(Photo via Joey Plishka/WCSN)
Déjà vu can be a scary sight for any team or fanbase. The question in these moments typically creeps to the forefront: Will the past be repeated?
This thought is at the center of Arizona State Football’s matchup in Stillwater, Oklahoma this Saturday against No. 11 Oklahoma State.
Last season, the Sun Devils’ first road game in over a year and a half came against BYU in Week 3. They entered Lavell Edwards Stadium to a rowdy Cougar crowd of over 60,000 and left with the most penalties in one game in Herm Edwards’ ASU head coaching tenure. The 16 flags against the Sun Devils were two short of the program record set in 1992.
Now, almost exactly a year later, the ASU enters another raucous environment in their first road test with plenty of talent on the Cowboys’ side.
With the two games setting up to be eerily similar, Edwards said that he expects the team to keep its composure now that the first game is out of the way.
“In an environment where it’s going to be really loud and it’s on the road and all those things,” Edwards said. “How do we handle that now? We did a pretty good job here [in Tempe].
“… I just think it’s another experience we’re going to experience together as a team. We’ll figure that out when I see it. But I think these guys will hopefully stay calm, [and] stay focused on the job at hand.”
The job at hand will be quite the elevated task from Northern Arizona last week, with the Cowboys utilizing an explosive offense led by redshirt senior quarterback Spencer Sanders. In Oklahoma State’s 58-44 win over Central Michigan in Week 1, Sanders had over 300 yards passing and five total touchdowns in the first half alone.
When asked about his posed threat, defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson was succinct and honest.
“Athlete. Extends plays. I’m scared,” Henderson said. “He really reminds you of that guy from Utah (junior quarterback Cameron Rising).”
Edwards keyed in on Sanders’ cadence at the line of scrimmage, with the Texas native drawing Central Michigan offsides four times.
In terms of the game plan, Henderson said “you have to pick your poison” and “keep them off-balanced” with quarterback pressure and zone coverage to simultaneously pay attention to the Cowboys’ athletic wide receivers.
Oklahoma State’s dangerous uptempo-style offense will also be a major factor. Henderson said he will prioritize getting the defensive calls out quickly from the sideline to avoid the unit getting “uneasy.”
“They run a lot of bubble screens,” redshirt sophomore defensive back Ro Torrence said. “They want to catch you sleeping. They’ll hit you with a bubble screen, bubble screen, then go screen and go and try to get the ball downfield. They run a lot of all gos just trying to get their playmakers the ball.”
The downfield attack shined in the opener, with the Cowboys’ top-three leading pass catchers recording a 40-plus-yard play. The group is highlighted by redshirt senior Braydon Johnson – the team leader in career receiving yards – who caught six catches for 133 yards and a touchdown last week.
Under Edwards, ASU has been known to limit the big play, acting as one of three teams to rank top-35 in the nation in fewest 30-plus-yard plays allowed in the last four seasons.
“That’s always a priority,” Torrence said. “We don’t want anybody throwing the ball over our heads. We did good versus NAU, but we’re going to have to do a better job versus Oklahoma State because they’re throwing the ball vertical.”
The Sun Devils will also get some defensive help with sixth-year senior cornerback Timarcus Davis returning to the group after missing last week with a knee injury. Davis – known as a vocal leader from within – joins a secondary that will look to clean up “a lot of mental mistakes” from Week 1, according to Torrence.
On the other side, the Sun Devils’ rushing attack lived up to its recent reputation against the Lumberjacks. Senior running back Xazavian Valladay ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns, while redshirt sophomore Daniyel Ngata complemented with 60 yards on the ground.
This week, ASU will face a much tougher challenge from the Cowboys’ defensive line. The unit led the nation in sacks last season and have returned with serious depth and experience. Collectively, they combine for over 100 starts and have an average age just over 24 years. The headliners include all-conference redshirt seniors Tyler Lacy and Brock Martin, while sophomore defensive end Collin Oliver returns from a historic freshman year in which he was seventh in the country in sacks and unanimously named Big-12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year.
With the stout unit, Edwards hopes that ASU won’t abandon the run depending on the score Saturday afternoon.
“When you look at our record – [when] over 200 [rushing] yards we’re 15-1,” Edwards said. “Now, with that being said, guess what Oklahoma State is going to go do? They can do it. They are going to put some guys in the box and say, ‘You’re not going to run the ball and can you beat us throwing the ball.’”
Edwards’ stat now clashes with the Cowboys, who have limited eight of their last 13 opponents to under 100 yards rushing.
With an opponent of this stature so early on in the season, ASU recognizes the challenge and is aware of the opportunity.
“I’m anticipating it to be the biggest stage I’ve ever played on,” junior defensive back transfer Chris Edmonds said. “That’s why I came to school like this, to play on the stages like this, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Beyond what a win could do for the team, some Sun Devils have thought about the potential impact on the program, with the outside doubts still swirling.
“It would definitely be a big confidence builder for us,” redshirt junior quarterback Emory Jones said. “It would definitely show the world all the work we put in and that Arizona State is back on the map.”
