How ASU Can Jump-Start Its Offense Against Arizona
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It is a big game for the Arizona State Sun Devils as they take on the Arizona Wildcats. There are a lot of implications for the Sun Devils. A win is big, and one way to get a win is a successful offense. So, how can they have a great day offensively?
Use Multiple Runners
During the Wildcats' winning streak, one area where they have struggled is their run defense. During their streak of victories, they allowed
- 181 total rushing yards versus Baylor, 100 of those yards were by their lead back
- 190 total rushing yards versus Cincinnati, 119 of those yards were by their lead back
- Allowed 170 rushing yards to Kansas and 129 rushing yards to Colorado
So, there is a huge chance that Raleek Brown could have an excellent day rushing. Brown is coming off a phenomenal day rushing versus Colorado and it's looking like he could have another huge day on the ground versus U of A.
However, Brown is not the only Sun Devil who could have a huge day on the ground. Jeff Sims could also get things going. Sims has shown that he can take off and be a threat on the ground when need be, as shown in the Iowa State game. Sims has great speed and acceleration, which makes him elusive and hard for defenders to tackle.
In terms of other running backs, Kanye Udoh could also have an impactful game. For a while, Udoh was not getting involved in ASU's offense that much. However, Udoh had a pretty nice game against Colorado. Udoh has great power and patience while running, which could prove to be great against UA's defense. In general, Arroyo calling a lot of runs and thus controlling the clock would be a great way for ASU to get the win.
Smart Passing Game
Arizona's secondary has been a great unit as of late. There are a couple of ways that ASU can overcome this hurdle; however, it comes down to one question: how do the Wildcats cover Jordyn Tyson?
ASU's passing game is going to be decided on how the Wildcats cover Tyson. If they go on one, then Tyson could have an amazing day receiving. If U of A doubles Tyson, then ASU's other receivers, such as Jalen Moss and Derek Eusebio, could have big games. Jeff Sims has shown that his chemistry has grown with some of ASU's other playmakers, such as Malik McClain, so it could be ASU's other receivers having big games against the Wildcats.
There are both pros and cons to whether ASU should be aggressive or not, this game on fourth down and such. However, what ASU chooses to be, they should try to stick with it throughout the game. Inconsistency with play calling can be an issue for teams, so whatever Kenny Dillingham, Marcus Arroyo, and ASU decide, the team's level of conservativeness, they should try to stick by it.
Overall, the Sun Devils do face some tough challenges against the Wildcats. However, they have the players and the personnel in order to have a great game offensively. U of A's offense is pretty good, so this could be a shootout type of game for ASU, but one they could win.
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Tanner Cappellini holds a mass communications degree from Arizona State University and is pursuing his dream of being the person at the games, practices, and events who takes others inside the team they love.