Improving the running game is going to be a focus for the Sun Devils on both the offensive and defensive sides of the football in 2013.
ASU was one of the best teams running the ball on offense in 2012, ranking No. 25 in the country in rushing yards per game with 205.4. Much of that success was due to not only to the running backs in senior Marion Grice and sophomore D.J. Foster, but the offensive line which returns three starters this season: Redshirt seniors Kody Koebensky at center and Evan Finkenberg at left tackle and redshirt junior Jamil Douglas at right tackle.
While the tackles and center’s spots are solidified, there is still a question over the two remaining guard spots, although Douglas has seen marked improvement in redshirt junior Sil Ajawara and redshirt sophomore Vi Teofilo.
“Sil has definitely had a great summer to be honest. I mean he’s gotten so much stronger and better conditioning,” Douglas said at ASU's mini media day Friday, “He looks way better than he did last year.
“I like Vi a lot, Vi Teofilo. I mean he started three or four games for us last year. He’s just a guy that has to get comfortable playing at that guard position I think.”
The offensive line will be tested early on. Wisconsin and Stanford — both teams which ASU will face within the first three weeks of the season — ranked No. 24 and No. 5 respectively in rush defense in 2012.
Douglas embraces the challenge of running the ball against two big, physical defenses and believes the offense can run the ball on anybody.
“I’m excited, I like putting my hand in the ground … I think our team embraces that especially coach (Todd) Graham, the way he wants us to run the ball,” Douglas said. “I think we’re going to have to embrace that. If we can run the ball on those two teams we’ll be fine the whole year.”
Stanford and Wisconsin will not only test ASU’s rushing offense, but they will also challenge the Sun Devils’ rushing defense that ranked 81st in the country a year ago.
Both the Badgers and Cardinal ranked in the top 50 in rushing offense in 2012 rushing for 236.4 and 174.3 yards per game respectively.
After much research by Graham and his staff, depth and size might be the keys.
“We spent a lot of time researching that and obviously there are a lot of combinations, but the No.1 thing is depth," he said. "The No. 1 thing is being able to have the depth and being able to hold up. The other thing is size, we are bigger, all the guys that are here are bigger, faster and stronger. We’ve never had a group like this that has just developed like they have. (Strength and conditioning coach Shawn) Griswold has said he doesn’t know how you can do more running than what we did.”
Reach the reporter at ejsmith7@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EricSmith_SP
