Arizona State trending in the right direction heading in to bye week

The 14th Annual (excluding 2020) Blackout sport has come and gone, and for the second straight season, the Solar Devils have come away with a key win towards a ranked crew. Final yr it was a field-storming win over No. 16 Utah, this yr the sufferer was No. 24 TCU following a serious storm.

Regardless of the early deficit, there was rather more good than unhealthy to remove from this sport. There may be at all times alternative to enhance, and we’ll dive in to what we realized from Friday’s win.

The Good

Defensive Secondary

I wish to start this section by issuing a proper apology to the Solar Satan secondary. We raised a number of alarms in regards to the state of the protection with so many injured items, and so they should have heard all of the noise as a result of they’ve been nothing wanting spectacular towards three straight excessive powered offenses.

Sizzling take: When the protection holds groups 150 yards or extra under their per sport common, that’s typically factor. Confronted with a 17-0 gap with 6:24 remaining within the first half, the Solar Satan protection buckled down to permit simply 7 factors the remainder of the best way, permitting the offense to choose their method again to the win.

Profitable the turnover battle helped issues, with two interceptions and one fumble restoration towards TCU’s one fumble. Extra on how the offense capitalized on these turnovers later, however the protection has greater than stepped up with the extended absense of Xavion Alford and the added absense of Montana Warren.

Solar Satan Grounds Crew

Coach Dillingham opened his postgame comments with an enormous shoutout to the grounds crew for having the sphere in able to play situation after Friday’s intense climate, and it was extremely nicely deserved.

From the sphere designs to total situation, this tireless crew deserves each single little bit of appreciation for his or her efforts week in and week out.

Blackout Uniforms

Look good, play good. That is a serious mantra heard throughout sports activities, and the Solar Devils greater than regarded good on Friday evening. I used to be initially skeptical when Arizona State first unveiled blackout uniforms 14 years ago, however I’m in full assist if these uniforms have been for use extra than simply every year.

These uniforms simply regarded intimidating. Clear and easy, with one of the best characteristic (to be) being the one define of the pitchfork on the helmet. All people loves Sparky, myself included, however these ship chills down my backbone each time I see them.

The Unhealthy

Pink Zone Offense

Name it questionable play calling, name it a scarcity of development from Sam Leavitt, however the offense constantly floor to a halt contained in the 20 yard line. Sam took it on himself for the offensive struggles within the crimson zone, which I extremely commend him for. The Devils have been 4-for-5 in crimson zone journeys, however two drives inside the ten resulted in subject objectives slightly than touchdowns. Sam mentioned later in his feedback that he felt the Devils ought to have put up 45 factors towards TCU with the alternatives that they had.

TCU Operating Recreation

We knew coming in that TCU did not have the best speeding assault, however good lord have been they atrocious on Friday evening. No complaints right here in fact, as their 25 speeding makes an attempt resulted in a internet of solely 10 yards because of the Solar Satan defensive entrance. They stored the stress within the backfield, recording 6 sacks and an unimaginable 13 tackles for loss. Hoover was by no means in a position to regain the consolation he had on TCU’s first 4 drives.

The Ugly

The Climate

This can be a little bit of an uncontrollable issue, however that heavy downpour raised some creeping ideas of how good the turnout could be for Friday evening. Enormous credit score to the 942 Crew for coming early and bringing the noise all sport lengthy.

The extreme climate could not cease even probably the most devoted tailgaters, staying true to their craft and braving all of it this week.

Kicking – All Of It

Friday was not a banner day for any a part of the Arizona State kicking sport. Jesús Gomez missed two subject objectives (46 and 43 yards). Matthew McKenzie solely recorded a mean of 27.5 yards on his two punts, the longest going for 29 yards. Gomez additionally had back-to-back subpar kicks, a squib kick to open the third quarter that regarded extra like an onside kick, adopted by a kick out of bounds after his game-tying 26 yard subject aim. A few of that may be attributed to the lingering circumstances, however actually an space to shore up over the bye week.

Wanting Ahead

The Solar Devils will take pleasure in a a lot wanted bye week, as proven in Coach Dillingham’s feedback postgame. They’ll face off with Utah on the street in Salt Lake Metropolis on October eleventh, and return house for a tilt with Texas Tech on October 18th that would doubtlessly be a preview of the Huge 12 championship sport.