2009 NCAA - Arizona State
Dennis Erickson has been a college head coach for a long time, and few would argue that last season was perhaps his team's most underachieving squad of them all. Going into the season, the Sun Devils were defending Pac-10 co-champs and many figured them BCS-bowl worthy. But an early loss as a three-touchdown plus favorite at home to UNLV sent the season spiralling out of control. ASU lost six straight games, tying a school record set in 1929. Erickson has never had back-to-back losing seasons, but that could be in a little jeopardy. The offense looks to have concerns heading into fall, including an O-line that saw three potential starters miss spring practice. This was a problem last year, and new QB Danny Sullivan's lack of mobility could pose lots of negative-yardage situations for the ASU offense. |
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Arizona State
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Erickson and OC Rich Olson are installing a new read-option offense, and that means mobile QB Samson Szakacsy could be the starter come fall. There is a power/speed combo at RB and three experienced receivers if the line gives the QB time to get the ball to them. On the positive side, this could be the best Arizona State defense since the late 1990s, when Derrick Rodgers and Pat Tillman were Sun Devils. Defensive coordinator Craig Bray likes to be ultra-aggressive with his blitzing, but he was unable to do it much last season due to a lack of experience and familiarity while newer faces were learning his system. There are no weaknesses this time around, and ASU should again field a top-20 special teams unit. |
| ASK the bookie? - Outside of Southern Cal, this looks to be the league's best defense. That makes the Sun Devils, who host five league games, a real threat in the Pac-10 race if a QB and O-line play develop. A very friendly schedule is there at the start, as ASU will be favored in as many as six of their first seven. The development of the two aforementioned question marks is what makes the difference between 6-6 (at worst) or a 10-2 type team. |
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