We would like to Welcome Brad Denny from House of Sparky
Thanks Brad
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Q: Taylor Kelly is clearly the guy at QB, but ASU likes to spell him with
Michael Eubank. How does the offense find a balance with two different
quarterbacks when one is the clear leader?
Earlier in the year, it was thought that Eubank—a freakishly talented
player and former recruiting target of Todd Graham when the latter was
still at Pitt—would start the year with spot duty before taking over for
Kelly at some point during the season. After all, Kelly was a mere
afterthought in the three-man quarterback race for most of the
offseason, and was seen as an undertalented but "safe" pick by Graham.
However, Kelly has been fantastic, and has one of the best efficiency
ratings in the nation. Over the last few games, Eubank's meaningful reps
have diminished, as there have been some examples of
disrupted rhythm when he enters the game. Eubank stills sees time in
short yardage and goal line packages to take advantage of his 6-foo-6,
235-pound frame, but the coaching staff now firmly understands that this
is Kelly's offense.
Q: He's undefeated in his first two Pac-12 games, but so far what is the view on embattled Head Coach Todd Graham?
To be honest, the controversy angle around Graham is really
non-existent locally. After the disastrous end to last season and the
horribly managed coaching search that followed, the ASU fan base and
community was in a nearly mutinous state when Graham was hired
in December. But he's won overwhelming support throughout the offseason
by delivering on his promises to reshape the entire program from top to
bottom. He's instilled discipline and accountability into a program that
had none, worked tirelessly to create or repair bonds with alums,
former players and media, and gotten several top recruits to commit. So
he was already a popular guy before the season started, and with a 4-1
start, he's riding high in the view of Sun Devil Nation.
Q: Already the Sun Devils have an early lead in the Pac-12 South. Is it
possible they can hold off USC and Colorado (okay just kidding) for a
spot in the conference championship game?
Six weeks ago, I would have scoffed at such a notion, but now, it's
a topic that warrants serious conversation. One one hand, given the
level of competition ASU has faced, it's hard to get a read on how good
the Sun Devils truly are, but their is no denying that they've more or
less dominated in their four wins. This is a talented team that plays
hard and smart on every down, and their defense can play with anybody. I
still think USC is the favorite in the division, but their game against
ASU on November 10th could very well have the South title hanging in
the balance. I think we'll get a better sense of things next week when
ASU hosts Oregon. I expect the Ducks to win that game, but if the Sun
Devils hang tough and make it close, then I can see them having a shot
at the division crown.
Q: What kinds of things are the coaches and players saying about the
always dangerous Thursday night road game? Do they see it as a trap or
has the bye week given them enough time to prepare for and not overlook
the Buffs?
This has the makings of a classic trap game, with being 23-point
favorites with a game against No. 2 Oregon waiting next week. But if
there is one thing that Graham has changed in the program, it's been the
team's focus. After years of being mistake-prone and undisciplined, the
2012 Sun Devils have proven to be mentally sharp. ASU's marketing
department has been promoting the match-up with Oregon for a while now,
but every player and coach over the last two weeks has repeatedly said
that they are 100% focused on Colorado. Unlike in previous years, I
actually believe them now.
Q: The front-seven looks to be racking up a ton of sacks...Should CU
signal-caller Jordan Webb be worried about the blitz all night or will
ASU just rush the down four on the Buffs offensive line?
Defensive coordinator Paul Randolph likes to feature multiple looks
up front and brings pressure from all over. The line trio of Will
Sutton (6.5 sacks), Carl Bradford (4.5) and Junior Onyeali (four) have
been fantastic and have been the brunt of the pass rush, but ASU will
bring pressure from the linebackers as well. A guy to watch is Chris
Young, whose range and closing speed have been very impressive early,
racking up 9.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. ASU likes to use Young
creatively from his spot as the "spur", so he may be attacking from
several directions.
Q: How many ASU fans are expected to make the trip to Folsom Field? Since
it's the first time the Sun Devils have come to Boulder in the Pac-12,
should we expect more to come for a vacation weekend?
From what I've heard, there should be a fairly solid contingent
making the trip. As with every road game, "Mustache Nation", a group of
die hard fans, will be making the trek, and since it's still in the 90s
down here in Phoenix, I expect many will be traveling to a nice weekend
out of the heat.
Q: Final score prediction? And don't be afraid to get brutal.
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]Despite the big game against Oregon next week, I think ASU comes into this game focused and
ready. I think the Sun Devils have too much firepower on both sides of
the ball, and leave Boulder with a 52-13 win.
Thanks Brad
