Pac-12 Football: Arizona State Sun Devils Spring Game Report Card

Spring Game Type: Offense (Maroon) vs. Defense (Gold)

Final Score: Maroon 83, Gold 27

Arizona State’s offense danced circles around its defense in the 2011 spring game.  Although many believe that the Sun Devil’s offense will be a handful next season, the spring game unveiled several egregious holes within their defense.

Offense:

Brock Osweiler made it rain touchdowns in the Sun Devils’ spring game, slicing the skies with five touchdowns and 237 yards.  Five different receivers caught touchdowns from a corps that kept busy for most of the day. 

Arizona State’s running game also shined, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for over 140 yards.  Kyle Middlebrooks led the pack, gaining 66 yards on four carries.   James Morrison saw most of the load, rushing the ball 10 times for 25 yards.

Grade: A-

Defense:

Although Arizona State’s offense is expected to be good next season, the Sun Devil’s defense made Osweiler look like Peyton Manning.

While it appears that Defensive Coordinator Bill Miller has his work ahead of him, the secondary seems to be the biggest problem.  If they can’t pull it together before the Fall, the quarterback-laced Pac-12 could eat them alive. 

Despite their ineptitude, the Sun Devil’s defense managed to collect four sacks. However, the unit is still extremely suspect as whole and needs to vastly improve in order to truly contend for the Pac-12 South Division title. 

Grade: D

Pac-12 Football: Arizona Wildcats Spring Game Report Card

Spring Game Type: 60-play Scrimmage

Final Score: N/A

Passing ruled the day at Arizona’s spring game.  However, that was the one area that critics were the least concerned with. 

Offense:

Nick Foles, Matt Scott, and Bryson Beirne each saw a heavy dosage of action in Arizona’s spring game, combing for 39 passes in the 60-play scrimmage.

Each player threw for over 100 yards and at least one touchdown, connecting with 13 different receivers on the day.  Beirne tacked on an additional touchdown pass before it was all said and done, leading the team with two. 

The running game was practically non-existent, though.  Sophomore Daniel Jenkins carried the ball eight times but only gained 35 yards.  Foles had the second most rushing yards with 20.

Grade: B+

Defense:

Arizona’s defense only stopped five drives and converted just one turnover during Mike Stoop’s 60-play scrimmage.

Safety Marquis Flowers led the charge for the Wildcats, jarring four tackles and breaking up two passes.

Defensive tackle Sione Tuihalamaka also exerted some dominance on the field, pulling in four tackles and notching a sack.

Overall, Arizona’s defense didn’t play that awful, but, allowing four touchdowns proves that they still need a ton of improvement before opening day.

Grade: C+