Ask any of the men in charge of implementing the ASU football team’s new offense this season what position holds the key to success and they will probably offer a surprising answer.
No, it isn’t which quarterback is under center, but the targets that he will be throwing to. The success of new offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s system hinges on the performance of its wide receivers.
According to some preseason prognosticators, that may not be a good thing. One preseason publication ranked ASU’s group the worst in the Pac-10 conference.
The lack of preseason hype hasn’t affected the work ethic and confidence in the deep wide receivers unit.
“We are cool with it,” junior wide receiver Gerell Robinson said of the low expectations. “We know the defense gets a lot of the attention, but come Saturdays we will be the ones getting the attention.”
For that to happen, Robinson will have to realize the potential that made him a high school All-American. While he is the returning leader in catches, Robinson caught just 26 passes last season.
“This is the first year that [the ball] is coming to me,” Robinson said. “I haven’t had to press tight to make things happen. The plays I am making this year are plays I am supposed to be making.”
The receivers’ role in the offense this year will be totally different than the past few seasons under former coordinator Rich Olson.
“It is more fast-paced,” senior wide receiver Kerry Taylor said. “This offense is more based off the receivers.”
One of the major differences is the emphasis on blocking from the position. With more screens and quick passes, blocking will be crucial.
“The biggest improvement that I have seen, maybe on this whole football team, is how well they are blocking out there and how committed they are to do it,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said.
A lot of that improvement can be credited to how much first-year wide receivers coach Steve Broussard emphasizes blocking.
“Coach Broussard makes it a must to play, because you aren’t going to play if you don’t block,” Erickson said. “That is just his philosophy and our philosophy in what we are doing offensively — you have to with all the things we throw out there. The improvement is night and day.”
While the Sun Devils may not have one proven star target, there is a depth chart full of guys that bring different skills to the forefront.
“People are going to realize … that we have tremendous depth,” junior wide receiver Aaron Pflugrad said. “We have two or three guys at each spot and the best guys are going to rise to the occasion and make plays during the game.”
Pflugrad, who sat out last season after transferring from Oregon, is one of a handful of newcomers expected to contribute this season.
“The thing I am really excited about is we have some young kids coming on quickly,” Mazzone said.
Depth at the receiver position is particularly valuable to the new system, which features the no-huddle offense.
“It so important when you are running this type of offense because we are such a fast-paced team,” Mazzone said. “There is no way we can get through a game with four or five receivers; we have got to have eight or nine.”
Other newcomers that will likely see playing time include junior college transfers George Bell and Mike Willie. Both have added size, strength and playmaking ability to the position.
“The offense is fit for all of us,” Bell said. “There are plays to get outside (receivers) open, the slots open, there are plays to run screens and just get the ball out in space. All of our attributes are going to be tested in this offense.”
But in order for those plays to be made, Broussard’s vision for strong blocking must be realized.
The group as a whole has made tremendous strides in blocking since spring ball, something that Pflugrad credits to the coach.
“He has helped us on not only becoming wide receivers, but on becoming better football players,” he said. “Being physical and blocking people and playing with confidence, going out there and being the aggressor.”
While there is more playmaking ability in this unit than in years past, the fact of the matter is they still have to go out and perform each week.
With a lot of unproven commodities, that may not be a given. Robinson knows in order for the team to have success, the receivers must excel.
“The way this offense works, we have to step up if we want to move the ball,” Robinson said. “We know that is the issue and we have worked hard in the offseason to make sure we are ready when our number is called.”
Robinson used a unique analogy to explain how many different types of players will be playing at wide receiver this year.
“We all bring different attributes, like a big group of superheroes,” Robinson said. “We have a lot of athleticism and a lot of speed.”
Maybe a group of superheroes is exactly what it will take to resurrect the ASU offense.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
