Arizona State has lost a lot between this season and last: their 6’8″ QB Brock Osweiler left early, after playing really only one season for the NFL Draft. It paid off as he was a second round. Bug angry black man Vontaze Burfict entered last season a #1 pick talent/potential, but his multiple issues both on the filed and off sent his draft stock to drop like it’s hot.
And their high profile coach Dennis Erickson is gone too. Likewise for high-flying wideout Aaron Pflugrad, whose HOTTTTTTT sister is a former Oregon Ducks cheerleader, and now Fox Sports Arizona sideline princess.
See more pics of Amanda Pflugrad here
2011 was: a step backward; they finished .500 after having sky high preseason expectations, their first losing year in 12 seasons. They finished with a pretty bad showing in rushing offense, total defense and pass defense. Otherwise they were alright. Big wins over Mizzou and USC, but then fell apart down the stretch. Their loss to the Illini was especially damaging.
2012 will go smoothly if: The offense works under Todd Graham’s fast=paced no huddle offense. They could use a real go to receiver in addition to all the OL starters that need to be replaced. They also need to figure out who’s goingto play LB for them, as so few one the roster have any experience
2012 will be rough if: The defense got adjust to the new scheme, and the secondary gives up huge chunks of pass yaardage again in a pass-happy Pac-12
BMOCs: RB Cameron Marshall, WR Jamal Miles, LB Brandon Magee (who will end up in some NFL mock drafts)
All-name team: Grandville Taylor, Gannon Conway, Ezekiel Bishop
Bottom Line: There are a plenty of questions on both sides of the ball, so reaching a bowl is a probably not going to happen.
Rankings Athlon- 55 Lindy’s- 63 Phil Steele- 64
All the 77s
#67 Southern Miss
#73 Kansas
#76 Minnesota
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Fox Sports, MSN, Walter Football and Yardbarker
A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too