(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
Even though the Oregon Ducks are 2-5 entering Saturday, Arizona State head coach Todd Graham feels as though his team’s defense will have its hands full when they travel to Autzen Stadium on Saturday.
In particular, he’s concerned with the Ducks rushing attack, headlined by junior Royce Freeman. Graham thinks the group has earned the distinction of the best backfield that the Sun Devils have played all season.
The three-headed monster of Freeman, Tony Brooks-James and Kani Benoit has accounted for 176 of the team’s 299 total carries for 1,185 and 16 touchdowns. More telling is the yards per carry average amongst the three – on 176 carries, the trio is averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
“They’re the best rushing team I think we’ve faced at this point,” Graham said. “I think the best running back corps we’ve faced. They’re a handful offensively, the strength of their team is their offense, their ability to score points.”
The Ducks have encountered some uncertainty under center in the early going, but it looks as though freshman Justin Herbert has started to assert himself as a viable starting option. He should be expected to get the nod come Saturday.
He will be starting in just the third game of his career, stemming from a performance in which he torched Cal’s defense to the tune of six touchdowns.
On the season, he’s completed 46 of his 79 passes for 507 yards and eight touchdowns to two interceptions. Entering this weekend, Graham understands the potential of the true freshman signal caller.
“Very, very impressed with his great arm talent,” Graham said. “He can run and extend plays really well. He’s very mature for a young quarterback. I think he’s the guy, I’ve been impressed with him.”
Given the road woes of the Sun Devils to this point – the team is 1-2 on the road – and the plethora of injuries that have caused Graham and his staff to readjust on the fly, it would be reasonable to question whether or not the team will be up for the test in a venue that Graham has called the “loudest place we’ll play.”
Regardless, Graham continues to view each and every week as a blank slate.
“I just think every week is a new week,” Graham said. “Obviously, what would help us more than anything is to get some guys healed up, but we’re hoping as the week goes on we’ll get some guys back. But we’ll see how that goes. We had a great mental day with the guys that have issues and then working on the guys that will replace them.”
Practice Notes:
- Running back Demario Richard wore a green non-contact jersey, and was a limited participant in individual drills.
- Wide receiver Tim White was limited during stretches, and didn’t participate in individual portion.
- Safety Armand Perry and linebacker Christian Sam rode stationary bikes on Muscle Beach.
- Quarterback Manny Wilkins was off to the side during individual drills. He didn’t participate in the portion of viewing open to the media.
- Dillon Sterling-Cole took first team reps at quarterback. Nick Ralston, N’Keal Harry, Jalen Harvey and Fred Gammage comprised the offense. Jack Smith headlined the second team at quarterback. He threw an interception after scrambling out of pocket.
- DJ Calhoun, Maurice Chandler, Tashon Smallwood, Koron Crump, George Lea, Laiu Moeakiola, Da’Chavon Hayes, J’Marcus Rhodes, Joseph Wicker and Dasmond Tautalatasi comprised the first-team defense. Salamo Fiso was limited, and Cronkite Sports didn’t spot Marcus Ball or Kareem Orr at practice.
