ASU's defense delivers when needed to secure victory against California

Somewhere along the way, Arizona State lost its defensive identity. Fortunately for the Sun Devils, they found it in the fourth quarter against California Saturday night. Color me impressed. For much of the game, ASU’s defense gave up big play after big play. But when it needed it most, it delivered and a 51-41 victory over California has the Sun Devils starting the season 4-0. That’s right. Four-and-oh. This is a team that will find itself in the Top 25 rankings next week.

And this was supposed to be a down year.

This team is the definition of fourthquarter moxie. And first-half misery. Just consider the final 62 seconds of the first half.

After a sluggish start, the Sun Devils closed to within seven on a Manny Wilkins 8-yard run. They had an opportunity to enter halftime feeling better about itself.

Instead, California when 82 yards in 62 seconds, capping a six-play drive with a Davis Webb to Bran Singleton 23-yard completion.

The defense delivered at the right time.

A reverse metamorphosis has happened to ASU’s pass defense during Todd Graham’s tenure in Tempe, looking brilliant to start and slowly crawling back into the cocoon.

In Graham’s first season, the Sun Devils’ pass defense finished first in the Pac-12. In 2013, 6th. In 2014, 6th In 2015, 12th. In 2016 to date 12th. After ASU’s 48-46 loss to Cal last year, Graham was asked if Pac-12 opponents had adjusted to his attacking scheme.

“That's who we are and what we're about is pressuring,” he said a bit defensively. “As long as I'm the head coach, that's the way it's going to be. They want somebody not to blitz, get somebody else. There's no doubt in my mind that what we do is the best thing we can do for our guys."

Yet this season, the Sun Devils have attacked less, in part to take pressure off their secondary. And it looks like a defense off balance. The Sun Devils came into this game allowing more passing yards than anyone in the country. Yes, ranked 128th out of 128 teams. The total defense is ranked 107th.

And remember, last year the Sun Devils gave up 24 40-yards or more passing plays, six more than anyone in the country.

And in 2014, they gave up 21 plays of 40-plus yards, ranking 110th nationally. The cause? It’s hard to pinpoint but several factors come into play.

One is personnel. The Sun Devils’ recruiting has gone well recently but maybe not as well in the defensive backfield.

Another could be the moving parts on the defensive staff.

Two former staff members, Chris Ball and Paul Randolph, joined Mike Norvell at Memphis. Then Keith Patterson came on board on 2014.

Give the unit credit though. It has shown far more moxie in the second half all season.

That was the case again for a while Saturday as the Sun Devils allowed just three points into the fourth quarter and had tied the game at 27.

But just like that, ASU’s issue with giving up big plays happened again and Davis Webb needed just 38 seconds to drive down the field, capping the drive with a 74-yard pass play from Webb to Tre Watson.

And the shootout everyone expected was under way.

The Sun Devils came back to score on a beautiful play-call by offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey that saw Wilkins fake a handoff and hit Jay Jay Wilson for the touchdown.

And then that much maligned defense delivered in a big way with Salamo Fiso, playing for the first time this season, intercepting Webb and returning the ball 22 yards.

The Sun Devils took a three-point lead.

And then again. Villami Moeakiola picked off Webb, who returned it 28 yards for a touchdown.

The Pac-12 always has its share of top quarterbacks, whether it’s Jared Goff from California last year or Josh Rosen from UCLA this season. There will always be great arms to defend.

The Sun Devils will need to sort this out.

The conference overall is getting more balanced.

Many challenged the conference for adding Utah and Colorado but they have leveled the playing field and the longtime woes of the Buffaloes have finally change.

It has impressed Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, who attended the game and took a tour of ASU’s improving facilities.

“I like the overall trajectory of the conference in football,” he said. “It hasn’t always been the case but the last few years we’ve gotten deeper and stronger.

Colorado’s win that just happened up in Oregon, that’s a shift for that program. That’s just an indication we’ll continue to be among the deepest conferences in the country.”

Deep and stomach-churning and all those things.

But for at least another week, ASU is undefeated.

Follow Paola Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com and on Twitter at Twitter.com/PaolaBoivin. Listen to her streaming live on “The Brad Cesmat Show” on sports360az.com Mondays at 10:30 a.m.