Taylor Kelly, D.J. Foster and Jaelen Strong named best offensive ‘triplet’ in the Pac-12
Jul 23, 2014, 1:02 AM | Updated: 1:16 am
When three great players converge on one football team, the outcome can be special. For example Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and the San Francisco 49ers dominated the NFL in the 1980s. Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith did the same with the Cowboys as “America’s Team” in the 1990s.
It also helps to have a triple threat at the college level.
NFL.com writers Mike Huguenin, Bryan Fischer and Chase Goodbread have tried to identify the best offensive “triplets” in college football in 2014. They say the Arizona State trio of quarterback Taylor Kelly, running back D.J. Foster and wide receiver Jaelen Strong is the best in the Pac-12.
Kelly flies under the radar compared to some of his peers, but was as productive as any last season leading the offense, while Foster is a multi-purpose star no matter where he lines up at. Strong might be the best receiver west of the Mississippi and will be drawing plenty of attention from scouts in case he leaves school a season early.
Kelly also ranks in the top five on seven single season ASU record lists. Foster was second on the team in all-purpose yardage last season with 1,170 yards, while the JUCO transfer Strong was Kelly’s favorite target hauling in 75 receptions for 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Sun Devils lost many starters on defense, which means ASU will need to count on the offensive side of the ball for even more production. If the Sun Devils can lean on Kelly, Foster and Strong again, it will be easier for the maroon and gold to potentially replicate their success from last season in 2014.
