Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/131896
5. Arizona State — Oct. 5 2012 Record: 8-5 (5-4 Pac-12) Last Meeting: Notre Dame 48, Arizona State 17 (1999) Impact Player: Senior DT Will Sutton — The consensus All-American surprised Sun Devil fans by opting to return for his final season of eligibility. He finished 2012 ranked third in the nation with 1.08 sacks per game (14 total) and first on his team with 23.5 tackles for loss. He's a pocket-collapsing force at the center of the ASU defense. Outlook: Sutton and Sun Devils linebacker Carl Bradford give second-year coach Todd Graham the most prolific quarterback-sacking duo in the nation. They combined for 44 tackles for loss in 2012. Their pressure, combined with an athletic secondary, gave Arizona State the 10th-ranked pass efficiency defense a year ago. On the other side of the ball, quarterback Taylor Kelly is back after throwing for 3,039 yards as a sophomore. The question this year is whether or not he'll have anyone to catch his passes. Only four scholarship receivers were on Arizona State's spring roster. An influx of junior college transfers and incoming freshmen will likely shake up the receiver depth chart in August. For now, former walk-on Kevin Ozier (21 receptions for 324 yards) is the team's top returning pass catcher. Spring Storyline: With Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Stanford all looming on the 2013 schedule, Graham focused on developing a better running game and run defense during the spring. The Sun Devils finished 81st in the FBS last year in rushing defense (182.9 yards per game). Leading rusher Cameron Marshall is out, which opened the doors for senior Marion Grice and sophomore D.J. Foster to establish themselves as the future tandem in the Arizona State backfield. Junior Deantre Lewis, who was hampered by an injury last year, also started showing hints of the promising flashes he had as a freshman. Arizona State senior defensive tackle Will Sutton was one of the nation's top playmakers on his side of the ball in 2012, racking up 23.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. photo courtesy arizona state