We've been posting a lot recently.  So, if you missed anything, look at our Post CSU thoughts, our CSU photos, photos, and more photos, the Fantasy Week In Review, and our debate over Top 25 rankings.  Also, the Roundtable and Conspiracy Post and Eating the Enemy.  Plus, the Q+A with House Of Sparky.  Now, back to my attempt to provide analysis, so pathetically shallow that Avinash will snarkingly snark me about it instantly.

via www.learningtreasures.com

I think I did that Spanish correctly in the title there.  I took 4 years of California public school Spanish.  But when I went to take the AP Test I found myself with a 2.  A 2!  Or as you say in Spanish El 2!  3 is passing. 

I think the problem was the essay.  The question was "If you had a chance to go to a school far away would you go and why?"  I, of course, misread the words far away for close and wrote about how Cal was just 20 minutes away and I could see my family.

I was kinda hoping that they'd give me points for writing *an* essay even if its not *the* essay.  But I guess not.

Hopefully, you dear reader, will still give me a passing grade on another putrid edition of Inside The Numbers.  This time, it's Sundevil style.

All numbers are from here.

Let's first look at the Team Stats:

TEAM STATISTICS                         ASU          OPP
--------------------------------------------------------
SCORING.......................          101           80
  Points Per Game.............         25.2         20.0
FIRST DOWNS...................           79           80
  Rushing.....................           22           31
  Passing.....................           48           37
  Penalty.....................            9           12
RUSHING YARDAGE...............          356          563
  Yards gained rushing........          427          635
  Yards lost rushing..........           71           72
  Rushing Attempts............          114          148
  Average Per Rush............          3.1          3.8
  Average Per Game............         89.0        140.8
  TDs Rushing.................            4            4
PASSING YARDAGE...............         1182          784
  Att-Comp-Int................     131-86-2     131-71-3
  Average Per Pass............          9.0          6.0
  Average Per Catch...........         13.7         11.0
  Average Per Game............        295.5        196.0
  TDs Passing.................            7            4
TOTAL OFFENSE.................         1538         1347
  Total Plays.................          245          279
  Average Per Play............          6.3          4.8
  Average Per Game............        384.5        336.8
KICK RETURNS: #-Yards.........       14-330       16-400
PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards.........         5-39         9-61
INT RETURNS: #-Yards..........         3-42         2-30
KICK RETURN AVERAGE...........         23.6         25.0
PUNT RETURN AVERAGE...........          7.8          6.8
INT RETURN AVERAGE............         14.0         15.0
FUMBLES-LOST..................          6-3          6-0
PENALTIES-Yards...............       26-244       28-231
  Average Per Game............         61.0         57.8
PUNTS-Yards...................       17-680       22-930
  Average Per Punt............         40.0         42.3
  Net punt average............         36.4         37.8
TIME OF POSSESSION/Game.......        28:22        31:37
3RD-DOWN Conversions..........        14/43        23/62
  3rd-Down Pct................          33%          37%
4TH-DOWN Conversions..........          0/2          2/4
  4th-Down Pct................           0%          50%
SACKS BY-Yards................         5-30         9-49
MISC YARDS....................            0           32
TOUCHDOWNS SCORED.............           11            8
FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS..........          8-9          8-9
ON-SIDE KICKS.................          0-0          0-0
RED-ZONE SCORES...............    14-15 93%    15-17 88%
RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS...........     7-15 47%     8-17 47%
PAT-ATTEMPTS..................   11-11 100%     8-8 100%
ATTENDANCE....................       254955            0
  Games/Avg Per Game..........      4/63739          0/0
  Neutral Site Games..........                       0/0

SCORE BY QUARTERS     1st  2nd  3rd  4th  OT     Total
--------------------  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---      ---
Arizona State.......   16   47   24   14    0  -   101
Opponents...........    7   34   13   23    3  -    80

A few interesting notes.  Unlike CSU, which had a winning record, ASU, which is 2-2, has actually outscored their opponents.  By a rather large margin, too.  So, that stat is inane. 

But look at the running numbers.  They are getting out rushed by a VERY large margin.  Moreover, the average per rush is a big margin, too.  .7 might not sound like a lot, but per rush it certainly is.  They only average 90ish yards per game. 

So, yeah, everybody's noticed that ASU has a stunted running game.  But look at this:  they have a reasonable attempt at balance.  114 rushing attempts and 131 passing attempts.  Divide that by 4 games and it is a very balanced attack.  So, it's not like they aren't TRYING to run.  They just aren't succeeding. 

Dennis Erickson AND Rudy Carpenter have both said they want to establish a run game.  Especially if its raining and the passing games are slowed.  I would think that even with the injury to Jahvid Best, if it comes down to running games that points in Cal's favor. 

