ASU FOOTBALL 2012
By Danny Shapiro
Coming off a 56-24 bowl loss to Boise State, five straight losses to end the season and player discipline issues, ASU football knew they needed to make a change in leadership before heading into the 2012 season.
On November 28th, ASU fired head coach Dennis Erickson after five years in the desert.
The change was expected, as Erickson could only guide the Sun Devils to a 6-7 record in a year filled with high expectations.
On December 14th, the Sun Devils announced that Pitt head coach Todd Graham would take over as coach of the Devils.
Graham has already made a big impact within the Sun Devil program as the Sun Devils look forward to their 2012 season opener August 30th against Northern Arizona University.
Graham's high energy, no nonsense persona has seemed to fit in well for a young Sun Devil team trying to cope with the loss of last year's senior class and second round draft pick, quarterback Brock Osweiler.
The quarterback position is still up for grabs, as true sophomore Mike Bercovici, redshirt sophomore Taylor Kelly, and redshirt freshman Michael Eubank are all vying to replace Osweiler in the starting role. No starter has been named as of yet, but a decision will most likely be made soon.
The leader of the offense, though, is senior running back Cameron Marshall. Marshall rushed for 1,038 yards last year as a junior and will head a group of highly talented and deep group of backs. Senior James Morrison and 2010 freshman sensation Deantre Lewis, who missed the 2011 season due to a gunshot wound, also will get carries out of the Sun Devil backfield.
A key position to watch in 2012 for the Sun Devils will be at wide receiver, where the Sun Devils lost four seniors after last year, including top receiver Gerell Robinson.
Senior Rashad Ross looks to be ASU's #1 receiver after having a breakout second half of the 2011 season that included catching four passes for 77 yards against in-state rival University of Arizona.
Speedy and agile senior Jamal Miles will also play a big role in the receiving game after collecting 361 yards through the air last year.
Defensively, the Sun Devils are led by two-sport star Brandon Magee. Magee, who recently signed to play baseball for the Boston Red Sox, will anchor a very inexperienced linebacking corps that lost over 70 games of starting experience after last season.
Magee missed all of last year due to an Achilles injury and his leadership will be greatly welcomed back to a defense that lacked leadership last year.
Junior Onyeali made the transition from defensive line to linebacker and his presence in the middle of the field will certainly help the Sun Devils.
Onyeali, who was the PAC 10's Freshman of the Year in 2010, had a miserable 2011 year that included injury and a suspension by then-coach Erickson prior to the Las Vegas Bowl. Graham initially suspended Onyeali indefinitely when he was hired, but Onyeali met all the requirements necessary to be reinstated to the Sun Devil football team and will look to come back this year with a vengeance.
Onyeali's transformation is proof that Graham's stout, hard-working attitude is getting through to his Sun Devil team.
Starting cornerback Osahon Irabor has noticed a culture change around the Sun Devil program.
“The guys’ attitudes are different,” Irabor said. “We are trying to conduct ourselves in a good manner. Everybody is just becoming more mature and the atmosphere is definitely different.”
A change is atmosphere is exactly what the Sun Devils needed.
Under Erickson, the Sun Devils were frequently labeled as immature and lacking discipline.
Oft-troubled linebacker Vontaze Burfict was benched for the final two games of his Sun Devil career and led an ASU defense that was dead last in penalty yards in 2011.
The culture seems to be changing and Graham and the Sun Devils are hoping it will translate to the win column.
The Sun Devils' 2012 schedule is not easy, though.
After the home opener against NAU, the Sun Devils have their first test of the year at home against Illinois, a team the Sun Devils lost 17-14 to last season.
The week after, the Sun Devils travel to Columbia to face the Missouri Tigers, who are eager to get revenge on the Devils after losing in overtime last season.
The PAC 12 home schedule features visits from preseason #5 Oregon, (Oct.18th), Utah (Sept.22nd), UCLA (Oct.27th), and Washington State (Nov.17th), while the PAC 12 away schedule includes preseason #3 USC, California, Colorado, Oregon State and the season finale against in-state rival Arizona.
