Cupcake city will be replaced by a Top 25 battle (depending on the poll you look at) as Wisconsin travels out to Tempe, Arizona to take on Arizona State in easily the Badgers' toughest test to date.
So, as we ramp up to the big game and trip for our staff we give you not one, but two perspectives on what's going on with Arizona State, who come in to this battle after trouncing all over Sacramento State to open up the season this past weekend.
Joining us to talk all things Sun Devils are JediASU and Cody from SB Nation's House of Sparky. So, enjoy the double dose of all things ASU.
MadTownBadgers: Todd Graham came in and things were immediately different at ASU in 2012. Heading into 2013 it appears ASU is a favorite dark horse pick by some in the media. How is Graham and Co. handling increased attention when nothing was expected last season?
Cody: Graham certainly isn’t shying away from it. He isn’t regurgitating everything the media is saying but he does have his team buying in to that Rose Bowl goal. And they have all vocalized that much when asked. The good news is that I do believe that this team is prepared to handle those expectations properly. Graham did his best to ensure this roster is as close as any team he’s ever coached. When the Sun Devils traveled up to Camp Tontozona in August, coach put less emphasis on practice on more on team bonding. National attention can fracture some teams but I don’t think that’s going to happen with the Devils if the wins start racking up.
JediASU: With a ton of dignity and humility. The buzz for ASU is palpable, but the coaching staff and players are very focused on their goals for the season while keeping the "One Game at a Time" mentality.
MTB: Offensively, who is standing out? Who should Badger fans familiarize themselves with?
JediASU: Both Kody Koebensky on the OLine and Ellis Jefferson at WR had great camps. Newcomers like Jaelen Strong and De'Mariaya Nelson will make an immediate impact. It feels like a lot of gaps are being filled with great talent.
Cody: Besides the usual suspects, I’d say WR Ellis Jefferson and TE De’Marieya Nelson. It’s no secret that the Devils desperately need receiving options and these two gentlemen should be at least part of the solution. Nelson played in a similar system at the JUCO level so he’s familiar with the Devils’ 3-back position. Expect far more two tight end sets this season with TE Chris Coyle being ASU’s top receiving option. Jefferson is a little different story because the wide receivers are deeper and he’s just a freshman. But by all accounts, he’s been playing well above his experience level through camp. It’s hard to say if he’ll be in the rotation for the Wisconsin game because I’m writing this before the Sac. State game. From a pure talent standpoint though, he could be ASU’s second best wide receiver behind Jaelen Strong
MTB: It seems like UW and ASU have something in common – unknowns in the secondary. What battles are going on and who is winning them, if anyone at all?
Cody: There are some co-starters in the secondary at the moment so it does seem these battles will extend into the season. With a natural leader like Alden Darby in the middle though, I do believe some flaws can be hidden to a certain extent. The corners should be fine with Oshan Irabor being another steady presence and Robert Nelson and Lloyd Carrington being talented albeit inconsistent options on the other side. What’s really worrying everyone is field safety. Freshman Marcus Ball seemed like a slam dunk before his injury. Now we could be looking at a week-to-week thing. Nelson didn’t impress when he converted briefly and Laiu Moeakiola wasn’t anything special either. Damarious Randall is probably the safest route at the position at this point and he should be over his groin injury by the time Badgers roll into town.
JediASU: Alden Darby (an absolute leader) along with Osahon Irabor and Robert Nelson have taken the lead. They are all seniors and are coming together well. There is a lot of depth backing them up, so it will be possible to rotate players to keep them fresh and fast.
MTB: We love us some offensive line talk in Wisconsin, so how are things sorting out amongst the glut of lineman you guys have?
JediASU: For many years, the O-Line was not looked upon favorably. This year, it is a lot different. The crew of Evan Finkenberg (LT), Jamil Douglas (LG), Kody Koebensky(C), Tyler Sulka (RT) and Vi Teofilo (RG) really solidified this fall camp. One stat they are looking to improve is number of sacks. ASU allowed 38 sacks in 2012. Also, practicing against the likes of Will Sutton and Carl Bradford gives the ASU O-Line a very special way to practice and prepare many different types of defenders coming their way.
Cody: Arizona State’s offensive line is going to get the job done as long as they avoid the injury bug. The good news is G/T Jamil Douglas is versatile enough to be moved around in the case of a crisis. The bad news is that center is the only position I feel comfortable with depth-wise entering the season. At this point, we’re just crossing our fingers in Tempe that nothing happens. One long-term injury across the starting five could mean the end of a promising season.
MTB: Taylor Kelly is a name some general college football fans should know, but following a better than decent start to his time as a starter last season, what is word out of camp and can he lead this team to a division title?
Cody: I have the upmost confidence in Kelly’s ability to bring this team to the next level. He’s a leader in every sense of the word and the type of quarterback that can make something out of nothing. I do expect his numbers to take a step back this season but that’s solely because Graham will be relying more heavily on Marion Grice. Regardless of his statistics, Kelly is the perfect quarterback for this juncture of ASU football. And I’ll be the first to admit I never thought he could do what he did last season.
JediASU: Taylor Kelly can absolutely lead the Sun Devils to a division title and much more. His leadership style is by example and has been compared to Jake Plummer. That quiet confidence and make great plays on the field. As Coach Graham as continued to preach day in and day out, it is all about ball security. Taylor makes good decisions, ASU will continue to win. By the numbers, in all of ASU's losses in 2012, there was a TO/INT.
MTB: Finish this sentence: 2013 will be a success if…..
JediASU: The Sun Devils win the Pac12 South Division Title outright. That would imply a 9 win season and victories over conference rivals, especially USC and UCLA.
Cody: 2013 will be a success if the Sun Devils win the Pac-12 South. Sure, a Rose Bowl would be nice but I can’t imagine a way they’ll beat Stanford or Oregon on the road in the conference championship. Nine wins is the goal even with the challenging schedule. I certainly will understand if ASU only wins seven regular season games but I do expect them to finish 6-1 after that tough initial stretch of Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame.
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