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The Hot Seat To The Hot Hand: 5 Things To Know About The Arkansas State Football Coaches In 2025

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The Arkansas State Red Wolves football program is currently experiencing a significant surge of momentum, anchored by a new contract extension for Head Coach Butch Jones and a dramatic, high-stakes shake-up in the defensive coordinator role. As of late 2024 and early 2025, the conversation around the program has shifted from rebuilding to competitive stability within the tough Sun Belt Conference, fueled by a successful 2024 season that culminated in a bowl victory. The recent stability at the top, coupled with the immediate challenge of filling a critical coordinator position, makes the current coaching staff one of the most compelling stories in Group of Five football right now.

This article provides an in-depth, up-to-date look at the key figures leading the Red Wolves into the 2025 season, detailing the fresh contract extensions, the rapid coordinator turnover, and the historical context of a program known as a coaching carousel.

Butch Jones: Biography, Contract, and the 2024 Bowl Momentum

Butch Jones, a veteran coach with a diverse resume across multiple major programs, has successfully navigated the challenging early years at Centennial Bank Stadium to establish a foundation for sustained success. His recent achievements have directly led to a significant vote of confidence from the Arkansas State University administration.

Butch Jones Professional Profile

  • Full Name: Lyle Allen "Butch" Jones Jr.
  • Born: January 17, 1968 (Age 57 in 2025)
  • Alma Mater: Ferris State University
  • Current Position: Head Coach, Arkansas State Red Wolves (Hired December 2020)
  • Overall Head Coaching Record (FBS): 110–91 (.547)
  • Arkansas State Record: 26–37 (Through 2024 season)
  • Notable Past Roles: Head Coach at Central Michigan (2007–2009), Cincinnati (2010–2012), and Tennessee (2013–2017); Offensive Analyst at Alabama (2018–2019).

The New Contract and Financial Commitment

The most significant piece of recent news is the contract extension for Coach Jones. Following an 8-5 record in 2024—the program's first winning season since 2019—and a victory in the 2024 68 Ventures Bowl, Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton announced a new deal.

The extension, announced in December 2024, secures Jones as the Head Coach through the 2029 season. His annual salary, which stood at $825,000 in 2024, is scheduled to increase to $835,000 in the 2025 season, demonstrating the university’s commitment to building stability within the program.

This extension is a clear signal that the administration believes in Jones’s vision, especially after the Red Wolves finished the 2024 season winning all seven of their one-possession games, a testament to the team’s improved culture and late-game execution.

The Critical Coordinator Hires: Offensive and Defensive Stability

A football program’s success often hinges on the performance and stability of its two primary coordinators. For the 2025 season, the Red Wolves have a veteran leader on offense and a fresh, in-house promotion on defense, creating a fascinating dynamic for the coaching staff.

Offensive Coordinator: Keith Heckendorf

Keith Heckendorf is the steady hand guiding the Red Wolves’ offense. Serving as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach, Heckendorf has been with the program since 2019. He has been instrumental in developing key offensive talent, including quarterback Jaylen Raynor, who is expected to return for the 2025 season after a strong showing.

Heckendorf's unit is the engine of the 2025 expectations. The offense returns not only a 2,700-yard passer in Raynor but also a 1,000-yard receiver. This level of returning talent provides a solid foundation for Jones to continue his ascent in the Sun Belt standings.

Defensive Coordinator: The February 2025 Shake-Up

The defensive coordinator position was the source of the most significant and recent coaching drama. This rapid turnover is the freshest news on the A-State coaching front:

  1. The Nate Dreiling Hire: In early January 2025, Butch Jones announced the hiring of Nate Dreiling as the new Defensive Coordinator. Dreiling was a highly-regarded young coach, having previously served as the DC at Utah State and New Mexico.
  2. The Immediate Departure: Mere weeks after his hiring, Dreiling was quickly pursued by the Oklahoma Sooners for a defensive role, which he accepted. This left a critical, high-profile vacancy on the Red Wolves’ staff just as the 2025 season preparations were ramping up.
  3. The Griff McCarley Promotion: To fill the gap, Jones acted swiftly, promoting assistant coach Griff McCarley to the Defensive Coordinator role on February 7, 2025. McCarley's elevation from within the program demonstrates Jones's trust in his staff's internal talent and provides immediate stability to the defense, a key factor in the team’s 2025 outlook.

This sequence of events—a high-profile hire, an immediate departure to a Power Four school, and a rapid internal promotion—highlights the competitive nature of college football coaching and the immediate challenges Butch Jones and the Red Wolves face in maintaining staff continuity.

A Legacy of Success: Notable Past Arkansas State Head Coaches

The Arkansas State program has historically been a launchpad for successful head coaches, particularly in the modern era of college football. The Red Wolves have seen a number of influential figures pass through Jonesboro on their way to major conference jobs, earning A-State the reputation of being a "stepping stone" program.

The Modern Coaching Carousel

  • Hugh Freeze (2011): Freeze famously spent only one season as the A-State Head Coach, leading the team to a 10-2 record and a Sun Belt Conference championship before departing for the Ole Miss job. His brief, high-impact tenure set the standard for success.
  • Gus Malzahn (2012): Following Freeze, Malzahn also spent a single season in Jonesboro, going 9-3 and winning the Sun Belt title. He immediately leveraged this success into the Head Coach position at Auburn University, where he led the Tigers to a National Championship appearance.
  • Blake Anderson (2014–2020): Anderson brought the longest stretch of success and stability to the program in the recent era. During his seven seasons, he led the Red Wolves to five bowl games and two Sun Belt Conference championships (2015 and 2016), demonstrating the potential for long-term success at A-State before he moved on to Utah State.
  • Larry Lacewell (1979–1989): A historical figure of great importance, Lacewell holds the longest tenure and most wins in program history, coaching the team for 11 seasons and achieving national success in the Division I-AA (now FCS) level, including a national runner-up finish in 1986.

The current staff, led by Butch Jones, is working to break this cycle of high turnover. Jones’s contract extension through 2029 is a key move aimed at establishing the long-term stability that the program has often lacked since the days of Larry Lacewell and Steve Roberts, who also led the team to a Sun Belt title and a New Orleans Bowl appearance in 2005.

The 2025 Outlook for the Red Wolves

The coaching staff’s performance, particularly the new dynamic between Keith Heckendorf’s proven offense and Griff McCarley’s promoted defense, will be the central storyline of the 2025 season. The Red Wolves are riding the high of their 2024 bowl victory and their first winning season in five years.

With key offensive entities returning, the program's immediate goal is to compete for the Sun Belt Conference West Division title. The stability provided by Jones's extended contract allows the coaching staff to focus on recruiting and player development with a long-term vision. The success of the 2025 Red Wolves will ultimately be the measure of Jones’s tenure, determining if he can transform the program from a stepping stone into a consistent Sun Belt powerhouse.

The Hot Seat to the Hot Hand: 5 Things to Know About the Arkansas State Football Coaches in 2025
arkansas state university football coaches
arkansas state university football coaches

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