15Nov/089:49 PM

Shouldn’t I be happier about a 31-0 win?

By Vince Marotta

Photo: Matt York/AP

Normally, ASU supporters would be thrilled with a 31-0 win over anyone. And yes, at this point of a disappointing season a win is a win. But there’s a lot to pick apart about the Sun Devils’ shutout of a brutal Washington State team.

ASU’s offense genuinely struggled for much of the game against the country’s worst defense. Washington State came into the game with unfathomably bad defensive statistics. They ranked last in the country by allowing 50.2 points per game and over 279 yards per game on the ground. Pac-10 teams were averaging 499.6 yards per game against them. They were last in the country in quarterback sacks with only 7 all season.

The Sun Devils scored only 24 offensive points against the Cougars, gained only 141 yards on the ground, and allowed 3 quarterback sacks in the first half alone.

The Devils managed only 4 plays of over 20 yards against a beaten up, outmanned Wazoo defense, and two of those plays came in garbage time, when backup quarterback Danny Sullivan was at the helm.

Either the Sun Devils offensive scheme is flawed, or they don’t have the talent to pile up huge offensive numbers. I’ll take the former.

During Monday’s weekly press conference I asked quarterback Rudy Carpenter if his eyes lit up at all knowing he was going up against a Washington State defense that has allowed astronomical offensive numbers to opponents all season long. Carpenter answered diplomatically. “It’s not like our team is a point machine or anything. We struggle to put up points,” the senior signal caller said. Point well taken. But again this Washington State defense has allowed 58 or more points 6 times this season. There’s some college basketball teams that won’t allow that many points 6 times in their seasons.

I should be happy about a 31-0 conference win, and the school’s first shutout since the historic 19-0 win over top-ranked Nebraska in 1996. And don’t get me wrong, at this point, I’m happy about any win. But today’s performance might have pointed out more what’s wrong with this offense than anything else.

If ASU wants to stay competitive in the Pac-10, some major changes need to made on the offensive side of the football.

Oh, and before I forget, great performance by the defense against a struggling offense. That’s how you’re supposed to take care of inferior competition.