Arizona State 2011: 7 Reasons to Believe Sun Devils Will Win Pac-12 South

The Sun Devils have appeared snake bitten after winning 10 games in Dennis Erickson's first year.

Since then, Arizona State has not had a winning record and has always had something seem to go wrong. Drive-killing penalties, injuries that decimate the depth chart, lack of discipline, you name it, and it seems as though Arizona State has suffered through it recently.  

2007 is a distant memory for Sun Devil fans, and what's to say that 2011 will buck the recent trend?

Here are 7 reasons why Arizona State will not only be better, but will play in the inaugural Pac-12 Football Championship Game.

7. The Front Seven

Arizona State comes into 2011 talented and deep, and their front seven is no exception.  

The Sun Devils have the best front seven you've never heard of, anchored by what is arguably the best linebacking trio in the nation.  

Vontaze Burfict, a temperamental tackling machine, is the rock and a consensus pre-season All-America candidate.  He led the Sun Devils in tackles in 2010 is a surefire first-round pick in the NFL draft.

Burfict will be flanked on either side by Colin Parker and Brandon Magee. If one of them misses a step, the fast and instinctual Shelly Lyons is there to take his place.

The defensive line is equally as deep and talented and is led by rush end Junior Onyeali. On the opposite end is Jamaar Jarrett, and if those two aren't too much to handle, James Brooks, a 6'5" 280-pound freak athlete, can step in as a change of pace.  The three of them combined for 14 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss last season, led by Onyeali's 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.  

Arizona State does lose both defensive tackles from last season, but returns Corey Adams, who saw significant playing time and contributed four sacks.  

All of this came with defensive coordinator Craig Bray running mostly a four-man rush and rarely blitzing due to injuries in the secondary.  

If the secondary can stay healthy, oh boy, watch out—Arizona State's defensive front should make a living in opposing backfields in 2011 and will be a huge part of their success.  

6. New Branding/Uniforms

Many college football fans and viewers alike may be asking themselves, "What's the big deal about new uniforms?"  

Well, for 18-to-23-year-old kids, it is a big deal.  

If you stay in the Pac-12, Oregon is a great example. While there are mixed reviews on the fact that the Ducks wear a different uniform combination every single game, the players absolutely love getting to pick what uniforms the team wears before each game.  For college football players, that's pretty cool.

In the offseason, Arizona State got the fancy new digs pictured above to rave reviews—especially by the players.  

While fans may still see the same players suiting up, looking just slightly different on the field, the players will feel different psychologically.  It's like buying new clothes for your wardrobe: You wear that new shirt, it instills confidence, and as a result you may talk to the girl you may have been afraid to talk to before, even though it is still the same you behind that shirt.

I know, the new look will have little tangible effect on the stigma around the idea that "it's always something" with this team, whether it be bone-headed penalties, injuries, or just a lack of concentration.  

However, sometimes a small psychological boost is all a team needs to put those things in the past and go in a new direction.

The new branding is just the sign of heading in a new direction ASU needed—the athletic department and Nike can take a little bit of credit when Arizona State wins big in 2011.

5. The Schedule

Arizona State doesn't have a cakewalk for a schedule, but the schedule makers did do the Sun Devils some favors.

Most of ASU's tough games are at home, and they have some very winnable matchups on the road. Fortunately for the Sun Devils, they miss Stanford and Washington from the North Division. Stanford is a contender this year, and Washington is this close to winning big under HC Steve Sarkisian.  

The middle of the schedule—specifically the four games from Sept 24 (vs. USC) through October 15th (at Pac-12 newcomer Utah)—will make or break ASU's season.  If they can go 2-2 at worst during that stretch—which sees them going to Oregon and hosting Oregon State in between the other two games—ASU should be the front-runner to win the South.  

Arguably, the most important games in that stretch are the home date against USC and the away game at Utah.  Both games are intra-division games against the two other South Division front-runners.  

Losses to the Oregon schools always hurts, but victories against USC and Utah should give ASU a tie-breaker advantage and put them in a great position for the final stretch of games.

Another game of note on the schedule is the home date in Week 2, when the Sun Devils welcome Big-12 North front-runner Missouri.  Not only will this game have national implications, but it will be the first "blackout" game debuting ASU's new all-black uniforms pictured on the previous slide.

