ASU Football: Sun Devils expect tough, physical game vs. Michigan State

After a dominant victory in their season opener, ASU football faces a mentally and physically challenging game against Michigan State Saturday in Tempe.

The message ASU head coach Herm Edwards delivered to the media on Wednesday afternoon revolved around topics such as experience, toughness and discipline.

“They’ve got a veteran football team,” Edwards said. “I’ve always said, what travels well in football at any level is a good running game and a good defense.”

The specific topics discussed by Edwards had to do with the Sun Devils incoming opponent this weekend, Michigan State.

The Spartans, led by head coach Mark Dantonio, started the 2018 season as the No. 11 ranked team in the country. But even with the impressive ranking, Michigan State did not live up to the hype in week one winning by just a touchdown at home versus Utah State.

Despite the slim 38-31 victory over an inferior opponent, Edwards is certainly not taking the Spartans for granted.

“(Michigan State) has been so good for so many years,” Edwards said. “They hand their hat on who they are.”

Edwards just may have a point.

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Michigan State, the No. 15 team in the land in the latest AP Poll, heads into Tempe this weekend with 19 returning starters as the Spartans went 10-3 last season in a stacked Big Ten conference.

Quarterback Brian Lewerke, a Phoenix native who once considered joining ASU out of high school, is now in his second season as the Spartans starter. Although the junior quarterback threw an interception against the Aggies, the 6-foot-3 signal caller still completed 23-of-33 pass attempts for 287 yards and a pair of scores in his first start of 2018.

A season ago, Lewerke was just as solid, completing 59 percent of his throws for 2,793 yards and 20 touchdowns.

“(He) does a good job of rolling out of the pocket and making plays,” Edwards said. “(He is a) strong, physical guy.”

Despite the success of Lewerke, the strength of this Michigan State offense revolves the running game.

“(Michigan State) had 75 plays on offense, ran the ball 42 minutes,” Edwards said. “College football is about possession. It’s about what do I do with the possessions I have.”

The rushing attack for the Spartans is spear headed by senior running back LJ Scott. Last week, Scott found himself with only 84 rushing yards on 23 attempts, but the Youngstown, Ohio native has already rushed for 2,675 yards in his career.

Even with a very reliable one-two tandem under center and in the backfield, Michigan State still prides themselves as a defensive minded team.

Some of the stand outs for this Spartans defense include junior linebacker Joe Bachie who had 100 tackles a season ago, junior defensive end Kenny Willekes who had 14.5 tackles for loss last year and sophomore Josiah Scott who in 2017 was a freshman All-American at cornerback.

Cornerback Justin Layne, safeties Khari Willis and David Dowell and defensive tackles Raequan Williams and Mike Panasiuk form a defense allowed only 20 points per game last season.

The issue for Sun Devil fans is that all eight Spartans are returning starters this season.

“(Raequan Williams), he’s a big powerful man. He’s a Sunday player.” Edwards said. “(Khari Willis) does a nice job. They’ve got some tough guys.”

The toughness that Edwards labels on the Spartans should not be a surprise. In order to succeed in a conference that features the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State, toughness is a requirement.

“That’s the DNA of that conference,” Edwards said. “When you watch (the Big Ten) there’s a lot of teams that are similar in there.”

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With a team that is experienced and tough like Michigan State, Edwards and the Sun Devils will need to find a way to toughen up and not be phased by this Big Ten powerhouse.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.

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