ASU Football: Three players to watch vs. San Diego State
After a tight 6-point win last week, ASU football will look to be more sharper on both sides of the ball versus San Diego State.
ASU football had a closer game than it would have liked in last week’s 37-31 win against New Mexico State and welcome in an arguably tougher opponent this weekend, the San Diego State Aztecs.
The Sun Devils will need some key players to step up in Week 2 for a tough non-conference match-up.
Quick Glance at the Aztecs
San Diego State comes into Tempe with of of the most prolific rushing attacks in college football. Last week, star running back Rashaad Penny had 197 yards on the ground in the Aztecs 38-17 victory against UC Davis.
Penny is filling in the shoes of last year’s stud Aztec running back, Donnel Pumphrey. Pumphrey fisnished with 6,405 career rushing yards at SDSU, giving him the all-time NCAA Division-I FBS record.
Luckily for the Sun Devil secondary, SDSU only had 237 yards passing last week.
Looking for Defense
The Arizona State defense carried over its defensive woes from the 2016 season. In the first game of the 2017 season, the Sun Devils allowed 398 yards passing and 151 rushing yards for a total of 549 yards against New Mexico State.
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ASU is going to need key players to step up against a strong rush offense like SDSU.
Tashon Smallwood
The senior defensive lineman out of Fresno, Calif., is going to have to step up big in this week’s match-up.
At 6-feet and 279 pounds, Smallwood has a big presence with size and skill for the Sun Devils up front. His senior leadership and experience should prove a big help to a defense with growing pains.
Smallwood had four solo tackles against New Mexico State, all for losses. He also led the team with two sacks.
J’Marcus Rhodes
The 6-foot-1, 214 pound defensive back out of Orange, Texas, was all over the field last week against NMSU. He had eight solo tackles and one assisted tackle.
This is only Rhodes’ second season with ASU. He started his collegiate career at Kilgore Junior College in Texas.
Rhodes finished with 30 tackles in the 2016 season, but now is already a third of the way to his previous total through one game played.
Rhodes has great ball pursuit and has demonstrated his run-stopping capabilities as a DB. His drive and tenacity are what the Sun Devils are going to need for a win against SDSU.
Strong Offense
The Sun Devils had a solid game on offense to begin the 2017 season. The team had 400 total yards and four total touchdowns against the Aggies.
Arizona State’s Manny Wilkins went 22-for-27 for 300 yards. Wide receiver John Humphrey, a transfer from Oklahoma, displayed his impact right away by going deep for a 60-yard touchdown. He finished with seven receptions and 123 receiving yards.
ASU bringing in a player like Humphrey is going to open things up for another special player this year.
N’Keal Harry
Harry, a true sophomore out of Chandler, Arizona, is as talented as they come at the wide receiver position. He was the No. 1 WR prospect in the country coming out of high school according to rivals.com.
.@FootballASU's N'Keal Harry scores the @OpusBank #12Best Moment of the Week with his 31-yd TD against Utah! pic.twitter.com/UsftmCG8Gm
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) November 14, 2016
N’Keal Harry is a strong playmaker with extreme athleticism and coordination. The 6′-foot-4, 216 pound receiver utilizes his hands well, which allows him to beat press coverage and has a quick step off the ball and improved route running allows him to get open frequently
N’Keal started as a freshman, giving him a year of collegiate experience under his belt. Through one game as a sophomore, Harry already has six receptions for 69 yards. However, a player of his caliber definitely deserves more than six touches against SDSU this week.
With the Sun Devils adding a threat like Humphrey to the game plan, look for Harry to find more open spots in the defense and make big plays.
Next: ASU Football: Marcus Ball calls it a career
The Sun Devils and Aztecs play at 8 p.m. MST on Saturday in Sun Devil Stadium. The game can be watched on Pac-12 Networks.