SUN DEVILS

munication breakdowns on zone blocks and at times let defenders go at the point of attack, allowing Sac State to blow up plays before they even got started.

The biggest concern: scoring in the red zone.

Arizona State took the ball inside the Hornets’ 10yard line five times Friday night and scored one touchdown, Eno Benjamin’s 72yard catch-and-run from Daniels with 4:42 left in the game. The Sun Devils lost a fumble and settled for field goals the other red-zone trips.

“The thing that bothered me the most, that gives you sleepless nights is our inability to punch it in inside the 10-yard line,” Likens

said. “I don’t care if you have 5-year-olds out there, how young you are, we’ve got to find a way to punch the dang football in inside the 10-yard line. If we do that just two times, it’s a whole different attitude and everything this week as you watch the game.”

Arizona State’s offensive line issues started before the season.

Senior Zach Robertson, expected to start at left tackle, was away from the team all summer for personal reasons. The week of the Kent State game, senior center Cade Cote broke his foot in practice.

The losses forced Arizona State to shuffle players to new positions and move freshman center Dohnavan West in the starting lineup.

And, with anything new, it’s going to take time.

“It’s not a quick fix. It’s just not. I know people don’t want to hear that, fans don’t want to hear that, but it’s not,” Likens said. “Offensive linemen, honestly, in developed programs where you want them to be, you don’t see those guys until they’re redshirt juniors. Offensive linemen, it takes them longer to develop than any other position. You can get away with young receivers, a young running back, you can even get away at times with a young quarterback, but offensive linemen, it just takes time. We’re going to have to develop those guys. We’re going to have to protect them in what we do and it’s not going to be easy.”

It certainly won’t be Saturday against Michigan State.