Quarterback
With a UA defense seemingly prepared to slow down Stanford’s running game last week, freshman quarterback Andrew Luck threw for 423 yards — the third-highest mark in team history.
Luck has nine touchdown passes to only three interceptions and has added nearly 200 yards on the ground this season.
ASU senior Danny Sullivan was, self-admittedly, a different player from the outset against Washington. Sullivan completed 60 percent of his passes, including the game-winning 50-yard bomb.
By Master Tesfatsion
State Press Television
For the first time this season, Sullivan was able to transfer his practice tendencies to the field, making decisive reads and delivering the ball without hesitation.
EDGE: Stanford
Running Back
Stanford senior Toby Gerhart, a 235-pound gear-grinder, remains a Heisman candidate. He ranks fifth in the country in rushing (124.14 yards per game) and also has 12 touchdowns.
Gerhart knows one direction and hammers all comers with elbows, arms, thighs and his “heavy head.”
Gerhart injured his ankle in Stanford’s game against UA, but he has practiced this week.
ASU freshman Cameron Marshall and senior Dimitri Nance combined for more than140 yards on less than 20 carries against UW. Marshall popped a 75-yard double switchback run, complementing Nance’s short-range jitter-feet with straight-line power and speed.
EDGE: Stanford
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Cardinal junior Ryan Whalen is a route-running technician who leads the team with 32 receptions.
Sophomore Chris Owusu is Stanford’s big-play, complementary threat.
The emergence of ASU sophomore T.J. Simpson and freshman Jamal Miles into the Sun Devils’ ball-control passing game makes up for the lack of a pass-catching tight end threat. The duo gives ASU two new game breakers to go along with the matchup problems seniors Kyle Williams, Chris McGaha and sophomore Gerell Robinson give defenses both inside and out.
ASU goes six deep at receiver and has a full array of skill sets to work with.
EDGE: ASU
Offensive Line
Stanford started four upperclassmen and one freshman (right guard) against the Wildcats. The unit has only allowed five sacks on the season and has helped open lanes for one of the best running games in the country.
ASU was able to dominate the edge against UW, as the zone-read — a misnomer given Sullivan’s lack of running threat — consistently gained positive yardage.
ASU’s pass protection, though improved from last year, is still average at best, as Sullivan has faced a high ratio of hits this season.
EDGE: Stanford
Defensive Line
Stanford ranks 77th in the country and allowed more than 400 passing yards to UA’s spread attack. The Cardinal lack team speed at all three levels.
Sophomore rush end Thomas Keiser has 5.5 sacks on the year, though the Cardinal is banged up, with fifth-year senior defensive end Erik Lorig potentially out with injury.
The Sun Devils followed up their school record 12-sack performance against Washington State with three more against Washington.
The number is highly misleading however, as ASU’s front four consistently squeezed the pocket, forcing UW quarterback Jake Locker to hurry throws, while containing Locker inside the tackles much of the game. ASU’s front showed the requisite makeup speed to catch Locker in short range when he did break free.
The defensive line, in both the running and passing game, has lived up to the hype as one of the best and deepest units in college football.
EDGE: ASU
Linebackers
Fifth-year senior Clinton Snyder is the best player on Stanford’s defense and is in the running for all three major FBS linebacker awards with 56 tackles.
Senior strong side linebacker Will Powers has three sacks and 30 tackles.
The Cardinal is not spectacular at any level, but it is big and stout at the second level.
The Sun Devils rank seventh in the nation in total yards allowed per game and much credit goes to an extremely versatile group.
Freshman Vontaze Burfict, seemingly as an effect of his severe case of on-field rage, often looks like he just escaped his straightjacket.
Don’t worry (hurt me) Burfict, if you’re reading this, we do not doubt you could tackle with one on.
EDGE: ASU
Secondary
The Cardinal only have three team interceptions on the year, with two coming from sophomore strong safety Delano Howell. Opposing quarterbacks have completed 66 percent of their throws on the season.
ASU ranks second in the country with 13 interceptions, and six have come from the senior safety duo of Ryan McFoy and Jarrell Holman.
While a handful of missed assignments have led to big plays against ASU’s secondary, it does little to sully a back end that has taken advantage of ASU’s elite front seven.
Many of the big passing plays the ASU defense has allowed this year, to be fair, have come on spectacular catches.
EDGE: ASU
Special Teams
Junior Nate Whitaker is six-of-nine on field goals this season and has nine touchbacks. Chris Owusu is one of the most dangerous returners in the game, with three of those going for touchdowns. Senior Richard Sherman also has a punt return touchdown to boot.
ASU junior kicker Thomas Weber, clearly guarding his groin injury, had trouble finishing kicks against UW, resulting in two rare misses.
Freshman backup kicker Bobby Wenzig has shown markedly improved range in practice, and junior punter Trevor Hankins ranks sixth in the country in yards per punt.
The Sun Devils return game is due for a game-changing play.
EDGE: Stanford
Overall EDGE: Stanford
Reach the reporter at nick.ruland@asu.edu.
