Devils in Detail
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ASU Football: Manny Wilkins Deserves the Starting Job

By Hunter Robinson

Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins (5) grimaces on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Manny Wilkins (5) grimaces on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /
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With a bunch of new quarterbacks being brought in to the ASU football program this offseason Manny Wilkins isn’t guaranteed the starting job for 2017, but he deserves it.

In ASU football’s most turbulent year since Todd Graham came to ASU, Manny Wilkins was handed the keys to the program. He was told that it was up to him to lead the Sun Devils to the greatness they experienced back in 2014 and 2015. Wilkins took that opportunity and set the world on fire, it was an unfortunate injury that shelved him for a majority of the season and with him, ASU’s hopes of returning to the top-25 in college football.

How Wilkins performed last year is what makes him deserving of the starting job. He commanded the offense with poise from the first snap of the first game, and he showed that he was a leader. When Arizona State lost games and he had played, he took the blame. He didn’t throw players under the bus he said that he was the reason they lost. A great quality to have for a starting quarterback.

While Wilkins doesn’t have the best arm, he does have the best relationship with the other offensive players. It wasn’t uncommon to see Wilkins on the sidelines talking with fellow offensive players trying to make sure everyone was on the same page. Wilkins knew that being a leader is the most important part of being a starting quarterback, and he did just that, he led.

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Arizona State needs to make sure they pick the right starting quarterback. While they may have one of the best in the country in Blake Barnett, he needs to prove that he is deserving of the starting job before it is handed to him. Wilkins should be looked at as the starter and it should be his job to lose. In a season where people weren’t expecting much from the Sun Devils, Wilkins gave the fan base hope and reason to believe that Arizona State isn’t a program that will never be among the elite Pac-12 programs.

Manny Wilkins, the starting quarterback for the Arizona State Sun Devils. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

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