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Six Sun Devils Earn Preseason All-Conference Nods as ASU Takes Hollywood for Pac-12 Media Day

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Six Sun Devils Earn Preseason All-Conference Nods as ASU Takes Hollywood for Pac-12 Media DaySix Sun Devils Earn Preseason All-Conference Nods as ASU Takes Hollywood for Pac-12 Media Day

LOS ANGELES -- Sun Devil Football head coach Herm Edwards, All-American running back Eno Benjamin and starting center Cohl Cabral descended on Hollywood Wednesday for the annual Pac-12 Media Day in Los Angeles.  Festivities kicked off with six Sun Devils being named to the preseason All-Pac-12 team, as voted on by media who cover the Pac-12.

Benjamin was a first-team selection on the ballot in a league that features arguably the most elite crop of running backs in the FBS. Cabral earned the nod as the second-team center. Defensively, Merlin Robertson was named a second-team selection at linebacker and on special teams, Brandon Ruiz was tabbed the second-team placekicker. Earning honorable mention nods were offensive lineman Zach Robertson and defensive back Aashari Crosswell.

The Sun Devils were selected to finished tied for third in the Pac-12 South Division by the same members of the media.  

Arizona State will kick off its preseason camp next week with four practices held in Tempe before the team heads on its much-awaited return to Camp Tontozona after a year-long hiatus while the iconic location received several much-needed upgrades over the past year. 

Sun Devil Football opens the season Thursday, August 29 against Kent State at 7 p.m. Arizona time at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. 

SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL PRESEASON QUICK NOTES

ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS

  • Eno Benjamin broke ASU's single-season school record with 1,642 yards last season, passing the previous record of 1,565 yards held by Woody Green in 1972. That total was good for fifth in the FBS in 2018 while his 16 rushing touchdowns were ninth.
  • The 1,642 yards were the 24th-most in Pac-12 running back single season history.
  • His 146.54 all-purpose yards per game were ninth nationally and second in the Pac-12
  • Rushed for 81 first downs, the third most nationally and his 31 explosive runs (runs over 15 yards) on the season were fifth among Pac-12 running backs. 
  • Set the ASU school record with 300 carries last season as well as the single-season record with nine games reaching at least 100-yards rushing.
  • Joined Mario Bates (1993) and J.R. Redmond (1999) as the only other running backs since in the Pac-12 era to average over 100 yards per game in a single season (126.3). 
  • Became the first ASU running back in the Pac-12 era to finish in the Top-10 nationally in single-season rushing yards. Darryl Clack (1984) and Mario Bates (1993) both finished 18th nationally - the previous high for a Sun Devil running back in the Pac-12 era.

NUMERO ENO

  • Benjamin was the highest-graded running back in the Pac-12 last season (90.1 rushing score), according the Pro Football Focus - a grade that was also good for 6th nationally among halfbacks with at least 400 snaps.
  • He posted the fifth-highest overall offensive grade (which accounts for all facets of the game) in the Pac-12, regardless of position (84.4) - a total that sat 12th among running backs nationally with at least 400 snaps.
  • Benjamin forced 94 missed tackles last season, third-highest among FBS players in the category.
  • Benjamin had just one fumble on 300 carries – one of just 14 running backs that have played 400+ snaps with 200+ carries that have 1 or fewer fumbles.
  • In addition to the workhorse efforts at running back, Benjamin also ran 326 pass routes last season - a total that was third among the nation's running backs. He averaged a first down or touchdown on 40 percent of his 36 receptions - ninth among FBS running backs with at least 20 catches. The 36 receptions were also ninth among FBS running backs. 
  • Benjamin set a single-game school rushing record with 312 yards against Oregon State, placing him eighth all-time on the Pac-12 conference single-game rushing list and the highest single-game performance in the FBS this season.

