Sun Devil defense prepares for unique rushing threat against Kansas

(Photo: Spencer Barnes/WCSN)

TEMPE — It’s widely accepted one of, if not, the single most difficult jobs in all of sports is that of the quarterback. They’re tasked with having complete command and knowledge of all the intricacies of an offense while leading their team down the field by completing throws. The responsibility for a team’s success, from the outside world right or wrong, often rests solely on the shoulders of the quarterback.

One could argue the role of the defense is close to equally as difficult. They have to guess the offensive scheme and correctly match it with answers. They constantly face the threat of that opposing quarterback carving them apart underneath with short precise throws or being susceptible to him uncorking a booming throw down the field skipping the defense as a whole.

The quarterback of Arizona State Football’s (3-1, 0-1) next opponent, Kansas (1-4, 0-2), presents an entirely different question to the defense outside of the obvious one. Can they stop the man under center from passing over them?

What if that quarterback can run too?

ASU has yet to face a mobile quarterback like the Jayhawks’ speedy junior Jalon Daniels who ran for seven touchdowns in his last fully healthy season starting in 2022.

“He’s an elusive [quarterback],” ASU redshirt senior defensive end Prince Dorbah said. “He knows how to get up the field and make people miss and just extend plays.”

The danger is when a defense is so absorbed with caution to now allow a deep pass and every defensive player drops deep matching the receivers. That creates space underneath which a quarterback with running ability can exploit for easy 10,15, or even 20-plus yard gains in the now deserted space.

ASU junior linebacker Keyshaun Elliott has been a steadying force for the Sun Devil defense all season ranking second on the team in total tackles with 33. His job of identifying moments for Daniels to use his legs and quickly quelling those opportunities will be paramount.

“Those are the hardest quarterbacks to play,” Elliott said. “He can attack with many different things. We have to be sound up front in our pursuit lanes.”

As important as Elliott and the linebacking unit’s pursuit will be, the onus in stopping a mobile quarterback initially falls on the defensive line. Extra care must be taken to the methods in how they rush the passer to try and limit openings for Daniels to bail and use his legs.

“Understanding the details and being more on the technique, and the keys so we can execute on a higher level,” Dorbah said. “It’s understanding where our assignment is and our rush lane. We’re not going to give him easy escape so he can step up or flesh out. Just little things like that.”

Pressuring Daniels and making him uncomfortable in the pocket will be another key for this defense. For Redshirt sophomore defensive end Clayton Smith the goal for his defensive line group is simple: make their presence felt every snap.

“Making sure we get our hands up,” Smith said. “Cloud his reads and adjust. Collapse [the pocket] when we can. Just make sure he feels us every snap.

Daniels partners in the backfield with Senior running back Devin Neal to create the nations tenth best rushing attack in terms of total yards ont he ground. While the Jayhawks’ overall record may not reflect the potency of this offense, the danger is very much there.

The read option play is a staple of Kansas head coach Lance Leopold’s offense. It’s a run play where the quarterback reads the defensive rush and decides whether to hand the ball off to the running back or keep it himself running in the opposite direction.

When a defense has to decide between tackling a preseason Doak Walker (nation’s best running back), and Maxwell (nation’s best overall player) award watch list running back in Neal or a preseason Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (nation’s best quarterback) and fellow Maxwell award watch list quarterback in Daniels, the defense is expected to struggle.

For Smith and the rest of the front seven (defensive Line and linebackers), discipline, IQ, and physicality will be crucial in their attempts at slowing down the read option and negating the effects of Daniels’ mobility come Saturday night in Tempe.

“Making sure we stay clean,” Smith said. “Making sure we’re making the right reads, Ultimately it’s going to be up to us to play it right. There’s not too much we can do to try and negate it, we just got to play it right.”