SJSU football: What went wrong at Arizona State
It’s a little after 7 a.m., I’m coming off three hours of sleep, the baby just went down for a nap … I could just answer the above title with one word (”everything”), end this post at one sentence and try to snooze.
But I want the catch SJSU’s practice in a bit, want to check out the new tailback — so here goes my explanation for the Spartans’ 45-3 loss at Arizona State.
Plus, I’m halfway through my Starbucks (I ordered “gigantic drip,” and the guy knew what I meant — love that place). So there’s no way I could get back to sleep anyhow.
Good thing this is the internet, b/c there wouldn’t be enough newsprint in all North America to explain what happened to SJSU, but here goes, a synopsis in ascending order of significance:
Explanation No. 6: The 2006 schedule
While it didn’t have a material impact on the game, it helped frame the expectations for the ‘07 opener. And those fairly lofty (for SJSU) expectations made the 42-point loss a shock to many.
Remember, Stanford was one of the worst teams in America last year, San Diego State was awful, Cal Poly is I-AA and Washington wasn’t even mediocre when the Spartans went to Seattle and lost.
All of which means … SJSU didn’t play a non-conference opponent that was anywhere close to as good as these Sun Devils.
Clearly, the Spartans still have a long haul to reach the point where they can go head-to-head with an upper-level Pac-10 team. That was lost on many SJSU followers.
(Full disclosure: I thought there was a pretty good chance the Spartans would get beat soundly on Saturday, but not by 42 points.)
***Explanation No. 5: The ex-Spartans
It should have been apparent to everyone, myself included, but maybe it wasn’t — the departures of WRs James Jones and John Broussard left a massive hole.
And it’s a hole not only in the pass-catching, nuts-and-bolts-of-playing-receiver department but in the playmaking department, the make-the-defense-play-pass-defense department.
If opponents don’t respect SJSU’s aerial attack, they can gang up on the run.
I’d also suggest that SJSU misses former defensive playcaller/linebackers coach Tom Williams, who went to the NFL. Williams was an experienced defensive coach who added a little fire to that unit.
Now the defense is in the hands of 33-year-old Dave Fipp, who’s calling the plays for the first time. There’s a learning curve for coaches as well as players.
***Explanation No. 4: The conditions/opponent
I lived in Arizona for six years and have seen many a football game at Sun Devil Stadium where the on-field temperature was in the 90s or above, and there’s no way to prepare for the toll it takes on a football team.
Plus, SJSU morning practice schedule meant they were working out in much milder conditions than a typical ASU foe — they didn’t even get a taste of the abnormal San Jose afternoon heat.
(With a class schedule that’s built around morning practices, Coach Dick Tomey could not move their workouts to the afternoons.)
It’s worth noting that this decade, ASU is 17-2 at home in August/September.
(***Hotline weather update: Forecast for Manhattan, KS for Saturday: 86 and humid.)
Then there was the opponent itself: The Sun Devils have a veteran QB, talented skill players and few linemen who are elite players in the Pac-10 — it’s a team that could finish third or fourth in the second-toughest conference in the country.
***Explanation No. 3: Yonus Davis’ injury
Not sure there was another player the Spartans could less afford to lose on their first offensive play than tailback Yonus Davis, and that includes quarterback Adam Tafralis.
This is due in large part to Patrick Perry’s season-ending knee injury, which left the Spartans with one viable option at tailback: Davis.
When he sprained his ankle, the ground game was doomed. Without a legitimate threat to run, the Spartans became one dimensional.
***Explanation No. 2: Inexperience
The Spartans knew it might be a rough debut for their young receivers, many of whom were playing their first Division I game. And it was — all those dropped passes crushed any chance of SJSU staying within range of the Sun Devils.
SJSU also started two freshmen on the offensive line, the most complicated position outside of quarterback.
At one point, there were eight offensive players on the field making their D-I debuts. (Thanks to Merc beat writer Laurence Miedema for that nugget.) Less talent and less experience is a tough combination to overcome.
***Explanation No. 1: The wrong mentality
A successful season, such as the one SJSU had last year, means you have to work even harder, be even more focused, the following season — because other teams take you more seriously.
I’m not sure the players got that in the weeks and months leading up to the opener — it’s tough to realize it when you’ve never gone through it before. But Tomey understood exactly. He even talked about it last week.
