Check out more photos from Saturday's game against U of A in this slideshow. OR Were you in the student section for the game? See if The State Press caught you cheering on the Sun Devils in this slideshow.
The talent and personnel are there, but inconsistencies have plagued the ASU football team’s defense.During the Sun Devils (6-5, 4-4 Pac-12) three consecutive losses the defense has surrendered a variety of big plays and been unable top replicate some of its early season success.
It wasn’t long ago when the ASU defense was churning out turnover after turnover. The Sun Devils currently rank No. 3 in the Pac-12 with 13 interceptions this season, proving that they are capable of playing well.
“We know what we can do,” senior linebacker Colin Parker said. “We do it in practice. We know what we can be. But it just comes down to our inconsistencies. We just got to get them fixed.”
ASU yielded 583 yards of total offense to Washington State with freshman quarterback Connor Halliday throwing for 494 yards and four touchdowns with ease. The ASU was unable to limit Nick Foles and UA last Saturday when the Wildcats posted 494 yards and two fourth quarter touchdowns.
“It hasn’t been what we want it to be or what we can be,” Parker said. “It’s been different areas in different games. It all comes down to inconsistency. We just got to clean up some of our mistakes.”
The Sun Devils conclude the 2011 regular season against California on Friday. Although the Golden Bear offense features several skilled playmakers, Parker is confident that the defense can turn things around.
“We still got faith in ourselves,” Parker said. “We know we can do it. We just got to go put it together.”
Ross emerging as offensive threat
Rashad Ross routinely showed off his speed at the junior college level. After working hard to adjust at ASU, he’s now contributing for the Sun Devils on Saturdays.
“The guys is faster than anybody we got on our team,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “His hands are starting to get a little bit more consistent. He knows what he’s doing. It’s taken him a while.”
Prior to joining ASU, Ross was a First-Team All-America and Region 1 All-California First-Team recipient at Butte College. He collected 368 receiving yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore while also bursting for 498 kickoff return yards.
The junior wide receiver caught four passes for 77 yards including a 20-yard catch in the third quarter last week’s Territorial Cup game. He’s now amassed 12 catches for 137 yards this season.
“Ross is one of those guys I’m very proud of,” junior quarterback Brock Osweiler said. “He came in and was a little bit behind the curve as far as just learning our playbook because he came in a little bit late. He’s a guy who just keep his head down and kept working.”
Erickson welcomes Rodriguez to Pac-12
UA introduced its new head coach earlier Tuesday afternoon at the McKale Center in Tucson. The Wildcats hired former West Virginia and Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez as the program’s 30th head coach. He replaces the departed Mike Stoops, who was fired earlier in the season.
Although Erickson has never coached against the new UA coach, he has respected and followed his coaching career.
“I’ve met him and visited with him a little bit,” Erickson said. “I’ve followed his career and watched his teams particularly at West Virginia. They were very talented, skilled football teams.
Rodriguez posted a 60-26 record with the Mountaineers from 2001-07. He assumes the reins of a team that’s 3-8 in 2011.
“He’s obviously a really good football coach,” Erickson said. “They made a good hire there and welcome to the league.”
Reach the reporter at greg.dillard@asu.edu
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
