If there’s one thing everyone can agree on, it’s that after this season, ASU football will never be the same.
The question is, which way will the program go?
It’s a two-way street. If the Sun Devils live up to all the preseason hype, Osweiler plays to his potential, Burfict stays out of trouble and the rest of the team uses the speed that everyone knows they have, ASU could steamroll its way into the Pac-12 title game.
Erickson will be hailed as a genius and a visionary, and with the team’s snazzy new uniforms, new stadium (hopefully) on the way and a desirable location in Tempe, it’s entirely feasible that recruits will be flocking to ASU come spring.
Not to mention that a fan base would be revived and the team would become a dominant force in the Phoenix sports scene.
Or, things could go the other way. If our passing game falters and our veteran line struggles, the offense could get stagnant. If Missouri blows out the Sun Devils on national television and ASU struggles through the rest of the season en route to a third or fourth place finish in the Pac-12 South, we could see ASU’s bowl slump continue.
If we lose to UA, despite the solid job Stoops has done rebuilding his team after losing a large group of starters, the team’s popularity could plummet.
Erickson would likely lose his job, star players would consider going pro, and the fan base’s bitter disappointment would hang around the program for years. Tempe wouldn’t look like such a desirable place for a new recruit anymore, unless ASU bites the bullet and overspends on a big-name coach to draw in players.
Last year was rough for fans, but they saw a lot of potential. That won’t be good enough this year.
The strange thing is, there isn’t really a middle ground here. Expectations are too high, and no one wants to see the team play in the Holiday Bowl or the Sun Bowl again. Anything short of a trip to the Pac-12 title game will be seen as a failure. The Sun Devils don’t necessarily have to win the game — they just have to get there.
Thursday's game against UC Davis shouldn’t be close, and even if ASU isn’t playing to its full potential on Thursday evening they should cruise to comfortable win.
But every move that the Sun Devils make against the Aggies will be scrutinized; any mistake ASU makes will be questioned because everyone is worried that a slip-up will grow into a larger problem later on down the line.
Chances are everything will be fine and the Sun Devils will be riding high when the Tigers roll into town next Friday.
But the two-way street is still ahead.
It may seem unfair, but when a team shows potential, it has to deliver.
