USC, Slovis get best of Daniels, ASU
Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels made a name for himself last season as a true freshman with three game-winning drives, two of those over nationally ranked teams. No one would have been surprised if he had another one of those in him Saturday.
But this time, he didn't. Instead, it was No. 20 USC rallying past the visiting Sun Devils 28-27 in the long-awaited season opener for the Pac-12 South Division rivals at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Instead of Daniels it was his quarterbacking counterpart Kedon Slovis that engineered two touchdown drives in less than two minutes, which enabled the home team to surge back from a 2714 deficit. The decisive points came on a 15-yard scoring toss from Slovis to Drake London with 1:26 to play.
"We didn't finish the game. Going into this we knew it would got down to the fourth quarter like the previous two and had gone," ASU coach Herm Edwards said. "We needed to close it out and had numerous opportunities to do that and we needed to get it done. They made the plays that were necessary to get back in the game."
The battle between the Pac-12's premier quarterbacks was among the many storylines that unfolded in the nationally televised contest. It was the native of Scottsdale Slovis suiting up for the Trojans and it was Daniels, playing 60 miles from his home in San Bernardino, leading the ASU squad.
The favored Trojans got the better on the scoreboard and the individual battle as well. ASU's passing game managed just 134 yards with Daniels completing only11of 23 tries. He was a huge factor in the running game, however, racking up 111 yards on 11 carries, highlight by a 31yard run that set up a 17-yard run by DeaMonte Trayanum that put ASU up 24-14.
Meanwhile, Slovis connected on 40 of 55 attempts for 381 yards.
"I have to make the passes and the receivers have to get open," said Daniels, who missed last year's game against USC due to an injury. "We just didn't make the plays in the end. We have to execute better."
The Sun Devils appeared primed for the upset until Slovis, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2019, went to work, aided by a bounce that went the Trojans way and a special teams play that was botched.
The Trojans got in striking distance with 2:52 to play on a 26-yard, fourthdown scoring pass from Slovis to Bru McCoy. The Slovis offering sailed toward the corner of the end zone where four players — two-from each team — converged on the ball. Amon-Ra St. Brown tipped the ball up with DeAndre Pierce and Timarcus Davis defending. But the ball deflected into the hands of McCoy.
ASU then botched USC's on-side kick with the Trojans recovering at the 45 and setting the stage for what turned out to be the winning drive.
It marked the debut of ASU's new offense under the leadership of new coor
dinator Zak Hill. It was no doubt, a tough opponent to have to start out against with the nonconference games wiped away due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Slovis had the benefit of an experienced group of wide receivers around him, while Daniels was operating with a band of newcomers, particularly after senior Frank Darby left the game in the first half with a rib injury and was unable to return.
That showed down the stretch when Daniels was attempting yet another fantastic finish. The Sun Devils couldn't work the ball further than the ASU 43 and a fourth down pass went incomplete, sealing their fate with 50 seconds left.
"It's good experience for them. It's all about experience, getting comfortable in the game, feeling the operation in a game setting," Hill said. "It's one thing to do it in a practice or in a scrimmage. There were some young guys and they're going to continue to get better."
Daniels did a good job of managing the game and didn't necessarily need yardage through the air in staking the
Sun Devils to an early lead, with the new stable of running backs instrumental.
The Sun Devils came into the contest the only team in the country with zero yards out of a returning running back, but Trayanum racked up 84 on 12 carries, while community college transfer Rachaad White added 76 on 12 carries, in addition to scoring on a 55-yard screen pass.
Edwards has said he's is expecting Daniels to step up as a leader this season since he is no longer the true freshman. That showed at the end of the first half when Daniels took true Johnny Wilson aside after the true freshman dropped a couple of passes in the first half and offered some words of encouragement.
“I mean it’s a next-man-up mentality. Without Frank, we really have no experience at the receiver group. It’s people that haven’t played. It’s a next-man-up mentality without Frank and you have to help them have the confidence to make plays," he said.