(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
When Arizona State takes the field against Washington on Saturday, the Sun Devils will be looking to avoid their first four-game losing skid since 2012, which was head coach Todd Graham’s first season at the helm.
ASU snapped its 2012 skid with a resounding 46-7 win over Washington State the weekend before a Territorial Cup victory, and now that Graham has molded the culture and aura around the program that he wants, he’s even more confident heading into this weekend.
“This team is obviously the exact opposite of where we were in 2012,” Graham said. “We’ve got a solid foundation, guys believe in what we’re doing.”
Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici was one of the players on that 2012 team, and the the way the culture has developed in Tempe gives him reassurance as well.
“I think it’s our program that keeps us together,” Bercovici said. “Just the resilience in everything that we do.”
That resiliency is what ASU will have to lean on in the next three weeks as it pursues bowl eligibility, but regardless of how ASU finishes, Graham says it’ll be a culmination of the entire season’s work.
“It’s not anything that week,” Graham said. “It’s not anything you do that day. It’s a body of work, and I remember the first year (2012), we had a lot of positive.”
Mutual respect between coaches
Graham has been adamant in praising Washington head coach Chris Petersen, who is in his second year in charge of the Huskies. While the they sit at 4-5, Graham has noticed the differences in the way Petersen’s team has played.
“I think they’re very well coached,” Graham said. “They’re very creative. I got a lot of respect for them, obviously… You can tell he’s got his thumbprint on it. They’re a lot more disciplined. They do a lot.”
Talent-wise, these two teams may not look like 4-5 teams, and Graham mentioned on Tuesday that he has to be reminded of Washington’s record when he watches them on film because of the way the Huskies play in all three phases of the game.
With that in mind, the Sun Devils will continue to try to impose their tempo and pressure on both sides of the ball, desiring to play around “90 plays on offense and 70 plays on defense,” according to Graham.
“The three teams that we just lost to, this team (Washington) is every bit as good as they are,” Graham said. “I think Utah is probably the best team that we’ve played in the last three games, but this team is a really good football team.”
Whether it’s not forcing enough turnovers or making critical errors on defense, the season has been a slight mystery considering the talent-level, expectations and actual results within the games. The five losses, however, are not for a lack of effort. Instead, it has been the inability ot close out close games.
“You got to win the close games, and we’ve had opportunities,” Graham said. “You got to finish, and it’s got to be – you got to want it that bad, and I know our guys know what it takes and want it.”
All things considered, the big mistakes have led ASU to embrace its core values even harder. Despite a clear-cut shift in expectations and goals this season, the method and direction in which the Sun Devils are attacking those goals has not changed.
“We’ve seen the way practice performs on the field on gameday,” Bercovici said. “That’s all we rely on is staying true to our character and philosophy, and winning takes care of itself.”
Practice notes
– Redshirt senior Devilbacker Antonio Longino was dressed and participated in practice today, but Graham says he is still “pretty questionable” for Saturday.
You can reach Zac Pacleb on Twitter @ZacPacleb or via email at zacpacleb@gmail.com
