Fork Report: Kelly, Devils struggle in loss to Oregon State
Nov 4, 2012, 6:50 AM | Updated: 6:51 am
Sure, you could read the box score and know who won, but we all know that won’t tell you everything that happened in a football game. So, we will give you a fork report, providing you with the analysis, quotes and notes from ASU’s November 3 loss to Oregon State. Final score: Oregon 36, Arizona State 26.
The Good:
Senior running back Cameron Marshall scored his 35th rushing touchdown to move past Leon Burton (1955-58) into sole possession of second place for most career rushing touchdowns in school history. Marshall’s one-yard first quarter run accounted for the Sun Devils only offensive score of the game until Marion Grice’s touchdown catch (his seventh of the season and 13th score overall) with 22 seconds left in the game.
The Bad:
The Sun Devils gained their fewest yards (303) since Pac-12 play began as Taylor Kelly (22-of-41 for 153 yards) and the offense failed to stay on the field, converting just 4-of-17 on 3rd down. Josh Hubner as a result punted eight times, establishing a new season-high.
Defensively, the Sun Devils allowed too many “explosive plays”, including scoring plays of 50, 53 and 49 yards. Oregon State became the second straight opponent to throw for more than 250 yards (267) against the nation’s third-ranked pass defense (148).
He Said It:
“I want to give credit to Oregon State,” head coach Todd Graham said. “They whipped us. They were better than us [Saturday]. We didn’t play very well. We did a poor job executing. We just didn’t get it done.”
Noted:
The Sun Devils recorded their first safety since 2010 (September 4 against Portland State) when defensive back Kevin Ayers blocked an Oregon State punt out of the back of the end zone in the first quarter. ASU scored 16 points in the opening quarter against a defense that had allowed 10 total first quarter points in its first seven games combined.
Coming Up Next:
The Sun Devils (5-4, 3-3) play their second road game in as many weeks. ASU travels to USC (6-3, 4-3) next Saturday, November 10. A kickoff time has yet to be announced.
