ASU has talent to defend it's conference crown.
The defending Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State football team has landed 12 players on Phil Steele's 2012 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, including first-team selections Ryan Aplin at quarterback and Josh Jarboe at wide receiver.
Aplin, a senior quarterback, is a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt choice and was named the league's Player of the Year in 2011 after leading the Red Wolves to an undefeated run through conference play and to the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Aplin was also recently named the Sun Belt Conference's 2011-12 Student-Athlete of the Year.
Aplin has shown that he is experienced and maybe even be ready to enter the pro’s after his senior season.
Jarboe completed his junior season at wide receiver in 2011 with 54 receptions for 730 yards and two touchdowns to earn second team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. His 54 receptions were the seventh most in school history and his receiving yards ranked as the 10th highest.
In addition to their two first-team selections, the Red Wolves also placed five players on the second team, three on the third and two on the fourth. A-State's 12 total selections tied the fourth most in the league with Troy, while Florida International had a league-high 18 choices followed by Louisiana-Lafayette with 16 and Western Kentucky with 14.
Earning a spot on the second team for A-State were senior wide receiver Taylor Stockemer, senior offensive lineman Zack McKnight, senior linebacker Nathan Herrold, senior defensive back Chaz Scales and sophomore defensive back Andrew Tryon, who made the team as a kick returner. Herrold was a second team All-Sun Belt Conference choice last season and Stockemer made the squad as an honorable mention pick.
ASU's third-team selections included sophomore running back Frankie Jackson, junior defensive lineman Ryan Carrethers and junior kicker Brian Davis. Junior college transfer Ishmail Hayes made Phil Steele's fourth team at defensive end, as well as sophomore linebacker Qushaun Lee.
