Arizona State recruits heavily in California due to its large population, healthy football culture, and Pac-10 footprint. It's very difficult for the Sun Devils to reach into Texas, Florida, or the midwest due to their lack of both name recognition and national importance.
Southern California is a different story, however. Everyone knows that Tempe is a nice place to go to school - weather, women, and good facilities for athletes. ASU recruits heavily out of this area, especially from Corona. Currently, the starting linebackers on defense - Vontaze Burfict, Shelly Lyons, and Brandon Magee - are all graduates of Corona Centennial.
Just five miles north lies Norco, a city that is home to five Sun Devils, including Deantre Lewis, our dynamic freshman running back.
Long story short, ASU already does pretty well recruiting in the Los Angeles area, and a win on the road would further raise awareness of the school and the opportunities available to high school talent. Truth be told, if you're an excellent player, chances are you'll be playing a meaningful role almost immediately, just like Deantre Lewis has this season and Vontaze Burfict did in 2009.
Come out to the desert, California talent!