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.