Arizona State arresting aback Jordan Simone, advanced center, leads teammates in academy song afterwards Arizona State's 38-24 achievement over Colorado in an NCAA academy football bold in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014.(Photo: Associated Press)
A lot activity on the accomplished few days, so I'm aloof accepting about to announcement the Colorado rewind. On Saturday, the Sun Devils defeated the Buffaloes 38-24 in Boulder. It was a cher victory, however, as ASU absent two of its top players – chief quarterback Taylor Kelly and green linebacker Viliami "Laiu" Moeakiola – to injuries.
Let's review:
OFFENSIVE MVPs
-The abhorrent line. Inferior appropriate bouncer Vi Teofilo, inferior larboard bouncer Christian Westerman and chief larboard accouterment Jamil Douglas all fabricated key blocks that led to big first-half plays. Overall, ASU rushed for 223 yards, averaging 6.4 per carry. Alone issue: Teofilo committed two penalties (illegal man bottomward acreage and holding).
DEFENSIVE MVP
-Jordan Simone wins in a landslide. The inferior assurance – who began the division as a non-scholarship amateur -- acquaint 13 tackles, including two for a loss. He additionally intercepted a pass, affected a bollix and provided a key fourth-down stop on a goal-line stand. Simone afresh reminded me that I wrote in a preseason examination that he had a "chance to contribute" this season. He's right. I blew it.
Game recap: Taylor Kelly abrasion mars ASU's win over Colorado
THREE TAKE-AWAYS
-Matt Haack had the comedy of the game. With four account larboard in the additional quarter, drive had shifted. ASU led 17-14 but had bootless to get a aboriginal bottomward and beatific out Haack to punt. Afterwards a poor apprentice year, Haack had gotten off to a bouldered alpha this year. This time, Donnie Shields' breeze was high, which was flirting with disaster. Haack, however, not alone leaped to bolt the snap. He belted a career-high 57-yard punt, pinning Colorado aback to its 10-yard. An absurd save. (On Colorado's abutting play, Simone affected a fumble, arch to an ASU touchdown.)
-ASU's aegis charcoal a assignment in progress. Yes, there were auspicious signs. In accession to Simone, inferior Antonio Longino (10 tackles, 2 for a loss) had his best game, giving the Sun Devils much-needed assembly at the Devil-backer position. Even so, an boilerplate abhorrent aggregation put up 545 yards adjoin the Sun Devils, the best anytime adjoin a Todd Graham-coached ASU team. Colorado had 22 plays of 10-plus yards, including pickups of 26, 55, 45, 42 and 31 yards.
-The division acceptable rests with Kelly's injury. At this point, the defining angel of ASU's division is of Kelly sitting on the amusement with his appropriate bottom in a careful boot, a anhydrate on his arch and no announcement on his face. Kelly already has been disqualified out for the Sept. 25 UCLA contest, a bold that could adjudge the Pac-12 South. He acceptable will absence the Oct. 4 showdown at USC as well. How the Sun Devils book in his absence depends on inferior advancement Mike Bercovici. Adjoin Colorado, Bercovici played the fourth division and completed 2 of 4 passes for 8 yards. He rushed four times for 6 yards.
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OFFENSE
The Sun Devils thrived on big plays. Inferior active aback D.J. Foster (147 hasty yards), had a 52-yard run. Kelly had a 50-yard run. Apprentice Kalen Ballage had a 38-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and inferior receiver Jaelen Strong had a nice, 45-yard catch. … The abhorrent band was strong. LG Christian Westerman and RG Vi Teofilo are a force back pulling. ... TE De'Marieya Nelson had a nice block to chargeless up Kelly in the aboriginal quarter. … Kelly's 45-yard canyon to Able – who lined up in the aperture on the comedy – ability accept been his best bandy of the season. … I counted three alone passes: WR Cameron Smith (might accept been a touchdown), Able and Foster (this brawl ability accept hit affairs bouncer Westerman). … On third-and-10 in the fourth quarter, Bercovici had Foster accessible beyond the average of the acreage but underthrew hi m, banishment the Sun Devils to punt. ASU averaged 7.1 yards per play.
DEFENSE
Graham said ASU got "discombobulated" afterwards Moeakiola larboard with an arm abrasion in the additional quarter. The Sun Devils looked it at times. They aboriginal approved inferior Ezekiel Bishop at activation linebacker but bound went to apprentice Christian Sam, putting four accurate freshmen on the field. Sam spent best of preseason convenance abetment up Moeakiola at spur, but over the accomplished two weeks he accomplished mostly at weak-side linebacker. Even so, he played able-bodied for his aboriginal time out, announcement bristles tackles (one sack) and intercepting a pass. … The arresting band played better, but it's still an issue, decidedly at the tackles. In his aboriginal start, Longino was strong, abnormally in following of the ball. DE Marcus Hardison additionally had some nice moments, account a about-face able-bodied that led to a 7-yard loss. Inside, assets adenoids accouterment Demetrius Cherry had a nice alternation that could advance to added arena time. … The Sun Devils still are experimenting up front. Late in the bold they lined up: Edmond Boateng, Tashon Smallwood, Hardison and De'Marieya Nelson. … CB Lloyd Carrington struggled in the aboriginal half. He was pulled for a comedy afterwards accepting alleged for canyon arrest and after gave up a touchdown pass, although he didn't get abundant advice from FS Damarious Randall on the play. Carrington was bigger in the additional half.
Metcalfe: ASU at Colorado updates and analysis
SPECIAL TEAMS
Haack had his best game, averaging 48.1 yards over seven punts. He alone three central the 20-yard line. … For some reason, ASU is accepting artistic on its aboriginal PAT of games. Adjoin New Mexico, De'Marieya Nelson threw a canyon to article Zane Gonzalez for two points. Adjoin Colorado, the Sun Devils approved article agnate but redshirt apprentice TE Grant Martinez was alleged for an actionable snap. … Afterwards his additional all-a-quiver snap, ASU pulled Shields and went with walk-on Mitchell Fraboni. … CB Kweishi Brown had two nice tackles on alpha cover. … Far as I can tell, ASU is the alone aggregation in the country that has yet to acknowledgment a kickoff. 12 kicks, 12 touchbacks. … Alex Garoutte kicked off seven times, which resulted in two touchbacks.
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BY THE NUMBERS
75 – ASU has 75 aboriginal downs this season. Thirty-five anniversary accept appear by blitz and pass. (Five by penalty). It'd adamantine to be added balanced.
8 – The Sun Devils were penalized eight times for 59 yards. Both those numbers are amid the affliction for ASU beneath Graham. The Sun Devils accept committed eight penalties alone one added time (against Utah in 2012). They accept had added amends yards alone alert (first Stanford bold aftermost division and Arizona in 2012).
319 – Colorado outgained ASU by 319 yards over the final three quarters.
ASU vs. Colorado bold photos:
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