Consistency next step for Sun Devils following UCLA win
Oct 4, 2021, 10:55 AM | Updated: Oct 5, 2021, 9:41 am
Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards fist bumps Arizona State defensive back Chase Lucas (24) during a college football game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins on October 02, 2021, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The 2021 season for the Arizona State football team had gotten off to a frustrating start as the team seemingly couldn’t stay out of its own way committing penalty after penalty.
It wasn’t perfect, but the Sun Devils took a step in the right direction on Saturday night, handling the UCLA Bruins with ease in Pasadena, winning 42-23.
In four games prior to Saturday’s conference matchup, ASU had committed 43 penalties on the season which added up to over 350 yards in penalties. Against the Bruins, it was just six penalties for 51 yards, compared to UCLA’s eight which gave the Sun Devils 89 yards.
“There was still some things (on penalties) we have to clean up,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Monday. “But I thought our effort was really good and our focus, playing a good football team like UCLA.”
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The next step for Edwards and the Sun Devils is bringing that play on a consistent basis.
“I still think we’re still working on trying to do that,” Edwards added.
However, the Sun Devils will have to get ready for their next game in a hurry, with Stanford coming to Tempe on Friday night.
Edwards knows his team will have its hands full preparing for the pro-style offense the Cardinal run.
“They use a bunch of tight ends, personnel groups,” he said. “They plod their way along and have some explosive receivers. They play complimentary football on all three phrases.
“You watch them play, their games are really close. When you get to the fourth quarter, anything can happen … they showed that against Oregon.”
