For the hope and excitement the first quarter against Oregon gave Buff nation looking toward the future, the follow-up performance in the opening quarter in Tempe smashed it all to bits and sent anyone associated with the team into a nightmare flashback to last season. The Buffs were never in this game, not for a second. Hell, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I didn't bother watching one snap of the second half (will check it out this week just to focus on frosh). They were not prepared, way too slow, outmatched at almost every position, and thoroughly outcoached again. ASU opened by scoring on a simple pass to Jaelen Strong, CU 3-n-out, ASU scores plus 2-point, CU 3-n-out, ASU slacker offense settles for FG, Wood throws awful interception across body into triple-coverage, quick ASU TD, 25-0 with time left in the first quarter, end of Connor Wood era (3 drvies, 9 plays, negative total yards, 0-4, INT). Now the look to the future is watching true freshman QB Sefo Liufau (Lee-ooh-FOW) struggle against blitzing Pac12 defenses (oh and one FCS) and the defense get shredded by talented QBs running more up-tempo spread offenses with players faster than the Buffs defenders. Although I am in favor of the Sefo move, if you're gonna do it, they should have already gotten him some PT, at least a package and series each game as there was no way Wood, health or talent wise, was ever going to make it through a Pac12 schedule. I hope this means we never have to see Jordan Webb, although I am fearfully doubtful. Liufau seemed to favor Spruce and was unable to get the ball to P-Rich, who was constantly bracketed (basically double-teamed by a safety over the top) and was all but shut out (maybe we can hang onto him one more year); however, P-Rich being doubled somehow rarely left them with a mismatch with the other 10-on-9. I am quickly losing faith in this coaching staff as their play-calling is confusing as well as some of their player choices on the field, and they appear to be overmatched yet again in every area, going against top level BCS staffs. Once again the game ended with the opponents backups marching down field and mercifully taking a knee at the goal line to end the misery. After the game it sounds like MacIntyre was bewildered and looked a little bit like Hawkins after a pounding loss. Why the hell has Toby Neinas had them practice one of those assinine wacky PAT formations instead of just focusing on the fundementals?! Outside of his pass on the ill-advised conversion, Darragh O'Neill continues to be the team's most effective player-good thing punters don't leave early for the NFL (damn, hope I didn't jinx that). Even the Sun Devil backups came out on offense for the second half and promptly marched down the field as they were faster and better than the Buff defensive starters (from what I have read anyway). Eight redshirts have been torn off and burned now (14 are still intact and likely to stay that way), and all 8 are playing fairly significant roles: Gillam starting on D, Gilbert, Awuzie and now Tedric Thompson are also getting regular snaps, Liufau, who will hand off often to Micheal Adkins as well as throw to WR Devin Ross (also returning kickoffs and actually looked pretty good), and LBs Olugbode and Severson are special teamers. Boy is this team slow. I would have lost any bet on how long it would take Parker Orms to get ejected for a targeting hit (and this one was an easy call and 10-second review confirmation), because I would have never guessed it would take until their 5th game. I am already mentally starting to project next year's depth chart. There are a lot of juniors on this team who will be seniors next year, but they remind me a lot of Embree's first group and not sure I actually want them leading the team. I would expect quite a bit of attrition before the start of 2014 camp-there is lot of dead baggage, especially in the QB area of the roster and I expect to see at least one transfer (probably Wood or Gehrke to a smaller school). Hopefully Charleston Southern provides a nice diversion and a win this coming Saturday, although they are 7-0 and climbing the FCS ranks. After that, only Cal even hints at another possible win on the remaining schedule-the talent and speed gap between the Buffs and the rest of the Pac12 is immense (even Utah is on the rise with upset of Stanford, though they spelled it Standford on their scoreboard)-and even then the Bears will probably be favored on the road in Boulder in November.
On the fantasy front, I had a horrible week and only scored 47 points with DeAnthony Thomas suiting up but not playing, bascially no TE, defense getting -15 points (yes, negative) and P-Rich laying an egg, however, "Tuscon Smells" (great name for an ASU fan-how ironic) only scored 40 and I somehow pulled out a win! So, I've got that going for me.
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