JONESBORO, Ark. (8/19/21) – With its 2021 fall camp winding down and its Sept. 4 season and home opener quickly approaching, the Arkansas State football team held its annual Media Day activities Thursday at Centennial Bank Stadium.
 
The Red Wolves welcomed the media and began the event with an 11:00 a.m. press conference featuring new head coach Butch Jones, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Rob Harley and offensive coordinator Keith Heckendorf.
 
"You can feel the energy, excitement and anticipation of football season in Northeast Arkansas and Jonesboro," said Jones in his opening comments.  "Obviously, everyone in our football family is excited about the many challenges that await us this upcoming season.  As I always talk about, it's the team that can manage the natural adversities of a long football season that usually ends up playing for a championship come December and then obviously bowl season.
 
"To date, as most of you are aware, we've had 11 (fall-camp) practices.  We continue to be a work in progress, and really with this football team, it is critical that we continue to be a work in progress throughout the entire course of the season.
 
"First and foremost, it will continue to be about teaching our players and our entire organization about everything that goes into winning football – it's not just on the field, but it's also off the field.  It's a complete administrative commitment to nutrition, how we take care of our bodies, our sleep, our rejuvenation – it's the education of what it takes to play winning football.  We've been able to do that throughout training camp, and it has been a team effort with everyone, but it's constant education of our players about what it looks like."
   
Following the 45-minute press conference, A-State held a media luncheon for those in attendance while the Red Wolves took the field for team and group photos.  Following the photos, Jones and some of the players returned to the top floor of the Centennial Bank Athletics Operations Center to participate in media sessions, live radio interviews and photo opportunities before hitting position rooms to resume football meetings.
 
The Red Wolves will conduct its second fall-camp scrimmage this weekend as it closes its camp prior to the first day of classes at Arkansas State University next week.
 
Single game and season tickets for the Red Wolves' 2021 campaign are available for purchase through the A-State Ticket Office, located at First National Bank Arena's lower red entrance, in person, by phone at 870-972-2781 or online at AStateRedWolves.com.