SB Nation - Michael Jones

Arizona State Roundtable

TwistNHook — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:30:08 -0000

TwistNHook: There are many concerns about the upcoming football season for any self-respecting, self-loathing Cal fan. Last year, we lost every road game save for WSU, ensuring that many of our home games are now revenge games. Two years ago, we lost every road game save for Oregon, ensuring that every return trip now is a revenge game.

And ASU is no different. Two years ago, we went to Arizona State right at the start of the Cal-lapse. We lost a game where we were up 13-0 and 20-7 at various points. But ASU came back furiously and the Cal-lapse was in full motion. It was frustrating and I very much look forward to Cal taking care of business at ASU.

The first thing that jumps out at you when you think ASU is Rudy Carpenter is gone. Now they appear to have former backup Danny Sullivan at QB. After 4 years of Carpenter, you have to wonder how things will move forward. And it appears my concerns might have some foundation in reality (a first).

Article:

It wasn’t a surprise to see the Arizona State defense control Saturday morning’s scrimmage inside the practice bubble. The unit has meshed well and is expected to be the Sun Devils’ calling card this season.

Previously offensively oriented, now they seem to be working towards leaning on their D. We'll see how well that works out. They do appear to have a bright young talent on D: LB Vontaze Burfict

Article:

via www.eastvalleytribune.com

The ranking of high school football players is often a ridiculous exercise. No one had heard of Tedy Bruschi when he went to the University of Arizona. Similarly, wide receiver Derek Hagan, who leads ASU in career receptions, was a lightly regarded two-star recruit out of high school.

But the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Burfict may actually be worth the hyperventilating. Erickson has compared him to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, a future Hall of Famer.

Bray said, "He’s one of the better high school linebackers I’ve seen on film in a long, long, long time. We were extremely fortunate to get him. He will be a force as he grows and matures."

What makes Burfict special — aside from the physical intimidation — is his instinct for the game. Both Erickson and Bray noted that Burfict seems to have the innate ability to be in the right place at the right time.

Bray said Burfict has a better feel for what’s happening around him than Mark Fields, a standout linebacker for Washington State in the early 1990s and a first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 1995.

"He does some things in practice you just can’t coach," Bray said.

Avinash: For some reason, when I think of ASU, all I think of are coeds. Does ASU have the hottest coeds in the country?

TwistNHook: Look, Avi, I understand what you are doing. I know you are trying to give carp some life and energy after being so tired with the birth of his son. And I'm sure he appreciates that!

But maybe we should just stick to talking about the football team and other related things. I'm sure if our readers want to read frustrated single males prattling endlessly about women they'd never have a chance with in real life, they can read Arthur Kade or Tucker Max.

Avinash: I believe Malcolm Gladwell's next book should investigate the relationship between the attractiveness of a team's coeds and their football team's relative success. Maybe he'll find out that all of Florida and USC's coeds were born during the summer months!

TwistNHook:

via www.fidrabooks.co.uk

I went to google Arizona State football to do some research and the google map link showed up. Where do they show ASU football being? In the middle of a river. Salt River. Literally submerged in water. Salty water (maybe).

If that isn't apropros, I don't know what is.

If you want to find a place to start with the woefully underperforming 2008 team, look no further than the OLine:

ndeed, it's a small miracle that ASU has won 15 games in Erickson's first two years. In 2008, the Sun Devils allowed 34 sacks — that made it 89 in two years — and rushed for only 89 yards per game, or 113th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

If you're surmising that ASU has had offensive-line problems, bingo. Erickson inherited a shortfall of big uglies when he took over in 2007 for Dirk Koetter, whose recruiting classes affecting Erickson's teams included seven offensive linemen who either left or didn't qualify, including a 4-for-4 wipeout in 2004.

They feel better about their O-Line this year. Certainly, one of the most memorable moments of the 2008 season was due to poor O-Line play.

"Maybe you should recruit better linemen."

