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After going 7-6 last season, the Arizona State Sun Devils are heading into the 2019 season under second-year head coach Herm Edwards.
They kick off the 2019 season against the Kent State Golden Flashes. This will be the first time in history that the two teams will meet. Last year the Golden Flashes went 2-10 and finished last in their conference.
Let’s take a look at the Golden Flashes:
A hopeful offense:
The Golden Flashes have the talent on the field to make things happen.
They are going into the game hoping to get off to a hot start on the offensive line, after having a few successful moments last year. The ASU defense is going to come out strong against the Golden Flashes’ offense.
Five of their top six receivers are returning, including wide receivers Mike Carrigan and Antwan Dixon. Carrigan lead the team last season with 597 yards, while Dixon collected 532 yards.
Not to forget, former Auburn commit and QB Woody Barrett. In his sophomore year, he threw for 2,339 yards. He also ran for over 500 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
Last season, they didn’t get past 23 points against any of their opponents. The Golden Flashes might get a few plays past the Sun Devils, but the ASU defense should be able to hold things down and get some stops.
A struggling defense:
The defensive side of the ball is where the Golden Flashes will most likely really struggle.
Their defense was the worst in the Mid-American conference last year, which allowed 467 yards and 37 points per game.
If the Eno Benjamin and the Sun Devil run game get going fast, it will be hard for the Golden Flashes to gain a stop. Last season, they only won two games and in those two games they allowed 100 rushing yards or less, and didn’t allow a touchdown run. The defense is capable of these things, but it might not be something that happens against a strong Sun Devil offense.
Some players to watch on the defensive side are Nick Faulkner and Kesean Gamble. Faulkner recorded 36 tackles last year, while Gamble had 39. The team will need these two to step up, along with the entire defensive line in order to stop the Sun Devil run game.