Valedictorian: Tim White
Redshirt junior wide receiver Tim White had 289 all-purpose yards and broke a single-season school record for returning yards. He scored two receiving touchdowns and ran back a blocked point-after attempt for a defensive two-point conversion. The only snag on his game was a dropped ball late on third-and-ten, but that doesn’t take away from his saving performance on Saturday night.
Players continuously repeated that if they were to win, they couldn’t turn the ball over. They didn’t. Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici started very slowly, throwing for only 34 yards in the first quarter, but finished with 418 in the game. Devin Lucien had impressive catches andWhitehad two receiving touchdowns to go with 79 yards.
The running game couldn’t get going and the offense had too many early three-and-outs to be incredibly efficient. However, that section of the team did enough to win. The defense just wouldn’t allow them to.
The secondary gave up big play after big play, allowing junior quarterback Skyler Howard to throw for a Cactus Bowl-record 532 yards. Senior defensive back Kweishi Brown in particular gave up several, allowing four touchdowns.
ASU somewhat limited junior running back Wendell Smallwood, but his 24-yard run on third-and-22 broke showed the skill of a player who ASU game planned against. The red zone defense was impressive at the beginning of the game, forcing Mountaineers to take field goals on their first three visits. This all and two interceptions help the grade not be a complete failure.
It was game-saving.
It also blew the game. Twice. The failure to go for a two-point conversion may have cost ASU the chance to play in overtime. The timeout on a kickoff with 14:09 in the fourth quarter was due to personnel not being correct on the field, head coach Todd Graham said after the game. Those weren’t the only coaching issues. ASU only had 10 players on the field twice — once on a punt return and once on a field goal.
White and junior kicker Zane Gonzalez were phenomenal. WVU squibbed a late kickoff, likely to keep the ball out of White’s hands, as he accumulated 289 all-purpose yards in the game. Gonzalez made four of his five field goal attempts, including a 47-yard kick, and broke the school record for career points scored. The unit showed immense improvement from past years.
Reach the reporter at logan.newman@asu.edu or follow @Logan_Newsman on Twitter.
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