I decided to take a look at the players
ASU loses this year. It is quite a long list...These are just the players that get/got extended time this year:
OL-T. Altieri, B. Good, S. Luavao, and T. Njunge
TE-Jo. Williams and S. Malamala
RB-D. Nance and S. DeWitty
QB-D. Sullivan
WR-C.McGaha and Ky. Williams
DE-D. Davis
LB-T. Goethel, G. Munns, and M. Nixon.
CB-P. Singfield and T. Carr
S-J. Holman and R. McFoy
So, next year, this is realistically what we are looking at:
OL-J. Hargis, M. Hustad, Z. Sclink, and A. Tello
RB-C. Marshall, J. Miles*, and J. Morrison
QB-S. Threet, B. Osweiler, S. Szakacsy, and
P. Thomas
WR-K. Taylor, J. Miles*, G. Robinson, A. Pflugrad, T. Simpson and
G. Bell
TE-C. Coyle, S. Figueroa and D. Knapp.
DE-G. Smith,
B. Irvin, J. Brooks, D. DeLeone, J. Jarrett and J. Robinson
DT-L. Guy, S. Falahola and C. Adams
LB-V. Burfict, B. Magee and S. Lyons
CB-O. Bolden, D. Carr and O. Irabor
S-C. Floyd
Italics denote incoming player for 2010 class.
I am not going to even try to figure out what is going to happen on the O-Line (hell, if DE can't even figure it out, what am I going to do). Marshall will have the early edge to be the starting RB, and it will be his job to lose. I like some of the glimpses we have seen from Marshall this year. Again, a lot of how well the RBs do will hinge on the O-Line's ability to open up holes. The WRs will be an interesting unit. I think that unit could be good but not great. The TEs, well, here's to hoping they aren't awful. As far as the QBs go, this will be an old fashioned QB battle. Nobody has asserted themselves so far this year, so I expect next spring to be a giant cluster-#$%@!
On defense, this team has a chance to be real good. The DT is about as solid as it could ever be. Falahola, Adams, or Guy can't really go wrong. The DE will be all about how well they can get someone to take over DD's role. The LBs are scary thin. The Corona crew will have to stay healthy because after that, it appears there isn't much to go with. The CBs will be all about health. Bolden and Irabor have played in only a handful of games due to injuries. Both guys have all the potential in the world, but we'll see if they can stay healthy and actually perform up to their potential. Having said that, I like what I've seen out of D. Carr so far. Very raw, but has great instincts. The safeties will again be the big question on defense. Floyd has played well at times this year, but there is no other safety that has seen significant time this year. There are 3 4* S recruits considering ASU, so hopefully they can get 1 or 2 of those guys, or at least get good play from someone making the switch from CB or LB to s.
In the end, ASU has a lot of holes to fill on a team that is quite bad already. Any pipe dreams that someone like Jeffcoat would come to ASU really need to end now. DE needs to put his ego on the back-burner and bring in an offensive mind to change what is going on offense. The program is slipping and somebody (PAGING MR. ERICKSON!) needs to grab hold and right the ship NOW!