ASU Football: Sun Devils dominate Utah, point to practice as a catalyst

(Photo: Chaz Frazier/WCSN)

(Photo: Chaz Frazier/WCSN)

SALT LAKE CITY — We’re talking about practice, man.

ASU football went on the road and walloped Utah 30-10 on Saturday, turning in its most complete performance of the season. ASU players don’t think it’s a product of personnel or circumstance; they attribute the last two weeks’ performances to their efforts on the practice field.

“If you come to our practices, it’s up-tempo, it’s fast, we tackle,” linebacker Christian Sam said. “Everything you see in the game, we did in practice, so it’s no surprise when we go out there and execute it.”

The Sun Devils (4-3, 3-1 Pac-12) executed their gameplan to near perfection against the Utes (4-3, 1-3 Pac-12). The first quarter included three field goals by Brandon Ruiz and a tone-setting performance from the defense, including an interception by J’Marcus Rhodes.

In the second quarter, the ASU offense found a rhythm that was somewhat lacking for the previous five quarters. Fueled by a stellar run game, the Sun Devils marched downfield in the final moments of the half and scored on a 1-yard run by Demario Richard. ASU finished with 205 rushing yards on the day.

Offensive coordinator Billy Napier said an improved rushing attack is a result of the offensive line’s development.

“We knew we had some issues where there were some things we could clean up,” Napier said. “More than anything, they’re a product of the work they’ve put in.”

Improvement up front has been crucial for the Sun Devil offense, but it’s the awakening of ASU’s defense that has stood out most in the last two weeks. The Sun Devils allowed 17 combined points to Utah and Washington. Against the Utes, they picked off Tyler Huntley four times — one of which went for a touchdown and gave ASU a 30-3 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Phil Bennett has his group playing at an unprecedented level. If practice is indeed the crucible of ASU’s turnaround, Todd Graham and his coordinators have to feel vindicated about their philosophy.

Napier said adversity early in the season brought this group closer together, rather than form divisions or create questions in the locker room.

“We just weren’t quite in sync early,” Napier said. “We did some things schematically, we made some mistakes…I think once we figured out how we needed to play as a team to win games I think we’ve done a really good job.”

The Sun Devils are in a situation that few thought they’d be in: 3-1 in the Pac-12 after games against Oregon, Stanford, Washington and Utah. They look like a different team than the one that lost to San Diego State and went down 35-17 at the half to Texas Tech.

“We see the strides we make in each game, and we just keep plugging, keep plugging, keep plugging,” Sam said. “The dam’s broke, so now we’ve set the standard.”

Richard, who led ASU with 93 rushing yards, insisted that practice is where this momentum shift started. He’s far from alone in that line of thinking.

“It comes back to practice,” Richard said. “Our coaches harp on us, and if they don’t harp on us, you relax. If you practice like crap, you play like crap.”

The Sun Devils will need another sound week of work to keep this run going. No. 11 USC comes into Tempe next week for a game that will decide the leader in the Pac-12 South.

ASU’s recent run is astonishing, but players and coaches will tell you they expected it. Practice made a perfect storm for the Sun Devils to defy expectations and bounce back from a sluggish start. All that’s left is to keep riding this wave of momentum.