The Red Wolves are putting their full recruiting attention on the state of Arkansas this week with their "A-State Ambush," sending their assistant coaches across the entire state in five consecutive days to visit all 215 football-playing high schools in Arkansas.
In anticipation of the week-long recruiting blitz of the state that begins today, the coaching staff rallied around the slogan "215 schools, 5 days, 1 staff, 1 purpose."After meeting with head coach Gus Malzahn, ASU's assistant coaches departed ASU Stadium on Monday in various directions leading to all parts of the state.
Each coach will be responsible for visiting different regions of the state, and their time on the road will be documented and available to track at A-State Ambush Central.
COACH TRACKER (CLICK ON EACH COACH'S NAME FOR THEIR FULL BIO):
J.B. GRIMES (OFFENIVE LINE COACH) MONDAY: DeWitt HS, Dumas HS, Rison High School, Star Cit, Woodlawn HS TUESDAY: Bearden HS, Camden-Fairview, HS, Fordyce HS, Harmony Grove HS, Junction City HS, Norphlett HS, Smackover HS WEDNESDAY: Crossett HS, El Dorado HS, Hamburg HS, Lakeside HS, McGehee HS, Parkers Chapel HS, Strong HS THURSDAY: Drew Central HS, Hampton HS, Hermitage HS, Monticello HS, Warren HS
DAVID GUNN (CORNERBACKS COACH) MONDAY: Catholic High School For Boys, Hall HS, J.A. Fair HS, McClellan Magnet HS, Parkview Arts & Science Magnet HS, Wilbur D. Mills HS, Little Rock Central HS, Pulaski Academy TUESDAY: Arkansas Baptist HS, Central Arkansas Christian School, Episcopal Collegiate HS, Jacksonville HS, Little Rock Christian Academy, Maumelle HS, North Little Rock HS, North Pulaski Senior HS, Robinson HS, Sylvan Hills HS THURSDAY: Beebe HS, Bigelow HS, Clinton HS, Greenbrier HS, Marshall HS, Mayflower Senior HS, Perryville HS, Vilonia HS FRIDAY: Cabot HS, Conway Christian HS, Conway HS, England HS
BRANDON HALL (SAFETIES COACH) MONDAY: Decatur HS (Benton County), Gentry HS (Benton), Gravette HS (Benton), Siloam Springs HS (Benton) WEDNESDAY: Augusta HS, Carlisle HS, Des Arc HS, Hazen HS, Lonoke HS, McCrory HS, Stuttgart HS THURSDAY: Barton HS, Brinkley HS, Clarendon HS, DeSoto HS, Hughes HS, Lee Academy, Lee HS, Marvell Academy, Marvell HS, West Helena Central HS Friday: Cross County HS, Forrest City HS, Palestine-Wheatley HS, Wynne HS
RHETT LASHLEE (OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR) MONDAY: Alma HS, Cedarville, Greenland HS, Mountainburg HS, Van Buren HS, West ForkHS TUESDAY: Elkins HS, Farmington HS, Fayetteville HS, Huntsville HS, Lincoln HS, Prairie Grove HS, Shiloh Christian School WEDNESDAY: Berryville HS, Green Forest HS, Harrison HS, Mountain Home HS, Yellville-Summit HS THURSDAY: Bentonville HS, Har-Ber HS, Heritage HS, Pea Ridge HS, Rogers HS, Springdale HS
JOHN THOMPSON (DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR) MONDAY: Osceola HS, Blytheville, East Poinsett County HS, Gosnell HS, Manila HS, Marked Tree HS, Rivercrest HS, Valley View HS TUESDAY: Brookland HS, Greene County Tech HS, Jonesboro HS, Nettleton HS, Paragould HS, Trumann HS, Westside HS FRIDAY: Corning HS, Piggott HS, Pocahontas HS, Rector HS
CASEY WOODS (WIDE RECEIVERS COACH) MONDAY: Earle HS, Marion HS, West Memphis Christian School, West Memphis HS TUESDAY: Highland HS, Hoxie HS, Melbourne HS, Mountain View HS, Salem HS, Walnut Ridge HS WEDNESDAY: Bald Knob HS, Harding Academy, Heber Springs HS, Quitman HS, Riverview HS, Rose Bud HS, Searcy HS FRIDAY: Batesville HS, Cave City HS, Cedar Ridge HS, Harrisburg HS, Newport HS, Southside HS
ELIAH DRINKWITZ (RUNNING BACKS COACH) TUESDAY: Charleston HS, Greenwood HS, Hackett HS, Lavaca HS, Northside HS, Paris HS, Southside HS, Union Christian Academy WEDNESDAY: Atkins HS, Danville HS, Dardanelle HS, Morrilton HS, Ola HS, Pottsville HS, Russellville HS THURSDAY: Clarksville HS, Dover HS, Hector HS, Lamar HS, Subiaco Academy, Westside HS FRIDAY: Booneville HS, Hartford HS, J.D. Leftwich HS, Mansfield HS, Ozark HS, Western yell County HS,
DEAN JACKSON (TIGHT ENDS COACH) TUESDAY: Centerpoint HS, Mena HS, Mineral Springs HS, Mount Ida HS, Murfreesboro HS, Nashville HS, Waldron HS WEDNESDAY: Ashdown HS, Foulke HS, De Queen HS, Dierks HS, Foreman HS, Horatio HS THURSDAY: Arkansas HS, Genoa Central HS, Lafayette County HS, Magnolia HS FRIDAY: Arkadelphia HS, Bismarck HS, Gurdon HS, Hope HS, Prescott HS, Spring Hill HS
KENNY INGRAM (DEFENSIVE LINE COACH) WEDNESDAY: Cutter Morning Star HS, Fountain Lake HS, Hot Springs HS, Jessieville HS, Lake Hamilton HS, Lakeside HS, Magnet Cove HS, Malvern HS, Mountain Pine HS THURSDAY: Bauxite HS, Benton HS, Harmony Grove HS, Bryant HS, Glen Rose HS, Poyen HS FRIDAY: Dollarway HS, Pine Bluff HS, Sheridan HS, Watson Chapel HS, White Hall HS
HEAD COACH GUS MALZAHN QUOTES ON RECRUITING THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
"We are very excited and kicking off the A-State Ambush. Our coaches are going out in this state and we are going to hit 215 football-playing high schools in a five day period. There is a lot excitement from our staff and we are looking forward to getting out and talking with coaches and administrators and just going to every school. It is something that has never been done before, so we are excited to be the first to do that."
"We want to let the coaches of the schools and the state to know that it is a different day. We want to give them ownership of what we are doing. We look forward to meeting them all and getting to know them better. We just want to have an open door here and we are real excited to be doing that this week."
"There are traditional schools that players come out of, but we want to go to every football playing school just to turnover a rock and try to see if there are any up and coming players. When you think of recruiting, a lot of people of just the seniors to be, but you need to identify kids as early as ninth grade and that is what our coaches are going to be doing. We want every school to know they are important to us. We are big believers in the coaches and players in this state and this is going to be the foundation of our program and we said that when we were hired."
"Being a high school coach in this state for 15 years and coaching against guys, this is really where I learned football and I've got a special bond with the high school coaches so I'm really looking forward to getting our coaches out there."
"We want the people of the state of Arkansas to know that is a new day here at Arkansas State. This is the foundation of our program and we want to give everybody ownership of what we are doing, so we want to meet-and-greet, identify players and just get our coaches out there."