DO NOT ENTER

  • The Sun Devils have allowed just 25.5 points per game this season, good for 53rd nationally. While not where the team wants to be, the total is notable as ASU was 103rd nationally at 32.8 points per game allowed in 2017 and had finished 99th or worse in three consecutive seasons prior to the marked improvement this past season. 
  • ASU did not allow more than 30 points in the first 7 games last season, one of just 11 teams in the nation that did so in 2018. ASU held opponents to 30 or less points in 9 of 13 games last season.  
  • It was just the fifth season in the Pac-12 era that ASU had opened the year with seven consecutive games not allowing 30 points, joining the 1982, 1986, 1991 and 1997 campaigns
  • The Sun Devil defense did not allow a single point in the first quarter of regular season games against non-conference opponents and didn't allow one in six of 13 games last year. ASU allowed just 5.3 points per first quarter this season, good for 44th nationally. In 2017, ASU allowed 6.7 first quarter points per game - the 82nd worst tally nationally.
  • While the Sun Devil defense started strong, it finished stronger. Opponents averaged just 3.8 points per fourth quarter last season - the 6th lowest total nationally and lowest in the Pac-12. That allowed ASU to outscore opponents 119-49 in the frame on the season. 
  • Again this was a vast improvement over recent seasons, as allowed 8.9 points per fourth quarter (112th nationally) in 2017. The Sun Devils were outscored by opponents 116-102 in the fourth quarter of games on the year. ASU was 124th (10.7 points per fourth) in 2016, 121st (11.1 point per fourth) in 2015 and 101st (8.6 points per fourth) in 2014.

KEEP IT CLOSE

  • The tough scoring defense kept ASU in every game last season, with nine games being decide by one possession - second in the nation behind Texas and the second-highest total by a Pac-12 team since 1980 (Stanford with 10 in 2012).
  • ASU was 4-1 in games decided by three points or less, with the five such games second nationally behind Eastern Michigan. The four wins in games decided by a field goal or less were tied for most wins by any team in the nation in the category (Northern Illinois). ASU was 6-14 in tilts of 3 points or less in the previous 10 seasons.
  • It marked the most field goal or less wins by a Pac-12 team since Oregon State did the same in 2006, and just the second time a Pac-12 team won four field goal games in the past 18 seasons.
  • Unfortunately, ASU was also on the wrong end of five of those one-possession games games - tied for the most losses by a touchdown or less of any team in the nation.

HOLD ON TO THAT BALL

  • No ASU running back has LOST a fumble in 902 consecutive carries, dating back to the 2016 season - a streak of 32 consecutive games. That included 327 running back carries last season (NOTE: this stat includes only running backs on rushing plays and does not include running backs on receptions).
  • Of note on that stat, the fumble that ended the streak occurred on a failed play-action exchange on a direct snap play to a running back (Kalen Ballage against UCLA in 2016). If only conventional running plays are included, the streak of carries without losing a fumble is 1,241 carries over 45 games, dating back to Utah in 2015. 
  • ASU was tied for fourth nationally with only 11 turnovers last season. ASU outscored opponents 71-27 in points off turnovers on the year.
  • The Sun Devils turned the ball over just 15 times in 2017, a total that was good for 27th nationally. ASU and Stanford are the only Pac-12 teams to finish in the Top-30 nationally in each of the last two seasons. ASU finished 82nd in the country in 2016 with 21 turnovers. 

MAKE 'EM PAY

  • ASU has outscored opponents 667-355 in points off takeaways since 2012.
  • Since 2012, ASU has scored 67.3 percent of the time following an opponent turnover (111 of 165) while finding the end zone 83 times in that span (50.3 percent).
  • Conversely, opponents have scored just 51.7 percent of the time following an ASU turnover since 2012 (60 of 116) with 46 touchdowns (39.7 percent).

