ASU football's hopes of back-to-back 10-win seasons were on the ropes in the Sun Bowl last season.
The Sun Devils led 36-31 in the closing minutes after then-freshman running back Demario Richard's touchdown gave ASU the lead back, but the Blue Devils were driving and appeared fated to complete the comeback win.
That was until Kweishi Brown came up with his second forced turnover of the game, picking off quarterback Anthony Boone's pass to Jamison Crowder in the corner of the end zone.
ASU head coach Todd Graham said he still remembers the moment.
"I like the sense of urgency that (junior college) guys have and Kweishi's a guy that had an interception to win the bowl game last year for us," Graham said. "He really came in and did a great job for us last year. He's night and day improved."
Brown, who came to ASU last season out of Grossmont College in El Cajon, California, said the play is what is driving him towards 2015.
"It definitely was a good start to start off this season," Brown said. "As I see it, it was just me out there doing my job and trying to make a play."
Brown has faced tough competition for the field corner spot throughout his time at ASU, most notably this spring and fall with redshirt senior Solomon Means. Despite the battle, he finished last season with 46 total tackles (two for loss) with three interceptions and a forced fumble.
"The competition is off-the-charts," Brown said. "The best are going to play, so if it's me, it's me. If it's not, it's not and I'm not doing my job. That's my job, to keep that and just get better each and every day and that's been competing."
Brown has been stellar this camp, taking much of the chatter away from one of ASU's most consistent presences — boundary corner Lloyd Carrington, whose stoic demeanor settled a young defense for much of 2014.
Despite their differences on the surface, there's one clear similarity between the two corners — confidence.
"Confidence as a corner is the main thing I feel you got to have, or you won't be able to compete at the level you should be," Brown said. "Lloyd (Carrington), yeah we do both got the confidence, and he's a different style of corner than me."
Carrington said his reserved personality and Brown's outgoing confidence mesh together perfectly.
"It goes great," he said. "In that cornerback room, we've got so many personalities, different play styles and it really all comes together. We're all here thinking about one purpose, and that's winning the national championship. With the things coach Graham is teaching us, communicating with us each and every day, we all take it in in a different way but we apply it together as one."
The redshirt senior, who came over to ASU alongside Graham from University of Pittsburgh, has gained confidence in the scheme to become the veteran on the defensive side of the ball.
"No matter what system you're in, confidence is the biggest key you have to have as a corner," Carrington said. "Some balls are going to get caught on you. It's part of the game. Your mentality and your personal will are how you bounce back."
Carrington continues his leadership role from last season, when he was one of two returning starters and compiled 58 total tackles (six for loss) with three sacks, a pick-six and a forced fumble.
"It's me being vocal, me giving advice out to the younger guys and really just helping my group as a cornerbacks unit just get better each and every day," Carrington said.
The expectations are high for the corner duo and the entire defensive unit, but perhaps nobody is expecting more out of the team than the players themselves.
"Our confidence as a whole is sky high," Carrington said. "Off-the-charts. Our main thing now is to continue to stay focused, stay humble and just be ready to work hard each and every day and prepare properly for each opponent each week."
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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