After a week off, the Utes are going on the road to take on the ASU Sun Devils. To get better insight into the ASU side, The Daily Utah Chronicle spoke to Stefan Modrich, a football reporter for ASU’s student newspaper The State Press, to get his take on the game.
Q: ASU is on a three-game losing streak, what’s the the state of the team following losses to Colorado, Washington State and Oregon?
SM: The short answer is this: depleted and ravaged by injuries. Starting quarterback Manny Wilkins has missed time after getting nicked up at USC and his backup Brady White is out for the year after an injury he suffered against UCLA last month.The defense has seen the worst of the casualties — linebacker Christian Sam has yet to play a down, linebacker Salamo Fiso was missing in last week’s loss at Oregon, as were starters Armand Perry (safety) and Kareem Orr (cornerback). After starting 4-0, there’s no doubt been a drop off due to the quality of opponents in conference play, along with the infamous struggles of the secondary, but the injury bug has bitten the Sun Devils harder than most teams.
Q: Both Utah and ASU are coming off of a bye week, how did the week off help the Sun Devils?
SM: The bye week was huge for the young secondary, many of whom have devoted extra time with the coaches in their offices and breaking down film, using their FBS-worst pass defense marks as motivation. Also, Wilkins will have time to heal, as he practiced with the first team this week. The severity of the injuries, most of them likely lower body-related, varies, but with the short week because of the Thursday game, it might not allow some of the defensive starters who were banged up to come back and make a difference.
Q: What has been going right for ASU? What particularly went right in those Pac-12 wins against Cal and UCLA?
SM: The offense was clicking against Cal, as the Sun Devils proved that under Wilkins (who threw for 290 yards and a touchdown and ran for three scores) they could hang with Davis Webb, Chad Hansen and some of the marquee skill position players in the Pac-12. Against UCLA, even while allowing a hobbled Josh Rosen to throw for 400 yards, the Sun Devils held the Bruins to their lowest rushing yard total (-1) in 16 years, as the ASU front seven punished UCLA’s offensive line and lived up to its reputation.
Q: Who/what should Utah be worried about on ASU’s offense?
SM: Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard, when at full strength, are among the best power running backs in the country, in their ‘sparky’ formation, their version of the direct-snap to the running back play, because they can also run trick plays out of the set for big gains. While that’s a bit more of a wild card, receivers N’Keal Harry and Tim White are dynamic – Harry has the size to pose matchup nightmares for any defensive back, and White is blazing fast and a factor in the return game as well.
Q: Who/what should Utah be worried about on ASU’s defense?
SM: Ordinarily, I’d say almost everyone in the front seven, when fully healthy. Linebacker DJ Calhoun has delivered some ferocious hits, and linebacker Marcus Ball plays with a ton of energy and has recorded quite a few of the tackles in open space in and around the box in containment on running downs.
Q: Is there anyone in particular the Sun Devils will be keeping their eye on from Utah?
SM: I think they’ll key on quarterback Troy Williams, a guy that some of the veterans have seen before at Washington. But the key will be to smother Utah’s offensive line and shut down the running game, so I could see them devising a game plan designed to take away running back Joe Williams. It will also be interesting to see who gets the assignment of Tim Patrick, the Ute’s leading receiver. I’d be shocked if the Sun Devils ever kick the ball to Cory Butler-Byrd, considered how effective he appears to have been in the return game for Utah so far.
Q: What does a win/loss do for the Sun Devils?
SM: While there’s clearly much more at stake for Utah in this game, an ASU loss puts the Sun Devils in danger of missing a bowl game for the first time under head coach Todd Graham. Clinching a win to secure bowl eligibility and knocking off a ranked Utah team on Senior Night would be monumental in an otherwise disappointing season, with road trips at No. 5 Washington and Arizona still ahead.
Q: Who do you think will win? Why?
SM: Last year’s 34-18 Utah win in Salt Lake City aside, the other two matchups in the Graham-Wittingham eras for both schools have been decided by a combined four points, and in one of those games, the winner couldn’t even crack 20 points. As strange as it is to imagine an ASU game that doesn’t involve at least 40 points a side, I think we’ll see a similar game, and a reinvigorated Sun Devil defense will hold down the Utes just long enough to allow Zane Gonzalez to knock the game-winner through the uprights in the game’s closing seconds. ASU 23, Utah 21.
@kbrenneisen