There have been several key dates that shaped ASU football's path to its current status — 4-3, with a 2-2 record in the Pac-12 and far removed from its days as a dark-horse national title contender.
Some point to Dec. 12, 2014, which is the day that former wide receiver Jaelen Strong announced he would declare for the NFL Draft instead of returning for his redshirt senior season.
Others point to March 17, when head coach Todd Graham announced junior wide receiver Cam Smith would be out for the entire 2015 season with an undisclosed knee injury.
The forgotten date is one of return, not loss.
Dec. 30 — the date that D.J. Foster announced that he would return for his senior season.
There was another announcement made that day — that Foster, long considered ASU's "Hometown Hero," would be playing wide receiver despite picking up his first 1,000-yard season as a running back in 2014.
The move made sense, especially with Strong, who is arguably the best receiver in school history, gone. Looking back, especially with Smith's absence, it still makes a lot of sense.
Sophomores Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage were coming into their own as the new ASU running backs, and ASU simply had a need for the sure-handed Foster in its receiving corps.
Now, it's time to say the experiment (at least in its current form) has failed.
The Sun Devil offense has struggled to say the least this season due to a myriad of issues, including a struggling offensive line, injuries and illness for both Richard and Ballage, a stunning amount of turnovers and overall ineptitude in the red zone.
But the biggest issue may lie in someone who hasn't been seen — Foster.
Through this point in the 2015 season, Foster has 60 touches (28 carries, and 32 catches) for 468 all-purpose yards.
The numbers are misleading, however, with a majority of them coming late in garbage time during the third and fourth quarters.
Even with the chance to pad his stats, those same numbers have dwindled as ASU has entered conference play.
USC - 7 touches
UCLA - 5 touches
Colorado - 8 touches
Utah - 4 touches
Mind you, this is the same D.J. Foster who touched the ball 256 times (194 carries, 62 catches) in 2014 for 1,769 all-purpose yards in 2014 and was projected by some to be a Day 2 NFL Draft pick.
So what's the reason for his drop-off?
Is he healthy? At times on Saturday, he didn't look the part. He was targeted 11 times against the Utes, but dropped three passes and other times appeared to run the wrong route. Another time, he took a crossing route over the middle and was hit hard across the middle before stumbling back to the huddle.
However, both Graham and offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said Foster is fine aside from being a little "banged up."
Is he playing in the wrong spot? Probably. The fit looked fine, and it still looks fine on paper, but the transition from running back to wide receiver simply has not worked out to this point.
The connection between redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici and Foster has been weak at times due to poor pass protection and long downs, but also because Foster has struggled to get open with his route-running. When he did get thrown the ball, he has been uncharacteristic in his drops.
In fact, his best success this season has come on swing passes and screens out of the backfield — his old spot.
Is he just being outplayed? Actually, he might be. It's not Foster's fault, though, as redshirt junior Tim White has outrun most of the Pac-12 in recent weeks. He leads the team with 303 yards and five touchdowns on 22 catches, and has also emerged as one of the best kick returners in the Pac-12.
Redshirt senior Devin Lucien has improved in recent weeks, highlighted by his six catches for 118 yards last week. Redshirt senior Gary Chambers has taken on a bigger role, catching 15 passes for 262 yards so far.
So what's the answer? Richard has been playing well and will likely play against Oregon after a right knee issue held him out of the Utah game, and Ballage has adjusted well after missing time with mononucleosis this year. White has grabbed the reins as the No. 1 receiver, limiting Foster's role there.
Maybe the answer is neither at running back or wide receiver — essentially what he did in his freshman and sophomore seasons behind Marion Grice — where Foster can be a Swiss Army Knife and among the most versatile weapons in the conference.
It's time for Foster to return for a starring role, instead of watching from the side stage.
Related Links:
Wanted: ASU football seeking firm grip in high leverage moments
Grading ASU football's 34-18 loss to No. 4 Utah
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
