The ASU football team likes to throw the ball. A lot.
Southern California doesn’t like when other teams throw the ball a lot.
Saturday in Los Angeles, that matchup will likely determine who walks away with the upper hand.
Aside from senior cornerback Shareece Wright, the Trojans (5-3, 2-3 Pac-10) start three underclassmen in the secondary. Not to mention the majority of their backups are sophomores and freshmen, too.
With all the youth stepping in at once, USC has struggled this season to contain its opponents’ air attacks.
Through their first eight games, the Trojans are ranked No. 114 in the country in pass defense, giving up 275.5 yards per game.
Enter ASU redshirt junior Steven Threet and the high-flying Sun Devil (4-4, 2-3 Pac-10) offense.
Threet leads the Pac-10 with 268 passing yards per game.
ASU also leads the conference in pass attempts per game at 38.5.
“They are a very dangerous team; we’re going to have our hands full,” USC coach Lane Kiffin said. “They are explosive on offense, wing it around and really test your secondary. [It’s] going to be their vertical passing game against our not-very-good-so-far-this-season pass defense.”
On the other side of the ball, the Trojans have pinpointed the Sun Devil defense as one of the country’s best.
“This is a team that made Oregon punt 11 times,” Kiffin said. “When they want to bring it, they bring it. Arizona State has played great at times this year and is led by a future great NFL player at middle linebacker.”
The Trojan coach was referring to ASU sophomore Vontaze Burfict, a California native who was recruited by USC as well.
“When he wants to turn it on, he just dominates the game; I wish he were here,” Kiffin said.
The first-year coach also mentioned another Sun Devil as someone his team is concerned about.
“[Junior cornerback] Omar [Bolden] is a really good player,” Kiffin said. “I don’t know what they are going to do with him but we know we are going to have to be on time with the ball so we don’t make mistakes with him.”
Last season, ASU held USC quarterback Matt Barkely to just 112 yards on 7-of-22 passing.
Hometown hero
Former Ahwatukee Desert Vista High School standout Devon Kennard is making a big impact at a new position this season.
Coming out of high school, Kennard was recruited as a five-star defensive end when he eventually chose USC over ASU and Texas, among others.
The Phoenix native played in all 13 games his freshman campaign, starting five of them.
This spring however, the coaching staff made the call to move Kennard to middle linebacker.
“I was all for it and after that day I started watching film nonstop and I feel like it’s been a good transition so far,” Kennard told ESPNLosAngeles.com. “I attacked it, but that’s just how my personality is, I’m just competing to get on the field, period. I’m going to play hard and run all over the field.
“I try to bring leadership [too]; I’m not the freshman anymore.”
Through his first eight games at the position, Kennard’s quick adjustments have him leading all Trojans with 57 tackles.
Not too shabby for the once No. 1 ESPN-rated defensive end in the country.
“He’s still very young and he’s going to improve, but there’s been a growing process as there would be for anybody,” Kiffin said. “He’s a 245-pound guy that can really come down hill. He’s very intelligent, which is critical at that position and especially in our defense.”
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