(Just a guess on my part: Tomey thought his team, not grasping the mentality it had to have, might be in for a pounding.)
“Two things make (this season) harder: the schedule is infinitely more difficult, and we’re perceived differently,” Tomey said. “If we think we can show up with the same team as last year, we’re crazy.”
I think many Spartan fans, myself included, expected a loss at Tempe. But we had hoped the team would be more competitive. SJSU clearly has not progressed to the point that it needs to in order to play against bona-fide Division 1A competition.
It is tempting to fault Coach Tomey for not having the team ready to play, but in the days leading up to the game, he seemed rather reserved in his own expectations. Coach had said he would learn a lot about the current SJSU squad as a result of this game, and I think he did. A lot of freshman got time on the field. Perhaps a few players learned something last Saturday as well.
It won’t get any easier this week. You can bet that the K-State defense is going to be very grumpy, indeed. SJSU is getting a hard lesson in big-time college football.
None of your explanations covered SJSU Defense. Was there a big drop off from last year or is ASU’s offense that good (e.g. are they the 2nd
best offense in the Pac10)
Wow! Did you see K-State’s game? Can’t help but think we’re jumping out of the frying pan into the fire this week…
And they’re gonna’ be grumpy. Very, very grumpy.
K-State is no joke. Not to mention that they beat down Auburn and still managed to lose. This will be a proving ground for our young Spartans. It’s time to become men,…
Nice to see ASU pound a far inferior opponent into the ground. I’ve seen many a Devil team open up with a bad a showing vs. a team that didn’t have near the talent.
I went to the game and I can agree with Wilner’s analysis and can add that Erickson was coaching his first game at ASU and you could see and feel the focus of his team.
Wilner,
Thanks for the great analysis. Before I read you blog the first thing that came to my mind was well this should be just one line “everything”. I think your points are right on. However, I am still surprised by the amount ASU hung on our defense. That was supposed to be our jewel. We all knew the Offense was weak, then Davis went down and I thought getting 10 points we would need luck. Any thoughts on the breakdown of the SJSU defense?
And Yes Sparta we are in for a world of hurt against KSU. Looking forward to not getting more bodies hurt and regrouping for Stanford.
Jon, your explanation #1 really hits home for me. Just before the ASU game, I watched the media day video on SJSU’s website, and although the players in attendance — Lowery, Castello, and Tafralis — were saying all the right things about knowing this year’s schedule is tougher, this season isn’t last season, etc., there was a faint smugness to them that I found unnerving. Although Tomey hasn’t used the term “wake up call,” I’m sure that’s what he meant when he said our team “needed” the whupping.
Plain and simple, ASU is a much better team.
We Boise State fans are licking our chops! If you think ASU was tough wait until Nov. 3rd in Boise on the “blue turf”. Go Broncos! Beat the Huskies!
***Explanation No. 7: New Safeties and WR’s
SJS played new people at both safety positions the entire game and ASU took BIG advantage of that inexperience. ASU’s WR’s were wide open the entire game. Conversly, SJS’s WR’s were not and when they did get open, they’d drop the balls thrown to them.
Yes, my high expectation for the team was unrealistic as well, but it was difficult to listen to the game by the second quarter for the beating that we took.
I will be at the Stanford game though on the 15th. Just bought a dozen tickets for it.
Hey CincinnatiLoser,
You’re far inferior.
dick tomey hasnt recruited anybody he admits he got lucky with dwight lowery.it didnt hurt me that the spartans lost but it did hurt that dennis no personality erickson could do a better job of firing up his team than dick tomey.last year we had broussard and jones yet were a running team this year with no proven receiver they throw out a five receiver set.dwight lowery might take the season off playing not to get hurt he already broke his jaw.and finally is it me or does yonus davis onlt play against inferior teams he seems to get hurt and disappear with cramps and headaches when the going gets tuff.same old sorry spartans
one thing is clear we need to start harrassing CAL, Boise state etc.. fans on their boards like they’re doing to us on ours..
~mws
I think everyone saw what happened to Colorado.. I don’t think our players are experienced enough yet, that is all, just wait
we should be be beating the crap out of all our opponents as soon as this team gets experience and gels.
~mws