ASU Football: Three San Diego State players to watch

ASU football will face a much tougher opponent in San Diego State Saturday who have a another talented running back in the backfield.

Week One of the 2017 campaign has come and gone, and the Sun Devils are still undefeated. It was a victory that Sun Devil fans have become accustomed to, glimpses of dominance paired with short mediocre stretches making it difficult for fans to head home early.

This Saturday, ASU welcomes the San Diego State Aztecs for another late-night west coast shootout. The Aztecs easily bested UC Davis in their home opener and seek a 2-0 start before welcoming No. 14 Stanford in week three.

This will be a matchup of strengths, with San Diego State dedicated to pounding the rock and Arizona State’s strong defensive front built to stop the run. The Sun Devils will be presented with the massive challenge of trying to slow down SDSU’s senior running back Rashaad Penny.

Penny had played second fiddle to the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey, but now with Pumphrey in the NFL, Penny is the face of the Aztec’s ground and pound offense. Penny is a 5-foot-11 speedy runner in space that has excelled in the run game as well as a kick and punt returner.

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The game plan will be simple for head coach Rocky Long, give Penny the ball and see what he can do against the tough Sun Devil defensive front.

Arizona State has had their fair share of matchups against top-notch running backs and was beaten by a lack luster passing game. Lining up behind center for the Aztecs is junior Christian Chapman.

Chapman fits the mold of the modern college quarterback. He’s mobile with a quick release and isn’t asked to throw the ball deep down the field.

That being said, Chapman could provide the inexperienced and undersized Sun Devil secondary fits with his mobility. Look for Chapman to target sophomore tight end Kahale Warring, who caught five passes to lead SDSU against UC Davis.

Finally defensively, this is a fundamentally sound unit.

The Aztecs were ranked 12th in total defense a season ago, and forced three turnovers a week ago.

SDSU’s 3-3-5 system will be a good matchup for ASU’s pass attack, and it will be interesting to see if offensive coordinator Billy Napier elects to a run heavy game plan. The goal of SDSU’s system is to utilize the five defensive backs to limit deep passes.

Arizona State will have their work cutout for them this weekend, a tough matchup across the board against a well-coached team.

Next: ASU Football: Three players to watch vs. San Diego State

The key will be to play a high-scoring game and to utilize home-field advantage. This should be one of the more fun match-ups for ASU this season, and for head coach Todd Graham, one of the most important.

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