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Starting strong is a point of emphasis for season’s opener

ASU LB Darien Butler (Sun Devil Athletics Photo)
ASU LB Darien Butler (Sun Devil Athletics Photo)

The last time Arizona State faced USC, the Sun Devils outplayed the Trojans for the majority of the game. However, ASU’s lackadaisical first-quarter display dug deep enough of a hole that allowed USC to ultimately come away with a 31-26 victory in 2019.


The Sun Devils’ only contest last season without quarterback Jayden Daniels began with USC jumping out to a 28-7 lead at the end of the first period. The Trojans dominated the time of possession in the quarter, holding onto the ball for 11:06 minutes and accumulating over half of their total offensive yards for the game. ASU had just one yard of total offense on its first nine plays of that frame.


For the rest of the matchup, though, ASU outscored USC 19-3 and outgained the Trojans 283-232 yards. The Sun Devils drove into USC territory late in the game before quarterback Joey Yellen, playing in place of the injured Daniels was intercepted with 25 seconds left, sealing the victory for the Trojans.


ASU will have the chance for revenge on Saturday in the 2020 season opener, yet the Sun Devils know they have a much better shot at victory if they came out of the gates in a much more formidable form than last year.


“I think we need to come out fast as (an) offense because last year we're playing from behind most of the game, actually the whole game,” ASU sophomore offensive lineman Dohnovan West said. “They got a big lead on us quick, and the offense didn’t really put up any production early on. So that’s the big thing. Just keeping the game within reach.”


Playing a complete game was also on the mind of sophomore wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who stressed that a sense of urgency is needed in Los Angeles on Saturday.


“Every practice coach (Zak) Hill, coach (Herm) Edwards, we all been just stressing start fast, start fast because obviously last year we started really slow and had to play from behind,” Pearsall explained. “So that’s a big emphasis going into this game.”


This year's game day atmosphere will be naturally much different from previous seasons, with no fans in the stands and a unique game time. ASU and USC kick off at 9 a.m. PT/ 10 a.m. Arizona time, which means the Sun Devils will have their gameday team breakfast at 4:45 a.m.


Edwards said he has been pushing his players to start going to bed extra early in preparation for the team waking up nearly three hours before sunrise on Saturday.


On Sunday evening, Pearsall started his preparation for an unusual game day routine by turning in around 9 p.m.


Redshirt-junior linebacker and team captain Kyle Soelle echoed Pearsall's sentiments. He explained how he is also is trying to go to bed earlier this week to minimize any possible effect Saturday's unusual routine may have.

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Traveling to USC creates new challenges for ASU. It will mark the first time the Sun Devils venture out of their proverbial practice bubble and play an opponent during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Soelle is confident he and his teammates are taking all the necessary steps not to contract the COVID-19 virus but is well aware that anybody at any given time can be infected. He said, seeing President Donald Trump contract the disease made him realize it can happen to anyone.


Junior linebacker Darien Butler, who is also a team captain, noted how the leaders are making sure their teammates adhere to the health and safety protocols.


“I would say it’s very important,” Butler stated. “We got coaches, everybody on our staff, they harp on how important it is to be safe. Everybody stays masked up. We have talks like that every day.”

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As for the season opener itself, USC is potentially ASU’s greatest threat in the Pac-12 South race and is a near-unanimous favorite to capture the division crown. Slovis is on the Maxwell Award (give to the country’s top player) and Davy O’Brien Award (college football’s top quarterback) watch lists for 2020.


Other than Slovis, USC features dynamic wide receivers such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns. The Trojans’ defense should be much improved from a season ago with former Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando assuming the same role with USC.


According to Pearsall, studying the Longhorns’ defense from last year is how the Sun Devils have prepared to face Orlando’s 3-3-5 scheme.


“We been watching a lot of Texas film and then obviously some USC film so we could see personnel and just how each individual plays,” Pearsall explained.


ASU will naturally have a boost at quarterback in this year’s game compared to the 2019 matchup. With Daniels healthy and set to play Saturday, the Sun Devils will have an added element at the position.


“Having Jayden, it just adds in a dual-threat factor,” West stated. “Because last year, he did not play, so we had more of a pocket passer behind us. And with Jayden, it just gives us the second option to be able to run even if we call a pass play. He could drop back and end up getting yards.”


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