Devils look to bounce back against Trojans
ASU needs win to stay in thick of South race
In the past few years the Pac-12 showdown between Arizona State and USC has had major implications when it came to determining the South Division winner. When the teams collide again at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium, that won’t be the case.
Instead it will be a battle between two teams that have failed to live up to expectations and are looking for a little redemption.
ASU (5-3, 3-2), which had 20 of 22 starters returning, is coming off back-toback losses to Utah and Washington State, the latter harder to fathom because it came at home after a bye week, and the Sun Devils never challenged, turning the ball over five times in the process.
While the loss was hard to stomach, those in the ASU camp say they’re still fighting. Losses happen in sports and setbacks happen in life.
ASU has USC at home, then hits the road for contests at Washington and Oregon State before returning home for the Territorial Cup against rival Arizona.
One more win would send ASU to a bowl game for the third time in coach Herm Edwards’ four years. (ASU declined to compete in a bowl last season although it was bowl eligible).
“We’re young men, grown men. If you’re willing to stop playing because of a loss, then you shouldn’t be doing anything in life,” freshman linebacker Eric Gentry said. “We’ve got an ability to win ten games, which hasn’t been done in a while here.”
Expectations are even loftier at USC (4-4, 3-3) which has a tradition in the sport matched by few — 11 national titles, 34 bowl victories, 83 first round draft picks, 169 All-Americans, 520 players that have gone on to compete in the NFL.
But the Trojans, who started the season ranked No. 15 nationally, have struggled from the jump with a 42-28 loss to Stanford in the second game, resulting in the dismissal of coach Clay Helton, who was seemingly on the hot seat his entire seven-year tenure.
Donte Williams, previously the cornerbacks coach and passing coordinator, is serving as interim coach.
USC has not won back-to-back games this season and has given up more than 40 points in all three home losses.
The Trojans also head into the game
without the biggest weapon in their offensive arsenal in wide receiver Drake London, who sustained a broken ankle on a touchdown reception in last week’s 41-34 win over Arizona. At 6-foot-5 London would have been a difficult matchup for ASU’s smaller, although experienced, secondary.
In last year’s meeting, London caught eight passes for 125 yards including one from 21 yards out from junior quarterback Kedon Slovis with 1:21 left that was the decisive touchdown.
This season London stood second in the country in receptions per game (11) and third in yards (1,084 on 88 receptions) which helped USC to a No. 13 standing in yards per game (315.2).
“They’re a good offense and a good team in general,” Gentry said. “The game plan changed when you get the news (of London being out), so we’re focused in on other people. I think being able to contain the quarterback and making sure that we’re trying to get pressure while keeping our eyes on our man, that would be cool.”
Edwards talked earlier this week about wanting to see his players celebrate a win, which hasn’t happened since the Sun Devils defeated Stanford on Oct. 8, almost a month ago.
“It is like business as usual,” defensive lineman Shannon Forman said. “Just playing the next play, next game, next series. Having more fun — that’s our main focus right now. Having more fun and getting back to our mojo.”
“Finish strong. Finish for the seniors,” defensive tackle D.J. Davidson said of the team’s new goal. “Finish for yourself. Finish for the team. Finish for your family. Make sure that when you’re on the field that you’re playing like a starter.”
There are a lot of ASU ties to Southern California, most notably quarterback Jayden Daniels, linebackers Merlin Robertson and Darien Butler, corner back Jack Jones, center Dohnovan West, wide receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton and free safety Deandre Pierce. Jones actually played at USC in 2016 and 2017.
USC has seven players from Arizona on its roster, most notably Slovis, a product of Scottsdale Desert Mountain High.
There are coaching connections as well. Chris Claiborne, in his first year as ASU’s linebackers coach, played at USC from 1996-98, was a unanimous AllAmerican and won the Butkus Award in 1998. He was on staff there as offensive analyst in 2020 so this will be his first time coaching against his former school.
ASU special teams coach Shawn Slocum was on the staff at USC in 1998 and 1999.