ASU Vice President for Athletics Ray Anderson and first-year head coach Herm Edwards are men of their words.
Amid the firestorm of Anderson hiring his good friend last December both men declared an “NFL approach” moving forward with the Sun Devils. The blueprint was transparent and repeated throughout spring workouts into the fall.
Through the first five games of the season it’s clear Edwards is following through with his promise behind a revamped offensive line and emerging sophomore running back Eno Benjamin who set an school single-game rushing record last week against Oregon State.
“We’re going to run the football,” Edwards said Monday at his weekly press gathering as the Devils prepare for unbeaten Colorado in Boulder Saturday afternoon. “I said that when I first got here. You gotta run the ball. I think the last couple weeks you’ve kinda seen what we’re going to become…it’s not an accident.”
Edwards is aware there is a delicate balancing act in the pass-happy Pac-12 of ensuring ASU’s most talented offensive player, junior wide receiver N’Keal Harry, gets his touches, as well.
However, the Devils’ bread-and-butter will be through the run game, wearing down defenses and shortening the game, much like in the NFL.
Anderson and Edwards wouldn’t have it any other way.
