2009 Arizona State Sun Devils Football Preview
2009 Arizona State Sun Devils season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Arizona State Sun Devils football preview as well as the 2009 Arizona State Sun Devils Football Schedule. Haven't had much luck beating your bookie? This season up your chances and order Maddux's winning college football picks.
Coach: Dennis Erickson (3rd year at Arizona State)
Team Name: Sun Devils
2008 Overall Record: 5-7
Returning Starters: 13
The Arizona State Sun Devils (5- 7 overall, 4- 5 Pac-10) earned a trip to their fourth straight bowl game last season as the 12th ranked team met the 17th rated Texas Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl. Arizona State lost to Texas 34- 52, marking their second bowl loss in a row. Overall, 2008 was a year of decline for the team; they had garnered 10 victories and won the Pac-10 title in 2007, last season they posted losing numbers and finished tied for sixth with Stanford.
The Arizona Sun Devils had a tough time scoring points last season, averaging 22.8 PPG (84th). This year, despite the fact that they bring back a seasoned offensive line, points will still be difficult to manufacture. The Devils have no big playmaker at wideout and lack a dominant running back. Senior WR Chris McGaha (35 REC, 501 YDs, 1 TD) and senior TB Dimitri Nance (105 ATT, 410 YDs, 3 TDs) return with the most experience in their respective areas. Senior QB Danny Sullivan (43 ATT, 15 COMP, 151 YDs, 2 INTs, 1 TD) has very little experience and last season performed inconsistently.
It’s hoped that the ASU defense, which last season allowed 22.7 PPG (45th nationally), can shut down opponents and win some games. The defensive line features senior RE Dexter Davis (40 TKLs, 11 SKs, 4 TFL) and sophomore DT Lawrence Guy (44 TKLs, 2 SKs, 8 TFL). Both are massive performers, offering speed and athleticism. The linebacking unit is also sound, with two starting seniors returning. WLB Mike Nixon (90 TKLs, 1 SK, 7 TFL, 5 INTs) and MLB Travis Goethel (71 TKLs, 7.5 TFL, 2 INTs) are quick and resilient. The secondary is a concern with returning corners who have under achieved and untested safeties.
The kicking game is alive and well at Arizona State. Last season as a freshman, Thomas Weber (29- 30 XP, 19- 25 FG; 59 Punts, 2,442 YDs, 41.4 AVG, 23 In20) won the Lou Groza Award. Weber is back to handle kicks and punts again. Punt and kick returns will be handled by Kyle Williams (27 KR, 630 YDs, 23.3 AVG; 14 PR, 238 YDs, 17.0 AVG). Williams led the conference in average yards per punt return and was sixth in kick returns.
Head coach Dennis Erickson (15- 10 in two years with Arizona State) may have brought in some good recruits but the offensive side of the ball has a lot of question marks. Last season after winning their first two, the Devils lost six straight, including a 20- 23 OT loss to UNLV and a 10- 27 defeat to Georgia. ASU has a fairly friendly schedule that includes Idaho State on September 5 and UL Monroe on September 19. Both are at home. The road trip to Georgia on September 26 will say a lot about this Sun Devil team. In the highly competitive Pac-10, ASU looks like a lower rung club, and for the first time since 2003, they will miss the bowl season.
Arizona State Sun Devils Football Schedule
| Date | Team | Opponent | Site | Line | Total | Points | Opp Points |
| 9/5/2009 | Arizona St. | Idaho St. | home | ||||
| 9/19/2009 | Arizona St. | LA Monroe | home | ||||
| 9/26/2009 | Arizona St. | Georgia | away | ||||
| 10/3/2009 | Arizona St. | Oregon St. | home | ||||
| 10/10/2009 | Arizona St. | Washington St. | away | ||||
| 10/17/2009 | Arizona St. | Washington | home | ||||
| 10/24/2009 | Arizona St. | Stanford | away | ||||
| 10/31/2009 | Arizona St. | California | home | ||||
| 11/7/2009 | Arizona St. | USC | home | ||||
| 11/14/2009 | Arizona St. | Oregon | away | ||||
| 11/21/2009 | Arizona St. | UCLA | away | ||||
| 11/28/2009 | Arizona St. | Arizona | home |
For more info on the 2009 Arizona State Sun Devils football program, view the Sun Devils football site or you can read about other Pac-10 teams below.
