Not long ago, Arizona State’s secondary was its achilles’ heel. Opposing quarterbacks – regardless of their true skill – torched the Sun Devils with ease, putting up video-game numbers consistently. In 2016, the unit allowed 274.9 passing yards per game, the second-worst mark in the Pac-12.
But that narrative no longer holds form in Tempe. Over the last two seasons, the secondary has climbed to the new heights, finishing fifth and sixth in pass defense in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
During that stretch, the defense has endured a lot; it’s been hard to pinpoint the unit’s identity because of personnel turnover.