Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Whatever happens this season, quarterback Ryan Aplin will leave Arkansas State with an accomplishment few of his Red Wolves predecessors had a chance to enjoy.

Aplin’s team won. That’s it. The ultimate statistic.

Not that the senior from Tampa, Fla., didn’t put up some gaudy personal numbers, and not that he isn’t rather hungrily — or frighteningly for this year’s opponents — thinking about improving those stats. But the bottom line is that in 2011 Aplin led Arkansas State (10-3) to its best season since 1986 and its first Sun Belt Conference championship and bowl appearance since 2005, when the mascot was still the Indians and The Spread was still only a betting term around Jonesboro.

“I think it’s always been a dream,” Aplin said of the Red Wolves’ championship and GoDaddy.com Bowl appearance last year. “This group of guys I came in with, when we got here we always talked about how we wanted to turn things around and change things before we left.

“The transformation between when we got here and now is almost a complete 180.”

Aplin is a two-time, All-Sun Belt first-team selection who passed for 3,588 yards and 19 touchdowns and led ASU to its first perfect run through the conference at 8-0. Aplin also led the Red Wolves in rushing with 588 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“I had good numbers last year but there’s always room for improvement,” Aplin said.

How can it get much better than last season, when Aplin was No. 20 in the nation in passing, just ahead of guys like Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck?

Aplin has a few ideas, beginning with cutting down the 16 interceptions he threw.

Aplin also said he wants to become more football savvy.

“Keep improving knowledge of the game,” he said. “Getting to know the game better. Whether it’s studying film or the team. And knowing my guys.”

(It's not just the offense meeting its third coach in three years. Meet the Arkansas State defense and special teams in the digital edition of ArkansasSports360.com's 2012 Football Preview.)