ASU rewind: Takeaways, grades from Colorado loss
Arizona State (3-3, 1-2 Pac-12) again fell a touchdown short for a third consecutive road game, losing 28-21 at now-No. 18 Colorado on Saturday.
The undefeated Buffs moved up four places in the Amway Coaches Poll off the victory.
Let’s review:
Three takeaways
1. ASU will be heavily involved in offseason rules conversation. In games against San Diego State and Colorado, the Sun Devils came out on the bad end of plays that warrant NCAA rules scrutiny. First about whether targeting should be a spot foul – from the bomb to WR Frank Darby ruled incomplete upon
review after a targeting penalty that was upheld in the closing seconds vs. the Aztecs – and now for Colorado’s Drew Lewis running out of bounds down the sideline before coming back on the field to make a blindside hit on ASU WR N’Keal Harry during a punt return. Lewis was pushed out but did not immediately return to the field as required by rule. ASU Vice President for Athletics Ray Anderson is chair of the Division I football competition committee, which works in conjunction with the football oversight and rules committees. Even if Anderson is not allowed to directly bring up the ASU cases due to conflict of interest, others on those committees likely will do so.
2. Herm Edwards is a conservative gambler. The first-year ASU coach is building a power-run offense that at times seems ultra-conservative but insists on taking fourth-down risks in the red zone when field goals vs. San Diego State and Colorado would have extended or given ASU a lead. Maybe the two can be reconciled with better play calling and execution on critical plays in the second half of the season, but you can’t help but wonder if the Sun Devils would have a fourth win and be in better position for bowl qualifying if they’d settled for a field goal in either of those situations.
3. Ball security payoff missing. With just one interception, one lost fumble, ASU remains No. 1 nationally in turnovers gained. But the Sun Devils are not turning over opponents at near the rate that defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales expects from interceptions produced when he was at San Diego State. ASU does have a 21-0 edge in points off turnovers that feels like it should be larger given its laudable ball security.
Offense
Offensive coordinator Rob Likens told his players at halftime, “We’re going to start throwing the ball. They’re coming up, and we’re going to throw it behind them.” That produced a 40-yard TD pass to Darby capping a four-play, 75-yard drive only for ASU to go scoreless over the final 28:35 of the second half with four drives ending in punts and another on downs. The Sun Devils ran just 57 plays to Colorado’s 78 and had possession for almost seven fewer minutes . ... Harry tried to play through a leg injury suffered on Lewis’ hit with 8:28 left in the third quarter but did not add to his three catches for 62 yards from the first half . ... RB Eno Benjamin had a big first half (20 carries and 97 yards) but added just 26 yards on eight attempts in the second half. Still, the sophomore has four 100-yard games at midseason including a school-record 312 against Oregon State and is No. 10 nationally in rushing yards per game (119.2) and No. 9 in total touchdowns . ... With three catches for 131 yards, Darby jumped to No. 1 nationally in receiving yards per catch (25.1) and needs to be a bigger part of the offense going forward. ... WR Kyle Williams has 21 catches total (three vs. Colorado) for 236 yards and one touchdown, well off his 2017 totals (66/763/7) . ... QB Manny Wilkins took a big hit first called targeting before the penalty was overturned on what proved to be ASU’s final offensive play. Wilkins said afterward he could have returned.
Grade: C-minus.
Defense
“We were stronger at the end than they were,” said Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre, which is hard to dispute since the Buffs ran out the final 7:10, converting four first downs. It’s similar to what San Diego State Rocky Long claimed – “We were the much better team in the second half” – and the Aztecs didn’t have the benefit of altitude on their side. For Gonzales, there is probably nothing worse that can be said about his defense . ... Colorado successfully challenged CB Chase Lucas, hitting a trick play for 27 yards and a 51-yarder, both on scoring drives . ... The Sun Devils gave up 328 yards passing, dropping 16 spots to No. 62 nationally in passing yards allowed . ... Jalen Harvey had a team-high 14 tackles, once again too high for a safety . ... LB Khaylan Thomas picked up an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty that helped the Buffs on a scoring drive in the second quarter . ... ASU did not record a sack on Colorado QB Steven Montez after coming into the game ranked No. 5 nationally (now No. 20).
Grade: C-minus.
Special teams
One of the turning points was ASU’s Darien Cornay being offsides on a shanked Colorado punt in the third quarter with the game tied at 21. The redo went 45 yards with ASU starting at its 43yard line instead of the Buffs’ 35. The Sun Devils went three and out, Colorado scored on its next possession off an 80yard drive and maintained that lead . ... Brandon Ruiz missed his only field-goal try from 53 yards . ... Michael Sleep-Dalton had the punting edge . ... Harry’s injury might mark the end of his punt-return duty.
Grade: C-minus.
Personnel
Wilkins and Harry were not seriously injured and, with a week off, are expected to be available for the next game . ... Casey Tucker returned from an ankle injury to start at left tackle but played primarily left guard . ... S Dasmond Tautalatasi returned from an elbow injury for the first time in four weeks to play on special teams . ... Sophomore Jared Bubak got a start and his most extensive action at tight end, and Tyson Rising played some as an extra offensive lineman . ... WR/TE Curtis Hodges, 6-8, could not hang on to a crucial fourth-and-3 pass with 13:25 left when Edwards opted against a field goal. ... Reggie Hughes made his debut, the fourth true freshman LB to play. He still can redshirt by playing in no more than four games.
Up next
ASU has its only bye on the season Saturday before hosting No. 24 Stanford (4-2, 2-1) in a Thursday game Oct. 18. The Cardinal, with two straight losses, also are off this week.