One of the best players in the country will be in action at the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile on Thursday, with former Alabama and Auburn assistants taking over as head coaches.

Arkansas State (7-5) will face Bowling Green (7-5) at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Thursday, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPN. The featured player is Bowling Green All-America tight end Harold Fannin, who Falcons head coach Scot Loeffler confirmed Sunday will play in the game rather than opt out to prepare for the NFL draft.

The 1.80 meter tall and 110 kilogram Fannin has 100 balls this season, i.e. 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns. The Canton, Ohio native is just 10 yards shy of the FBS yards record for a tight end (1,352), set by Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro in 2013; He has a good chance of surpassing the tight end receptions record of 111 set by Rice’s James Casey in 2008.

“Harold is a special kid in our program,” Loeffler said. “He was the epitome of a development-oriented person. He had great talent, but it was incredible how he matured into the man he is over the last three years. … He does things right. He cares about his teammates.

“…He wants to play in this game, but most of all he wants to play with his teammates and finish his career.” And that just shows what kind of guy he is. He will be playing in the NFL for a long time. He is an excellent player.”

Loeffler is in his sixth season with Bowling Green after coaching the Falcons to three straight bowl games. The former Michigan quarterback spent several years as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, with stops at Florida, Temple, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

Loeffler was Auburn’s offensive coordinator under Gene Chizik in 2012 when the Tigers finished 3-9. He said his first trip to Mobile came shortly after he was hired, not long after 5-star Daphne running back TJ Yeldon transferred from Auburn to Alabama.

“I remember this was the first city I flew to,” Loeffler said. “There was a running back that was dedicated to Auburn and then three weeks before I walked in the door, Alabama knocked him over and we tried to come here and save the day and all that other stuff.

“But I love the state. I love people. My time there was short. I wish it were different circumstances because I thought (Auburn) was a great place.”

Jones’ experience at Alabama was more positive: He spent three seasons as an offensive analyst and later as a special assistant to the head coach under Nick Saban at the Crimson Tide. He was part of a national championship team in his senior season and soon took over at Arkansas State.

Jones is one of 16 former Saban employees who are currently FBS head coaches. He said he took away many lessons from his time as part of Saban’s Coaches Career Rehab Program.

“It was a great experience,” Jones said. “Some of the best three years I’ve had in my career and the last year and a half as special assistant to the head coach have been really, really meaningful to me. I built many valuable relationships there, relationships that will last a lifetime.

“…Being behind the scenes a little bit, but also building lasting relationships, be it with players, administration, coaches – it’s a kind of brotherhood. It’s a brotherhood when you train for (Saban), when you work for him. And you learn so much.”

Jones enjoyed success as a head coach at Central Michigan, Cincinnati and Tennessee, although his time with the Volunteers ended poorly. In four seasons, he has improved the Red Wolves from 2-10 to 3-9 to 6-7 and 7-5 – with a chance at eight wins if his team can beat the Falcons on Thursday.

His 2009 Central Michigan team went 11-2 and was scheduled to play Troy in this year’s GMAC Bowl in Mobile. However, Jones never made it as he left to take the job in Cincinnati.

Ironically, Bowling Green’s current athletics director, Derek van der Merwe, was Central Michigan’s assistant AD at the time. He joked on Sunday that he was “harassed” by Jones about 15 years ago.

“I have a relationship with Butch, and unfortunately this bowl is very personal for me,” van der Merwe said. “He was the coach in 2010 when, just before that bowl, he decided to leave Central Michigan University and go to the University of Cincinnati. I have to come here without Butch Jones. That’s why it’s really important to me that we get back together at the spot where he ditched me and take back a trophy right in front of the guy who dumped me right there, Butch Jones.

“Thank you very much for that, Butch, and I look forward to the opportunity.”

Mobile’s bowl game has undergone several name changes in its 26-year history, with Daphne-based real estate investment firm 68 Ventures – founded by former Alabama football player Nathan Cox – becoming the title sponsor in 2023. Arkansas State is making the game for the fifth time after appearing in four consecutive GoDaddy.com or GoDaddy Bowls at Ladd-Peebles Stadium from 2012 to 2015.

Bowling Green is in Mobile for a bowl game for the fourth time, having played at Ladd in the 2002 and 2008 GMAC Bowls and the GoDaddy Bowl in December 2015 (Arkansas State participated in the previous season’s game, held in January 2015 ). The Falcons and Red Wolves met only once in football, a 17-0 victory at Bowling Green in the 1974 regular season.

Bowling Green is the 7.5-point favorite over Arkansas State in the 68 Ventures Bowl. Jones said playing in the Mobile Bowl game is one of his team’s potential goals for the 2024 season.

“It means a lot in a lot of ways,” Jones said. “This is a big recruiting area for us, so a lot of our players will be able to come home for the holidays and play in this game. It is a great honor to also represent the Sun Belt Conference.

“…The 7 wins were achieved only 10 times in 33 years at Arkansas State. If we win 8, I think it would be the fourth best record in the history of our program. So you can never assume that you will win. … Our players will now be able to experience a bowl game and everything that comes with it for the second time. That’s what college football is all about.”