ASU Football: Q&A with The Ralphie Report

Arizona State (2-1) will take on Colorado (1-2) in the opening week of Pac-12 conference play. Ahead of the matchup, we at House of Sparky caught up with Jack Barsch of the Ralphie Report in Boulder to discuss the viewpoint through the Buffaloes’ eyes.

Jack Johnson: Will the real Colorado please stand up? Is the team that took Texas A&M to the mat or the team that got wiped by Minnesota the Buffaloes team we should expect going forward?

Jack Barsch: Well, you’re asking me directly after the Minnesota debacle, so I will say that one. That beatdown was one of the worst games I’ve ever seen in person, and as a CU fan, I’ve seen a lot of them. Here’s some sobering stats for any Arizona State fan:

• The Colorado Buffaloes have gained 94 total yards in the last 90 minutes of football
• The Colorado Buffaloes have not scored in 20 straight drives on offense
• The longest drive the Colorado Buffaloes have had in the last 90 minutes of football was 29 yards
• Drew Carter, the backup QB, was the leading rusher against Minnesota with 9 yards
• At the end of the 1st quarter, the Buffs had one total yard

Arizona State is facing a BROKEN offense, and a pretty good offense.

JJ: This offensive line is depleted, and the next men up are inexperienced. How serious are your concerns about their ability to protect the quarterback?

JB: Extremely serious. This offensive line, in its current state, cannot pass protect. However, it doesn’t really matter too much, given that the Buffs cannot throw the ball very well, even with protection. The Buffs should get a few starters back for the ASU game, but I still expect the Sun Devils to get to the QB.

JJ: Has quarterback Brendon Lewis lived up to your expectations? If not, what are the areas that you need to see more from him?

JB: We need to see a lot more from him, but I don’t know how to say this diplomatically. The entire engine that is the Colorado offense is broken. It’s hard to blame a piston for misfiring when the rest of the thing is falling apart. Brendon Lewis has not looked good; however, nothing has looked good. I still like his athleticism and escapability.

JJ: After a phenomenal season last year, and with the passing game struggles, do the Buffaloes need to use Jarek Broussard more?

JB: YES, GOD YES. Please lean as hard as possible on the running backs. The Buffs did this against UNC and in the first half against Texas A&M. For some reason, they went away from this in the last game and a half of football. The results have been horrific.

JJ: What has turned Colorado’s defense around in the last two seasons? Or who?

JB: Well, we had two different coordinators in the last two years. The personnel is amazing on that side of the ball. Nate Landman is a wrecking ball, the defensive line has two NFL players in Terrance Lang and Jalen Sami, and the secondary is anchored by two corners. The talent is there. This year, Chris Wilson as DC has simplified everything and these guys are FLYING around. They have been so amazing this year in the face of complete offensive disaster.

JJ: Lastly, the Sun Devils may have struggled last week, but we all know they’ll turn things around this week and bring home the victory. Just let me know by how much, Jack.

JB: I mean, I would say that CU keeps Arizona State under 30 points, and CU’s offense will score 0 points until the end of time, so 27? You are talking to a broken fan.