Finally, it would be an injustice to forget the final two home games versus arch-rival Arizona and the Cal Golden Bears. There doesn't need to be an explanation for why the Territorial Cup game against Arizona is big, especially since ASU triumphed in Tucson last year on a blocked extra-point in double overtime to win (pictured above).  

The Cal game will be huge for ASU not only because it is their last regular season game before the conference championship, but also because ASU has traditionally had fits with the Golden Bears.  

This year should be different as the Sun Devils will have the Conference championship game at stake and Cal will be out of the race.

4. Brock Osweiler

Arizona State QB Brock Osweiler begins his junior season in Tempe as the full-time starter.  

He takes over after would-be senior and last year's starter, Steven Threet, was forced to retire from football due to recurring concussions.

Expectations for Osweiler are sky high after he burst onto the scene as a sophomore starter in the final two games.  

In those games, Osweiler was nothing short of fantastic and showed why he was so highly touted out of high school. In the home game against UCLA (pictured above), Osweiler showed off his talent and arm by lighting up the Bruins defense to the tune of 384 yards and four touchdowns.  

The Key Stat?  No interceptions.  

The final game against Arizona was even more significant and raised the expectations even higher.  Why you ask?  

Well, it's not as simple as beating your arch-rival—it was more about the fact that Osweiler won over his team and endeared himself to the entire school when—despite not playing his best game—he still carried the Sun Devils to victory. 

Late in the game, Osweiler rounded up his teammates and told them that ASU wasn't going to lose. The 30-29 double-overtime thriller will never be forgotten in Sun Devil lore, and neither will the story of a quiet, 6'8 sophomore quarterback growing up in prime-time before a national audience.

He will be aided this season by throwing to three of ASU's four top receivers from last year and by handing the ball off to all three of the team's top rushers in 2010.  

Not only that, but Osweiler will be in his second year of Noel Mazzone's offensive system, which can only help.  

Last, but certainly not least, Osweiler will be protected by an offensive line that returns intact, which is a perfect segue to our next slide...

3. The Offensive Line

...unfortunately for Sun Devil fans, one of the constants over the past decade has been maddening inconsistency on the offensive line.  

In 2011 —for the first time —the offensive line may actually be something Arizona State fans no longer have to worry about.  

After using six different offensive line combinations in 2009 and losing star Jon Hargis to a torn ACL in the spring last season, the line surprisingly improved.  

Almost the entire two-deep returns on a line that saw the same combination start in six consecutive games. As any coach will tell you, among the most important things for an offensive line is continuity and establishing a chemistry.  It cannot be understated how important that is coming into 2011.

The offensive line rarely gets much love from fans or media types and often gets labeled with unflattering nicknames such as "the big uglies" or, thanks to Lee Corso of ESPN, "the Hogmollies."  

Despite all that, the offensive line is arguably the most important aspect of any football team and can set the tone for an offense. If the offensive line struggles, generally, so does the rest of the offense.  

Well, I hope Brock Osweiler is ready to buy these guys some steak dinners for keeping him upright and helping him have a career season.

As on any good offensive line —and Arizona State's is no exception —the left tackle and center will be the cogs.

Garth Gerhart is one of the most intelligent and best centers in the conference, if not in all of America.

Protecting Osweiler's blind side will be Evan Finkenberg, who —while not the biggest left tackle at just 292 lbs. —has great feet and great leverage, which helps as he goes up against the opposing team's best pass rusher each week.

This Arizona State offensive line may not be the biggest one you will ever see, but they are a perfect fit for the offense ASU is trying to run. 

The offensive line will make Sun Devil fans proud this year.

Sun Devil middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict is one of the most polarizing figures on the team.  

Some people, me included, love his tenacity and the fear he instills in opponents with his relentless passion and affinity for the intimidation factor. Some people don't like him for the same aspects, which he has had trouble keeping under control in the past.  

Last season, there were countless times when Burfict's passion got the best of him.  Against Oregon State, he head-butted Beaver QB Ryan Katz for a 15-yard personal foul penalty.  He had personal foul penalties for hits against Stanford and USC that each time led to an opposing touchdown and, ultimately, an ASU loss.  

