(Photo: Brady Klain/WCSN)
The game plan for Arizona State’s opponents going forward should be simple: stop the run.
For the second week in a row, the Sun Devils went run-heavy in their game plan, rushing 48 times compared to just 25 passing attempts against Oregon State. But this week, sophomore running back Eno Benjamin broke school records.
Benjamin recorded the first 300-yard rushing game in school history, tallying 312 yards and three rushing touchdowns on the night.
“It was a great feeling,” Benjamin said. “But honestly, we had a game plan. We knew we were going to be able to run the ball on them.”
That game plan looked similar to the one ASU implemented against then No. 10 Washington.
“I thought we ran the ball for the second week very nicely,” Coach Herm Edwards said.
Very nicely, some would say, is an understatement. ASU racked up 560 yards the last two weeks on the ground. 396 of those came in their 52-24 victory over Oregon State.
Edwards expressed that he was uncertain about Benjamin’s ability to carry a heavy load in the running game coming into the season. Over the course of the season, Edwards’ trust in Benjamin has become more apparent in his game plans.
But what’s more is that ASU has the tools in the passing game to make this offense more dynamic. With weapons like wide receivers N’Keal Harry and Kyle Williams on the outside, and Benjamin in the backfield, fans could see this ASU offense become far more explosive.
“In the long haul, if you can run it, your offense will be more explosive,” Edwards said.
ASU senior quarterback Manny Wilkins completed 14 of his 25 pass attempts on the evening, something he thinks he can improve on.
“That’s average for me,” he said. “I can do better than that.”
Flashes of that were shown during the contest, when junior wide receiver Harry caught a 41-yard deep ball from Wilkins for a touchdown. Wilkins also found a streaking Kyle Williams for a 19-yard touchdown just before halftime.
It is evident that Edwards committed to running the ball before the Washington contest and it poured over into the Oregon State game, much to the success of the Sun Devils. Going forward, opponents should expect no different.
But while game planning for Benjamin and the rushing attack, they can’t forget about one of the nation’s top playmakers in Harry. That could make for a very dangerous offense.
