Major Reports As Arkansas State Coach Butch Jones Gives Massive Insight on Group of 5 Woes

After securing his 100th career victory with a 34-31 win over Troy on Saturday, which improved his team’s record to 5-3 for the season, Arkansas State Coach Butch Jones attended the Little Rock Touchdown Club meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel on Monday as the featured speaker.

Although the timing of his appearance seemed deliberate, Jones was only available due to the Red Wolves having a bye week this Saturday. He took the opportunity to promote his program, discussing their achievements so far and outlining future goals.

With his milestone win, Jones became the 17th active FBS head coach to reach 100 victories. He is also one of just six active coaches, and 14 in FBS history, to have led four different programs to bowl game appearances.

Jones expressed gratitude for the talented players and coaches who have supported him throughout his career. He mentioned that at Arkansas State, he has implemented successful strategies from his previous roles at Central Michigan, Cincinnati, and Tennessee.

“Many people doubted us when we said we would build an SEC program in Jonesboro,” Jones said. “But that’s our focus—developing our players holistically, from nutrition to academics, ensuring they graduate with meaningful degrees and can succeed after football.”

He discussed the unique challenges of building a program in the Group of Five compared to a Power Four conference, noting that limited financial resources often necessitate playing away games against larger teams for funding.

This season, Arkansas State faced nonconference road games against Power Four teams, including Michigan, the reigning Big Ten champions, and Iowa State from the Big 12, losing both contests.

“There’s a clear distinction between the Group of Five and the Power Four,” Jones stated. “A significant factor is nonconference scheduling. In the Power Four, you can buy your schedule, whereas Group of Five teams must rely on what they can get. Currently, we’re 5-3, but I view us as 5-1.”

He attributed the team’s winning record to building momentum, as Arkansas State is on a six-game home winning streak, having won all four home games this season.

With four regular-season games left, Jones aims to maintain their momentum. The Red Wolves need one more win to become bowl eligible for the second consecutive year, with aspirations for a Sun Belt West Division title still in sight.

“We’re 5-1 now, with a 3-1 conference record,” Jones said. “This is our best start since 2017, both overall and in conference play. Attendance has increased nearly 20%, ranking us in the top 10 nationally. It’s my responsibility to ensure we deliver a compelling product on the field.”

In closing, Jones emphasized the strong bonds among his players as a key factor in their on-field success and shared his vision for the future of the football program at Arkansas State.

“I believe coaching success hinges on two factors: name, image, and likeness (NIL) and nonconference scheduling,” he remarked. “Looking at college football today, it’s evident that having strong NIL programs and effective nonconference schedules are crucial for success.”

He encouraged attendees to analyze how these elements correlate with the top 25 teams in college football.