Todd Graham has not lost faith in QB Taylor Kelly
Originally published: Nov 12, 2012 - 2:30 pm
After a "high-octane" start to the season filled with blowouts and dazzling performances by quarterback Taylor Kelly, ASU's offense has run out of gas.
Now on a four-game losing streak, the Devils are scrambling to score points and Kelly is starting to feel the heat.
Arizona State head coach Todd Graham was on Arizona Sports 620's Burns and Gambo Monday and expressed confidence in his sophomore signal caller.
"Our faith in Taylor [Kelly] has not changed," Graham said. "He is our starter and will be [moving forward]."
Kelly might have earned that faith from his performance early in the year. Through the first six games of the season, he threw 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
But in the last two games, Kelly has completed just 41 for 71 and had two touchdowns with four interceptions. He has also been sacked eight times.
listen
Listen: Todd Graham, ASU Head Football Coach Todd Graham calls into the show to discuss factors that lead to the Sun Devils loss to USC this past weekend. Graham states that ASU needs to eliminate mental errors and make better adjustments to win games. Taylor Kelly will remain the starting quarterback, but what needs to be done to put him in better positions to be successful?
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Graham feels that ASU's inability to protect Kelly is why the young quarterback hasn't been himself lately and feels "any person that is under that kind of duress is going to struggle to play well."
"We've done a poor job of protecting him and I think we've probably done a poor job adjusting," Graham said. "As the season goes on, when people are game planning you and taking away things you are doing, you got to have other guys step up. We've got to step up to come up with some wrinkles here and there to help take the pressure of him."
Kelly and his offense should have an opportunity to find their rhythm this week when they welcome in Washington State for the last home game of the season.
The Cougars' defense is ninth in the Pac-12 in total defense and is giving up 33 points per game.
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