By Juan Roque for DieHardDevil.com
In her 1983 book “Sudden Death” Rita Mae Brown originated the famous saying “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.” For the 2011 Arizona State Sun Devils football team, this will be the phrase that will forever describe their failed season. What started off as a promising campaign that could have ended in a rematch against Oregon in the first ever Pac-12 Championship Game, turned into a 6-6 nightmare that ended with the firing of Coach Dennis Erickson. After starting 6-2, ASU lost four games in a row. Without question, this can be argued as the most disappointing end to a football season in the school’s history. The latest debacle happened this past Friday at Sun Devil Stadium against the California Golden Bears. It was the final home game of the season for 22 active seniors who were looking to end their season on a positive note and exit 2011 with the school’s first winning record since 2007.
ASU went into the game with nothing to win other than pride and self respect. Due to an unexpected result earlier in the day in Salt Lake City where Colorado beat Utah to erode any slim hopes at a Pac-12 South title.
The Sun Devils took the field on Friday and again were the very definition of insanity on defense as Brown stated it in her book. After three weeks of fundamental mistakes that led to big plays and points for the opposition, Friday night was just another game where the Sun Devils did the same things over and over on defense. The Cal offense went right through the ASU defense on its first drive and needed only five plays to set up a field goal and took the lead 3-0 before three minutes had even elapsed in the first quarter. The ASU offense responded as they did in every other loss and marched down the field eating up much of the clock going 80 yards on 11 plays. The drive ended on a Cameron Marshall run from one yard out to give the Sun Devils the lead 7-3. Cal came right back and scored the go ahead touchdown in a 6 play drive and then capitalized on an ASU turnover by Kyle Middlebrooks to jump ahead 17-7. ASU’s offense made up for the fumble by marching 80 yards on ten plays and scoring on a great catch by Aaron Pflugrad to get to within 3 points 17-14. The second quarter went back and forth with Cal scoring another touchdown and field goal, but ASU was able to rally and score two touchdowns to take the halftime lead 28-27.
In the second half things went south for ASU on defense as they had in the previous three games. The Cal offense looked unstoppable and was able to run and throw against what looked like a tired, uninterested and uninspired Sun Devil defense. Despite the offense scoring a field goal on the opening possession to put ASU up 31-27, it was all Cal after that. The defense was unable to stop Cal quarterback Zach Maynard and running back Isi Sofele in what would be a 21 point second half for the Golden Bears. Despite ASU fighting on offense, there were two more turnovers that favored the Bears and ASU fell for the fourth time in a row losing 47-38. Dennis Erickson and the senior class left with a loss in their final home game at Sun Devil Stadium.
Grading the Game
Quarterback
Brock Osweiler continues to perform and is able to manage the game and move the offense. He is without question the most valuable player on the offense due to his play making ability and leadership qualities. On the night Osweiler completed 21 passes on 37 attempts for 264 yards, three touchdowns but was picked off twice in the game. One interception led to a Golden Bear touchdown that put Cal up 27-14, and the second pick iced the game for the Bears late in the fourth quarter. He had a nice scramble in the first quarter that kept a scoring drive alive. While he did not play horrible, the two turnovers cost him a better grade because they were at key moments in the game that hurt the Sun Devils.
Grade: C
Receivers
The group once again played hard and had a bogus interference call made against them. Mike Willie was called for interference, but it looked he was being held and then pulled away from the defensive back giving the illusion of a push off. Willie caught two passes for 21 yards in the game. Gerell Robinson was targeted by the Cal defense but managed to haul in three passes for 56 yards. Aaron Pflugrad caught two passes, one an impressive touchdown catch in the second quarter. The surprising player Friday was Rashad Ross. The junior caught five passes for 108 yards and a touchdown. He was a one of the few bright spots in a disappointing loss. There were no major drops by this group Friday and they run blocked very well against the Cal defensive backs.
Grade: B
Running Backs
Cameron Marshall looked strong and like his old self gaining 159 yards on 23 carries for an impressive 6.8 per carry average. His fumble in the fourth quarter was uncharacteristic of him and hurt the team as they were trying to mount a late game rally. Kyle Middlebrooks fumbled in the first quarter which led to a Cal score and had twelve yards on two carries. Jamal Miles had three carries for 36 yards and was stifled by the Cal defense in the pass game with only 4 yards on three catches. Marshall’s impressive showing helped their grade this week but the turnovers, like Osweiler’s, led to points and help ice the game for Cal. With his 18th touchdown of the season, Marshall also tied former Sun Devils Woody Green and Terry Battle for the lead on the all-time ASU list.
Grade: C+/B-
Offensive Line
After two abysmal weeks where they did not run block well, the unit stepped up and had a better game against Cal. ASU totaled 228 yards rushing which was a major improvement over the last two weeks. In the passing game they were better at finishing and allowing Osweiler the necessary time to throw the ball. The only sack came on a blitz by Mychal Kendricks who is the 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the year. Adam Tello had two holding penalties and Garth Gerhart had a false start. Overall it was an adequate effort although still nowhere near where they should be at this stage of the season.
