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How’s that for a bounce back? Can you breathe easy Sun Devil fans?
The answer to that is yes, sort of. The Arizona State Sun Devils played a more complete game, dominated for four quarters and kept the penalties in check. Sure, it was against a lowly Colorado team, but Herm Edwards and company took care of business handily against a team they should beat handily. This one is going to be way more positive, let’s get into the good, bad, and ugly.
The Good - The Defensive Backs
No Chase Lucas, no problem. The defensive backs bounced back in a great way, holding Buffs quarterback Brendon Lewis to seven completions and 67 passing yards. The Buffs leading receiver had one catch, and the passing attack was completely taken away. I’ve never been shy to criticize the corners, but they deserve some praise.
The (not so) Bad - The Receivers
Hold on, wait a second. The Receivers made a difference. I read again, the receivers made a difference. Johnny Wilson and LV Bunkley-Shelton it’s nice to see you guys have more than a catch in a game. But seriously, Wilson and Bunkley-Shelton looked good. They ran better routes, made more plays, and showed a tenacity that fans haven’t seen from those two. There is still a long way to go, but it finally looks like the coveted former four-star recruits are trending upwards.
The Ugly - Expectations
It was a good win. It was a nice way to eradicate some of the demons from last week. It’s still just Colorado. This is a game ASU should win, and win handily. No wins are bad, and this one is far from it, but this team is still very far from one that can compete for a conference title. They have the talent and potential, but they sleepwalk at times (or full halves of games) and that won’t fly against the UCLA’s and USC’s. Good win, but there is so much more to be done.