Avinash: It's always a scary game in the desert. It's usually at night, which means the fans are loud and rowdy, so it can definitely give some added impetus to the home team.

I really don't know. ASU has played us tough in Erickson's tenure, splitting the series. This could be a dangerous game if we're playing up to our potential going into it.

HydroTech: So their starting QB from last year Rudy Carpenter is gone. Their top WR, Michael Jones is gone. Sounds like their passing game might not be as good as it used to be? Danny Sullivan is their new QB but he's largely untested having only played in garbage games when the games have already been won and lost. How glad do you think Sullivan is now that the Pain Train is gone?

TwistNHook: Probably as happy as NFC North QBs that Follett has suffered a shoulder injury!

So, that's the O. What about the D? Well, I talked previously about that incoming LB who could make some strides. But he might not be a big player until next year. Right now, their leader is Dexter Davis.

via www.nationalchamps.net

Heres what the official site has to say about him:

ASU: One of the Sun Devils' most consistent defenders and most dangerous pass-rushers...ranks as one of the top defensive ends in school history...enters the 2009 season fourth in Sun Devil history with 27.5 career sacks (minus 179 yards)...has finished in the top three in sacks in the Pacific-10 Conference each of the last two seasons...has started all 38 games of his ASU career...totaled 113 tackles (72 solo), 39.0 tackles for loss (minus 212 yards) and eight forced fumbles in his three seasons at ASU...led all Pac-10 freshmen in 2006 in quarterback sacks (6.0), tackles for loss (10.5) and forced fumbles (three)...recorded the third-most sacks by an ASU freshman in school history, trailing the 10.0 sacks made by both Terrell Suggs (2000) and Shante Carver (1990).

He has some elite stats in the Pac10:

This is where Davis comes in. He doesn't look all that imposing, and he's not full of pomp and swagger. But he's a quarterback's nightmare and one of the nation's top returning sack artists. He has 27 1/2 sacks for his career, and is the only returning player in Division I to have double-digit sacks in the past two seasons.

He's the kind of player who can disrupt an offense, change a game.

"I want to be known as a relentless player who worked hard, and made something of himself," Davis said. "And I want to go down as one of the best ever."

Along with Davis, linebacker Mike Nixon, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and defensive back Omar Bolden are all highly-touted players. They will give Pac-10 offensive coordinators much reason for pause. If not, the season already is lost.

In some ways, the upcoming season is a bridge year to 2010, when a Pac-10 title may be within reach, when Dennis Erickson can be judged on the impact he's making in Tempe. But in the short term, the coaching staff is letting the current group know that losing records are simply unacceptable at ASU.

To avoid another, the defense must be spectacular.

Avinash: You're right Twist, this is going to be about Cal's offense not making mistakes against ASU's defense.

From Pitchfork Nation.

One first down on their first six possessions.

I’m not quite sure whether to chalk that up to Arizona State’s defense being all it’s hyped up to be or to be even more concerned with the state of this team’s offensive attack.

Either way you look at it, there’s one thing to take from yesterday’s scrimmage at Sun Devil Stadium: this team is going to have to win games based on defense and nearly defense alone in 2009.

Sure, there were the offensive highlights. Kyle Williams broke off a stunning 79-yard punt return. Gerrell Robinson, who has been highly praised by everyone in the program for making so much progress between this time last year and now, caught a touchdown pass from Danny Sullivan and gained 116 yards.

However, beyond that, you could hear crickets chirping from the Devils’ offense.

As I harped on earlier this week, this team simply has no running game. Dimitri Nance turned a corner early in the session for a nice 20-yard dash, but then averaged 1/3 of a yard on each of his subsequent three carries. Cameron Marshall led all rushers with 23 yards, but six ASU running backs combined for just 92 yards of total rushing. That doesn’t include Brock Osweiler’s 22 yards and touchdown on the ground, however.

Basically, we have to ask Kevin Riley not to throw interceptions and Jahvid Best not to fumble the ball, and everything will be ok.