Speaking of the run game, let's take a look at some run stats:

RUSHING GP-GS Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Nance, Dimitri 4-4 59 216 7 209 3.5 3 17 52.2
Herring, Keegan 1-0 12 60 1 59 4.9 1 20 59.0
DeWitty, Shaun 3-0 16 58 10 48 3.0 0 10 16.0

Keegan Herring via graphics.fansonly.com

Dmitri Nance via graphics.fansonly.com

Shaun DeWitty via graphics.fansonly.com

Going into the year Keegan Herring was the man at RB.  I am of the understanding that he suffered an ankle injury of some sort.  Apparently, he might be back for the Cal game.  That would suck.  Note now that Nance is the starter with Herring injured.  Note that Herring was averaging 4.9 ypc, while Nance is averaging 3.5.

PASSING              GP-GS   Effic Cmp-Att-Int   Pct  Yds  TD Lng Avg/G
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Carpenter, Rudy       4-4   165.42  85-123-2    69.1 1183   7  52 295.8

Carpenter is having a great season so far.  I doubt he is happy with his 2-2 record, but he is personally doing well.  Averaging about 300 yards a game, nearly 70% completion percentage.  I don't understand the college QB rating, but 165 seems good to me. 

Carpenter is clearly one of the best QBs in the Pac10, if not the best QB in the Pac10.  He has some trouble with his run game, he has some trouble with his OLine, but he is a player to be feared.  Now, if it rains that hurts his ability to throw out there, could benefit Cal.  And we do have one of the best corners in SydGOD and a quickly improving corner in Hagan.  So, that should be a VERY good battle on Saturday.

Rudy Carpenter via graphics.fansonly.com

RECEIVING            GP-GS  No.  Yds   Avg  TD Long Avg/G
---------------------------------------------------------
Jones, Michael        4-4    21  326  15.5   1   52  81.5
Taylor, Kerry         4-2    15  271  18.1   2   52  67.8
McGaha, Chris         4-4    12  174  14.5   1   46  43.5
Williams, Kyle        4-1    10  202  20.2   1   49  50.5
Nance, Dimitri        4-4     9   52   5.8   0   10  13.0

As you might expect with a great QB, you get great stats for the WRs.  3 WRs with over 200 yards receiving so far.  Kyle Williams is averaging over 20 yards a reception.  Even Michael Jones, the receiver with the most catches is still averaging over 15.  So, these guys going up against our stud LBs and DBs, that should be good to watch.

Michael Jones via graphics.fansonly.com

Kerry Taylor via graphics.fansonly.com

Chris McGaha via graphics.fansonly.com

Even Dmitri Nance is getting into the receiving picture, snagging some balls there, too.

Let's take a look at the defense.

DEFENSIVE LEADERS           Solo  Ast Total   TFL/Yds   No-Yds  Int-Yds BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds  FF Kick Saf
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25 Nixon, Mike                22   13    35   1.0-1       .        .       3   .    .      .    .   .
44 Goethel, Travis            13   16    29   3.0-7       .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
3  Bolden, Omar               13    5    18      .        .        .       2   .    .      .    .   .
22 Cox, Rodney                13    5    18      .        .        .       3   .    .      .    .   .
47 Munns, Gerald               8    8    16   2.5-4       .       1-16     .   .    .      .    .   .
50 Guy, Lawrence               1   15    16   1.0-4    0.5-3       .       .   .    .      .    .   .
14 Nolan, Troy                 9    6    15      .        .       1-26     .   .    .      .    .   .
49 Vasquez, Luis               7    7    14   1.5-3       .        .       .   .    .      .    .   .
3B Singfield, Pierre           9    3    12   0.5-1       .        .       2   .    .      .    .   .
41 Lyons, Shelly               9    2    11      .        .        .       1   .    .      .    .   .
19 Tabach, Max                 7    4    11      .        .        .       1   .    .      .    .   .
2  McFoy, Ryan                 3    8    11   1.5-2       .        .       2   .    .      1    .   .
58 Davis, Dexter               7    3    10   6.0-26   4.0-23      .       .   .    .      .    .   .

Note that looking at the numbers, Gerald Munns really jumps out at you.  But he is injured for this game.  Dexter Davis also has 6 tackles for loss, so that should be a name to keep an eye on.  His incredibly small head makes it tough for people to tackle him, I guess.

Dexter Davis via graphics.fansonly.com

Omar Bolden via graphics.fansonly.com

Omar Bolden has a lot of hype surrounding him and is performing well.  But Goethel and Nixon are cleary playing well, leading the team in tackles.  Note that they are LBs and not DBs, an encouraging sign for the ASU defense.  Last year, Cal's leading tackler was a DB.  Not always the best. 

Travis Goethel via graphics.fansonly.com

Michael Nixon via graphics.fansonly.com

So, there you go, the numbers for ASU this year and some painfully shallow analysis.  The very kind you'd expect from the California Golden Blogs.

With the potential for rain, that benefits the team with the better running game.  Normally, thatd be Cal.  But with Best injured and Herring potentially back in, that could swing things back to ASU.  We'll see what the situation is on Saturday, but this is a really good test for where we are in the Pac10.  GO BEARS!