Alabama State Insider, BZNUPE, answers 5 questions about Saturday’s Bama State/BCU matchup.

1. With Andrew Body dealing with a wrist injury and true freshman Aaron Frye stepping into the starting role, how much does the quarterback change alter Alabama State’s offense; and how confident are Hornet fans in Frye?

BZNUPE: Body being hurt is a huge blow for the program. He is our leader and the best player on our team. The good thing about Frye coming to school in January is that he went through spring practice as the main QB because we were dealing with injuries to Body and Te’Sean Smoot. Add in a new OC, Tony Hull, and it’s a difficult situation. I will say that one benefit is that Hull and Frye have been working together since the spring, and that helps tremendously.

I’ve watched “Hot Frye” for the past two years and have been at most of his high school games because of where I work. He is a baller, has played high-level football, and won a ’ship as the best player. In his 10th-grade year, he stepped in for four or five games, did well, and won a ’ship that year as well. “Hot Frye” or “In Frye We Trust” is what we like to call him. I think we will be okay both long term and at the moment with our freshman quarterback.

2. Alabama State scored 41 points against Mississippi Valley State, but the offense produced only 258 total yards. Did that performance expose legitimate offensive concerns, or was it simply a case of the Hornets capitalizing on turnovers and special teams?

BZNUPE: Each game brings new challenges, and running the offense with a new QB is a huge challenge. We did a good job of keeping the QB upright and calling plays that allowed him to get some solid throws in. We had some big drops, but those can also be attributed to timing with the new QB. We did capitalize on mistakes, and that’s what football is about in some games. Forty-one points is 41 points.

3. Beyond the quarterback position, which Alabama State players should Bethune-Cookman fans keep an eye on Saturday; and who could be the difference-maker on each side of the ball?

BZNUPE: Ta-shaun Sims sets our tone defensively, and Nehemiah Hixon will always give us great field position as a return man. He will also score a TD if you’re not careful.

4. When you examine Bethune-Cookman, what concerns you most about this matchup; and where do you believe Alabama State has its clearest advantage?

BZNUPE: What scares me the most is the defense. I think, offensively, we are both dealing with possible unknowns at QB. Your defense, with Washburn and the crew, can make it tough for my freshman QB, especially on the road.

5. What must Alabama State do to win in Daytona Beach, and what is your final score prediction?

BZNUPE: To win, ASU must take care of the football, limit mistakes, and not allow “Mary’s Kids” to speed our QB up. Also, we have to shore up our coverages in the secondary and make sure we keep everything in front of us. The run game must travel and will help take the pressure off Hot Frye.

My prediction ASU 28, BCU 21.