After strong seasons, ASU football running backs Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage head into 2017 as arguably the best running back tandem in the Pac-12.
ASU football faded last season after a 5-1 start, but one of the few bright spots was the production of running backs Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage.
Both rushers combined for 281 carries, 1,187 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns last season on the ground while also combining for 61 receptions, 605 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Richard and Ballage had to carry the offense on their shoulders after injuries to the quarterback position, and they continued to stay on the field with Ballage playing all 12 games last season while Richard only missed one game.
Running back is the strongest position on this team heading into this season when it comes to talent and depth.
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Third-string running back Nick Ralston got some carries last season finishing with 142 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
ASU also has some young running backs looking to make an impact in Gil’Scott Jackson, who shined in the Spring Game, highly-touted freshman Eno Benjamin, Trelon Smith, Tre Turner and Jacob Brimhall.
With opposing defenses planning to stop the running game first with all of the quarterback injuries, it suppressed the numbers for Arizona State finishing 10th in the Pac-12 in rushing with Washington State and UCLA as the only teams below them.
Arizona State’s rushing rankings suffered with the injuries at quarterback but the running backs also were getting blocked for by an inexperienced offensive line.
The starting offensive line is now a year more experienced and wiser and should be better adept to create running holes for their tailbacks.
The Sun Devils are going to put a lot of trust in Richard and Ballage to extend drives as Arizona State got only 88 first downs via the running game, third-fewest in the conference.
In comparison, Arizona State got 134 first downs through the passing game and 22 from penalties.
At times last season, in short-yardage situations, head coach Todd Graham tended to throw the ball and that stalled drives.
It’s essential that ASU’s running game help finish drives in the end zone as Arizona State did last season scoring 33 touchdowns in 47 trips to the red zone with 22 touchdowns rushing.
The Sun Devils finished second in the Pac-12 in red zone percentage scoring 91.5 percent in the red zone only behind the Pac-12 champions Washington (93.1 percent).
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Richard and Ballage will look to stay on the field and continue to lead the offense to many touchdowns (and in Ballage’s case, hurdles) heading into their senior seasons.