Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Where Do Pac-10, ASU Football Go From Here?
It was a crazy football season in the Pac-10—and a tough one in Tempe. Here’s a quick look back at the 2008 season and a quick look forward at 2009. Where do the Sun Devils fit in? You tell us.
USC’s trouncing of Penn State in the Rose Bowl ended an up-and-down-and-back up Pac-10 football season.
A slew of embarrassing non-conference losses in a single weekend took some shine off a Pac-10 season that skewed improbably when Oregon State upset top-ranked USC.
But in the end order was restored. The Trojans claimed yet another conference championship and the Pac-10 won all five of its bowl games.
What does all this mean? Well, the Seattle Times took a stab at ranking the 2008 Pac-10 and predicting what things will look like next season. They ranked ‘em USC, Oregon, OSU, Arizona, Cal, Stanford, ASU, UCLA, WSU and Washington.
Not sure why we’re ranked below Stanford after finishing with an identical record and swamping them 41-17. But we digress. Besides, we’re done looking backward. After a forgettable season, we’re ready to look forward.
As for our 2009 Sun Devils? Quoth the Times: “Most disappointing team in the conference this season and with Rudy Carpenter graduating, hard to tell how much improvement the Devils will make next year. Feeling in Tempe, however, is that Dennis Erickson is improving the talent base and the long-term prospects remain bright.”
We don’t disagree with their assessment of 2008, but we’re not sure we’re buying their take on 2009 (even without BYU on the schedule). What do you think?
What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Will ASU rebound in 2009 or is going to be another long season for our Sun Devils? Let us know in the comments below.
P.S. If you insist on looking back, you may enjoy this opinionated retrospective on the 2008 Sun Devil season.
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No comments on this story? Wow!
I am reminded of my post on Cactus Ranch after the Georgia game. I don’t remember everything I said about the direction of the program but I do remember a few key points: (that held true throughout the season):
- How many times did other teams kill us with the quick swing pass to the sidelines? Watch the film, especially against the better teams (and especially against UA). Our personnel were way too slow to be able to defend this play – it was as close as it comes to a guaranteed 7-8 yards per play.
- Watch how far off the line of scrimmage our DBs play. They might as well be wearing a sign on their backs that says, “My technique is horrible, and I am too slow, and I’m not physical enough to knock you off your route so I’m going to play off the line and I’m not going to defend the ball. I’ll hope to make the tackle after you make the reception.”
- Look at ASU’s linebackers; take a good, hard look at Goethel, Munns, Nixon, etc. Do these guys look like linebackers? Now look at USC’s LBs. Look at Georgia’s LBs. Look at Florida’s LBs. The LBs at those schools are big, they are ripped, they are strong, and they are fast.
ASU will not advance to the next level until it recruits better athletes, and then develops those athletes using exceptional strength and conditioning programs. I hope that DE can solve the “recruit better athletes” issue. Based on all the nagging little injuries from 2008 it appears as if the strength and conditioning program has a ways to go.
Offensive line is plain and simple bad recruiting. Ditto with a punter.
I would agree with most of your comments……….it appears we are a step slow against the better teams, it also appears our strength and conditioning is a little behind as well…………..see D-Line Tackles, and our special teams………especially punting is in the bottom 1% in the nation……….in my opinio………..no knock against Weber he is a great PK………..just not a great punter……….and special teams are usually reserves and a look at your teams athleticism………which we need to fill with better overall recruits.
Go Devils!