Suns Devils make great strides in upset
Arizona State’s 45-38 upset of No. 21 Washington on Saturday did much more than simply snap a four-game losing streak for the Sun Devils.
It was a confidence boost for the Sun Devils (2-4, 1-2 Pac-12), who started to show progress under interim coach Shaun Aguano last week in a loss to USC. Aguano, with his first win safely recorded, is happy his team has now seen a reward for its efforts.
“You ask so much of them to work harder every day and enhance the dayby-day and taking it step-by-step and stacking days and all of that,” Aguano said. “At some point, they’re like, ‘Coach, it’s been 12 days and I had nothing.’ The affirmation of the win makes everything sweet. The affirmation of all their hard work and them putting what they put on the field just says a lot about their character, their fight to win and then our coaches’ fight to win.
“And so, that affirmation, if we did not win today, it would have been tough to get them back again. But that win, now I got them. And so, we’ll enhance that.”
The outcome extended an eight-game losing skid by Washington in Tempe, with the Huskies’ last win at Sun Devil Stadium coming in 2001. ASU has also won 13 of the last 15 overall meetings.
Let’s review:
Offense
The 45 points are the most ASU has scored in game since scoring 46 at Oregon State in the season finale of 2020. ASU registered 397 yards on 62 plays (6.4 ypp). ASU had 241 yards passing with backup QB Trenton Bourguet coming in after Emory Jones was knocked out of the game in the second quarter. Bourguet completed 15 of 21 tries for 182 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Jones was 7-for-9 for 59 yards before departing. Seven players figured in the receiving yards with Elijhah Badger grabbing seven for 53 yards and two scores and Gio Sanders five for 54 yards.
Xazavian Valladay rushed for 111 yards on 23 tries, going over 100 yards for the fourth time. Most noteworthy was the third-down number as ASU converted 9of-13 tries after coming into the game only capitalizing on 20 of 59 (33.9%). The Sun Devils were also 5-for-5 in the red zone, all with touchdowns. The offensive line, which had given up 14 sacks in the previous five games, did not allow a sack despite playing without one starter the entire game and a second late.
Grade: A
Defense
It was a bend-but-don’t-break day as ASU gave up 458 yards on 87 plays (5.3 ypp). The Huskies had 324 yards passing, largely because they were forced into throwing mode being behind most of the game. The Sun Devils had one big takeaway, an interception that Jordan Clark ran back 38 yards for a touchdown and a 24-10 lead. Getting off the field on third down has been an issue for the ASU defense and Washington capitalized on 7 of 14 tries. But the Huskies were only 1-for-4 on fourth down, the most notable coming when S Khoury Bethley and LB Merlin Robertson stopped Rome Odunze for a 3yard loss on a fourth-and-1 at the Huskies’ 32. The Sun Devils then used the short field to go 29 yards for a score that made it 31-17. Kyle Soelle had a team-high 12 tackles, his fourth straight game in double digits. Clark had nine tackles with Robertson and Nesta Jade Silvera each getting eight. The lone sack was recorded by B.J. Green and Travez Moore and it came backing up Washington into bad field position on the last-ditch drive.
Grade: C
Special teams
Carter Brown converted a 53-yard field goal, the longest by a true freshman in school history and tied for the sixth longest by any ASU kicker. It was the longest at ASU since a 59-yarder by Zane Gonzalez in 2016 vs. Colorado. It also made Brown 9-for-10 on the season. Brown was also 6-for-6 on PAT kicks. Eddie Czaplicki only punted twice for a 41 yard avg, and one downed inside the 20, that one coming with 2:47 left in the game to start the Huskies last drive. It was Saguaro product Javen Jacobs returning three punts for 58 yards as the Huskies preferred to kick away from Daniyel Ngata. ASU’s coverage units did not allow a big play, with Washington managing 34 yards on two returns.
Grade:B
Coaching
It was a nice game plan offensively by coordinator Glenn Thomas, mixing short passing plays and running plays early. Even after Jones went down, the team didn’t flinch, which says a lot about preparation, both by the backup quarterback and his teammates. The Sun Devils were still short several key players due to injury and understudies responded. The Sun Devils played with great passion and belief, which is incredible given the happenings of the past month.
Grade:A
Personnel
This was a game in which backup players came up big. Most notably was the performance of Bourguet. Emmit Bohle, who had been rotating in with Isiai Glass at LT, started in place of Des Holmes at RT, then veteran LG LaDarius Henderson exited the game in the second half, replaced by Ben Bray, who had seen little game time. Despite the changes up front, the unit did not allow a sack. DL Gharin Stansbury (hamstring) got in for a few snaps for his first action of the season. B.J. Green drew a targeting penalty late in the fourth quarter, so he will sit out the first half of the next game. It is the first targeting call against an ASU player this season.
Up next
The Sun Devils have a bye before hitting the road for a game Oct. 22 at Stanford. The Cardinal have lost 11 of their last 12 games dating back to last season. They led the entire game before falling in the final seconds to Oregon State 28-27 late Saturday.