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Sun Devils Off to Hollywood for Pac-12 Media Days

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Sun Devils Off to Hollywood for Pac-12 Media DaysSun Devils Off to Hollywood for Pac-12 Media Days

LOS ANGELES -- Sun Devil Football head coach Herm Edwards, quarterback Manny Wilkins and wide receiver N'Keal Harry will set upon Hollywood for the annual Pac-12 Media Days in Los Angeles from July 24-25.

The Sun Devils will take to the stage live on the Pac-12 Networks on Wednesday at approximately 2 p.m. PT to discuss the coming 2018 campaign.

Hosted by Pac-12 Networks' Mike Yam, both episodes of "Inside Pac-12 Football: Media Day Special" will feature analysis and commentary from Yogi Roth as well as reports and additional interviews from Ashley Adamson.   Following the conclusion of Pac-12 Football Media Day, each episode of "Inside Pac-12 Football: Media Day Special" will re-air across Pac-12 Network and the Networks' six regional channels in their entirety for several days, with condensed one-hour recaps premiering Wednesday, Aug. 1, summarizing both the Pac-12 North and South divisions' coverage.
 
In addition to six hours of live coverage on Pac-12 Network, the Networks will also provide extensive content across its digital and social media platforms, including:

HOW TO WATCH

  • Both episodes of "Inside Pac-12 Football: Media Day Special" will be available on either Pac-12 Network or the Pac-12 Now app (available on the App store for iOS and Google Play for Android), on Pac-12.com/now as well as Pac-12 Networks regional channels. 
  • Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott's opening remarks to kick off the 2018 Pac-12 Football Media Day will be streamed live at 8 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. MT to the Pac-12's Facebook (facebook.com/Pac12Conference) as well as on Twitter (@Pac12Network and @Pac12), Pac-12 Networks' YouTube channel, Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.    
  • All 12 head football coach availabilities will be streamed live to the Pac-12's Facebook (facebook.com/Pac12Conference), Pac-12.com and the Pac-12 Now app.
  • More information on how to receive Pac-12 Networks anywhere in the United States is available here on Pac-12.com.

For specific times each day for each school's scheduled live appearances on Pac-12 Network, please visit Pac-12.com.
 
About Pac-12 Networks
Pac-12 Networks is the innovative TV and multimedia company of the Pac-12 Conference and is the first such company to be wholly owned by 12 universities. Pac-12 Networks incorporates one national and six regional television networks, plus extensive digital content accessible through social media, university websites and the Pac-12 Now app. Each year, Pac-12 Networks offers live coverage of 850 sporting events, making it one of the top live sports producers in the country. In addition, Pac-12 Networks creates extensive original programming, provides visibility for marquee football and basketball events as well as traditionally under-served women's and Olympic sports. Pac-12 Networks also provides training and paid internships for thousands of students of the Pac-12's member universities, preparing them for careers in media. With headquarters in San Francisco's SOMA District, Pac-12 Networks draws on the creative, entrepreneurial and technological culture of the Bay Area and nearby Silicon Valley. For more information, go to Pac-12.com.

 FOCUSING ON FOOTBALL 

  • Arizona State returns 12 starters overall from what was the 37th highest graded overall team in the nation last season, per Pro Football Focus - a year removed from being the 67th ranked program in the nation. The +30 swing was among the top 10 largests turarounds for a Power Five team in the PFF rankings last year. 
  • The Sun Devils return seven starters on offense in 2018 from the 15th highest-graded offense in the FBS last season according to Pro Football Focus, including the 13th highest-graded passing attack in the nation. This is notable as ASU was graded 54th in the nation in total offense in 2016 and 86th in the passing game that year. 
  • The offense turnaround (+39 positions) was the eighth-largest in the FBS last season and ASU was one of just three programs to move from outside the Top 50 to inside of it in just one season. The 73-spot swing in the passing game rankings was the third highest in all of the FBS (second among Power Five schools).

GOLD ZONE 

  • ASU finished fifth nationally in converting on 96.23 percent of its red zone appearances last season (51-of-53). HOWEVER, the Devils took a knee in the red zone in the final seconds of the team's victories over fifth-ranked Washington and in the Territorial Cup contest against Arizona - the only two blemishes against the Sun Devils last year. 
  • The Sun Devils scored on 43-of-47 trips to the red zone in 2016 (91.5 percent), a total that ranked 10th in the nation. 
  • ASU is the only team in the country to be ranked in the Top 10 in red zone scoring in each of the past two seasons.

