Senior defensive back Alden Darby gets the crowd pumped up at a home game in Sun Devil Stadium. This week, the Sun Devils travel to Utah to face the Utes. (Photo by State Press Staff)ASU senior safety Alden Darby has known about Utah redshirt sophomore quarterback Travis Wilson for a very long time.
The two played Pop Warner football against each other in San Clemente, Calif.
"I remember him exactly,” Darby said. “He’s very capable of making plays with his legs."
Darby and the Sun Devil defense don’t remember facing quarterbacks this season like Wilson though, because frankly, they haven’t faced one like him.
Wilson has rushed for 342 yards and a team-leading five touchdowns this season in the Utes’ triple-option offense.
Darby said he has to get back to the basics he’s been taught since his Pop Warner days to combat Wilson’s ability on the ground this weekend.
“I’ve got to do my job a lot more knowing that he’s mobile,” Darby said. “I can’t come off my man, and I have to be more disciplined.”
Wilson has struggled at times this season, throwing 14 interceptions in eight games.
Darby hasn’t looked too much into that, instead focusing on how Wilson has beaten opponents: with his legs.
“We don’t like to look at the interceptions he’s thrown or the fumbles,” Darby said. “We like to look at all the good plays he makes, because once he makes one good play, he’s capable of making another.”
Senior cornerback Osahon Irabor has the same type of respect for Wilson and is ready for a new challenge.
“Some defenses have gotten after him a bit, but I think he’s a very talented quarterback on film,” Irabor said. “We aren’t too worried about his mistakes, because this is a different game, and guys have big performances, so we made sure we worked hard to prepare for him.”
Wilson has been dealing with a nagging thumb injury but is expected to be at full strength on Saturday following the Utes’ bye week.
Irabor believes having Wilson at full strength is more of an advantage than his ability to run.
“I think it’s going to be a big boost for the offense going into the game knowing he’s going to be healthy, and I think you’re going to see him play to his full potential,” Irabor said. “So as a team and as a defense we have to be ready for it.”
Irabor said the defense plans on “mixing things up and creating confusion” like they always do.
If the Sun Devil defense can do that consistently, Irabor is confident they can shut down Wilson like the UCLA defense, which forced six Wilson interceptions.
“We have a very solid game plan and as long as we execute it, we should be fine,” Irabor said.
Reach the reporter at dsshapi1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @DsShapi
