During each of the last two seasons, ASU football has led the Pac-12 in turnover margin. It was +15 in 2013, with a +14 mark last season.
The Sun Devils now have a -3 turnover margin.
Here's the thing — ASU's defense has not stopped forcing turnovers.
"Getting turnovers is obviously difficult with some of the teams we've played," ASU head coach Todd Graham said Monday. "The teams that don't throw the ball, it makes it more difficult, but I feel good about how we've gotten takeaways defensively."
The issue, Graham said, is on offense.
"We are self-destructing in turning the football over," he said. "You can look at all the stats... The biggest thing that is happening is turning the football over."
The frustration, especially entering the team's fifth game against arguably their best opponent yet in No. 7 UCLA, was evident.
"We're disappointed," Graham said. "It reminded me of last year's UCLA game, right before the half. We self-destructed with takeaways and making poor decisions, but at the end of the day we can get those things corrected."
Through the team's first four games, the team has already committed nine turnovers. They've put the ball on the ground for a fumble 13 times (the worst mark among FBS teams), losing seven of them.
ASU sits at 2-2 through four games after back-to-back 10-win seasons. Penalties, critical errors and turnovers — three points of emphasis for Graham ever since taking the job, have now become issues.
"I want to come in here and just say, 'You know what? We're disappointed. We know our fans are disappointed,'" Graham said. "We can't beat ourselves like that by turning the football over and making bad decisions."
Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici has put the ball on the turf five times already this season, including one that got returned 94 yards for a score against USC. He has also added two interceptions to the turnover total this season.
"It's our identity (to keep the ball)," Bercovici said. "When you're holding the football, you're carrying the weight of this football team. Especially as a quarterback being careless with the ball, when you're running with it that ball is the pride and joy of this program. We're going to make sure we have extreme emphasis going on to Saturday that it gets taken care of."
The objective against the Bruins this Saturday is intentionally simple.
"We just need to get it done," Graham said.
A local weapon presents a new challenge
Last year's Pac-12 leader in rushing yardage was not then-junior D.J. Foster. It wasn't Oregon's Royce Freeman or Thomas Tyner. It wasn't Arizona's Nick Wilson.
It was UCLA's Paul Perkins, a graduate from Arizona's Chandler High School.
The redshirt junior carried the ball for 1,575 yards last season, the second-most ever for a UCLA back, and currently has 514 yards and six touchdowns through his team's first four games.
Perkins, who is the older brother of current ASU freshman quarterback Bryce Perkins and son of former ASU running back Bruce Perkins, was yet another local product to slip through ASU's fingertips.
"Nothing but great things to say about that young man," Graham said. "You can tell: high character guy, physically tough, going to make you tackle, so their running backs are a really solid corps."
Perkins has flown under the radar by many, but Graham was not short on compliments for the Bruins tailback.
"There's not anybody that I would rank in front of him," Graham said. "Perkins, at least to this point, has been playing at a MVP caliber."
Related Links:
ASU football unveils 'Desert Hammer' alternate uniforms
ASU vs No. 19 USC: By the numbers
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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