ASU Football: 2017 Season Outlook, Part Five
Even though the 2016 season may be over, it is never too early to look ahead to all the excitement that the 2017 season will bring for ASU football.
The 2017 season will bring a whole new wave of excitement to the ASU football program. While there will be questions that demand to be answered, positivity will surround the Sun Devils. With all those positive emotions, some people will fail to take a step back and look at the program through a more objective lens. Here at Devils in Detail, we believe there is no better time to do that then right after the previous season has come to a close. Here is part four of our 2017 season outlook where we start to preview ASU’s schedule.
To read part four, click here. To read part three, click here. To read part two, click here. To read part one, click here.
After their home opener against New Mexico State, the Sun Devils will face two opponents that will pose a tougher test.
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Their second game of the season is against the San Diego State Aztecs, and their third game of the season is against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Both of these schools are known for their explosive offenses, and they both offer their own unique tests for Arizona State.
The Aztecs will be coming off a surprisingly good 2016 campaign highlighted by star running back, Donnel Pumphrey. While Pumphrey will no longer be a player for the Aztecs, they will look to continue the success they had while he was their running back. ASU’s defense will be given the tough task of getting through San Diego State’s O-line. This will be a great test for Todd Graham’s run defense and it will give him the opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t.
After their game against the Aztecs, the Sun Devils will travel to Texas Tech to take on the Red Raiders. Texas Tech is known for their air-raid offense, and it will be up to the Sun Devils pass defense to show improvement from the 2016 season.
Luckily for ASU, the Red Raiders have a very similar defense to ASU. This will give ASU’s offense the chance to take shots downfield and air the ball out as they will continue to develop the receiver-quarterback relationships that are vital to a strong offense.