HydroTech: Who has tougher academics? Your local community college or ASU?

Yellow Fever: But who has more attractive co-eds?

TwistNHook: I hope someday that our female readers will return to this blog.

Avinash: Twist, when you tell your wife she's attractive, does she throw you out of the house?

TwistNHook: What an ever so delightful non-sequitir!

Avinash: Here is another one:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Arizona State Snubs Obama

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Healthcare Protests

TwistNHook: So, who do you guys think will win this one? I say Cal holds on 21-10.

Avinash: In terms of the score, probably.

But we're still bringing up the rear in terms of coeds.

Whoops, double entendre!

TwistNHook: Triple le sigh.

Poll

How will Cal do against ASU?

Big win

75 votes

Close win

45 votes

Close loss

11 votes

Big loss

5 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

Dawg Sports Interviews House of Sparky's C.W. Before Georgia-Arizona State Game

T Kyle King — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:31:38 -0000

My SB Nation colleague, C.W. of House of Sparky, was kind enough to agree to exchange interview questions on the eve of the intriguing cross-sectional matchup between Georgia and Arizona State. My answers to his questions are available at his site. C.W.’s answers to my questions follow:

All right, let's go ahead and get it out of the way: Arizona State was caught looking ahead against UNLV. How will the loss impact the Sun Devils' performance on Saturday? Will the loss demoralize the team, energize the team, or have no effect at all?

Kyle, thank you for bringing up a very basic truth about last Saturday. Arizona State is a much better football team than UNLV, and it was very obvious that the Devils were dreaming of an unprecedented showdown between two 3-0 squads before they should have.

Rudy Carpenter has stepped up and made it very clear that the loss to UNLV has been very motivational. Unable to sleep, he and Dennis Erickson are not going to allow the team to come out flat against Georgia. The damage has been done to the fan base, however. This season appears nearly lost to the casual observer who has seen so many promising Sun Devil teams fall by the wayside after an early season defeat.

ASU has been very enigmatic in recent years. You never really know what you’re going to get, whether it’s a gutsy victory (see: 2007 at Washington State), or a demoralizing loss (see: 2007 vs. USC on Thanksgiving, Holiday Bowl vs. Texas). I don’t think any of us really understand just what this team is capable of, and unless Carpenter can play up to his ability as senior signal caller, we may never truly know.

In the end, losing to UNLV has to feel like a slap in the face to every player on the team. The Sun Devils will come out fired up, as the season can still be salvaged very quickly with a win against the Bulldogs.

Dennis Erickson has a reputation as a vagabond coach who has succeeded at every stop along the way. After winning two national championships at Miami, spending two separate stints in the NFL bookended by two separate stints at Idaho, and coaching at every Pac-10 school with "State" in its name, Coach Erickson now says he's ready to spend the rest of his career in Tempe. Is ASU Dennis Erickson's last coaching gig? What are the long-term prospects for the program if it turns out to be?

To answer this question, I have to reflect upon his attitude. I think his first year here was the most telling aspect of his happiness to be at Arizona State, and his motivational skills are undeniable. He brought an expectation of greatness that former coach Dirk Koetter never insisted upon. Erickson isn’t a coach that lets the inmates run the asylum; it is very clear who the boss is when you are watching the sidelines.

With that said, 2007 was a storybook year for ASU, going 8-0 before faltering down the stretch and finishing 10-3. In Erickson’s first year, he saw just how loud the fans could be when the product on the field is worth cheering for. He has a great situation here in Tempe, making at minimum $1.275 million a year. The weather is perfect; the players and the city revere him.

In my opinion, Dennis Erickson isn’t going anywhere. His latest recruiting class is incredibly solid from top to bottom, and the program can only benefit from his presence. If Erickson stays around for 4 more years, I can see ASU legitimately competing with USC on an annual basis for the Pac-10 crown.

