In life, there are many lessons to be taught and learned in an endless variety of settings.
Football, a sport renowned for its ability to shape the character and teach values is one of those applicable avenues – and for Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards, among others, a key life lesson learned through long hours of hard work on the gridiron is to “start what you finish.”
The first week of November came with a charge in the air - football season had returned, with the Sun Devils bound to chase their goal of a Pac-12 South crown and beyond. But with two heartbreaking fourth-quarter collapses dealing ASU a winless 0-2 record, it’s clear that while ASU might’ve intended to start this season with a bang, they haven’t been able to finish it with one.
Returning from a layoff of 29 days due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program Arizona State finally took the field again to face the UCLA Bruins on Saturday night and much like its contest against USC, the Sun Devils held on to a lead with less than five minutes remaining – but it hadn’t been pretty.
Penalties, turnovers and a slow start on offense haunted ASU across the contest, as simple mistakes added up, taking points off the board in what could’ve been a statement bounce-back win for the Sun Devils.
“The big picture is the discipline and get the operation (going),” offensive coordinator Zak Hill said. “We had some guys off the line of scrimmage, we had things we just need to clean up and just the focus and attention to detail in practice from coaches, players – everybody (needs to improve). (Penalties/turnovers) took some points off the board, there should’ve been multiple touchdowns there that could’ve helped net this game and come up with the W.”
Hill, known for his complicated schemes full of pre-snap movement and shuffling about, is no stranger to a defensive challenge when at the helm of a football offense. On Saturday though, the first-year Sun Devil coordinator faced a highly aggressive Bruins defense that packed a punch beyond what he might’ve had anticipated.
Sun Devil sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels was sacked a total of five times against the Bruins, as UCLA consistently stacked the box and brought the hammer down on ASU’s pass protection with enough blitzes to make an offensive line coach’s head spin.
“Any time the quarterback gets hit, it’s too many. It doesn’t matter if it’s one or whatever we were,” Hill shrugged. “But you’re always looking to improve the communication. UCLA is a high-pressure defense, they played way more man (coverage) than we expected going into that game, and they got us a couple of times. And we knew at times that they were going to, and hopefully, we’re going to be able to get the ball out quickly. It’s just a combination of both, really.”
Daniels and Co. struggled particularly in the first half, as the second-year gunslinger faltered in finding his young group of receivers. Along with the timing issues, Daniels had difficulty getting the ball out quickly as an imposing UCLA defense seemingly squashed the pocket with pertinent pressure at every opportunity possible.
“You’re going to have a little bit of (a disconnect between quarterback & receiver), where you don’t have an experienced group,” Hill acknowledged. “They got to get the experience. And that’s what we’re doing. We’re getting them some experience, and they’re seeing what works and what doesn’t work and (seeing) how different defenses are playing us.”
Emerging back onto the grass for the second half – Daniels and the offense seemed to flip a switch, largely in part due to some double pass trickery from Hill, as Daniels threw the pigskin to sophomore receiver Ricky Pearsall, who in turn chucked the ball the width of the field to junior transfer running back Rachaad White for a 52-yard gain. Two plays later, redshirt senior receiver Frank Darby found the endzone for the first time this season.
ASU was knocking at the door of tying the game up on their next offensive possession, but a miscued snap between graduate center Cade Cote and Daniels went awry. On the subsequent offensive possession, Daniels opted to take a deep shot for freshman receiver LV Bunkley-Shelton, but the pass was easily picked off – Daniels’s third interception in his career in maroon and gold.
Daniels was 21-for-35 on the night for 225 yards, a touchdown, and that uncharacteristic interception through the air. It was his first 200-yard passing affair since last year’s upset of then-No. 6 Oregon at Sun Devil Stadium.
However, with just two games played in a season full of uncertainty, new roles, and constant pressure from Pac-12 defenses, Hill resonated with the tall tasks of his young quarterback.
“It’s a tough year because you don’t really get any of that flow,” Hill recognized. “You don’t really get any of that momentum; you can’t really get into a groove playing one game and then playing a month later and not having practices in between. So, it’s hard; he’s in a tough position. He’s learning a new offense and new coordinator and trying to get on the same page.”
While Daniels may still be trying to get on the same page as both Hill and his young receiving core, there’s at least another pair of position groups who are in sync. While ASU’s offensive line might have struggled in protecting Daniels, they succeeded in paving a path for ASU’s new-look running back pairing, freshman Chip Trayanum, and White.
Trayanum, a 5-foot-11, 230-pound force at running back stole the show on Saturday night, racking up 108 rushing yards on just 15 attempts. The bruising back plowed his way through the UCLA defense like a hot knife through butter, led by offensive guards Dohnovan West and Henry Hattis, who pulled and led the freshman to the promised land through an extremely effective showing of the counter-run scheme.
“They’ve been really consistent. Very consistent,” Hill said proudly. “Both of them are very tough backs, (ASU freshman running back) Daniyel Ngata is getting in there too. So, we feel really good about our running back corps right now. And their ability to break tackles, stay on their feet, keep their balance. I’m sure the yards-after-contact was pretty high, and it’s fun to watch those guys run. They’re, right now, the most consistent part of this offense.”
While Hill was keen to praise the proverbial “ace up his sleeve” for their consistent performances, he wasn’t afraid to admit there are still things that must be addressed across this next week before the team moves South this Friday.
“There’s a lot of areas in this offense that we got to get better at, and we’re striving hard this week on a short week to get after it, push those guys and keep the morale (high),” Hill described. “It’s tough after, you go two games and now it’s, luckily, we get to play the next one and dive right into it.”
The 94th edition of the Territorial Cup will be played in Tucson this Friday as Arizona State hopes to drown out the sorrows of two heartbreakers to the LA schools with a fourth-straight victory against the Wildcats.
For Hill, it will be his first time partaking in the rivalry festivities – something he’s eager to experience and embrace in his first year in maroon and gold.
“I'm excited,” Hill exclaimed. “I'm excited to see the rivalry and get these two teams together and have some excitement from the fan base - even though we're not fans in the stands. It’s always fun to get to your rivalry game and me being a new part of this staff program. You learn about it, and you learn the history, and you try to take it all in.”
However, Hill also mentioned he’s not just the only one who’s chomping at the bit for a Territorial Cup showdown - one last opportunity for the Sun Devils to finish strong and redeem a season that might otherwise be forgotten in Tempe.
“The guys are excited about playing the team down South,” Hill professed. “And then (it’s a) short week, so there’s some urgency, and I think everybody’s got some urgency. The coaching staff, the players, the assistants. We got to put it together quickly, and we got to get a win. That’s the main emphasis.”
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