Youth plus inexperience equals slow progress for Arizona State defense

TEMPE, Ariz. — Lost amid the win and overshadowed by the injury to quarterback Taylor Kelly, the Arizona State defense at Colorado endured its worst game statistically since head coach Todd Graham arrived on campus in 2011.

“We didn’t play as well as we could,” associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Paul Randolph said. “We still got the win, which is the most important thing.”

Yes, the win, 38-24 to push ASU’s record to 3-0 for the first time in seven years, set the stage for this week’s showdown against UCLA, which is undefeated in its first three games as well. But the Devils’ victory may have also exposed the youth and inexperience of the Sun Devils defense.

At times, four true freshmen lined up to stop Colorado: defensive tackle Tashon Smallwood, linebacker D.J. Calhoun, cornerback Armand Perry and Christian Sam, who stepped in when linebacker Laiu Moeakiola left in the second quarter with an apparent right arm injury.

The result was 545 total yards, the most allowed in Graham’s 30 games at ASU.

“When you are dealing with a lack of experience,” the third-year head coach said, “you have to figure out how much they can handle. You have to be able to run enough schematics to be successful in this league at this level. The big thing is mental improvement. We have had a great couple weeks of practice. I feel very confident that our guys are getting better.”

Randolph agreed.

“We’re progressing,” he said, looking at how far the defense has come since the Weber State opener. “Fundamentally we have to continue improving, and I think that’s just the guys learning what we want, how we want to do it…and knowing that they can execute their job, make plays within those fundamental techniques.”

Of most concern has to be the number of yards surrendered on the ground, a point of emphasis each week.

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