Last year, coming off of back-to-back seven-win seasons, the Sun Devils surprised most observers by winning ten games and sharing the Pac-10 title. However, losses to Oregon, Southern California, and Texas in the Holiday Bowl came by double-digit margins. What would a win on Saturday do to validate Arizona State's recent resurgence? Conversely, what would a loss do to ASU's reputation as a player in the Pac-10?

I think it is very important to look at this from a few angles.

First of all, a close loss to Georgia would signal more to ASU’s strength than to Georgia’s weakness. In that same vein, a victory over the Bulldogs would put Arizona State back in the thick of the Top 25, and well on their way to challenging for the Pac-10 championship.

Last year felt odd to many Sun Devil fans, because deep down we knew our team was still a year away from really showing us what they could do. They beat the teams they were supposed to beat, but they couldn’t put away similarly ranked teams. In fact, they couldn’t even come close to matching up against USC or Texas.

ASU’s schedule last season was very easy from the outset, with home games against San Jose State, Colorado, and San Diego State. After that, despite an impressive come-from-behind win at home against Oregon State, ASU didn’t play any great squads until they traveled to Oregon in the 9th game of the season.

These reasons are yet more indicators of why the loss to UNLV hurt so much. That just wasn’t supposed to happen. Should Georgia blow out Arizona State, consider the resurgence postponed until 2009.

The Sun Devils' aerial offense, ranked first in the Pac-10, features conference passing leader Rudy Carpenter and three of the league's top ten receivers in yards per game in Michael Jones, Kerry Taylor, and Kyle Williams. What are the keys to the undeniable success of the ASU passing game?

You’ve summed up a few good reasons right in the question, Kyle. Depth has been the key for the wide receiving core. One receiver you didn’t mention was Chris McGaha. He is arguably the most essential cog in our passing game, being Rudy’s favorite target on 3rd down. McGaha reminds me of a young Wes Welker; a possession receiver with great hands who can catch nearly anything thrown at him.

Kerry Taylor really stepped up this season thus far, showing determination and skill in running precise routes with control, yet still showcasing breakneck speed when the opportunity arose. Kyle Williams, while having a penchant for muffing punts, is a threat to return a kickoff or a punt any chance he gets. UNLV did a great job of neutralizing his presence by punting short and forcing Williams to call for a fair catch on multiple occasions.

Most importantly is Michael Jones. He is a tall, sure-handed receiver who can alter games with his long reach and speed. Jones is skilled enough to play baseball at powerhouse ASU, and was drafted by the New York Yankees in June’s entry draft. Watch for him to make a few big plays.

Rudy Carpenter has been starting since the 2005 season, racking up passing efficiency records from the get-go. A warranted knock on Carpenter, unfortunately, has been his inability to knock off a highly ranked team. One thing you cannot take away from him is his undeniable toughness, and even with a broken thumb last year he still played through the pain and led the Sun Devils to a 10-3 season.

Look for all of these players to make a big impact if the running game can establish itself.

Last year, the most glaring deficiency on the Arizona State squad was along the offensive line, which returned five starting upperclassmen yet still allowed more sacks than any Division I-A team not named Notre Dame. How has this year's less experienced line performed thus far? How do you expect the ASU offensive line to hold up on Saturday against the toughest front seven the Sun Devils have seen so far this season?

The offensive line had looked good against Northern Arizona and Stanford, but they let up against UNLV. The Rebels were able to apply an ample amount of pressure on Carpenter, sacking him way too often for my liking, including back-to-back sacks at a crucial juncture in the third quarter.

I can only hope for the best, seeing that the line is still young and full of potential. Unfortunately for them, if they can’t hold up UNLV, they definitely will not be able to keep Georgia at bay. The vaunted speed of the SEC will be on full display against the inexperienced linemen. In order to succeed, Carpenter will have to hit his receivers quickly, and I imagine a lot of sideline passes from the spread formation will be the key to breaking the pressure.

