Arizona State’s 28-27 loss to USC Saturday featured numerous fresh faces in all three facets of the game. The Sun Devils utilized newcomers in major roles on offense, defense, and special teams, with some shining while others were disappointing.
Offense
The standout first-year players for the ASU offense were clearly running backs Chip Trayanum and Rachaad White.
Trayanum, the four-star freshman out of Akron, Ohio, led ASU tailbacks with 84 yards rushing on 12 carries. He had the Sun Devils’ two running scores, including a 25-yarder and a 17-yard touchdown where he dragged defenders with him on the way to the endzone.
White, the Mt. Sac junior college transfer making his ASU debut, also had an impressive game with 76 yards rushing on 12 carries in addition to 70 yards receiving on three catches. His highlight was a 55-yard touchdown and longest play from scrimmage on the day for the Sun Devils, where he weaved in and out of Trojan defenders on the way to the endzone.
“We felt like when we recruited these young men if we gave them an opportunity to run the football which they were presented to today, that they would play well,” Edwards said. “Hadn’t played in college football, and then you play a team like USC in the Coliseum. They did a nice job of running the ball.”
While the running backs lit up the field Saturday, ASU’s young wide receivers were conversely a non-factor in Saturday’s contest.
Freshman receiver Johnny Wilson has issues hauling in any passes by sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels, dropping most of the balls thrown his way. His lone rushing attempt went for no gain. Freshman wideout LV Bunkley-Shelton played better than Wilson but did not jump off the stat sheet, recording a quiet 28 yards on four receptions and did lose a fumble late in the second quarter that the Trojans were not able to convert despite starting the drive on ASU’s 25-yard line.
ASU brought in two graduate-transfer offensive linemen in the offseason in right guard Henry Hattis and left tackle Kellen Diesch. Both played relatively well in the game, but Hattis left with an injury shortly before halftime, and the Sun Devils had to use sophomore LaDarius Henderson at right guard. Redshirt freshman Ben Scott started at right tackle in his first-ever Arizona State game.
Defense
On defense, the standout newcomer was graduate-transfer safety, DeAndre Pierce. Pierce, the son of ASU co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce, transferred to ASU from Boise State for a fifth season after being granted a medical hardship waiver. He played the majority of the snaps at the safety position, starting over returner Aashari Crosswell, and recorded nine total tackles and recovered a fumble.
Other young guns seeing playing time on defense were freshman defensive back T Lee (one solo tackle), freshman defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott (one total tackle), redshirt-freshman defensive lineman Anthonie Cooper (two total tackles) who also started, freshman defensive back Ed Woods (one solo tackle), freshman linebacker Dylan DeVito (one solo tackle) and redshirt-freshman defensive back Jordan Clark (seven total tackles including one tackle for loss) who played extensively with the injury to senior defensive back Jack Jones.
Special teams
On special teams, the fresh face with the most prominent role was kickoff specialist Logan Tyler. The graduate-transfer from Florida State was far from impressive on Saturday, recording just one touchback on six kickoffs. He had 383 kickoff yards for an average of 63.8 yards per kick.
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Other newcomers seeing the field on Saturday were freshman running back Daniyel Ngata, redshirt freshman defensive lineman Stephon Wright, redshirt-freshman linebacker Connor Soelle, redshirt-junior defensive back and Southern Nazarene transfer Vincenzo Granatelli, redshirt-freshman wide receiver Andre Johnson and graduate-transfer tight end John Stivers.
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