Remember those “Bring on Georgia” signs the student section hoisted up in the waning moments of the Stanford game last season?

Oops.

For those of you who need a little refresher course, the infamous signs reared their ugly heads as the ASU football team was completing its 41-17 drubbing of the Cardinal.

Did Sun Devil fans have every reason to be confident?

Sure, but the lofty expectations of an elusive BCS bowl berth — or anything resembling a signature win — quickly evaporated the following week against UNLV.

After the first drive of the second half yielded a touchdown and gave the Sun Devils a 20-10 lead, ASU coach Dennis Erickson decided to get conservative.

Yes, trying to run out the clock with the lead is a typical strategy.

But shying away from the deep ball with one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history and a handful of talented targets was questionable.

Coach Erickson has the championship rings to back up his decisions, though, so who am I to judge?

I digress.

I can still hear the dull thud of Thomas Weber’s kick being blocked as the Runnin’ Rebels capped off one of their biggest wins in recent memory.

And it was almost like that sound hypnotized the Sun Devils, transforming them into a group of overrated underachievers.

Subsequently, the rest of the season was a wash, culminating in a beat down served up by their rivals to the south, which also kept ASU from being bowl eligible.

So what now?

Arguably the best quarterback in school history is gone and the secondary is missing one of its finest leaders in Troy Nolan — the guy almost scored more touchdowns than the entire offense for crying out loud.

Not really, but he scored a lot.

Through all this doom and gloom that I am spewing out, though, there is room for optimism, folks.

In fact, they might actually be better this year with a quarterback who has never even stated a game at the collegiate level.

As long as senior Danny Sullivan can manage the game, ASU’s nightmarishly scary defense should hold opposing teams well within striking distance.

It’s sort of like a 2000 Baltimore Ravens thing.

Which brings to mind a certain player by the name of Ray Lewis.

The same man who Erickson helped nurture into the freak he was and still is today during his stint as head coach at Miami.

The same guy who Erickson used to compare freshman linebacker Vontaze Burfict, the highest-rated recruit ASU has ever garnered.

Just to put all of this into perspective, Burfict is going to have to fight to get playing time because the Sun Devils are so deep at linebacker.

That’s right, a player with the potential to be one of the greatest linebackers in school history does not just get a starting gig on this defense.

And with the ferocious D-line headed up by senior Dexter Davis and consensus freshman All-American Lawrence Guy attacking up front, it should be a feeding frenzy for that linebacking corps.

But please, after ASU wins its first two games on the docket, leave the “Bring on Georgia” signs under the bleachers.

Reach the reporter at emschimm@asu.edu.