Defense giveth — then taketh away
TEMPE, Ariz. — Stanford’s defense looked horrible on one play, then stout on the next in the second quarter against Arizona State.
Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins hit tailback Eno Benjamin for 29 yards, thanks to a blown coverage by the Cardinal. But they made up for it on the next play, when ASU tried a razzle-dazzle pass by wide receiver N’Keal Harry. The throw, intended for Kyle Williams, resulted in the first career interception for linebacker Sean Barton. Alfieri hurt: Stanford got one starting outside linebacker back but may have lost another.
Casey Toohill returned after missing three games with an arm injury. But Joe Alfieri went to the locker room early in the second quarter with an unknown injury. He was replaced alternately by Gabe Reid and Jordan Fox. Rare takeaway: Thomas Booker’s recovery of a fumble by Wilkins, caused by Bobby Okereke, was Stanford’s first takeaway in nearly a month. The Cardinal’s previous takeaway was Alameen Murphy’s overtime interception to clinch the win at Oregon on Sept. 22. Speights delivers: Backup tailback Trevor Speights had a 13-yard run and an 11-yard reception on a screen pass to help set up a field goal at the end of the first half. He later went 14 yards on a screen pass on a touchdown drive.
Speights also had a nice cut block on a blitzing Sun Devil on K.J. Costello’s touchdown pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside in the third quarter. Bay Area Devils: Herm Edwards, who is in his first year as ASU’s head coach, inherited several Bay Area products from predecessor Todd Graham. They include standout quarterback Wilkins, a redshirt senior from San MarinNovato; starting Y-receiver (or tight end) Tommy Hudson of Mitty-San Jose and backup tailback Isaiah Floyd of Foothill-Pleasanton and CCSF. Former Cardinal NewmanSanta Rosa quarterback Beau Barrington is a freshman walk-on.
On defense the Sun Devils have safety Jalen Harvey ,a redshirt senior from El Cerrito who leads the team in tackles; starting defensive back/linebacker Dasmond Tautalatasi, a redshirt senior from De La Salle-Concord, and cornerback Terin Adams, a redshirt sophomore from CCSF. Briefly: Costello has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 11 straight games, the longest streak by a Stanford quarterback since Andrew Luck’s streak over the last 16 games of his career. … Drew Dalman started at right guard in place of injured Nate Herbig, and Devery Hamilton also saw plenty of action there. … Casey Tucker, who played in 27 games over three years at Stanford, including 22 starts, started at left guard for ASU, where he’s a graduate transfer.