Arizona State opens 2018 football season

Mainstreet

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Arizona State opens their football season versus the UTSA Roadrunners in Tempe on Saturday. It will be televised on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. Arizona time. On DirecTV it is listed on channel 219.

Here is an excerpt from an article below leading up to the season.

Edwards is straight forward about what's been do to date.

"We've taken the players that were available to us that we here, we brought in a new system with new coaches on defense. Offensively, we have a system that is driven by our quarterback. We've tried to do some things that can give him successful and let him do what he does best. Special teams-wise, it's the return game that we have to improve on. We've brought some players in here to see if we can do that. Then from there, we'll go play and figure it out."

UTSA (6-5 in 2017) is a solid opening test ahead of next week's game against No. 12 Michigan State. The Roadrunners return six starters off a defense that ranked No. 5 nationally in total defense last season, but lost three key players including NFL first-round draft pick defensive end Marcus Davenport.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...rds-era-asu-defense-still-unknown/1151726002/


Here is a link to their schedule.

https://thesundevils.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
 
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Mainstreet

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Any thoughts going into tonight's game against the UTSA Roadrunners?

I must say it is hard to get the adrenaline going this season.
 

Raindog

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I think they are either going to be surprisingly good considering all the controversy of the off-season, and maybe challenge for the Pac South... or they are going to be the trainwreck some people feel that the Herm hiring portended.

I don't really see anything in between - just a hunch.
 
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Mainstreet

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I think they are either going to be surprisingly good considering all the controversy of the off-season, and maybe challenge for the Pac South... or they are going to be the trainwreck some people feel that the Herm hiring portended.

I don't really see anything in between - just a hunch.

I'm leaning toward the latter but I'm hoping Herm will surprise. UTSA gave the Sun Devils a tough game on the road in 2016.
 

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I got the adrenaline going for sure! But then, I actually like what Anderson has done with the program...That said, I have no idea what is going to transpire this season... I would say that if this team can somehow get to 6 wins (their schedule is brutal, unlike UofA), they will have pulled off one heckuva an opening season under Herm.

Longer term and beyond this year, I really believe Herm is going to take recruiting up to a level this program may have not ever seen. Along with the incredible enhancements to all of the football facilities, the outlook is absolutely positive.
As for tonight - let's not forget that 2 years ago, we were VERY lucky to get out of this game with a W! Things have a changed a lot for both teams...I would love to see the Devils win easily of course, but in reality, they just need to escape with a win no matter how it comes!
 

Kel Varnsen

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I tried to block it out...how many YPG did they give up last year?
 

Shaggy

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Hope this year is sooooo much better then last!
 

CardsFan88

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Let's see what Herm Edwards and a solid coaching staff can do. Genuinely excited.

Graham was horrible.
 

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Great start. This is supposed to be one of those 62-10 games.
 

AZCB34

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I think they are either going to be surprisingly good considering all the controversy of the off-season, and maybe challenge for the Pac South... or they are going to be the trainwreck some people feel that the Herm hiring portended.

I don't really see anything in between - just a hunch.

I actually think it will fall in the middle. Take care of business tonight. Get through the first game gaffes and avoid injury.
 

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Shoulder on Shoulder (during a QB slide) shouldn't be an ejection. Just shouldn't be. If we want to protect, I can understand it being a personal foul, but not a targeting ejection.
 

AZCB34

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I felt the DB was lowering his shoulder just as the QB stated his slide. I just didn't feel like that was targeting.
 

AZCB34

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Certainly some first game sloppiness but I think this first half is better than most expected
 

AZCB34

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Anyone catch that moment in the 4th quarter where Sterling-Cole was hamming it up for camera and tried to get Manny to join in? Manny being the leader told DSC to stop it and a few other things and the kid shut it down. Really cool to see because even in a blow out Manny was all business.
 

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I got the adrenaline going for sure! But then, I actually like what Anderson has done with the program...That said, I have no idea what is going to transpire this season... I would say that if this team can somehow get to 6 wins (their schedule is brutal, unlike UofA), they will have pulled off one heckuva an opening season under Herm.

Longer term and beyond this year, I really believe Herm is going to take recruiting up to a level this program may have not ever seen. Along with the incredible enhancements to all of the football facilities, the outlook is absolutely positive.
As for tonight - let's not forget that 2 years ago, we were VERY lucky to get out of this game with a W! Things have a changed a lot for both teams...I would love to see the Devils win easily of course, but in reality, they just need to escape with a win no matter how it comes!

Pleasantly surprised with the easy win!! UTSA looked pretty bad though. Still, we certainly do have some talent on both sides of the ball. Should be interesting to see if Herm and his coaches can mold them into something Graham wasn’t able to...
Next weekend is going to be a massive test! Mich St didn’t look great in their opener, but they are still considered a legit final four contender. Just hope we don’t get our doors blown off like so many other times in the past whenever we played a top 10/top 15 team...
 
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Mainstreet

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It was a solid win by the Devils. I'm pleased to see them get off to a good start. It was awesome to see them play some defense.

Wow. Was Isaiah Floyd fun to watch at running back or what.
 
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Mainstreet

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I felt the DB was lowering his shoulder just as the QB stated his slide. I just didn't feel like that was targeting.

I actually thought the DB might have been trying to slide underneath the QB to make the tackle with his body when the QB slid.
 
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