There is no question Burfict is the best player on the ASU defense and is almost certainly a future NFL superstar.  

However, in order for him to realize his potential, he needs to find a happy medium with his playmaking ability, passion, intimidation, and—most importantly—discipline. All of that is part of becoming a great leader.  

Burfict knows the onus is on him to becoming a leader. It is no secret that the success of the defense is predicated on his performance, and his importance cannot be described with adjectives. If something were to happen to him, the defense takes a huge step back and would be searching for a vocal leader.  

Burfict sat down with azcentral.com's Sun Devil blogger Doug Haller in February and discussed his and defensive back Omar Bolden's roles on the team: "We have the pieces. Me and Omar Bolden, we're the defensive leaders, and we're trying to change the defense around... We've all played with each other for two years now, so we should be able to become the defense we've wanted to be."

With the season-ending injury to defensive back Omar Bolden, it is now up to Burfict alone to be the defensive leader.  

If he has made the strides the coaching staff has talked about and leads by example during the season, the Sun Devil defense will be better than ever and will take this team as far as it can go.

2. Vontaze Burfict Becoming the Leader

Sun Devil middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict is one of the most polarizing figures on the team.  

Some people, me included, love his tenacity and the fear he instills in opponents with his relentless passion and affinity for the intimidation factor. Some people don't like him for the same aspects, which he has had trouble keeping under control in the past.  

Last season, there were countless times when Burfict's passion got the best of him.  Against Oregon State, he head-butted Beaver QB Ryan Katz for a 15-yard personal foul penalty.  He had personal foul penalties for hits against Stanford and USC that each time led to an opposing touchdown and, ultimately, an ASU loss.  

There is no question Burfict is the best player on the ASU defense and is almost certainly a future NFL superstar.  

However, in order for him to realize his potential, he needs to find a happy medium with his playmaking ability, passion, intimidation, and—most importantly—discipline. All of that is part of becoming a great leader.  

Burfict knows the onus is on him to becoming a leader. It is no secret that the success of the defense is predicated on his performance, and his importance cannot be described with adjectives. If something were to happen to him, the defense takes a huge step back and would be searching for a vocal leader.  

Burfict sat down with azcentral.com's Sun Devil blogger Doug Haller in February and discussed his and defensive back Omar Bolden's roles on the team: "We have the pieces. Me and Omar Bolden, we're the defensive leaders, and we're trying to change the defense around... We've all played with each other for two years now, so we should be able to become the defense we've wanted to be."

With the season-ending injury to defensive back Omar Bolden, it is now up to Burfict alone to be the defensive leader.  

If he has made the strides the coaching staff has talked about and leads by example during the season, the Sun Devil defense will be better than ever and will take this team as far as it can go.

1. Experience

Throughout this slide show, it has been clear that ASU will be experienced in the typical sense, with their returning starters among other things.  

However, what this slide means to portray are the emotional roller coaster that ASU endured last season and how all the close games they played in will contribute to their success going forward.

In five of Arizona State's 12 games last season, the outcome was decided by five points or fewer. The Sun Devils were on the wrong end of those games four times.  You would not be wrong if you were to say that Arizona State should have been 8-4 or 9-3 last season.  

The fact is, however, they ended up 6-6—there are no "almosts" in football.  

Regardless, twice on the road against good opponents, Arizona State played well enough to get to get two upsets, if it weren't for special teams gaffes that cost them the games. In the Wisconsin game, ASU had an extra point blocked, which ended up being the difference in the game, and on the road at USC, the Trojans blocked another ASU extra point and returned it all the way to end zone for two points.  

That two point-swing ended up being the difference in the game, as the Devils lost 34-33.  ASU had another close call when a late touchdown by Stanford gave the Cardinal a victory at Sun Devil Stadium, 17-13.

It was therefore bittersweet when Arizona State beat Arizona in double overtime because they were able to circle the wagons and block not one, but two Wildcat extra points. 

All of these experiences, while tough to take last season, allowed the team to grow up and become hungry this offseason.  If you were a betting man or woman, it would not be safe to bet that Arizona State will make the same mistakes again.  

All the pieces are in place for Arizona State to have a huge season, and the mental toughness gained from last year's heartbreak will be one of the most crucial aspects of this season's success.