LOCKING IT DOWN

  • ASU was tied for 11th nationally in allowing just 8 plays over 40 yards last season, an area the Devils had struggled in in recent seasons (allowing 20, 16, 30, 21 in the previous four seasons and finishing 103rd, 79th, 128th, 110th, respectively). ASU was also tied for 9th nationally in allowing just 3 plays of over 50 yards on the year.  
  • The Devils gave up just 22 plays over 30 yards, tied for 34th-fewest nationally. In the previous four years, ASU had given up 38, 44, 40, 40 such plays, ranked 116th, 124th, 117th and 119th. 
  • ASU was tied for 13th nationally for fewest passing plays over 40 yards allowed this season, allowing just five. ASU was 90th in the category the previous year with 12 such plays allowed and 127th in 2016 with 22 passing plays over 40 yards allowed.
  • ASU was ninth with just three 50+ yard plays allowed last season after finishing in the bottom 10 nationally in four previous seasons.
  • The Sun Devils are 64th in allowing 5.6 yards per play this year, an improvement of nearly 50 positions from the team's 111th place finish in the category in 2017 (6.33 yards per play). ASU had finished 109th or worse in the category in three consecutive seasons prior to last season.

ON THE DEFENSE

  • The Sun Devil forced opponents into the fourth-worst starting field position nationally, with teams starting on average at their own 26.0 yard line.
  • On passing downs, opponents averaged a marginal explosive tally of -0.04 according to Bill Connelly's advanced metrics, the 21st-best score nationally. 
  • A testament to ASU's ability to crack down on the big play, the Sun Devils were nationally with a -0.02 defensive marginal explosiveness rating. 
  • The defense was exceptional in limiting scoring, logging in a 1.09 IsoPPP (points per play) score based on Connelly's metrics, the 29th-best total among FBS defenses. A year prior, ASU was 111th (1.17).
  • ASU's .351 points allowed per play (minus fancy calculations) was 46th nationally after finishing 98th in the previous season (.445) and 125th in 2016 (.552)
  • The Sun Devil defense caused havoc (tackles for loss, fumbles forced or passed defended/intercepted) 17.0 percent of the time - good for 46th nationally. ASU had just a 14.1% havoc rate in 2017 (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 was the 36th-lowest total nationally. ASU was 64th a year prior in the category (3.35).
  • ASU surrendered just 4.43 points per scoring opportunity (points per trip inside the 40), 55th nationally and a vast improvement over its 96th-place ranking last season. 
  • The Sun Devil defense bent but didn't break last 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 in 2017.

TAKING OFFENSE

  • ASU was 39th nationally in Offensive Ball Control Rate (drives that last 4 plays or more) - doing so 69.0 percent of the time.
  • ASU  capitalized on short field position, scoring 4.05 points per drive when the possession STARTS within 60 yards of the opponent end zone - 28th nationally.
  • Overall, ASU was 32nd nationally in total points per drive, sitting at 2.49.
  • ASU got itself into manageable third-and-short situations 14.4 percent of the time (16th nationally).
  • ASU only found itself in third-and-long situations 43.3 percent of the time last season, good for the 17th-lowest total national. It's average third-down distance was 6.8 yards - the 21st-best total in the country while posting a 45.9 percent success rate on third downs - also good for 21st.
  • ASU was 20th nationally in fourth quarter points per game (9.2) - second in the Pac-12 behind WSU - and have outscored opponents 119-49 in the fourth quarter of games this year.
  • The Sun Devil offense ran a successful play, according to Bill Connely's metrics, 43.8 percent of the time - good for 44th nationally. In 2017 ASU was 65th with a successful play rate of just 41.8 percent. 
  • ASU's offensive efficiency score (OFEI) of 2.76 was good for 23rd nationally. A team's OFEI is a value generated per drive by a team's offense adjusted by its starting field position based on the strength of defenses faced.

THE YOUTH MOVEMENT

  • Only three Pac-12 TRUE freshmen have played at least 700 defensive snaps last season and all of them played for Arizona State (Merlin Robertson/749, Aashari Crosswell/786, Darien Butler/754).
  • Sun Devil freshmen (true or redshirt) combined for 3,549 play snaps on defense last season. Comparatively, freshmen combined for just 918 total defensive snaps played in 2017 and 1,035 in 2016. 
  • Aashari Crosswell was one of just seven true freshmen among all Power Five teams to play at least 750 snaps on the season. 
  • Sun Devil freshmen (true or redshirt) accounted for 34.7 percent of all of ASU's tackles last season (294 of 848) and 40.8 percent of the team's total tackles for loss (35.5 of 87).
  • Among all Power Five true reshmen, none had more defensive stops (as graded by Pro Football Focus) than Robertson (35) while Butler was right behind him with 34. The duo ranks 17th and 23rd overall in the Pac-12, regardless of year in school.
  • Both were among the Pac-12 top 10 linebackes in fewest missed tackles, with Robertson fifth with eight and Butler ninth in the league with 10 - just 18 total on their combined 1,503 defensive snaps this season (1.1 percent).