We know the Sun Devils can pass. However, ASU ranks seventh in the Pac-10 in rushing offense despite having run the ball exactly as many times as Arizona State has thrown the ball. Georgia, on the other hand, allows 2.5 yards per carry, gives up 59.7 rushing yards per game, and limited South Carolina to 18 yards on 16 carries. Will the home team be able to run the ball? How critical a role will ASU's ability to run the ball play in determining which team wins?

If Keegan Herring plays on Saturday, you will see a much different run game than has been on display so far this season from Arizona State. Herring is well known for his east to west running style, and for being able to make big plays out of nothing. Without that aspect of the running game, Dimitri Nance has been hung out to dry facing defenses that know just what to expect. Herring has been nursing a hamstring injury that won’t go away, and we don’t know his status just yet.

Georgia’s defense is truly spectacular against the run. They get to see Heisman Trophy candidate Knowshon Moreno every week in practice, so they know what greatness looks like. I can’t even tell you how much respect I give to the Bulldog front seven.

I think the running game is only as good as the line that protects it. Should Herring and Nance get solid protection and find decent gaps to burst through, it really could be a long night for the Bulldogs. But that seems more like fantasy than reality at this point.

A team must be able to run to have any success in the air. If they can’t move the ball on the ground, the defense can drop back and cherry pick the quarterback’s passes. Should the running game be stopped by the ‘Dawgs, the passing game will soon follow, making this Saturday another miserable night in the desert.

Once again, my thanks go out to C.W. for taking the time to take part in this exchange. I’m looking forward to what promises to be an exciting duel in the desert tomorrow night.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Too Much Information: Georgia Bulldogs v. Arizona State Sun Devils

T Kyle King — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:30:47 -0000

The weekly breakdown that we call "Too Much Information" evolved---some would say devolved---from a segment of the same name in "The Dawg Show," which aired on Henry County local cable access from 1999 to 2004. Each week, I provided a torrent of statistical and (more often) historical minutiae having no particular bearing on the matter at hand.

It was an amusing bit as far as it went, although it occasionally lurched uncontrollably into eerie prescience. For instance, the 1968 Bulldogs won the S.E.C. championship and finished the season with one loss, then, in the first road game of the following season, Georgia beat Clemson 30-0. I pointed that out in the 2003 season preview show, since the 2002 Bulldogs had won the S.E.C. championship and finished the season with one loss and the 2003 ‘Dawgs were to play their first road game at Clemson. I turned out to be right: Georgia won, 30-0.

In the show immediately following the 1999 Georgia Tech game, I pointed out that two previous Georgia squads had gone to bowl games following 7-4 regular seasons. Those two teams were the 1947 Bulldogs, who tied Maryland in the Gator Bowl, and the 1984 Bulldogs, who tied Florida State in the Citrus Bowl. Since the 1999 Bulldogs had gone 7-4, as well, I predicted a Georgia overtime victory in the bowl game before I knew either the bowl or the opponent. I turned out to be right: Georgia came back to beat Purdue 28-25 in extra innings.

Mostly, though, I was just tossing out miscellaneous data of interest but no real importance. I mention that because I went a little retro with last week’s Too Much Information and I’m doing it again this week, interspersing a handful of historical observations amid the various numerical comparisons. Why? Because Senator Blutarsky, Doug Gillett, and Paul Westerdawg have you covered on the actual analysis, so it falls to me to offer not a dash of data, nor a modicum of insight, but, rather . . . Too Much Information.

One of these days, we’re going to have to YouTube a few of the old "Dawg Show" episodes. In the meantime, for those of you who never saw it, think of it as "Wayne’s World" without the stoner/slacker mentality or the production values.

What do you need to know about the Arizona State game that you don’t know already? Consider these data:

Numerically, the Bulldogs and the Sun Devils are more similar than you may suspect. The Georgia O has picked up 62 first downs and averages 446.3 yards per game of total offense. The Arizona State O has picked up 65 first downs and averages 442.0 yards per game of total offense. The Georgia D has given up 55 first downs and allows 296.0 yards per game. The Arizona State D has given up 56 first downs and allows 295.3 yards per game.

