ASU football defensive preview: Key questions, key players

Statistically, Arizona State’s defense has gotten worse every year under coach Todd Graham.

In 2012, the Sun Devils allowed 24.3 points per game. Last year, they gave up 39.8, the most over a full season in school history. With practice starting Tuesday, Graham and his staff will look for answers that have plagued the program for two seasons.

Let’s examine:

Defensive profile

ASU arguably is coming off the worst defensive season in school history. Big plays no longer are a season issue, they’re a program issue. In 2015, the Sun Devils gave up 30 40-yard plays, most in the nation. Last year was worse. ASU gave up 33 40-yard plays (most in the nation) and 23 50-yarders (most of any team over the last seven season.) As a result, ASU has fielded the nation’s worst pass defense the last two seasons. Obviously, that’s a difficult way to win. Five starters return.

The boss

In January, Graham hired Phil Bennett as defensive coordinator. Bennett replaced Keith Patterson, who remained on staff as linebackers coach. Bennett, 61, brings a ton of experience. He has run defenses at Baylor, Iowa State, Purdue, LSU, Texas A&M, TCU, Kansas State and Pittsburgh. From 2002-2007, he was head coach at SMU, where he went 18-51. 

3 questions

• Who makes the calls? As everyone knows, Graham is a defensive-minded coach. After pretty much running the defense his first few years, he relinquished some control to Patterson, his former college teammate and close friend. It’s unknown how Bennett’s arrival will change things, but it’s difficult to think Graham won’t continue to have his fingerprints on this, especially with his job possibly at stake.
• How will the secondary shape up? This group struggled last season, and then over the offseason it lost its top two returners. Safety Armand Perry retired because of health issues and cornerback Kareem Orr transferred out of the program. That’s not good. ASU needs its returners (such as seniors Maurice Chandler and Chad Adams) to take significant steps and its newcomers to adjust quickly.
• Is there enough depth? Injuries affect every team, every season. The last two years, however, ASU has not had enough depth to overcome them. This season, ASU looks thin at nearly every spot.

Star power 

• JoJo Wicker. The junior defensive end – one of Graham’s prized defensive recruits – arrived in 2015 with great potential. Last season, he took a significant step in reaching it with 11 tackles for loss, earning All-Pac-12 second-team honors. Wicker needs to be even better for this season’s defense to have a chance.
• Koron Crump. Usually, it takes junior-college transfers – especially those on defense – a season to adjust. Crump, however, wasted no time last season, collecting 10.5 tackles for loss, including a team-high nine quarterback sacks. At 6-3, 222 pounds, he’s among the team’s best athletes.
• Marcus Ball. For four years, ASU never seemed sure what to do with Ball, moving him back and forth from spur linebacker to safety. Midway through last season, mostly because of injuries, ASU moved Ball to bandit safety and kept him there. Ball played well. A physical presence, he led ASU in tackles for four consecutive games, finishing with 64, second-most on the team. The key for this season: staying healthy.

Breakout candidates

• Christian Sam. Often overlooked in last season’s issues: The Sun Devils played nearly the entire season without Sam – a starting linebacker and one of their better players– because of a season-ending ankle injury. As a sophomore, Sam had posted 98 tackles, second most on the team. Now healthy, he should give the Sun Devils a boost.
• Malik Lawal. Last season, Graham said Lawal would have a role, most likely as a third-down pass rusher. That never really happened, but it could this season. A sophomore linebacker, Lawal is among the unit’s most explosive players.
• Renell Wren. The only thing keeping Wren off annual preseason “Freaks” lists is playing time. For the past two years, the junior defensive lineman – 6-5 and 295 pounds – has had trouble getting and staying on the field. His adjustment period has expired. Even Wren admits: It’s time for him to produce.

Final thoughts

• With the right personnel, ASU’s attacking defense has been effective, and at times, dominant. Problem is, Graham has not had the right personnel in a while. After two poor seasons – and with Bennett on board – it will be interesting to see what changes are made. Trying to do the same thing likely won’t end well.
• Senior linebacker D.J. Calhoun was last season’s leading tackler, but even he admitted he didn’t have a great year. He felt his ball pursuit was lacking. His pass drops weren’t good. At his best, Calhoun is a playmaker, someone who can force turnovers. This season, ASU needs all that and more.
• Speaking of turnovers, ASU last season produced only 17 takeaways, fewest of the Graham era. (In 2012, the Sun Devils had 30. In 2013, they had 33.) Any sort of reversal starts with improvement here. 

Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter.com/DougHaller. Listen to the ASU Pick Six Podcast, available on iTunes.