(Photo: Jannah Din/WCSN)
The battle begins on Saturday between the No. 1 pass offense and the No. 1 pass defense in the Pac-12. Oregon State may have options but they’re typically one-dimensional, focusing on WR Brandin Cooks, who has had 91 receptions for 1344 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Coming off a solid game against Utah, Arizona State’s defense combats that passing offense with leaders like senior safety Alden Darby and senior linebacker Chris Young.
“We have to focus on our assignments,” Young said. “Obviously they have a respectable offense and obviously they have some offensive weapons we have to key on.”
Young is aware of the type of offense the Beavers run, and as a linebacker he realizes how much less of a rushing threat they have. OSU is third to last in the nation in rushing yards. Still, expect Young to execute like he’s consistently been doing in the past against teams with similar offenses to Oregon State. Against USC, who runs a similar west coast offense, he led the team in tackles with 10 (one of which was a tackle for a loss). He’s a key playmaker on the defense and is ready for OSU.
“Expect the same thing week in and week out: hard-hitting, physical linebacker pursuing the ball,” Young said. “That’s my mentality.”
Oregon State brings to the table the No. 1 passer in the nation: junior quarterback Sean Mannion, who is averaging 393.3 yards per game. Collectively, OSU’s pass offense averages 404.8 yards per game with 31 touchdowns.
It’ll be important for ASU’s defensive backfield to step up and prove to the country why they are the No. 18 passing defense in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-12.
Senior safety Alden Darby is very familiar with Brandin Cooks and the rest of the offense at OSU after playing against them last year.
“[Cooks is] a very electrifying player. He can turn a one yard catch into an 80-yard touchdown at any given time,” Darby said. “Going against him, I’ve got to be on my A game.”
It’ll be important for Darby to take his own advice on playing Oregon State. Against USC, who really only had Marquise Lee (similar to OSU’s Brandin Cooks) as a weapon, Darby posted 7 tackles and 2 interceptions.
“I’m just trying to stay focused all game,” Darby said. “Playing slow but reacting fast at the same time.”
Although neither Darby nor Young are solely covering Cooks, they’re going to play a vital role in Saturday’s game, by making stops in the secondary and in midfield.
“As soon as we step on the field, till the time we step off,” Young said. “We have to be determined and ready for what Oregon State has to bring.”
