It was yet another rough day for ASU football on Saturday as the Sun Devils fell to an overall 2-5 mark, 1-3 in Pac-12 play, with a 15-14 loss at Stanford. ASU’s newcomers, for the most part, turned in formidable performances but the team’s most significant fresh face, quarterback Emory Jones, struggled yet again.
Here is the full newcomer report:
Offense
Jones, the redshirt junior Florida transfer, turned in a good first-half showing, but it was not enough to secure a victory. He still made some of the same mistakes he has displayed this season, and it was a major factor in the loss.
Jones was 8-12 with 117 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the first half. His quarterback rating in the first half was 159.4. The touchdown, a 39-yard strike to Elijhah Badger, was the best throw of Jones’ season. The interception was not Jones’ fault, as it was tipped.
In the second half, Jones regressed. He looked like the quarterback he was in the first few games of the season. He was wildly inaccurate, going only 6-13 after the break, and he made one especially costly mistake late. With seconds left on the clock, Jones had Badger wide open for what would have been a walk-in touchdown to take the lead. However, the throw went well over the wide receiver, forcing him to have to extend to make the catch. It was a terrific effort by Badger to haul in the pass, but due to where it was placed, he was not able to get one foot inbounds. The play was on fourth down, so ASU turned the ball over on downs and lost the game.
Jones has now had seven games to show what he can do. Unfortunately, his accuracy has just not been there enough. His inability to hit wide open receivers for big plays and holding onto the ball too long has hurt ASU this season. After what Trenton Bourguet showed in the Sun Devils’ upset win against then-No. 21 Washington in replacement of the injured Jones, it is clear to many who the better quarterback is. The offense was more efficient with Bourguet at quarterback. While his passes do not have the same zip as Jones’ throws, he showed that he could place the pigskin right where it needs to be. In my opinion, it will be shocking if Jones is the starter in ASU’s next game at Colorado.
As for if ASU interim head coach Shaun Aguano considered making the change on Saturday, he said he did not because he did not think Jones was playing poorly.
Another fresh face having a roller coaster of a Saturday was graduate transfer running back Xazavian Valladay. The former Wyoming star was slicing and dicing through the Stanford defense in the first half. He had ten carries for 62 yards and a 15-yard touchdown. But in the second half, he picked up just 14 yards on eight attempts. It would have certainly been an aide to ASU’s cause if he had had a better second half against a porous Stanford run defense, but questionable play calling in the last two quarters by offensive coordinator Glen Thomas undoubtedly affected this side of the ball in defeat.
Special Teams
Coming into the game, true freshman kicker Carter Brown was 9-10 on the season and had a long kick of 53 yards. Late in the second quarter, he uncharacteristically missed a 42-yard field goal. The kick was right down the middle but was short, seemingly because of a bad hold by punter Eddie Czaplicki. If Brown had made the kick, that could very well be the difference in such a nip-and-tuck game.
Defense
ASU’s defense had a bend, not break performance on Saturday. Stanford made five field goals and was perfect in all of its red zone trips, but no touchdowns were allowed.
Collectively the newcomer defensive players had a solid game and were a big reason the Sun Devils had success defending the Cardinal.
Redshirt sophomore defensive back Ro Torrence was the top first-year player on the Sun Devil defense Saturday. The Auburn transfer had three pass breakups to go along with six total tackles. His best play of the day occurred when he broke up a pass early in the second quarter to force a Stanford fourth down. The ball was practically caught, but Torrence was able to reach in and strip the ball away. He also broke up a pass midway through the third quarter that could have resulted in a touchdown.
Torrence did have a holding penalty on what ended up being Stanford’s game-winning drive.
Nesta Jade Silvera was another fresh face having a solid day for ASU. The graduate transfer nose tackle from Miami had a pass breakup late in the first quarter that forced a Cardinal third down. He also had two total tackles.
Transfer defensive back Chris Edmonds was impactful Saturday. The junior from Samford had six solo tackles (nine total).
A newcomer not playing up to his usual standard was graduate transfer defensive back Khoury Bethley. The former Hawaii player had just one solo tackle and had a late-hit penalty in the third quarter.
Other new players seeing time Saturday were true freshman tight end Jack Cole, true freshman running back Bryce Douglass (who helped pin a punt on Stanford’s one-yard line), redshirt sophomore Southeastern Louisiana transfer defensive back Alphonso Taylor (one total tackle), redshirt junior Vanderbilt transfer wide receiver Cam Johnson (one catch, nine yards), graduate Penn State transfer offensive lineman Des Holmes, redshirt senior Northern State transfer offensive lineman Emmit Bohle, and graduate San Diego State transfer offensive lineman Chris Martinez.
True freshmen who have not yet appeared in four games, therefore currently preserving their redshirt year
Quarterback Bennett Meredith (no appearances)
Running back Tevin White (one game played)
Tight end Jacob Newell (out for the year due to a preseason injury)
Defensive lineman Robby Harrison (two games played)
Defensive lineman Blazen Lono-Wong (no appearances)
Tight end Jack Cole (one appearance)
Running back Bryce Douglass (one appearance)
True freshmen who have burned their redshirt
WR Javen Jacobs (five games played)
K Carter Brown (seven games played)
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