Sun Devils Gameday
September 19th, 2008, 8:52 am · 1 Comment · posted by Dan Zeiger
Georgia at Arizona State
Kickoff: 5:13 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sun Devil Stadium
TV/Announcers: Ch. 15/Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters (sidelines)
Radio: KTAR (92.3 FM)
Records: Georgia 3-0; ASU 2-1
Rankings: Georgia No. 3 Associated Press/No. 3 USA Today (coaches); ASU unranked/No. 24
Series: First meeting
Tickets: Sold out
SUN DEVILS’ KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Stop the run: The ASU players and coaches have made it clear this week that their cross hairs must be on star Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno. The defense will try to pinch the gaps of Georgia’s offensive line to limit holes for Moreno and the other Bulldogs backs.
2. Get on the blocks: This is the game where the Sun Devils learn how much progress their offensive line has made since the end of last year. Georgia’s front seven, led by defensive tackle Geno Atkins and linebacker Rennie Curran, is very active.
3. Feed off the energy: Yes, this game lost some national luster when ASU lost last week, but fans have been drooling with excitement over the Georgia visit for months. Sun Devil Stadium will be full of electricity, which the home team must use to its advantage.
INJURY REPORT
Georgia
OUT: S Quintin Banks (knee); DL Roderick Battle (neck); DL Jeff Owens (knee); OL Trinton Sturdivant (knee); LB Charles White (Achilles’ tendon) QUESTIONABLE: WR Kenneth Harris (ankle); OL Chris Little (foot); FB Brannan Southerland (foot); LB Marcus Washington (shoulder) PROBABLE: CB Bryan Evans (thumb); TE Bruce Figgins (shoulder); OL Kiante Tripp (ankle); OL Vince Vance (knee)
Arizona State
OUT: S Angelo Fobbs-Valentino (knee); OL Matt Hustad (knee); DOUBTFUL: RB Keegan Herring (hamstring); LB Brandon Magee (pectoral) QUESTIONABLE: DL Spencer Gasu (back) PROBABLE: DL Saia Falahola (hand); TE Andrew Pettes (groin); LB Gerald Munns (finger); RB Dimitri Nance (thumb)
Running back Knowshon Moreno, here making his celebrated hurdle of a Central Michigan defender two weeks ago, is averaging 6.7 yards a carry this season. (University of Georgia photo)
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Georgia’s offense has the skill-position power with quarterback Matthew Stafford and running back Knowshon Moreno, but if the offensive line (no synergy) and receivers (drops) do not have their issues settled, the Sun Devils have a chance to least hang around. Coach Mark Richt has suggested a line shakeup but as not disclosed his starters; the five names listed below were atop the depth chart at the beginning of the week. The defense has been opportunistic but, cornerback Asher Allen said, inconsistent is pass coverage; as a result, the Bulldogs’ secondary is eager to prove itself against a school from the throw-crazy Pac-10. Richt’s Georgia teams are 26-4 on the road, including nine wins in 11 games against ranked opponents.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
ASU would love to regain the passing proficiency it showed in the first two games, but it is possible that Georgia could copy the two-deep coverage that was successful for Nevada-Las Vegas. If the ground game cannot get going — a task that could be especially challenging against a Georgia defense that is 12th in the nation against the rush — Carpenter will have to be at his smart, accurate best. The defense allowed UNLV to control the ball during the second half, something that caused Georgia’s methodical offense to smile. The Sun Devils say that the execution and intensity in practice has been better this week. They need to be right.
THE INTRIGUE
What is at stake? ASU can regain its confidence by making a huge splash on the national stage, build momentum for a tough three-game Pac-10 stretch of California, Southern California and Oregon and bring back some of the honor the conference lost a week ago. For Georgia, a loss likely gives them no margin for error in its objective of winning a national title. The Bulldogs need to iron out their kinks on offense, especially with the SEC schedule kicking into high gear next week. Other than that, not much.
TEAM REPORTS
GEORGIA OFFENSE
SE 1 Mohamed Massaquoi; LT 75 Kiante Tripp; LG 72 Vince Vance; C 63 Chris Davis; RG 71 Cordy Glenn; RT 60 Clint Boling; TE 86 Tripp Chandler; FL 8 A.J. Green; QB 7 Matthew Stafford; TB 24 Knowshon Moreno; FB 49 Shaun Chapas
GEORGIA DEFENSE
DE 99 Jarius Wynn; DT 95 Corvey Irvin; DT 56 Geno Atkins; DE 58 DeMarcus Dobbs; SLB 50 Darryl Gamble; MLB 33 Dannell Ellerbe; WLB 35 Rennie Curran; CB 3 Bryan Evans; CB 2 Asher Allen; FS 9 Reshad Jones; SS 5 CJ Byrd
ASU OFFENSE
SE 1 Michael Jones; LT; 59 Jon Hargis; LG 67 Shaun Lauvao; C 56 Thomas Altieri; RG 63 Paul Fanaika; RT 77 Adam Tello; TE 84 Jovon Williams; SLOT 5 Kerry Taylor; FL 13 Chris McGaha; QB 12 Rudy Carpenter; RB 31 Dimitri Nance
ASU DEFENSE
LE 49 Luis Vasquez; DT 77 Saia Falahola; DT 90 David Smith; RE 58 Dexter Davis; SLB 44 Travis Goethel; MLB 47 Gerald Munns; WLB 25 Mike Nixon; CB 3 Omar Bolden; CB 31 Pierre Singfield; FS 14 Troy Nolan; SS 22 Rodney Cox
September 20th, 2008 at 4:18 am
You may have a decent QB, but you are about to get welcomed to the SEC. What hasn’t been reported in your paper this week is South Carolina’s defense will have 4 of their front seven playing on Sunday’s in the next 2 years. Several teams are going to have problems moving the ball on them. Your Pac 10 flagship, Southern Cal, would consistently lose at least 2 games a year playing in the SEC. While the PAC 10, Big 12 and Big 10 have 1 or 2 big games a year and have a month or so to prepare, in the SEC as soon as you get past a big game on Saturday, you get about 5 minutes rest before looking up and you have another the next week, and the the week after that and so on. That is why the league does so well in bowl games (7-2 last year), it’s just another game to us. And do this comparison, in bowl games it is typically one leagues 2nd place team playing our 5th, or a 3rd place team playing our 7th. Ohio State may be kings of the Big 10, but they would be about 7th in the SEC, hence the major beatdown they received the past 2 years. Playing Ohio and Youngstown State doesn’t prepare you for the SEC. And last, your heat..have spent a great deal of time in Arizona in June and July. Would gladly trade you your 110 with 20% humidity for our 95 with 90%. If you have never been in the South in the summer and early fall, you have no idea how that much humidity drains anybody. That dry heat isn’t going to be a problem for the Dawgs. Good luck to ASU, hope you lose this one and run the table after.