By Danny Shapiro
Coming off a 56-24 bowl loss to Boise State, five straight losses to end the season and player discipline issues, ASU football knew they needed to make a change in leadership before heading into the 2012 season.
On November 28th, ASU fired head coach Dennis Erickson after five years in the desert.
The change was expected, as Erickson could only guide the Sun Devils to a 6-7 record in a year filled with high expectations.
On December 14th, the Sun Devils announced that Pitt head coach Todd Graham would take over as coach of the Devils.
Graham has already made a big impact within the Sun Devil program as the Sun Devils look forward to their 2012 season opener August 30th against Northern Arizona University.
Graham's high energy, no nonsense persona has seemed to fit in well for a young Sun Devil team trying to cope with the loss of last year's senior class and second round draft pick, quarterback Brock Osweiler.
The quarterback position is still up for grabs, as true sophomore Mike Bercovici, redshirt sophomore Taylor Kelly, and redshirt freshman Michael Eubank are all vying to replace Osweiler in the starting role. No starter has been named as of yet, but a decision will most likely be made soon.
The leader of the offense, though, is senior running back Cameron Marshall. Marshall rushed for 1,038 yards last year as a junior and will head a group of highly talented and deep group of backs. Senior James Morrison and 2010 freshman sensation Deantre Lewis, who missed the 2011 season due to a gunshot wound, also will get carries out of the Sun Devil backfield.
A key position to watch in 2012 for the Sun Devils will be at wide receiver, where the Sun Devils lost four seniors after last year, including top receiver Gerell Robinson.
Senior Rashad Ross looks to be ASU's #1 receiver after having a breakout second half of the 2011 season that included catching four passes for 77 yards against in-state rival University of Arizona.
Speedy and agile senior Jamal Miles will also play a big role in the receiving game after collecting 361 yards through the air last year.
Defensively, the Sun Devils are led by two-sport star Brandon Magee. Magee, who recently signed to play baseball for the Boston Red Sox, will anchor a very inexperienced linebacking corps that lost over 70 games of starting experience after last season.
Magee missed all of last year due to an Achilles injury and his leadership will be greatly welcomed back to a defense that lacked leadership last year.
Junior Onyeali made the transition from defensive line to linebacker and his presence in the middle of the field will certainly help the Sun Devils.
Onyeali, who was the PAC 10's Freshman of the Year in 2010, had a miserable 2011 year that included injury and a suspension by then-coach Erickson prior to the Las Vegas Bowl. Graham initially suspended Onyeali indefinitely when he was hired, but Onyeali met all the requirements necessary to be reinstated to the Sun Devil football team and will look to come back this year with a vengeance.
Onyeali's transformation is proof that Graham's stout, hard-working attitude is getting through to his Sun Devil team.
Starting cornerback Osahon Irabor has noticed a culture change around the Sun Devil program.
“The guys’ attitudes are different,” Irabor said. “We are trying to conduct ourselves in a good manner. Everybody is just becoming more mature and the atmosphere is definitely different.”
A change is atmosphere is exactly what the Sun Devils needed.
Under Erickson, the Sun Devils were frequently labeled as immature and lacking discipline.
Oft-troubled linebacker Vontaze Burfict was benched for the final two games of his Sun Devil career and led an ASU defense that was dead last in penalty yards in 2011.
The culture seems to be changing and Graham and the Sun Devils are hoping it will translate to the win column.
The Sun Devils' 2012 schedule is not easy, though.
After the home opener against NAU, the Sun Devils have their first test of the year at home against Illinois, a team the Sun Devils lost 17-14 to last season.
The week after, the Sun Devils travel to Columbia to face the Missouri Tigers, who are eager to get revenge on the Devils after losing in overtime last season.
The PAC 12 home schedule features visits from preseason #5 Oregon, (Oct.18th), Utah (Sept.22nd), UCLA (Oct.27th), and Washington State (Nov.17th), while the PAC 12 away schedule includes preseason #3 USC, California, Colorado, Oregon State and the season finale against in-state rival Arizona.