength of the skill positions. Chauncy Cobb, a 5-foot-6 slot dynamo, hauled in 73 catches for 797 yards and earned All-Sun Belt recognition, giving whoever wins the quarterback job a proven security blanket. Hunter Summers is the contrasting target at 6-foot-3, adding 44 receptions for 505 yards, and the pair rates among the better receiver duos in the conference. Vanderbilt transfer Boski Barrett arrives to deepen the group. At tight end, Tyler Little made five starts, but Furman transfer Joshua Burrell, a first-team All-Southern Conference selection, should push hard for the role.
The backfield picture depends on which returning look you trust. Devin Spencer and Kenyon Clay combined for 1,082 rushing yards a year ago and should find cleaner lanes behind a retooled line. Pushing them is transfer Ezell Jolly, tabbed the top newcomer after a 868-yard, 10-touchdown season at Kilgore College that followed a stint with UTEP. If Jolly's production carries over, he gives the ground game a needed jolt and could earn the first crack at carries.
The line is arguably the surest part of the offense. Three starters return, joined by a strong haul of transfers that includes Manasse Itete from Florida State, Landry Cannon from Tulane, Talan Chandler from Northwestern and Sterling Wiggins from North Carolina A&T. Center Mason Myers, guards Tristian Smith and Wil Saxton, and Wiggins at tackle anchor the projected front, and Jones came away pleased with the level of spring competition. A veteran, transfer-bolstered unit up front is the reason the run game should improve.
Defense
The front is a near-total teardown. Arkansas State led the Sun Belt with 39 sacks in 2025 but must rebuild almost from scratch, with the spring roster stocked by first-year transfers along the line. Sophomore Ryan Reese, the lone returning defensive tackle, worked his way into the rotation last season and now anchors the interior. The rest is imported: A.J. Thomas from Tulane, Shakai Woods from Middle Tennessee, Tyeland Coleman from Florida State and Nicholas Kalume from Maine. The most intriguing addition is edge rusher Donquarius Parker from NC Central, who posted 39 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and carries all-conference upside. The loss of standout Cody Sigler to Auburn only raises the stakes on this rebuild.
There is a bit more continuity at the second level. Joe Drew, who started the final five games as a freshman, shifts from nickel safety to linebacker, where he lines up next to Nigel Nelson. Nelson also saw heavy freshman snaps, making five starts and finishing with 54 tackles, including a sack. Senior Kam Moore adds depth, and Parker's presence off the edge gives the group a disruptive element it will lean on heavily while the interior settles.
The secondary is where the defense returns its most experience, with all three of the unit's returning starters here. AG McGhee is the top returning tackler at 83 stops, and Brandon Barnes was right behind with 68 tackles and an interception. Brandon Greil is back as well. Kennesaw State transfer Five Hamilton is positioned for a key role, and Indiana transfer Dontrae Henderson figures to see time. The catch is that this group must fix a pass defense that surrendered 245 yards per game and ranked near the bottom of the country, so improvement is a must even with the veterans back.
The kicking game is a genuine asset. Van Andel is among the more trusted kickers in the league after going 21-of-27 with a game-winner against South Alabama and a stretch of 17 straight makes. Cobb doubles as a weapon in the return game, taking kickoffs back for scores against Arkansas and Louisiana and averaging 26.9 yards per return on his way to first-team All-Sun Belt honors as a returner. Jaylen Bonelli takes over on punt returns after a 35-yard runback in the bowl. Northern Illinois transfer Vuckovic, who averaged 42.3 yards per punt, handles the punting.
Overview and Prediction
The schedule offers some relief, with just one Power 4 opponent this fall, though the calendar front-loads the difficulty with early trips to Memphis and TCU before the conference grind begins. After two consecutive runner-up finishes in the Sun Belt West, the Red Wolves are hungry to break through, and the preseason consensus slots them in the upper half of the division, around second in the West and on the edge of the league's top tier.
The verdict comes down to two rebuilds. Arkansas State has to unearth a quarterback capable of approximating Raynor's poise and take advantage of a real receiving corps, and it has to reassemble a pass rush that carried the defense a year ago. Get reasonable answers at quarterback and along the defensive front, and a fourth straight bowl trip is well within reach. Fall short in either spot, and a manageable schedule will not be enough to prevent a step back.