DON'T CROSS THAT LINE 

  • ASU is fourth in the country in averaging 2.83 sacks per game in the past five seasons. Additionally, ASU is sixth in the nation with an average of 7.32 TFL per game since 2013. 
  • ASU has had 20 occassions of a player reaching double-digit tackles for loss in the last six years with after having just 17 TOTAL reach the mark in 10 previous seasons (2002-11). 
  • ASU has had at least two players reach 10 tackles for loss in a season in each of the past six years, something that happened just six times from 2002-11.

HOLD ON TO THAT BALL 

  • The Sun Devils turned the ball over just 15 times last season (four on tipped ball interceptions), a total good for 27th nationally. ASU finished 82nd in the country in 2016 with 21 turnovers. 
  • ASU was 20th nationally with just six fumbles lost last season, and none of those have been by a running back. 
  • In fact, no ASU running back has put the ball on the ground in 535 consecutive carries, dating back to the 2016 season - a streak of 19 consecutive games. 

HE'S THE MANNY 

  • Completed 260-of-410 (63.4%) passes for 3,270 yards and 20 touchdowns. 
  • Starting all 13 games under center for the Sun Devils in 2017, Wilkins recorded four 300-yard and nine 200-yard performances, 
  • Wilkins threw for over 3,000-passing yards, marking just the ninth time in the history of Sun Devil Football a player was able to accomplish the feat. His 3,270 passing yards on the season were good for fifth in ASU single season history and are the ninth-highest among returning quarterbacks in 2018. 
  • He was sixth nationally with a 122.3 NFL quarterback rating on deep passes last season, according to Pro Football Focus and completed a Pac-12-leading 14 passes of 40 or more yards. 
  • Wilkins also posted a 72.4 adjusted completion percentage according to PFF, fourth among returning Pac-12 quarterbacks and 34th nationally last season. 
  • Wilkins has 5,599 passing yards in his career, good for 10th among all quarterbacks in ASU history. 
  • His 12 career rushing touchdowns are fourth among quarterbacks in ASU history behind Mark Malone (21), Danny White (14) and Taylor Kelly (13). He had seven touchdowns on the ground last season, becoming one of just 10 quarterbacks in the FBS last season to pass for at least 20 touchdowns with at least 7 rushing touchdowns as well. 
  • Wilkins broke the school record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception last season at 192 between the end of the 2016 season and the first half of last year, breaking Rudy Carpenter's previous school record of 149 from the end of 2005 to 2006. 

DIRTY HARRY 

  • N'Keal Harry, a first-team all-Pac-12 selection in 2017, returns for his junior season looking to build on a stellar sophomore campaign in which he racked up 82 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. 
  • The 82 catches were good for a tie for third in ASU single-season history with Jaelen Strong (2014). Only Shaun McDonald (87, 2002) and Derek Hagan (83, 2004) rank ahead of him. The 1,142 yards receiving were seventh in ASU single season history. 
  • He averaged over 87 yards receiving per game and nearly 14 yards per catch in 2017. His 87 yards per game were the best in the Pac-12, and he finished second in the conference in receptions and yards. 
  • According to PFF, Harry averaged a 107.0 QB rating when he was targeted, over 16 points higher than the NCAA average. He is the third-highest graded returning Division I receiver in the country by PFF, but first among Power Five programs and first among all juniors (or younger). 
  • Harry led ASU in receiving in eight of the 13 games last season, including three games of 140+ yards. He also showed his versatility and play-making ability throughout the season, rushing 13 times for 65 yards and also throwing one pass for 14 yards and a touchdown on the season. 
  • He was targeted 120 times last season, second among all Pac-12 receivers, but had just four drops on the year - the lowest drop rate of top returning receivers in the nation. 
  • Harry has a reception in all 25 games of his career at Arizona State, the eighth-longest active streak of games for any returning player in the NCAA. 
  • His 140 career receptions are already tied for 10th in Sun Devil school history and he is already within 300 yards of cracking ASU's all-time Top-10 in career receiving yards. 

AIR IT OUT

  • Kyle Williams recorded a 118.5 QB passer rating when targeted last season, the 18th-highest percentage in the country and second in the Pac-12.
  • Williams posted just 1.43 drop rate according to Pro Football Focus, the lowest rate in the entire country, dropping just one pass on 70 catchable targets.
  • The Sun Devils had 5 different receivers with 100+ yards in a game last season, a total it had never reached in an entire season prior to 2017. Only six times in school history had ASU had even four different players with at least 100 receiving yards in a game in a single season (2004, 2005, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017).
  • ASU finished with the the 33rd-highest graded receiving corps in the country last season, according to PFF.

