Things looked ugly early on for the Sun Devils as they failed to put any points on the board in the first quarter against New Mexico, but ASU found its rhythm on offense and defense en route to a dominant 34-10 victory.
After showing a multitude of flaws in the first two games of the season, ASU looked much closer to the team that contended for a Pac-12 South title a season ago, but it still has a ways to go before it reaches those levels this year.
Here are three things to know after ASU moved to 2-1 on the season.
Kalen who? Richard establishes his worth in record-setting game
Sophomore running backs Kalen Ballage and Demario Richard entered the season on fairly equal footing but when it was announced that Ballage would miss extended time with a bout of mononucleosis many wondered if Richard would be able to carry the running game on his own.
Richard entered the game having ran for 192 yards on 41 carries and two touchdowns. But he broke out in a major way against the Lobos.
The back affectionally known as "Baby Beast Mode" and "Super Demario" showed why he earned those monikers, as he rushed for 104 yards and tacked on a whopping 151 receiving yards, 93 of which came on a catch and run in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach.
The 151 receiving yards were the most for any running back in ASU history and the 93-yard scamper is tied for the school's second longest reception ever.
Richard also had two touchdowns, both on receptions, which tied his season total entering the game
Finding Foster: ASU's versatile weapon needs more touches
After Jaelen Strong left for the NFL, head coach Todd Graham made the decision to move star running back D.J. Foster to wide receiver for his senior season.
Foster, an undersized running back to begin with, figured to be a natural fit in the slot receiver position given his sure hands and quick feet.
But early on in the season, Foster hasn't been as much a focal point in the offense as he has been in years past. Against New Mexico, Foster had just three touches and actually lost a yard in the first half.
He was targeted more consistently in the second half, carrying the ball three times and hauling in four catches, finishing with 24 total yards on nine touches.
ASU's offense shone in the second half but has been maddeningly inconsistent for most of the first three games. Getting Foster involved more frequently will likely be key to continuing the positive trends that appeared against the Lobos.
Once-lauded depth now becoming an issue
Just three weeks ago the Sun Devils were being praised as a deep team with plenty of playmakers on the roster.
After three games, that depth has all but evaporated, especially on offense.
Ballage hasn't seen the field yet this season as he recovers from a case of mononucleosis and safety Armand Perry missed the game after injuring his ankle against Cal Poly.
UCLA transfer Devin Lucien, heralded as a candidate for newcomer of the year before the season started, missed the second half of the game against New Mexico with an undisclosed leg injury.
If Lucien is forced to miss more time on top of Ballage's extended absence, that doesn't bode well for ASU's offense.
Reach the assistant sports editor at icbeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @ICBeck21.
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