MAGNIFICENT MERLIN 

  • Merlin Robertson was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year last season.
  • Robertson became the fifth Sun Devil to earn a Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honor and the third to be named the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He joins Vontaze Burfict (2009) and Junior Onyeali (2010) as the third person to be distinguished as the Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.
  • Robertson led the team in tackles (77), tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5.0). Added an interception, two breakups, a fumble forced and a fumble recovered.
  • He was the first freshman to lead the team in tackles since Jason Shivers in 2001 and the first freshman to lead the team in tackles for loss and sacks since Junior Onyeali in 2010.
  • Led all FBS freshmen (true or redshirt) with 35 defensive "stops" in 2018 – tied for 17th among all Pac-12 defensive players.
  • Also led Pac-12 freshmen (true or redshirt) with 27 total QB pressures  – second most among all freshmen in a Power Five conference. It was the 20th-most for any player in the Pac-12, regardless of year and second-most among all linebackers in the Pac-12
  • Played on 749 snaps as a truth freshman, despite missing the bowl game and half a game Oregon - the eighth highest total among true freshmen in Power Five conference nationally.
  • Missed just eight tackles on the season, according to Pro Football Focus, tied for the fifth-fewest among linebackers in the Pac-12 and 33rd among all Power Five linebackers.

NO BUTLER'S ABOUT IT

  • Darien Butler's 70 tackles were the fourth most by a true freshman nationally regardless of conference.
  • He was tied for 23rd in the Pac-12 with 34 defensive "stops" this season, second among the league's true freshmen (behind teammate Merlin Robertson), and good for fourth among true freshman among the Power 5 conferences.
  • One of just two true freshmen to have played at least 750 snaps on defense this season in the Pac-12 (754 total) and one of just 7 true freshmen in Power Five conferences nationally to reach the milestone.
  • Tied for 9th among all linebackers in the Pac-12 with just 10 missed tackles this season
  • One of only eight true freshman linebackers among Power Five schools to have played at least 400 snaps in 2018.

DON'T BE CROSS 

  • Freshman Aashari Crosswell led the team in interceptions with four (t-4th among FBS freshmen) while recording 127 yards in interception returns – the latter good for the seventh-most nationally and the most for a freshman in the country
  • Team-high 9 pass breakups this season – more than any Sun Devil recorded last season and tied for fourth among freshmen in the FBS this season
  • His 13 total passes defended were tied for third among FBS freshman and fifth among all Pac-12 players regardless of year
  • One of just two Pac-12 true freshman to play at least 750 snaps (786), one of just 7 freshmen to do so nationally in a Power Five conference 

NOT SO FRESH ANYMORE

  • Tyler Johnson Established himself as a starter in the second half of the season after playing just 61 total snaps in the team's first 6 games of the year. Played on 394 snaps over the final seven games of the year.
  • His 20 QB pressures over the final seven weeks of the season were the ninth most among linebackers/edge rushers the Pac-12 Conference.
  • His four sacks over the final seven weeks were the most among Pac-12 outside linebackers and tied for 20th most among FBS outside linebackers.
  • Finished tied for 17th among all Pac-12 linebackers and edge defenders with 25 quarterback pressures this season.
  • Johnson was tied for second on the team with 8.0 tackles for loss, six of which coming in the final six games of the season – the most on the team – and added a fumble forced, a blocked kick and a pass breakup on the season, alongside a pivotal fumble recovery against Arizona. 
  • Freshman Jermayne Lole tackles for loss in three of the final four regular season games and started the final four games of the season. 
  • He had four pass breakups on the season despite being a lineman – tied for third overall on the team and tied for the fourth among Pac-12 freshmen. 
  • Lole was ASU's highest-graded true freshman according to PFF, and the 10th-highest graded true freshman in the conference and his 14 QB pressures were fifth among all freshmen in the Pac-12.
  • He had the highest positive run impact score among freshmen in the Pac-12 at 15.6 percent and was the fifth-highest graded freshman in the Pac-12 in run defense at 74.0.

