2009 Arizona State Sun Devils Predictions
2008 Record: (5-7, 4-5)
Coach: Dennis Erickson, 3rd year (15-10 at Arizona State, 163-75-1 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Rich Olson (3rd year)
Def. Coordinator: Craig Bray (3rd year)
Returning Starters: 15 (7 offense, 6 defense, kicker, punter)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

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Offense: The Sun Devils return seven starters on offense, but have to replace Rudy Carpenter, a four-year starter who started 43 consecutive games. Dennis Erickson would probably not want to rely too much on a young quarterback and rely heavily on a running game that ranked 113th nationally last season, averaging just 89 yards per game. Senior Dimitri Nance (5-10, 218) is a powerful runner, who ran for 410 yards last season, but sophomore Ryan Bass could add some flash and quickness. At quarterback, senior Danny Sullivan (6-5, 238) has sat for three year and has played sparingly behind Carpenter, so he’s eager to prove his worth. Samson Szakacsy and freshman Brock Osweiler could challenge Sullivan. At receiver, surehanded Chris McGaha returns along with speedy Kyle Williams and Kerry Taylor. The offensive line had some major issues, so returning three starters is not necessarily a good or bad thing. Senior Shawn Lauvao (6-3, 305) will lead a line that has been re-aligned with taller more physical players.

Defense: The defense brings back six starters from a unit that allowed 22.7ppg and 335.2 yards per game (44th in the nation). They return two of the four linemen, including senior DE Dexter Davis (6-2, 255), who is a pass rushing specialist, who recorded 11 sacks last year. Sophomore tackle Lawrence Guy (6-5, 293) made 44 tackles last season, including 10 for losses. At linebacker, the catalyst is a 25-year old former minor-league baseball player named Mike Nixon (6-3, 224). He’s a senior, who led the team in tackles last year with 90 and in interceptions with five. In the secondary, they return both corners including senior Terell Carr, who runs a 4.4 40. They need to replace both safeties though senior Ryan McFoy (6-1, 209) is considered a ball hawk at strong safety.

Outlook: The Sun Devils open up with two soft opponents in Idaho State and Louisiana-Monroe, and then face Georgia on the road. They also host USC and California, along with rival Arizona at the end of the year. That won’t mean much unless they can find a consistent quarterback to replace Carpenter.

This PAC 10 conference prediction is courtesy of the ATS Sports Blog. If you are looking for winning college football betting picks be sure to choose ATS Consultants this year, A featured sports handicapping service on Touthouse.com

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