Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Prepare For Aggressive, Gambling ASU Defense
October 10, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
Sun Devils among nation's leaders in tackles for loss
BOULDER — Ask Colorado coaches about the Arizona State defense, and the same word keeps popping up.
"Defensively, they're aggressive and they've got good players," head coach Mike MacIntyre said on Monday.
"They're aggressive," running backs coach Darian Hagan said. "Their blitz package, their stunts — they disrupt things with their front seven. That's what they love to do."
"They're a very aggressive defense," offensive line coach Klayton Adams said.
Get the picture? Todd Graham's Sun Devils are … that's right. Aggressive. Their statistics bear that out.
Heading into Saturday's game at Folsom Field between two of the three teams tied for the Pac-12 South lead (6 p.m., Pac-12 Networks), Arizona State is tied for 26th in the nation in tackles for loss, having registered 44 thus far this season. That includes nine in Saturday's 23-20 win over UCLA, five of which were quarterback sacks.
It's been a Graham trademark throughout his career: a blitzing, stunting attack designed to play havoc with opposing offenses — but one that also comes with its risks.
All those blitzes also means the chance that a receiver will be open or a running back will hit the second level. When that happens — and the opposing offense avoids the blitz in time to execute the play — it produces the opportunity for a big play.
It's why Arizona State is ranked 120th in total defense in the nation, giving up nearly 500 yards offense per game, and is 98th in scoring defense, yielding 33.0 points per game.
But so far, the gamble has paid off for ASU. Graham's team is 5-1 (2-1 in the Pac-12) and this week worked its way into the nation's top 25, landing at 24th in the coaches poll while also receiving the 27th most points in the Associated Press poll.
Not that the Sun Devils haven't had their issues on defense. Earlier this year, they were involved in one of the wildest games of the season, a 68-55 win over Texas Tech that saw ASU yield 612 yards offense (but compile 652). They've given up at least 40 points three times, but own a 2-1 record in those games.
In fact, the 20 points scored by UCLA last weekend was the second-lowest total by an ASU opponent this year, surpassing only Northern Arizona's total in a 44-13 season-opening ASU win.
Defensively, the Sun Devils' most-recent effort was probably their best of the year. Thanks to ASU's five quarterback sacks, UCLA finished with a minus-1 yard rushing. The Bruins did finish with 444 yards passing, but they needed a 27-for-54 day from their quarterbacks, and the Sun Devils also recorded three interceptions — one off starter Josh Rosen and two off backup Mike Fafaul when Rosen went to the sideline with an injury.
"You can't get a bead on them," Hagan said. "They're constantly moving and not letting you get to them. They do their best not to let you set edges. They come at you from all over the field. Their goal is to disrupt everything you do."
The Buffs have seen what Graham's defense can do. A year ago, the Sun Devils recorded eight quarterback sacks in a 48-23 win in Tempe. The Buffs also had trouble last week against USC's blitz package, which helped the Trojans record six tackles for loss, including four quarterback sacks, in the Trojans' 21-17 win.
It all means that Adams' offensive line will have to be disciplined in its approach.
"We have to make sure going into the game that we're in the right sets that give us opportunities to get the ball outside, or make sure we're not just gambling," Adams said. "That's where people get into trouble with them. If if you just call a play and hope that it works, they're going to be in the right call for them a fair amount of the time. They're going to play off your tendencies fairly hard."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