IN THE TRENCHES

  • Twice last season, ASU went consecutive games without allowing a sack (Washington/Oregon State and USC/Utah) The last time ASU had consecutive games doing so even once in a  season was 2005 (LSU and Northwestern).
  • The Devils had 6 such games last year (UTSA, UW, OSU, USC, UTAH, ARIZ). Since AT LEAST 2000, ASU had never had more than 2 games in a SEASON where it didn't allow a sack.
  • ASU's 16 sacks allowed this season were 13th nationally. A year prior, 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 had 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.
  • Cohl Cabral was one of just 15 Power Five centers to not allow a sack last season
  • He was the third-highest graded center in the Pac-12 as a run blocker (66.3) and had a positive run impact on 9.9 percent of plays this season, the 28th-best total among all FBS centers.
  • Following the non-conference slate, ASU's run game efficiency from PFF was ranked 85th nationally (8th in Pac-12) with a play success rate of 32.9. During the Pac-12 slate, ASU is ranked 42nd nationally (4th in Pac-12) with a success rate of 36.3, showing the team's improvement as the year went on.

GOLD RUSH

  • ASU has had a 100-yard rusher in 13 of its last 18 games dating back to last year (Demario Richard with 4 and Eno Benjamin with 9).
  • Benjamin's 9 100+ yard performances this season put him in rare company. He is now one of just five Sun Devils have had 7 or more in a season and passed the previous school record set by Freddie Williams and Art Malone (8). Woody Green (7, twice) and Demario Richard (7) are the only others to reach the 7-game milestone
  • ASU had 26 rushing TDs this year as 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 have rushed for over 2,000 yards seven times in the last eight seasons at ASU after doing so just one single time from 2000-2011 and only eight times total over 30 years from 1981-2011.
  • ASU finished with the 18th-highest graded rushing attack of 2018, according to Pro Football Focus.

ON THE RECEIVING END

  • The Sun Devils may have lost standout receive N'Keal Harry to the first round of the NFL Draft this summer, but the depth at wide receiver is still quite impressive this season. 
  • Kyle Williams ranked third in the Pac-12 according to PFF with an 81.8% catch rate when playing out of the slot.
  • He also Excelled as a run blocker, ranking 36th in the nation and second in the Pac-12 among all wide receiver with a score of 76.0.
  • Boasted a 49.1% offensive success percentage when targeted, the eighth-highest among all Pac-12 receivers.
  • Among returning wide receivers with at least 40 returning targets, Brandon Aiyuk ranks 11th in the Pac-12 (106.2) in wide receiver rating according to PFF, finishing third among Pac-12 players in their first season in Division I football.
  • He had the 15th-highest receiving score among returning wide receivers in the Pac-12 at 68.7 . That score represents the fourth highest total for players in their first season of Division I football.
  • 50 percent of Frank Darby's targets last year came on deep passes, a total that led the Pac-12.
  • He averaged 20.0 yards/catch, which would have put him 14th nationally had he caught five more passes to reach the catches/game minimum

KEEPING MOMENTUM

  • Arizona State holds the FBS active streak for consecutive games scoring more than 7 points, currently doing so in 134 straight games. The Sun Devils last scored fewer than 7 points when they were shutout, 28-0, against eighth-ranked USC in the 2008 season. They have scored 30 or more points in 75 of those games (56.0 percent).
  • The Sun Devils have won as least seven games in five of the last seven seasons.
  • Sun Devil Football has had one of the top home field advantages in the FBS in the last six seasons, recording a 35-10 record at Sun Devil Stadium since 2012. The .778 win percentage in that time is 23rd nationally (14th among Power Five programs) while the 35 wins are 18th.