Valedictorian: Sophomore running back Demario Richard
In all, Richard got 21 touches for 145 yards and two total touchdowns in the epic shootout. Many would point and say he should have had even more. While he wasn't necessarily bowling anyone over (that was teammate Kalen Ballage's job), Richard was patient, precise and powerful as a runner to help boost an ASU run game that put up 344 total yards. ASU went to Richard early and often, setting up a fast-paced tempo that ASU had yet to hit at this level all season.
ASU's offensive tallies Thursday: second-highest total yardage total in school history, 108 total plays run and 742 total yards of offense. Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici set a season high in passing yardage, throwing for 398 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions.
That total is just the second 300-yard game Bercovici has had since his famous "Jael Mary" game against USC last season.
The Sun Devils had two 100-yard rushers in Richard and Ballage, while senior D.J. Foster was as involved in the offense as ever on Thursday night in touching the ball 12 times (six catches, six carries) for 116 yards. The biggest issue came yet again with turnovers, with Bercovici's clueless execution of the final play leading to an interception.
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ASU's calling card this season has been its run defense and ability to force negative plays. While they did sack Oregon graduate transfer quarterback Vernon Adams Jr, five times Thursday, they missed several more opportunities.
Perhaps the most notable opportunity came on fourth down and goal from the 9-yard line in the final minute of regulation, where Adams scrambled past arm tackle after arm tackle before tossing up the game-tying score.
The team fell victim to explosive plays, allowing two separate touchdown runs of more than 60 yards. The lone turnover the defense did force came off of an Oregon bobbled pass and an incredible effort by freshman safety Kareem Orr.
The secondary was left exposed in coverage when blitzing, as Oregon redshirt sophomore wide receiver Darren Carrington was left wide open for a 39-yard score on fourth down and short in the first half. Warrington nearly had another long touchdown in the fourth quarter, but inexplicably dropped the pass. Sophomore running back Royce Freeman was solid as well, picking 18 total touches for 149 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
There was nothing really that positive at all from this unit, who had arguably their best performance of the season against Utah.
Junior kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a career-high three field goal attempts in his 2-for-5 night, with misses from 26, 52 and 54 yards out. Gonzalez also had a kickoff go out of bounds, forcing his defense to defend a shorter field.
The kickoff coverage team struggled, allowing Oregon sophomore Charles Nelson to take a momentum-changing 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Junior punter Matt Haack was not necessarily poor in his few punting attempts, but was far from the "weapon" that ASU head coach Todd Graham likes to call him. The kickoff return game, which has been highlighted by the play of redshirt junior Tim White this season, was largely bottled up by Oregon kicking touchbacks.
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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