(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
Arizona State failed to launch in Week 1 against Texas A&M, but it rebounded to take down an FCS side in Cal Poly in less than convincing fashion in Tempe. Collectively, the Sun Devils have yet to put a product on the field that looks like a team that some had as a contender to break into the College Football Playoffs.
Well, the third time is the charm, right?
ASU welcomes New Mexico into Sun Devil Stadium for a Friday night tilt, and the Lobos will present some similar challenges in unique ways. Like Cal Poly, UNM runs a triple-option on offense, but the manner in which it runs that offense has stark differences that ASU is ready and prepared to defend.
While Cal Poly attempted just eight passes against ASU, UNM’s passing attack gained 166 yards in its last game, a 40-21 loss to Tulsa. The Lobos were led by junior wide receiver Dameon Gamblin, who racked up eight catches for 131 yards, the most since head coach Bob Davie took over the program.
Despite those impressive offensive numbers, the Lobos were anything but spectacular against Tulsa, allowing 600 yards of total offense. UNM also committed 14 penalties that totaled 154 yards.
In short, ASU should hypothetically have plenty of room to work, which is what it needs considering the amount of injuries sustained against Cal Poly last weekend.
Notably, sophomore field safety Armand Perry was seen on crutches and in a walking boot all week, so it is safe to assume he will miss the upcoming game at the very least. Sophomores James Johnson and Chad Adams as well as freshman Kareem Orr have gotten the first-team reps during the week of practice, and Graham said it is likely that both Adams and Orr will see playing time at the position.
That is the most lingering health-issue for the Sun Devils, but not the only one. Redshirt junior running back De’Chavon Hayes is questionable after sustaining a hamstring injury, and junior defensive tackle Ami Latu’s status is unknown following his injury. Sophomore running back Kalen Ballage was seen at practice this week, but he was not a participant as he continues to recover from mononucleosis.
Amidst the injuries, ASU found itself tied with Cal Poly well into the fourth quarter before a pair of touchdown passes from redshirt senior Mike Bercovici sealed the deal for the Sun Devils. Although a win is a win, Bercovici and his team certainly want to make more of a statement before USC comes to town on September 26.
What to watch for
Whoever is at field safety vs. New Mexico’s triple-option
ASU has depth at nearly every position across the front seven. Despite the injury to Ami Latu, sophomore Tashon Smallwood and redshirt senior Demetrius Cherry played well against Cal Poly, and freshman JoJo Wicker has the ability to play at end and his natural inside position.
However, the secondary is not so fortunate. Armand Perry was the replacement for Demarious Randall, one of the few starters ASU lost from a season ago, and now, Graham has said Orr, a true freshman, is likely to get plenty of time on the field. While Orr has looked solid in practice, the obvious changes to game-speed is an adjustment for any first-time starter.
The field safety is one of ASU’s most stressful positions, and although UNM doesn’t exactly air it out, it’ll be up to whomever is at safety to make sure the Lobos are unsuccessful in stretching the defense. They attempted 21 passes against Tulsa and completed just 11 of them, but they gained an average of 15.1 yards when they did connect.
This isn’t a chop-blocking heavy, traditional option offense like Cal Poly. UNM operates more out of shotgun and pistol sets, so the entire defense must stay attentive and not be lulled by the thick amount of running that comes at them.
Where does D.J. Foster line up?
Much was made of senior D.J. Foster moving out of the backfield and into more of a receiving role over the offseason, and while he has operated at a higher frequency as a wideout, injuries to Hayes in addition to Ballage’s absence forced the all-around threat into a throwback role of sorts against Cal Poly.
Foster tallied 76 yards on 12 carries and 58 yards on six catches, both of which were second on the team.
In last season’s tilt with UNM in Albuquerque, Foster had one his most explosive games, totaling 270 total yards between 19 carries and three receptions. All signs point toward a similar output in this game, especially with redshirt junior wide receiver Tim White back in action to relieve Foster of some responsibility in the passing game.
Wherever Foster lines up, it’s clear the offense is going to trend toward him touching the ball as much as possible in a plethora of ways, and more than ASU would probably like to admit, it needs Foster to shoulder a heavy load as the backfield depth continues to take hits.
Prediction
This game is primed for the Sun Devils to make quick work on New Mexico, but the Lobos aren’t shy about scoring. They put 66 on the board against Mississippi Valley State, but the Delta Devils are a far cry from what awaits UNM on Friday night.
The 600 yards Tulsa put up against UNM is excessive, but ASU, despite the injuries, has the potential and tempo to put things together and find themselves with a similar stat line.
ASU is eager to put to rest some questions before its fixtures against big boys in the Pac-12, and unfortunately, UNM is the last team ASU plays before those games get rolling. Not saying the Sun Devils weren’t ever motivated, but Friday’s situation certainly feeds itself to a big-time performance from ASU.
You can reach Zac Pacleb on Twitter @ZacPacleb or via email at zacpacleb@gmail.com
