The Arizona State defense entered its Saturday night contest against Oregon with a reputation.
Eighth in the nation in rushing defense (87.4 yards per game), the Sun Devils’ front seven had something to prove against the Ducks’ rushing offense (233.56 yards per game), the best in the Pacific-10 Conference. With a true freshman quarterback making his first career start in Brock Osweiler, the defense’s ability to stop the run had to carry the Sun Devils to victory.
Oregon’s offense, however, won the day. Convincingly.
“It was a good, tough game tonight,” offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. “Against a team that talented, and especially a defense that talented…you know, you don’t want to say comfortably winning, but we kind of controlled some things.”
The Ducks accumulated 268 yards on the ground, at an average of 6.4 yards per rush. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LaMichael James worked their ball fakes and misdirection runs to near-perfection early, setting up easy touchdown runs of four, two, and four yards for James in the first half.
The Oregon offensive line consistently controlled the line of scrimmage against the ASU defensive line. The Ducks gained an average of 6.3 yards per play, and the defensive line’s most important play – a first-quarter interception by defensive end James Brooks that set up the Sun Devils’ first touchdown – did not affect the Oregon offense as the game progressed.
“They’re pretty solid up front,” center Jordan Holmes said. “We were just working to establish the offense (and) provide a little spark.”
With 104 yards on seven carries in the first quarter alone, consider the mission accomplished. Three long early rushes of 19 yards or more gashed the Arizona State defense early and put them in a hole the offense could not overcome easily. The Ducks offensive line was supported by the wide receivers, who Helfrich commended for their run blocking.
“They did a fantastic job,” Helfrich said. “That first long run (a 51-yard dash by James off a 10-play drive thwarted by the Oregon defense in the first quarter), Drew (D.J.) Davis had a huge block. Jeff Maehl had a huge block. Drew got it started, then Jeff got about 15 more yards for LaMichael.
“That’s a full, 11-man operation that just feeds itself.”
James shot through holes and crevices in the defense for 150 yards on 22 carries (6.8 average), continuing to make his mark on the Oregon record books. His freshman rushing record now stands at 1,193, which is also seventh-best on the Ducks’ all-time single-season rushing list.
“He keeps continuing to show why he’s one of the top running backs in this league,” head coach Chip Kelly said.
The offense slowed down in the second half, gaining 108 of the Ducks’ 388 total yards, but the offensive line and ground the Sun Devils down beyond the point of recovery.”
“You could see them (getting tired). Guys were tapping out,” Holmes said. “You could see it right around the end of the first quarter.”
It certainly didn’t hurt the Ducks that the game was played at a temperature more favorable to them. Public address announcer Don Essig announced a temperature of 42 degrees before the opening kickoff.
“It could have affected them. I saw them on the sidelines all huddled around the heaters,” Holmes said. “Their muscles might have been a little tight. But football’s football.”
After the game, Helfrich had glowing praise for the Arizona State defense, the best statistically that Oregon has seen this season.
“They’re a fantastic defense. Those guys have no weaknesses on defense,” he said. “They’re talented, they’re fast, they’re experienced, they’ve got a little bit of youth. But our guys were committed to turn around from the Stanford game and making that right, and (they) got off to a good start.”
The Oregon offense, supported by its offensive line performance, won the day on Saturday night.
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