A-State counting on Flemings for big plays, leadership

Red Wolves looking for turnaround as 2022 season starts

Paxton Sports Bureau JONESBORO — Champ Flemings has been in Arkansas State’s football camp long enough to earn rave reviews from coaches and teammates for the athletic ability that figures to make him a big-play threat for the Red Wolves this fall.

Ask Flemings for his best attribute as a wide receiver or kick returner, however, and the senior transfer from Oregon State points to an intangible quality.

“My competitive nature, my will to win and make plays,” Flemings answered during ASU’s media day.

“Then obviously my quickness, speed, explosiveness, elusiveness, all those things play a part, but overall, the thing that kind of makes me who I am is my competitive nature and my fearless nature when I step on the field.”

At 5-foot-5 and 142 pounds, Flemings is accustomed to being the smallest player on the field. It didn’t keep him from becoming a high school football standout in Pasadena, Calif., or earning a scholarship at Oregon State, where he contributed at wide receiver over four seasons and was honorable mention All-Pac-12 as a return specialist in 2020.

ASU quarterback James Blackman cautions against being fooled by Flemings’ size.

“I’ve got one thing to say about Champ Flemings – don’t blink,” Blackman said. “If you blink, you might miss something exciting. He’s a great football player. He’s very explosive.”

Flemings finished with 61 career receptions for 902 yards and four touchdowns at Oregon State, where he started 10 games and played in 42 from 2018-21.

The Beavers also used Flemings’ speed – he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds when timed a couple of years ago – on kickoff returns, where he averaged 22.2 yards on 82 career attempts.

At ASU, Flemings is playing slot receiver, something he wanted to get back to with his new team, and is also working as one of the kick return specialists.

“Any time he touches the ball, he can make something happen,” ASU offensive coordinator Keith Heckendorf said. “He can create explosive plays.”

When Flemings put his name in the transfer portal during the winter, the Red Wolves were quickly in touch to start building a relationship. Wide receivers coach Derrick Lett made contact within a couple of days, Flemings said, and head coach Butch Jones was on the phone a day or two later.

With so much youth at wide receiver – Te’Vailance Hunt is the only other senior wideout on the roster and Jeff Foreman the lone junior at the position – the Red Wolves want Flemings to provide leadership as well as big plays.

“We have a relatively young team, so being one of the older guys, the coaching staff definitely challenged me to be vocal, to be a leader,” Flemings said. “I like to lead by example. I’m not very vocal off the field, but once we get on the field, I can tap into a whole different person and I am a vocal leader on the field. …

That’s something that I definitely embrace. I thank the coaching staff for entrusting me with that role.”

While he’s only been on campus a couple of months, Flemings’ leadership style already resonates with Blackman and redshirt freshman wide receiver Wyatt Begeal.

“I threw two interceptions in practice the other day and he was one of the first guys to come up to me and say, ‘Hey man, we’ve got your back,’” Blackman said. “He was picking me up, helping me get better, and we finished the practice strong. Guys like that, when you look to your left and your right and you have guys like that, you’re in a good position.”

Begeal said Flemings quickly became one of the team’s leaders.

“That dude is phenomenal. As soon as he came in, he was a leader right away.

He’s a really, really easy guy to get along with,” Begeal said. “He’s actually right next to me in the locker room, so he and I get to chop it up about football things, non-football things. I’ve learned a lot from him as far as execution, how to run a route, explosiveness and what it looks like to be a great slot receiver.”

Flemings’ most productive season as a wide receiver at

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Photo courtesy of A-State Red Wolves RED WOLVES (cont.)

at Oregon State was 2019, when he caught 32 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns.

One of Flemings’ two touchdown receptions against Cal Poly drew national attention that year.

He jumped over a defensive back, who was in good position and seven inches taller, to make a 47-yard touchdown reception.

“The media attention that catch got, it was super crazy at the time. It was a couple of years ago now, so I try not to focus on it as much,” Flemings said.

“You have to kind of leave those big plays in the past, but that was a big moment for me. It was in the media, it was on ESPN, the top 10, Randy Moss on ESPN (noticed). It was kind of everywhere for a really, really long time, and it still floats around. I think that’s one of those plays that will stick around with me for the rest of my playing career.”

Flemings also had 110 yards receiving against Washington State and 64 against Stanford as a sophomore

finished with 125 kick return yards against Washington, 107 against Washington State and 96 against California.

With a group that includes senior Johnnie Lang, who was first-team preseason All-Sun Belt as a return RED WOLVES (cont.)

specialist, and Flemings, among others, the Red Wolves have several options on kick returns.

“Johnnie Lang is a great returner. I think Brian Snead is going to be a great returner,” Flemings said. “I’m going to do what the coaching staff asks me to do. If they want me to return kicks or not, that’s up to them, but I trust Johnnie and other guys. We have some great returners.”

Flemings, whose career-long 66-yard kick return came against Cal Poly, said the secret to kick returns is not being afraid.

“You have 11 guys running full speed at you and they’re running down there with bad intentions.

You’ve got to get back there and you can’t blink,” Flemings added.

“You have to catch the ball.

You’ve got to run full speed into the smoke, as I like to say, and I’m somebody who plays with no fear. I get back there, catch the kick and it’s something I look forward to. I embrace it.”

Flemings said playing without fear has always been his mindset.

“My entire playing career, my dad, my family, they preached and drilled it into my head that you can’t be afraid. Every man bleeds like you bleed,” Flemings said. “Even though I’m the smallest player on the field, it’s about who’s willing to do more, who’s willing to not break. My mindset is there’s no fear and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. It’s about willpower.”