ASU Football: The keys to Fresno State’s offense

ASU football‘s defensive unit will need to step up their game against a dangerously hot Fresno State offense.

Two seasons ago, Fresno State football was in shambles.

Finishing the 2016 season at 1-11, Bulldogs head coach Tim DeRuyter was fired eight games in what became the darkest season in Fresno State history.

The Bulldogs had finished in the bottom three of the West Division in the Mountain West Conference in DeRuyter’s last year and a half with the program.

Hiring Jeff Tedford flipped that narrative immediately.

Since nearly going winless two seasons ago, Fresno State’s record is 21-6. Under Tedford, the Bulldogs AP ranking has shot all the way up to No.16.

Tedford’s sudden turnaround of the program may have not been possible without the emergence of Oregon State transfer quarterback Marcus McMaryion.

After only playing in 15 out of 24 possible games for the Beavers, McMariyon transferred to the Bulldogs and has only improved every year since. Throwing for 727 more yards, nine more touchdowns and completing an extra 7.7 percent of his passes in his second of two seasons at Fresno State.

McMariyon’s success gave the Bulldogs a centerpiece to its program that it did not have toward the end of DeRuyter’s time at the program.

In 2015, Fresno State had four quarterbacks with 30 or more pass attempts and the next season had two quarterbacks, Chason Virgil and Zach Kline, with over 75 pass attempts but neither completed over 54 percent of their throws.

Stability at the most important position on the field gave Fresno State a major leg up in their instant turnaround from worst to first in the Mountain West.

In addition to a defense that only allowed 13.7 points per contest this season, the Bulldogs have the ability to keep their offense on the field with the combination of sophomore running backs Jordan Mims and Ronnie Rivers.

As freshman, the duo rushed for a combined 1,102 yards in 14 contests. Former linebacker turned running back Josh Hokit has also split carries with the duo and last season had seven rushing touchdowns for over 500 yards in his first full season as a running back.

The weapons exposed to McMariyon on the outside are just as lethal. Wide receiver KeeSean Johnson caught eight touchdown passes for over 1300 yards as a senior while teammate Jared Rice had 624 receiving yards as the Bulldogs tight end and linebacker.

The development of McMariyon from year one to year two combined with the three-headed monster in the running games makes Fresno State’s offense lethal. Averaging just under 35 points per contest heading into this Saturday’s bowl game against the Sun Devils.

For ASU to emerge victorious against the 11-2 Bulldogs for their first bowl win since 2014, the Sun Devils defense will be the key to stopping a Fresno State team that has rarely been stopped at all in the last two seasons.