Last Saturday, for just the fifth time in series history, the Classic City Canines scored exactly 14 points against South Carolina. In the previous four such seasons (1919, 1958, 1959, and 1996), the ‘Dawgs were 4-0 in games immediately following the showdown with the Gamecocks. Three of those four victories came by double-digit margins.

The ‘Dawgs are equally adept at moving the chains on the ground and through the air: Georgia has picked up 31 first downs via the forward pass and 31 first downs via either running plays (28) or penalties (3). The Devils are equally susceptible to surrendering fresh sets of downs on the ground and through the air: A.S.U. has given up 23 first downs on passes and 23 first downs on runs.

Offensively, though, the Sun Devils are explosive, thanks to a quarterback so accomplished that they made a movie about him.

The Bulldogs lead in the S.E.C. in total touchdowns scored (15) and offensive touchdowns scored (14). The Red and Black rank second in the league in rushing touchdowns scored (9) and passing touchdowns scored (5). The Classic City Canines have scored on all ten of their trips into the red zone and have come away with touchdowns on nine of their ten treks inside the opposition’s 20 yard line.

The last time the ‘Dawgs played a game west of the Mississippi River against a team from the Copper State, the result was a tie with the Wildcats in the 1985 Sun Bowl. Should that datum prove as prophetic as my aforementioned forecast of the 2000 Outback Bowl, it is noteworthy that the Red and Black are 4-2 in overtime games, including 2-0 under Mark Richt. I haven’t taken the time to check Dennis Erickson’s or Arizona State’s overtime records, but I know they’re 0-1 in the last week.

Although the Georgia offense has been criticized in the wake of the South Carolina game, the Bulldog O does not let up after intermission. The Red and Black have scored 115 points this season, notching 58 of them in the first two quarters and 57 in the second half. The Sun Devils, by contrast, perform distinctly differently after the break: Arizona State has outscored the opposition 60-20 in the first half this autumn, but A.S.U. holds a cumulative 31-30 edge in the last two stanzas in 2008 and has been outpointed 20-14 in the fourth quarter.

The Devils start strong but finish weak in Tempe, just like in the New Testament.

Arizona State, obviously, is a passing team: Rudy Carpenter leads the Pac-10 in passing yards per game (325.0), pass efficiency (183.6), and total offense (332.7 yards per game) and three of the league’s top ten receivers in yards per game are Sun Devils (Michael Jones, Kerry Taylor, and Kyle Williams). Nevertheless, A.S.U. strives for balance, having run the ball 95 times and thrown the ball 95 times this season, and four of the Devils’ six red zone touchdowns have come on running plays.

Despite the foregoing facts, Georgia is the markedly better team at running the ball and at stopping the run. Arizona State gives up very nearly as many yards per carry (3.6) as the Sun Devils gain (3.7), whereas the ‘Dawgs pick up more than twice as many yards per rush (5.6) than they permit (2.5).

You already know that Mark Richt is 32-2 against non-conference teams and is 26-4 in opponents’ home stadiums. What you might not know, though, is that Georgia has not followed up a win over the Gamecocks with an out-of-conference road loss since 1974 and no Bulldog squad has come out of the South Carolina game with an unblemished record and lost on the road to a non-league foe in the Red and Black’s next outing since a 7-6 loss to Yale at New Haven in 1924.

It would have been remiss of me not to have included a reference to our dear friend Herbert I. McDunnough, who met his future wife, Edwinna, in the county lockup in Tempe.

Rudy Carpenter has thrown four more touchdowns (6) than interceptions (2). Matthew Stafford has thrown four more touchdowns (4) than interceptions (0).

