Arizona State found major success in its rushing attack Saturday night, as the running backs carried the offensive load.
While the usual candidate has been junior Cam Skattebo to be the focal point, but this game was all about redshirt junior tailback DeCarlos Brooks.
Brooks was able to finish on two touchdowns and rushed for 42 yards in the first half. He and Skattebo would interchange at running back for the whole game.
Skattebo did rush for 66 yards on his first possession of the game in the second quarter. He eventually finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown.
“It makes it easy for me, you know, I’m not having to throw the ball 50 yards down the field,” ASU redshirt junior quarterback Trenton Bourget said. “Having running backs that can catch on the backfield is huge too.”
While Skattebo was on the sideline, Brooks was fully capable of performing just as high caliber for the Sun Devils. Saturday night saw him gain a career-high in rushing yards for a single game.
It was previously set at 63 yards in the Southern Utah game, and tied again during the game in Seattle against Washington last week. His personal record is now 67 rushing yards for a single game.
The lead rusher in the game on both teams against the Washington Huskies was Brooks. The running back has taken advantage of his reps since getting more of them.
“He’s physical. He’s passionate. He runs hard runs through people,” Sun Devil head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “I mean, that’s the guy who’s battled a pretty severe injury and wanted to come back. He loves the game. And I think people feed off of that. So really good to have him back.”
Skattebo and Brooks both had more rushing yards than all of the Cougars’ runners. Skattebo had 121, and Brooks with 67. The Cougars’ rushing yards came mainly from junior quarterback Cameron Ward.
Brooks transferred to Arizona State from California, as he was a Golden Bear for the previous two years. Before tonight, he only had one touchdown in his college career, which he got last season at Cal.
When he’s been on the field as a Sun Devil, he’s been efficient at running through defenses to push the ball up the field.
To balance Brooks’s effort Bourget targeted Brooks twice for passes. Both passes were caught to gain a total of 12 receiving yards.
“If you’re going to be in a mindset that we’re gonna play to win games, and we’re not going to play scared, then you have to attack in every phase,” said Dillingham. “And I think that’s just how we coach. It’s how we play. We play free and we play attacking.”
Brooks embodied the spirit of his head coach and carried a significant load in Arizona State’s second victory and statement win over the Washington State Cougars.
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