GOLD RUSH

  • ASU has 27 rushing TDs last year as it reached 25 rushing touchdowns for the fourth time in the last six seasons. Those four 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 have rushed for over 2,000 yards five times in the last six seasons seasons at ASU after doing so just one single time from 2000-2011 and only eight times total over 30 years from 1981-2011.
  • According to Pro Football Focus, the Sun Devils had the 27th-highest graded rushing attack last season after having the 41st worst-graded attack in 2016.

KEEPING MOMENTUM

  • Arizona State and Louisiana Tech are tied for the active FBS record of 121 consecutive games scoring more than 7 points. The Sun Devils last scored a touchdown or less when they were shutout, 28-0, against eighth-ranked USC in the 2008 season. They have scored 30 or more points in 69 of those games (57.0 percent).
  • The Sun Devils have won as least seven games in four of the last six seasons, marking the first time ASU has done so in a six-year gap since doing it four straight times from 2004-07.
  • Prior to that, the last time ASU accomplished the feat was 1978-82, winning at least seven games four times in that five-year spread. 

THE CHASE IS ON

  • Chase Lucas was a standout during his first season on the field, being named a freshman first-team all-American by the FWAA and second-team by USA Today
  • Lucas earned Pac-12 Second Team honors at defensive back after an incredible freshman campaign in 2017, despite never playing a single snap at Division I cornerback prior to this season, and not playing as a day-to-day player at the position in high school.
  • He was the only freshman to be named to either the Pac-12 First or Second teams last season and became the first freshman to earn First or Second team honors on offense or defense since Oregon running back Royce Freeman earned Second Team offense honors in 2014 .
  • He was the first Pac-12 freshman defensive back to make the First or Second teams since Brandon Browner did so for Oregon State back in 2003.
  • During the regular season, Lucas allowed just 40 catches despite being targeted 78 times for a menial 51.2 completion percentage while allowing an NFL QBR of 72.4 with two interceptions and six passes defended.
  • Despite being targeted more than any of the 23 Pac-12 corners that played at least 60 percent of snaps in the regular season (once every 4.6 passing plays), Lucas allowed the fifth-lowest completion percentage of any corner in the conference – regardless of year.
  • Recorded 59 tackles, 46 unassisted and 13 assisted. His 59 tackles were the fifth most on the team.
  • Led the Sun Devil secondary with two interceptions and eight pass breakups in 2017.

MAKE 'EM PAY

  • ASU has outscored opponents 587-328 in points off takeaways since 2012.
  • Since 2012, ASU has scored 68.8 percent of the time following an opponent turnover (99 of 144) while finding the end zone 75 times in that span (52.1 percent).
  • Conversely, opponents have scored just 52.4 percent of the time following an ASU turnover since 2012 (55 of 105) with 43 touchdowns (41.0 percent).

A HAND IN THE COOKIE JAR

  • ASU has 16 interception returns for touchdowns in the last six seasons, tied with Ohio State for first in the nation in that time. 
  • The Sun Devils have 91 interceptions in the last six seasons, ranked in the Top 10 nationally. 
  • ASU has added four fumble return touchdowns as well for 20 defensive touchdowns since the 2012 season, good for fourth in the country in that time span behind Ohio State (25), Alabama (22) and Boise State (22).

KEEP THEM IN FRONT OF YOU

  • The Sun Devils turned the tide on allowing explosive plays last season after being one of the worst team's nationally in the category in 2016. ASU finished tied for 16th in the FBS with just one play allowed over 70 yards last year after giving up 8 the previous season (127th nationally). 
  • ASU was one of just 28 teams in the country last year that DID NOT give up a 70+ yard play in a conference game after doing so six times in 2016.


RUIZ'S PIECES

  • Brandon Ruiz set an ASU record with his 52-yard field goal in the opener of last season, his first career field goal to make him the first Sun Devil to have their first career field goal go for 50 or more yards.
  • Ruiz became the first Sun Devil in school history to kick two or more field goals longer than 50 yards in their freshman season.
  • The true freshman finished 12th nationally and led all FBS freshmen in touchback percentage (69.3 percent) and 10th nationally with 52 total touchbacks.
  • Ruiz was second among all freshmen kickers in the country with 19 field goals last season - good for a tie for 18th among all kickers in the country.
  • Ruiz was twice honored as the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Oregon, at Utah).