This is a weird detail of which I do not know what to make: Arizona State’s longest game was five minutes shorter than Georgia’s shortest game. I get why being on for-real big-deal T.V. made the Bulldogs’ showdown in Columbia last three and a half hours, but, given the extent to which the ‘Dawgs are a running team and the Devils are a passing team, shouldn’t A.S.U.’s longest game be longer than Georgia’s shortest game? Anyway, if the game starts to stretch beyond the three-hour-and-fifteen-minute mark, will the home team have as much left in the tank as the visitors?

There simply are too many variables in play to have any idea in the world what to expect. In addition to questions about the Georgia pass rush versus the A.S.U. offensive line, or the Sun Devil aerial assault against the Red and Black secondary, there are such essential immeasurables as how the ‘Dawgs will respond to playing so far from home for the first time since their head coach was in first grade and how the Devils will react after last weekend’s debacle against U.N.L.V. There’s just no telling. This ought to be fun.

My Prediction: Georgia 41, Arizona State 35.

Go ‘Dawgs!

Pac-10 Preview and Predictions, Week #2

Cory Williams — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:12:10 -0000

The Pac-10 got off to a strong start as a whole last week, collecting six victories (two of which came against Pac-10 foes). The biggest victory of the week was UCLA's triumph over #18 Tennessee, in a game that was nearly impossible to watch in the first half.

This week, BYU rolls into Washington, Oregon State crosses the country to play Penn State, and Stanford takes on the Sun Devils in a battle of unbeaten squads. USC and UCLA have much-deserved off weeks after their victories in week 1.

On to the prognoses...

#15 BYU Cougars @ Washington Huskies. Saturday, September 6, 12:10 PM Pacific.

I was wrong last week when it came to my prediction about UCLA having "no chance" against Tennessee. Dead wrong. Tennessee was not nearly as good as I gave them credit for; it was probably all the SEC bias that gets tossed around on ESPN.

This week, I am willing to make another bold statement. Washington has no chance against BYU. QB Max Hall has looked phenomenal and will throw all over the Husky secondary.

UW QB Jake Locker gives Washington a change to keep this close, but if he falters at all, down they go, like a dogsled team falling into a frozen lake during the Iditarod.

Prediction: BYU 45, Washington 28

Oregon State Beavers @ #19 Penn State Nittany Lions. Saturday, September 6, 12:30 PM Pacific, ABC.

The Beavers take on the Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium... in Pennsylvania. What a coincidence, huh? Penn State is implementing a new quarterback for 2008, junior Daryll Clark. He looked good against Coastal Carolina, going 11/14 for 146 yards and a touchdown before getting pulled in the blowout victory.

On the other side of the coin is the OSU attack. Led by QB Lyle Moevao and WR Sammie Stroughter, the air game picked up 404 yards against Stanford in week 1's losing effort. The interceptions Moevao threw were backbreakers, and ended up being the difference between victory and defeat.

I can't help but wish for a huge upset, seeing as I think Penn State is perpetually overvalued, but in reality it just won't happen. Oregon State is known for being awful at the start of the year, and they won't go into one of the most hostile stadiums in the country and walk away with a win.

Prediction: Penn State 42, Oregon State 17

Utah State Aggies @ #18 Oregon Ducks. Saturday, September 6, 12:37 PM Pacific.

Allow me to quickly put this game into perspective. Last week, Utah State lost to UNLV 27-17. In 2007, UNLV was 2-10. Need I say much more?

Oregon won 44-10 last week against an overmatched Washington team. The most interesting part of this game will be how well concussed QB Justin Roper plays for the Ducks. He was out last week, and backup Jeremiah Masoli took care of business.

Prediction: Oregon 52, Utah State 7

California Golden Bears @ Washington State Cougars. Saturday, September 6, 3:30 PM Pacific.

California took care of business against Michigan State, and QB Kevin Riley is no longer in a platoon with Nate Longshore. Talk about a bust. Longshore was supposed to be the Golden Boy.

Washington State showed how bad they were in Seattle last week, getting dismantled by a 40-year old man to the tune of 39-13. This game will be in Pullman, so the final result might be closer, but I can't see Washington State winning this game. California is a team with a lot of potential. That doesn't mean it won't be close.

