Sun Devils Gameday
November 30th, 2007, 3:12 pm · Post a Comment · posted by Dan Zeiger
Arizona at Arizona State
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sun Devil Stadium
TV/Announcers: ESPN2/Mark Jones, Bob Davie and Stacey Dales
Radio: KTAR (620 AM)
Records: Arizona 5-6 overall, 4-4 Pac-10; ASU 9-2, 6-2
Rankings: Arizona unranked; ASU No. 13 Associated Press/No. 13 USA Today (coaches)/No. 13 Harris Interactive/No. 13 Bowl Championship Series standings
Series: Arizona leads 44-35-1 but has lost six of the last eight meetings
Last meeting: Nov. 25, 2006, at Tucson – ASU 28, Arizona 14
Tickets: Sold out
SUN DEVILS’ KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Make Willie watch out: Let’s be clear – this is not a suggestion that ASU go headhunting for Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama. However, he has been knocked out of both of his previous Territorial Cup starts. Could the Sun Devils get in Tuitama’s head by getting in his face?
2. Wrap them up: The Thanksgiving night loss against Southern California featured the Sun Devils’ most feeble tackling of the season. The recognition and pursuit must be better against an Arizona offense with no shortage of weapons.
3. Earn the slop: There is a 60 percent chance of rain, meaning that this could be the first UA-ASU game played in a steady downpour since the 1981 contest in Tempe. That would put a premium on tough running, so Keegan Herring and Dimitri Nance must be on the ball.
INJURY REPORT
Arizona
OUT: OL Adam Grant (knee)
Arizona State
OUT: DB Chris Baloney (leg); DB Josh Barrett (knee); DL Saia Falahola (triceps); OL Zach Krula (knee); DL Tranell Morant (knee); QB Samson Szakacsy (elbow); RB Ryan Torain (foot) QUESTIONABLE: TE Andrew Pettes (ankle); OL Brandon Rodd (ankle); DB Travis Smith (foot) PROBABLE: QB Rudy Carpenter (thumb); WR Chris McGaha (chest); OL Richard Tuitu’u (ankle)
WHEN ASU HAS THE BALL
The yards and points have been more difficult to come by for the Sun Devils during the last two weeks. ASU misses the ability of star running back Ryan Torain (foot) to sustain marches – the third-down conversion success rate fell in November, and ASU has compiled just four drives of 50 yards or more in the last two games. Of Torain’s replacements, Keegan Herring has delivered a long run on occasion, and Dimitri Nance has been effective near the goal line, but more consistency is needed to make an opposing defense respect play action and keep it from teeing off on quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
Mike Thomas had six receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona’s victory against then-No. 2 Oregon on Nov. 15.
WHEN ARIZONA HAS THE BALL
The offense is classified as a spread, but the Wildcats utilize many more looks – such as two tight ends or the I-formation – than Oregon does. First-year offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes has developed a diverse package that has helped quarterback Willie Tuitama limit mistakes, and the result has been UA season records for completions, yards and touchdowns. The Wildcats throw a lot of quick passes to try an take advantage of an aggressive pass rush, and Mike Thomas, the Pac-10’s leading receiver, is a deep threat. Tailback Nic Grigsby offers balance, and Arizona is 3-1 when it has at least 100 team rushing yards.
THE INTRIGUE
What is on the line? For ASU, a possible Bowl Championship Series bid; for UA, a possible bowl bid. For ASU, a chance to climax a successful first regular season under coach Dennis Erickson; for UA, a chance to end the year with four straight wins and feel at least cautiously optimistic about the future under Mike Stoops. For ASU, an opportunity to extend its recent domination – six wins in eight years – of the series; for UA, an opportunity to, once again, deny the Sun Devils a big postseason reward. Other than that, not much.
TEAM REPORTS
ARIZONA OFFENSE
WR 11 Terrell Reese; LT 76 Peter Graniello; LG 64 Colin Baxter; C 50 Blake Kerley; RG 75 Joe Longacre; RT 77 Eben Britton; TE 48 Rob Gronkowski; WR 10 Mike Thomas; QB 7 Willie Tuitama; TB 23 Nic Grigsby; HB 49 Earl Mitchell
ARIZONA DEFENSE
DE 1 Louis Holmes; DT 96 Yaniv Barnett; DT 54 Lionel Dotson; DE 53 Jason Parker; SLB 39 Dane Krogstad; MLB 33 Ronnie Palmer; WLB 51 Spencer Larsen; CB 3 Wilrey Fontenot; CB 5 Antoine Cason; FS 32 Nate Ness; SS 20 Cam Nelson
Arizona 2007 schedule and results
Arizona season statistics (PDF)
ASU OFFENSE
SE 1 Michael Jones; LT 62 Brandon Rodd; LG 67 Shawn Lauvao; C 76 Mike Pollak; RG 63 Paul Fanaika; RT 79 Julius Orieukwu; TE 87 Brent Miller; SLOT 6 Kyle Williams; FL 13 Chris McGaha; QB 12 Rudy Carpenter; RB 24 Keegan Herring
ASU DEFENSE
LE 97 Luis Vasquez; DT 77 Michael Marquardt; DT 90 David Smith; RE 58 Dexter Davis; SLB 44 Travis Goethel; MLB 25 Mike Nixon; WLB 29 Robert James; CB 32 Omar Bolden; CB 4 Justin Tryon; FS 22 Rodney Cox; SS 14 Troy Nolan
