ASU offense on the rise by keeping Wilkins upright
One of Rob Likens earliest stated goals for his first year as Arizona State offensive coordinator was to keep Manny Wilkins from taking a pounding like the first two years as starting quarterback.
It’s easy to forget Likens saying that back then because truthfully there was no good reason to believe it could happen.
ASU was No. 120 nationally in sacks allowed in 2017 (3.15 per game), a fractional improvement from No. 123 (3.42) in 2016.
With center A.J. McCollum graduating and especially guard Sam Jones leaving early for the NFL, Wilkins seemed on the path to more punishment, not less, in his final season. Yet going into Senior Day against UCLA on Saturday, ASU is an eye-opening No. 14 in sacks allowed (1.11 pg) with Wilkins going unsacked in five of nine games including the last two.
Only Washington State in the Pac-12 is doing a better job protecting the quarterback, and the Cougars run an Air Raid offense predicated on getting the ball out quick.
To put the improvement into perspective, ASU has not been better than No. 70 in sacks allowed going back to at least 2003. Or had more than two games without allowing a sack since at least 2000.
With just three games remaining, it’s likely that sacks allowed will be the Sun Devils’ most impressive statistical offensive gain over last season.
“Coach (Dave) Christensen and those guys up front have embraced that,” Likens said. “That’s their deal now. They don’t want to give up a sack. Once you do that, the momentum starts building in your favor. They’re working very hard at it and very aware of it.”
Christensen, ASU’s first-year offensive line coach (he was an analyst in 2017), had an offensive line one season at Missouri that allowed just six sacks. So he understands the significance of Wilkins having taken just 10 sacks and what it takes to make that happen.
“It starts with the scheme and the play calling,” said Christensen, who was Missouri’s offensive coordinator from 2001-08. “You don’t want to put your quarterback in a drop-back situation every snap or it’s going to be hard for the guys up front. The second thing is the quarterback is not holding the ball, which is huge. Manny’s done a tremendous job of not standing back there and thinking we’re going to block forever.
“The third part is the guys up front have done well. They’re not turning guys loose. I don’t know that very often we’ve been beat by one move for a clean shot at the quarterback.”
It also helps that ASU is making a new commitment to the run game under first-year head coach Herm Edwards and doing it well enough to keep defenses more than honest and vulnerable if they sell out going after Wilkins.
“If you’re a defensive end, you’re not just cocking your arm back in a threepoint sprinter stance and coming off the edge on Manny,” Likens said. “Because we will run inside zone, outside zone, slice, power, counter, freaking every run play you can imagine. We show a lot of things which slows them down and makes them think.”
ASU’s upcoming opponents are ranked No. 111 (UCLA), 64 (Oregon) and 71 (Arizona) in sacks, which is no guarantee that Wilkins will remain upright. But it’s going to take some work for those teams to crack an offensive line that’s proved to be stable and versatile.
Center Cohl Cabral and right tackle Quinn Bailey have started every game and Stanford grad transfer Casey Tucker started all but one over two positions. Four others have started two to six games, allowing Christensen flexibility to rotate players at guard and still keep the run game humming.
“It’s a group effort, but do not discredit the O-line for the job they’ve done,” Wilkins said. “We cycle in guys. It’s not just having five guys (up front), and that’s hard to do. They have a really good rhythm with each other so that’s why everything is meshing well. They’re done a fabulous job, the backs have done pretty well protecting. And I’m a lot more comfortable in the pocket because I know those guys care and they’re going to protect their ass off for me.”
Bailey, a 6-6, 323 lbs. senior, in his third year as a starter, has not allowed a sack all season. Cabral, a 6-5, 285 lbs. junior, has been something of a revelation in his first season at center after previously playing left tackle.
“Obviously we’ve had a good scheme every week,” Bailey said. “The running backs are playing well, the quarterback is playing well, we’re making good reads. Your main job is to protect the quarterback. It’s a collective group limiting the sacks. The receivers are getting open, the whole line is communicating, the running backs are blocking better.”
Wilkins said, “There’s sometimes where I don’t have to say anything to him (Bailey) for certain calls. I just look at him and give him that nod. Cohl, I can’t tell you how awesome he has been as center of this team. He’s so cerebral and smart with everything.”
ASU seeks 1st LA sweep since ’13
ASU (5-4, 3-3 Pac-12) is seeking its third straight win and to clinch a bowl berth while remaining in contention for the Pac-12 South title. UCLA (2-7, 2-4), in its first season under coach Chip Kelly, is on a two-game losing streak.
The Sun Devils are seeking their first sweep of the Los Angeles schools since 2013, when they won the Pac-12 South, and fifth ever. Others were in ASU’s Rose Bowl seasons (1986 and ‘96) and 1999.
ASU coach Herm Edwards will receive a $50,000 bonus for bowl qualifying.
❚ ASU will recognize 16 seniors before the game including starters Wilkins, Bailey, Tucker, safeties Jalen Harvey and DeMonte King and defensive lineman Renell Wren.
Wilkins, King and Wren are among the team captains.
Others completing their home careers are linebackers Koron Crump and Ochuko Duke, defensive linemen Jordan Hoyt and Doug Subtyl, defensive backs Dasmond Tautalatasi and Cody French, offensive lineman Tyson Rising, wide receiver Ryan Jenkins, kicker John O’Brien and first-team holder Josh Pokraka.
Junior receiver N’Keal Harry likely is also playing in his final home game given his projection as a NFL first-round draft pick.