With the football season officially upon us, it is time to scout out what sort of competition ASU football will see this Friday in the University of Arizona Wildcats.
It’s here, the last regular season game of the 2016 season. After a long season full of ups and downs, the Sun Devils will play, possibly, their final game of the season. The opponent? The University of Arizona, UofA, The Team Down South, The Wildcats. Whatever you want to call them, the Sun Devils know them simply as: Rival.
This is a big game for ASU. They need to win in order to become bowl eligible. In order for them to win there are some players that the Sun Devils will need to keep their eyes on.
1. Quarterback, Brandon Dawkins
Dawkins is a wildcard player for UofA. There have been times where he has played great and he looks like the starting quarterback, and there have been times where he has been so lackluster that he has been benched. Because he is such a wildcard, ASU needs to keep their eye on him.
If the secondary has another poor game, he is going to be able to find his targets. But the bigger concern is what if the secondary has a good game and shuts down all his targets? He can run. He is UofA’s leading rusher this season with 761 yards. He also has scored eight rushing touchdowns compared to his seven touchdowns through the air. Making sure that he is contained needs to be a priority for this defense.
2. Wide Receiver, Shun Brown
Brown has been the Wildcats most consistent wide receiver this season. He has 521 yards with an average of 47 yards-a-game. Making sure that he is covered will be a top priority for the Sun Devils, because if he isn’t then he is likely to have another big game.
Making sure that Brown is covered and making sure that Dawkins isn’t given the room to run will set up the ASU offense nicely. They won’t have to worry about trying to keep up with the opposing team’s offense, for a change, and they can dictate the tempo of the game.
Next: ASU Football: A Must-Win Game
If the Sun Devils come out victorious then they will qualify for a bowl game, something that has been done in every season under Todd Graham. If the lose, however, then this season will be full of firsts for coach Graham. His first time missing a bowl game as the ASU head coach and the longest losing streak ever under his watch will have happened in the same season. Making sure that the two players listed above are kept in check is the first way that Graham can make sure that the list of firsts stays at one.