Grade: B-/C+
Defensive Line
No hurries, no hits and no sacks on Zach Maynard who looked cool in the pocket and ran the ball effectively when he had no open receivers. Maynard ran the ball 5 times and gained 44 yards for an 8.0 yard per carry average. Not one single time was he in danger of being hit or sacked with the only hit on him being a roughing the passer penalty on Junior Onyeali . Cal’s offensive line handled this unit the whole game. Junior Onyeali and Davon Coleman managed four tackles each but were not able to get anything going in the pass rush. Jamar Jarrett, Toa Tuitea, Will Sutton and Bo Moos combined for six tackles. Cal running back Isi Sofele had 149 yards and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. This is not a winning effort.
Grade: D
Linebackers
Colin Parker has played like an MVP all season and is the most consistent and disciplined of all the linebackers. The senior played his guts out making seven tackles and forcing a fumble. Shelly Lyons also played hard with six tackles. Aaron Oliver led the group in tackles with 8 and forced a fumble. The biggest disappointment on this unit is Vontaze Burfict. Despite making five tackles, he was flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct. One was offset due to Cal committing the same penalty against him and the other one happened in the end zone after a play. The second penalty was uncalled for as Burfict ran into a Cal player who was engaged with a Sun Devil defender after the play. The second penalty caused him to be benched for the remainder of the game. Too little, too late. Cal’s 259 yards rushing does not reflect well on this unit either.
Grade: C-/D+
Defensive Backs
Zach Maynard lit up the Sun Devil secondary on several plays and finished the night with 19 completions on 26 attempts for 237 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Osahon Irabor had two pass interference penalties and only managed three tackles. Keelan Johnson had five stops as did Eddie Elder. Clint Floyd had four stops and Deveron Carr had three. The biggest stats were zero interceptions, zero passes defended, zero pass break ups and they allowed eight different receivers to catch the football. It was another long night for the DBs after being one of the more consistent units earlier in the year.
Grade: D
Special Teams
Jamal Miles continues to be a dangerous return man and had a nice 51 yard return Friday. Josh Hubner only punted twice but boomed one for 59 yards. Alex Garoutte made his one attempt from 47 yards that put ASU up 31-27 in the third quarter. Coverage teams were decent as Cal averaged 27 yards per return.
Grade: B+
Coaching
Head Coach / Dennis Erickson
Outgoing ASU coach Dennis Erickson for the fourth week in a row was not able to get his team mentally prepared to play a full game. Too many mental breakdowns and lackluster effort fall on his shoulders. This loss, as well as the three before it, cost him his job as head coach. Football teams are supposed to get better and stronger as the season winds down. They’re supposed to make runs, not get run over. After a 6-2 start the 0-4 November will go down as the biggest coaching failure in ASU history. The second half benching of Vontaze Burfict was long overdue, but is also Erickson’s failure at not hiring the right position coach in the first place. Trent Bray was not the right choice to lead and prepare the Sun Devil linebackers.
Grade: F
Offensive Coordinator / Noel Mazzone
If anyone deserves some props in this game it’s Noel Mazzone. While his play calling is sometimes too predictable with the swing passes and designed runs, he still calls an aggressive game and his players make plays. The offense’s worst enemy Friday wasn’t the Golden Bears defense but turnovers. Four in one game is an aberration after a season of sound Ball Security. Play calling in the Red Zone was much better in this game as ASU went 4 for 4 with three touchdowns and one field goal. Third down efficiency was 6 for 12 and the two fourth down conversions were successful. The meltdown of the past four weeks can’t be put on Mazzone, he did his part.
Grade: B
Defensive Coordinator / Craig Bray
Do we even need to elaborate on Craig Bray? Yes, we should: his defense looked bored, uninterested, tired and like they would rather be somewhere else, especially in the second half in which Cal scored 21 points. Sure the offensive turnovers did not help, but this unit was supposed to be the strength of the team and it was the achilles heel. Cal had 484 yards of total offense and was 7 for 7 in the Red Zone and scored 48 points. Not even the Oregon Ducks put up 48. Even with all the injuried on the defense this year, predictable coverage, improper use of personnel, calling out Burfict rather than motivating him and a failure to make proper adjustments for his unit all falls on him.
Grade: F
Summary
Despite the late season slumber party and although they will go into the game with a heavy heart, ASU will be playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2007. Dennis Erickson is out as coach and a new era of Sun Devil football is on the horizon. On December 4th we will find out where ASU is going to play, with one of the likely destinations to be Las Vegas. So while UCLA is most likely not eligible for a bowl and goes to the Pac-12 title game, ASU goes bowling. As Sun Devil fans, we should at least take some comfort in that. Couldn’t be a better time to blow off some steam on a road trip to Sin City…Vegas Baby!
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