ASU Football: Q&A with Building The Dam

For an insider look at the dam in Corvallis, we reached out to our friends at Building The Dam and writer Travis Johannes answer a few of our questions.

Brady Vernon: How would you rate the job Jonathan Smith has done since he’s become head coach and do you believe the Beavers are taking steps in the right direction?

TJ: He’s done a pretty solid job. It’s hard to win in Corvallis and he entered a real crappy situation with where the program was at. The fact that it’s November and we are having real conversations about potential bowl games is pretty mind blowing to be honest.

BV: For those who don’t know about him, how good has Isaiah Hodgins been this season?

TJ: He has been absolutely amazing. I don’t know a way to put how good he has been into words, but I will say multiple times every game I find my self asking “How the hell did he catch that?”. He has definitely played his way up the draft board and I would be surprised if he didn’t forgo his final season.

BV: Jermar Jefferson had a great day against the Sun Devils last season, but I know he’s struggled with injuries this season. Who are the running backs behind them and how do they compare to Jefferson?

TJ: Artavis Pierce has been a stud in his absence. It’s kind of ironic cause Pierce was supposed to be the guy last year, but an early season injury opened the door for Jefferson who exploded on to the scene. Pierce is a quicker back, he won’t bruise as much as Jermar but he will make you pay on the outside.

BV: Who is the Beavers best player on defense and why?

TJ: Hamilcar Rashed has been a revelation so far this season. He lives in the the opponents backfield with 18.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.

BV: Score prediction and why?

TJ: Beavs get one step closer to bowl eligibility with a 35-28 victory