Quarterbacks: Stanford's Trent Edwards has not looked bad in his first year as a starter but has hardly carried the Cardinal on his back. Through eight games the sophomore has thrown for 1,647 yards and completed more than 55 percent of his passes. More disappointing, though, is the fact Edwards has the same amount of touchdowns (eight) as interceptions. ASU's Andrew Walter is coming off a rough performance against Cal last week but is primed for a big rebound game. Over the last two seasons, the senior has averaged for 385.5 yards against Stanford. In eight games this year, Walter has 2,083 yards as well as 21 touchdowns and seven picks. Huge edge ASU.
Running backs: Perhaps no team in history has been more ravaged at a single position than have the Sun Devils at this position. After three of their top four tailbacks have been out for the season, the last remaining, junior Hakim Hill, is hanging by a thread after missing two practices this week with a sprained ankle; although he is expected to play. ASU will again have to resort to a converted wide receiver, redshirt freshman Rudy Burgess, and walk-on Preston Jones. The Cardinal has two productive and, most of all, healthy runners in junior J.R. Lemon and senior Kenneth Tolon, who have gained 438 and 326 yards respectively. Lemon leads the way with six touchdowns. Solid edge Stanford.
Receivers: Stanford possesses arguably the best tight end in the Pac-10 in senior Alex Smith, who leads his team with 44 catches and 532 yards but just one touchdown. At wide-out, 235-pound sophomore Evan Moore and sophomore Mark Bradford have been serviceable, catching for 449 and 367 yards respectively. Two others have caught for at least 100 yards. For ASU, junior Derek Hagan was named a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the country's top receiver after catching 50 passes for 735 yards and eight touchdowns. Sophomore Terry Richardson has developed into a nice complement, catching for 493 yards. At tight end, the Sun Devils have a gem in true freshman Zach Miller, who has 32 catches and four touchdowns. Slight edge ASU.
Offensive line: To say Stanford's o-line has had a tough go of things would be kind, as it has allowed its quarterbacks to be sacked 26 times. The unit starts four sophomores and a junior and has had to shuffle its lineup due to a variety of injuries. Plus, the Cardinal have only averaged 3.1 yards per rushing attempt this season. The Sun Devils' o-line began the year overachieving but has not played up to its standards as of late. Last week against Cal, it allowed Andrew Walter to be sacked five times to bring the team's season total in that category to 24. However, the unit has done well in trying to open holes for a makeshift running game. Solid edge ASU.
Defensive line: Stanford makes use of just three linemen in its '3-4' alignment. The leader of the group, hands down, is junior end Julian Jenkins, who has been a bully with 38 tackles and a team-leading 5.5 sacks. The other two linemen have combined for just one sack, although junior nose guard Babatunde Oshinowo has tallied 27 tackles. ASU's front four continues to play well, but not spectacular, as it has combined for 15.5 sacks. Sophomore tackle Jordan Hill leads the bunch with 31 tackles. Senior end Ishmael Thrower has 5.5 sacks and sophomore end Kyle Caldwell has 4.5. Slight edge ASU.
Linebackers: The Cardinal's four linebackers have been among the most productive players on the team. Junior outside 'backer Jon Alston has been scrappy, registering 47 tackles and four sacks. The two inside 'backers senior David Bergeron and junior Kevin Schimmelmann have combined for 99 tackles. While they are good, ASU's three linebackers are a little better. Junior Dale Robinson continues to lead the group with 67 tackles and 3.5 sacks, while senior Justin Burks and junior Jamar Williams have 57 and 54 tackles respectively. The athletic trio has been a strength of the team all season. Slight edge ASU.
Secondary: This unit's play has slipped considerably since the start of Pac-10 play for ASU. Senior free safety Emmanuel Franklin has played above expectations, as he has intercepted four passes. Besides Franklin, no other starting defensive back has a pick. The Sun Devils have allowed 1,820 passing yards this season. Senior strong safety Riccardo Stewart is fourth on the team with 42 tackles despite missing two games. Stanford's secondary has been a huge strong point of its entire team. The Cardinal have surrendered 1,822 passing yards, but the starting defensive backs have intercepted seven passes. Senior free safety Oshiomogho Atogwe leads the unit with 51 tackles. Senior cornerback Leigh Torrence has been steady, collecting four picks. Solid edge Stanford.
Overall: All odds are in the Sun Devils' favor this weekend. After a cold and sloppy game last week, ASU returns to the comfort of its own surroundings and will have an extra chip on its shoulder playing in the traditional football game. More importantly, the Sun Devils need retribution after a ridiculous effort against the Cardinal last season in Stanford, Calif. Overall, they have the much more talented team, being slightly more talented defensively and much more sound offensively. They must win in order to keep the season a successful venture. Solid edge ASU.
Reach the reporter at christopher.drexel@asu.edu.
