Demario Richard’s emergence helps jumpstart running game
Following Saturday’s 41-30 win over Colorado, Arizona State coach Todd Graham said senior running back Demario Richard had emerged as the team’s leader.
Richard has a competitive edge to him. His intensity regularly fires up his teammates at practice. During a road win at Utah, he motioned at a Ute defender as if to say, “come get some,” before lowering his shoulder and delivering the boom.
“It’s not what you say, it’s what you do,” Graham said of Richard at his Monday news conference. “I just really think he’s stepped to a different level in his leadership and his walk.”
The Sun Devils overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Colorado and pull within a win of bowl eligibility, and their running game was front and center. They totaled 381 rushing yards and Richard had 189 of them with a touchdown.
On Saturday, his 5-yard touchdown run tied the game. Later in the fourth quarter, he went for 63 yards to help the Sun Devils seal the victory.
Richard’s 2,743 career rushing yards are good for sixth in program history. He’s not only talking, he’s doing.
“He’s been a very good player, developed into a guy that’s a very tough, physical runner. He’s done a great job for us,” Graham said. “You look at the numbers he’s put up over his career, he’s been very impressive. I think pretty certain he’ll be a top-10 guy in the history of the program, but he’s just really, really matured mentally.”
Richard and fellow senior back Kalen Ballage entered as freshmen in 2014, a year after ASU went to the Pac-12 Championship Game. They were mentored by players who were on that 2013 team, Graham said, which helped them going forward. Now they’re helping pay it back.
The Sun Devils trailed by three in the fourth quarter when Colorado kicked a field goal following Richard’s game-tying touchdown. That’s when fans saw a glimpse of the future.
Freshman back Eno Benjamin spun his way to the end zone for a 19-yard score to give ASU a late lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Benjamin finished with 52 yards on five carries.
“He’s still learning, still developing and he went in there and had a great touchdown run, just gave you a little glimpse of what he’s capable of,” Graham said. “He’s a guy that’s only going to get better.
“It bodes well for our future at that position. He’s got great promise.”
Benjamin’s performance shouldn’t surprise you. The program has always been high on his ability.
Graham at Camp Tontozona said Benjamin had impressed him as much as any freshman ever had. Following Saturday’s win, Richard joked that Benjamin had been “in his toolbox.”
Benjamin observes two senior backs each day at practice, so it’s understandable that he’d pick up a few things here or there.
“He his biggest critic, I’m his biggest critic,” Richard said of his relationship with Benjamin.
Richard said Benjamin has no choice but to watch two of the best backs — in his opinion — to ever come through ASU. The flip side to that, though, is that those two are leaving after this season.
Where does ASU turn next?
For starters, Benjamin and fellow freshman Trelon Smith will take control of the backfield. Graham put those two back to return kicks on Saturday because he said he wanted to let them run a bit, but in a year, they’ll be doing much more.
“It’s hard to replace two backs of their caliber and how talented (Richard and Ballage) are, but I think they’ve been a big part of helping us recruit those two young guys,” Graham said. “I think we’ll be solid moving forward.”
Richard and Ballage only have about a month left as Sun Devils — give or take depending on the bowl situation — but for now, ASU will ride them. It seemed Saturday was the team the Sun Devils wanted to be all season.
In the second half, they ran the ball at will. They’ve always strived to be the group that could impose its will on opponents, and against Colorado, they were.
I think eventually, it was a physical thing,” Graham said of his team’s comeback. “We wore them down.”
PREPARING FOR UCLA AND JOSH ROSEN
UCLA standout quarterback Josh Rosen missed last week’s game due to a concussion. Coach Jim Mora told reporters Monday that he is hopeful Rosen will play against ASU on Saturday.
When asked about the situation on Monday, Graham said he expects Rosen to play.
“We got a plan for him to play,” Graham said. “If he doesn’t play, they’ve still got very capable guys. I’ve looked at the film, they’re very talented on both sides of the football.”
Graham said UCLA is an “extremely talented team physically.” Stopping the Bruins’ offense will be the key to victory for ASU.
“Their ability to throw the football, their talented receivers, and tight ends, they’re very, very talented, very deep,” Graham said when asked about the challenge UCLA presents his defense. “Offensive line is very good, very talented, very big. Obviously, they’ve got a great quarterback.”
OTHER NOTES FROM GRAHAM’S MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE
-Safety Das Tautalatasi was blocked out of a play during Saturday’s game. He left the game for a bit, giving freshman Evan Fields playing time for the second week in a row.
“You don’t really know what it’s like to be able to get in there,” Graham said. “He’s got two games in a row, big conference games, he’s gotten in the game to play. Each time, he’s settled a little bit better, calming down a little bit. It’s just a lot faster than we practice it for him. He’s going to be a great player.”
Graham said he has no update on Tautalatasi.
-After getting banged up against USC, defensive lineman Renell Wren went down again against Colorado. He later returned to replace George Lea, who appeared to injure his arm. Lea was later seen with his arm in a sling. Graham said he’s questionable for this week, but that he doesn’t foresee Lea being out a long period of time.
Graham said Wren’s health is progressing and he should be closer to 100 percent against UCLA this week.
-Graham said cornerback Chase Lucas (12 total tackles against Colorado) has “untapped potential.” The coach said he’s been solid and has improved each week.
-Asked about the difference between quarterback Manny Wilkins this season compared to last, Graham had this to say:
“Instead of playing like an athletic quarterback, he’s playing like a disciplined quarterback. I can tell he’s trying to do the things we’re asking him to do because of how we’ve taken care of the football, that’s our number one objective …
“This is his team.”
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The Sun Devils return to practice Tuesday ahead of Saturday’s road contest at UCLA.
