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Winning, like everything else is a learned trait.Although it is certainly frustrating to the Oregon State Beavers, they have yet to win a game, a streak they are hoping to break as they visit Tempe, Ariz., to face the ASU Sun Devils.
The Beavers (0-3, 0-1 Pac-12) are entering the game as the clear underdogs.
“We’ve got a really tough opponent in Arizona State,” OSU coach Mike Riley said. “They’re experienced. They’re fast. They have good balance. Defensively, they’re experienced (and) fast. They play confidently. You can just tell they understand their scheme. It’s an experienced football team.”
They are one of only seven football bowl subdivision schools still yearning for their first win and are off to their worst start ever under Riley.
It may not make the pain of losing any easier, but part of OSU’s early troubles can be attributed to their excessive amount of youth.
Of the 22 offensive and defensive starters, OSU starts four freshmen — including quarterback Sean Mannion — and just six seniors.
“There’s not a lot of seniors, but the ones we have are outstanding people and they need (to be leaders,)” Riley said. “We’ve got a lot of new players and young players so we got to keep them motivated and going strong.”
In comparison, the Sun Devils (3-1, 1-0 Pac-12) start 12 seniors and no freshman.
They may be young, but the Beavers will need to correct mistakes and mature in a hurry if they hope to compete well against the Sun Devils.
OSU’s defense currently ranks 119 out of 120 in pass defense, which may cause the Beavers some trouble when they go up against an ASU offense that has already completed 15 passing plays of 20 yards or more on the young season.
“Defensively we really got to be disciplined,” Riley said. “The discipline of assignments will be huge. You miss a tackle, it becomes a big play. Our guys are going to have to defeat blocks, then they are going to have to make open field tackles.”
The Beavers are only averaging 15.7 points per game and are allowing 30.3.
A fast start will be important for OSU as the Sun Devils are outscoring their opponents 69 to 19 in the first half this season.
Not only will the Beavers look to put points on the board early, but they will need to get first downs early as well.
OSU’s offense leads the Pac-12 in third down conversions at 48.9 percent, but the ASU defense leads the conference as well, stopping opponents at a 76.5 percent rate in those situations.
However, the Beavers have only scored 13 first half points through their first three games.
“Offensively, we are going to need to find balance,” Riley said. “In the passing game we just got to keep going. I think we are pretty good, we are doing some good things.”
The 2011 numbers may be leaning drastically favor the Sun Devils, but history often has a strange way of repeating itself, and history is on the Beavers side.
ASU leads the all-time series 24-12-1, but OSU has won the last three matchups, including a 28-17 victory in their last trip to Tempe.
Reach the reporter at william.boor@asu.edu
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