(Tempe, AZ) A lot of questions were on the minds of Sun Devil fans heading into the 2019 season.
How would Herm Edwards fair in his second season at the helm of the Sun Devils after going 7-6 in 2018.
Would the offense lose a beat with many skill players graduated? Would this years defense give up four hundred plus yards a game like last year?
The Sun Devils started a true freshman at quarterback for the first time in the school’s history.
Jayden Daniels a 6’ 3” gunslinger started the first offensive drive with a nice thirty five pass but the Devils drive stalled and Cristian Zendejas drilled a thirty five yard field goal to get ASU on the board first 3-0.
So far, the PAC-12 hasn’t had much success with early non conference losses by Arizona #98th ranked Rainbow Warriors of Hawaii 45-38 and UCLA losing to an decent University of Cincinnati ranked #39th. Arizona State wanted to change that with the #116th ranked Golden Flash coming into Tempe.
Tonight, there’s were multiple events going on in the Phoenix area including the Diamondbacks playing their rivals the L.A. Dodgers, the Cheap Trick/ZZ Top Concert at the Comerica Theater, so Stadium had a lot of empty seats.
Arizona State almost caught a break at the seven minute mark when a sixty four yard punt was muffed by the Golden Flash’s Kavious Price, but he regained possession at the at the twelve yard line.
Daniels who went to the sidelines for a couple of plays came back in and threw a eight yard pass to Eno Benjamin.
This 2019 Sun Devil team showed early that it can move the ball in a hurry and that five play thirty five yard drove took only a little over two minutes. Sun Devils extend their to 10-0 with 3:57 left in the opening quarter.
Kent St. came back a with a drive following the ASU touchdown but the Devils defense turned them away on downs and took over at their own thirty two yard line,
So after one quarter of the first game, this years Sun Devils team showed they are multi-dimensional on offense with Benjamin carrying the load on the ground and Kyle Williams and Brandon Aiyuk both speed burners on the edge. Daniels can run the ball if no one is open and there’s no question on his arm strength.
The Devils fumbled on their first possession of the second quarter when junior linebacker Kesean Gamble stripped the ball away giving Kent St the ball back.
The Golden Flashes seemed confused by the Sun Devil defense that showed multiple looks and they had little success in the first half sustaining much offense.
Punter Derek Adams pinned the ASU at their own one yard line, but on the second play of the possession, Daniels hit AIyuk on a thirty two yard sideline route. Another completion to A.J. Carter added seventeen more yards. Two costly penalties and a sack of Daniels forced Arizona St to give the ball back to the Golden Flashes.
Devil’s redshirt Sophomore Michael Turk showed he has a big leg with three first half punts over sixty yards.
Daniels was 11-16 for 171 yards as the Devils had a huge first half margin of 251 yards to Kent State’s 81.
The Golden Flash gained all of their yardage on the ground. ASU forced three fumbles while only recovering one. Kent State lone success on defense was three sacks of Daniels.
The Sun Devils took the second half kickoff and nine plays netting seventy yards later, Daniels took the ball in from the one yard line on a keeper and ASU rolled out of the locker room to a 17-0 lead.
At the 10:31 mark of the third quarter, George Lea recovered a fumble off the sack of KSU’s quarterback Woody Barrett. Devils took over on the Golden Flash’s thirteen yard line.
Kent St defense stood tough and forced a 31 yard Zendejas field goal but ASU continued to tack on points and now led 20-0.
The next Devil possession started at the fourteen but once again, the offensive line allowed anther sack of Daniels.
One play later, Aiyuk took a short screen pass and galloped seventy seven yards to the house and the route was on 27-0 ASU with 3:53 left in the third quarter.
This Sun. Devil team showed that they should be in the mix of things come the beginning of the PAC-12 season.
Kent St finally got on the board with 12;29 left in the game with a twenty one yard pass from Barrett to Isaiah McKoy and made the score 27-7 Sun Devils. That drive was the most success the Golden Flashes had all night gaining sixty nine yards on eight plays.
Even though the Devil substituted players in the fourth quarter, the offense continued to move the ball and Zendejas added a forty yard field goal, 30-7 with 8:03 left in the contest.
Head Coach Herm Edwards called off the dogs and the Devils went conservative the rest of the way.
Final score ASU 30 Kent Sate 7
Game stat leaders were tailback Eno Benjamin 22 rushes for 102 yards, quarterback Jayden Daniels 15-24 and 284 passing with two touchdowns, and wide out Brandon Aiyuk had 4 receptions for 140 yards and 1 touchdown.
ASU tallied 455 yards of total offense and only gave up 200 yards of offense to the Golden Flash.
It’s hard to tell after only one game, but this years Sun Devil squad looks fast, mean and determined to make a statement in the PAC-12 South.
The announced attendance was. 47,417, but the stadium was sparsely populated due to the other events tonight in the Valley.
Up next is Sacramento State on Saturday September 6th before the first tough test when the Devils travel to East Lansing to face Michigan State on September 14th.
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