Prediction: California 28, Washington State 17

Toledo Rockets @ Arizona Wildcats. Saturday, September 6, 7:00 PM Pacific.

Arizona subscribed to the theory ASU has been working off of for years: play really crappy teams at the start of the season, and have a head start in the bowl chase. Toledo was 5-7 last year in the MAC, losing to teams like Kansas, Purdue, and Bowling Green.

Anyway, Toledo hasn't played a game this season, and Arizona already took it to Idaho 70-0 last week. I can only imagine more of the same in this match up, as Arizona improves to 2-0 and the polar ice caps begin to freeze over anew.

Prediction: Arizona 58, Toledo 13

Stanford Cardinal @ Arizona State Sun Devils. Saturday, September 6, 7:07 PM Pacific.

Check out "Breaking Down The Stanford Cardinal" for more information about the intruders from Palo Alto.

ASU can exploit the holes in the Stanford secondary with their quick speed at WR and their experience at QB with Rudy Carpenter. I think Kerry Taylor and Chris McGaha will have a field day, whether or not Mike Jones is 100%.

Prediction, Arizona State 42, Stanford 14. No mercy.

Side note: See the "Buzz!" icon next to the title of this page? Please click it! It will help generate more readers to the site. Thank you so much!

Observations From Inside Sun Devil Stadium

Cory Williams — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 05:17:30 -0000

The student section was rowdy and ready for another season of college football. After taking a beating in the Holiday Bowl at the hands of Texas, Rudy Carpenter and the boys looked prepared to show their fans that they are a legitimate Pac-10 contender.

The first thing I noticed was the inexperience of the offensive line really shining through. While statistically looking good on paper, Rudy was flushed out quite often. He showed his mettle and got rid of the ball when he needed to, rather than taking those sacks he was so familiar with.

To be fair to the line, they look promising. There are no guarantees in college football, but if they can give Carpenter 4 seconds to find a receiver, there will be hell to pay.

Lets move on to the skill positions.

Kerry Taylor found a seam up the gut to score the first touchdown of the season, a 52-yard beauty that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Taylor is really developing his routes and looks to be a deadly combination receiver playing alongside Chris McGaha and Michael Jones.

Keegan Herring was out with his sore hammy, but it was a good idea to give Dimitri Nance the majority of the carries (and allow Jarrell Woods the opportunity to play). Nance punched in multiple touchdowns, showing his size on the goal line opportunities.

Danny Sullivan has been looking awful. If he can't do any better than 1/7 on passing attempts against a Division 1-AA opponent, Dennis Erickson may have to reorder the depth chart.

This was Danny Sullivan's first Pac-10 passing attempt ever, against UCLA in 2007.

Thomas Weber hasn't slowed down at all, and looks every bit as good as he did last year when he won the Lou Groza award for best kicker in college football. His punting is much improved as well, with a long of 59.

On the other hand, Robbie Dehaze, NAU's punter/kicker, has a fantastic leg. I would not be surprised to see him land an NFL gig when all is said and done. His 63-yard punt was an absolute bomb, and to have actual coverage downfield would make him an asset.

Speaking of punts, NAU's starting QB, Lance Krieisen, tried a pooch punt on 4th and 12 in the ASU 36. It was a complete disaster and ended up going out at the ASU 23 for a whopping 13 yards. Better than an incomplete pass, right?

Kriesien is a speedy player, and his option runs are good practice for the big time opponents like Knowshon Moreno. With experience against a roving quarterback, everything else will fall into place with our maturing defensive core.

Luis Vasquez and Dexter Davis didn't skip a beat and look ferocious on every down. They chase restlessly until the play is over, and set good precedent for the young defensive tackles like Jonathon English.

The new dance/cheer combo looks good in their new uniforms, and the band sounds as good as ever. Now, if only I could get the student section to stop cheering "F*** NAU" or "F*** the Lumberjacks" and come up with something a little more biting...