SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL QUICK NOTES FOR 2018
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
- ASU finished 4-1 in games decided by three points or less. It was the most wins in CFB world in that category. ASU was 6-14 tilts of 3 points or less previous 10 seasons
- Coach Edwards is the first ASU football coach in the Pac-10/12 era to beat both Southern California teams and Arizona in his first season. Manny Wilkins joined Taylor Kelly (2013) and Jake Plummer (1996) as the only other ASU quarterbacks to accomplish the feat in their careers.
- The Sun Devils closed games strongly, holding opponents to just 3.7 points per fourth quarter - tied for the 6th lowest total nationally and lowest in the Pac-12. That allowed ASU to outscore opponents 122-49 in the frame this season. ASU finished T-20th nationally in fourth quarter points per game (9.2) - second in the Pac-12 behind WSU.
- The Sun Devils forced opponents into the 6th-worst starting field position nationally, with teams starting on average at their own 26.2 yard line.
- The Sun Devils have now won at least seven games in five of the last seven seasons. ASU finished bowl eligible for the 8th time in the last 9 seasons.
- Arizona State holds the FBS active streak for consecutive games scoring more than 7 points, currently doing so in 134 straight games.
- ASU’s 19-point fourth quarter comeback against Arizona was the largest fourth-quarter comeback in program history.
OFFENSE
- ASU rushed for 26 TDs this year and has now reached 25 rushing touchdowns for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. Those five times are notable as the Devils had just three previous seasons with at least 25 rushing touchdowns from 1980-2011 (1985, 1986 and 1996).
- The Sun Devils once again ran for over 2,000 yards, doing it seven times in the last eight seasons after doing so just one single time as a program from 2000-2011 and only eight times total over 30 years from 1981-2011.
- ASU finished has the 17th-highest graded rushing attack of 2018, according to Pro Football Focus.
- Arizona State holds the FBS active streak for consecutive games scoring more than 7 points, currently doing so in 134 straight games.
- No ASU running back has LOST a fumble in 913 consecutive carries, dating back to the 2016 season - a streak of 32 consecutive games. That includes 362 running back carries this season.
- ASU ranked tied for fourth nationally committing only 11 turnovers this season, tied for the lowest by a Power Five school.
- ASU outscored opponents 71-27 in points off turnovers this season.
- Eno Benjamin set all-time ASU single season rushing record, totaling 1642 yards breaking the previous mark of 1,565 yards set by Woody Green in 1972. Benjamin ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yards and rushing yards per game.
- The Devils put together 6 games this year without allowing a sack (UTSA, UW, OSU, USC, UTAH, ARIZ). Since AT LEAST 2000, ASU had never had more than 2 games in a SEASON where it did not allow a sack.
- ASU’s 16 sacks allowed are T-12th nationally and are the third-fewest in ASU program history. A year ago, ASU finished 124th in the nation with 41 sacks allowed and 119th in 2016 with 41 sacks allowed as well.
- ASU hadn’t finished in Top-100 in fewest sacks allowed per game since 2011 (74th). In fact, since 2003 (as far back as easily accessible team rankings go), ASU has finished in the top-100 just 3 times, and never better than 70th. ASU finished tied for 14th in the FBS with 1.23 allowed per game.
DEFENSE
- The Sun Devils allowed just 25.5 points per game this season, tying them for 50th nationally. A year ago, ASU was 103rd nationally at 32.8 points per game and had finished 99th or worse in three consecutive seasons prior to the marked improvement this year.
- Only three Pac-12 TRUE freshmen played at least 700 defensive snaps this season and all of them play for Arizona State (Aashari Crosswell/786, Darien Butler/754, Merlin Robertson/749).
- Sun Devil freshmen (true or redshirt) combined for 3,543 play snaps on defense this season. Comparatively, freshmen combined for just 918 total defensive snaps played in 2017 and 1,035 in 2016.
- ASU tied for 11th nationally in allowing just 8 plays over 40 yards, an area the Devils have struggled in in recent seasons (allowing 20, 16, 30, 21 in the previous four seasons and finishing 103rd, 79th, 128th, 110th, respectively). ASU is also tied for 9th nationally in allowing just 3 plays of over 50 yards on the year.
- The Devils have given up just 22 plays over 30 yards, tied for 34th-fewest nationally. In the past four years ASU had given up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays, ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th.
- The Sun Devil defense causes havoc (tackles for loss, fumbles forced or passed defended/intercepted) 17-percent of the time - good for 46th nationally. ASU had just a 14.1% havoc rate last season (94th nationally).
- ASU’s defense has held opponents to just 3.00 points per possession on “short” field drives (drives that start with 60 or fewer yards to go to the end zone). That’s the 36th-lowest total nationally. ASU was 64th a year ago in the category (3.35).
- ASU is surrendering just 4.43 points per scoring opportunity (points per trip inside the 40), 55th nationally and an improvement over its 96th-place ranking last season.
- The Sun Devil defense may have bent but did not break this year, allowing an opponent touchdown on drives where a first down was allowed only 33.6 percent of the time this season (43rd nationally) after sitting 91st (42.4 percent) in the country last season.