The Arizona State Sun Devils Wide Receiving core has a chance to be one of the best receiving units in all of college football. What is important to a good season is a good start. So, how will they begin Week 1 against the NAU Lumberjacks?
Tyson playing at Mountain America Stadium will bring fans joy, as Tyson's last home game was on Nov 23rd against BYU. Tyson did play one more game after BYU, as he had a great game, but ultimately got injured against the U of A the next week. Tyson sadly missed ASU's postseason run, so he will be playing with that extra energy and itch. Which is that much more incentive to go ahead and ball out Week 1.
It is well documented how beastly of a receiver Tyson is at receiver. Last year, he had 5 games of over 100 receiving yards; 3 of those 5 performances were Tyson's last 3 games he played before getting injured. However, Tyson was on a hot streak before he got hurt.
What stood out with Tyson's game, besides his amazing physical tools, is his connection with ASU Quarterback Sam Leavitt. Leavitt and Tyson have top-tier chemistry, and they should be looking to resume that against the NAU Lumberjacks.
There is a high chance that Tyson breaks an Arizona State University School Record. That record is the most receiving yards in a game. The record is currently held by Ron Fair, who did it against Washington State in 1989, where he had 277 yards in one game.
While yes, that is a huge amount, Tyson could achieve it. Leavitt has a great deep ball, so Tyson could have some massive receiving plays, where he catches a pass that is 50 or so yards. There is a high chance that with Tyson returning to the starting lineup, he could have the hot hand in the offense.
Moss is transferring to ASU from Fresno State. Moss is one of those receivers who has a perfect blend of both size and speed. He can burn a corner with his speed or muscle them out for a catch.
It will be interesting to see Moss's workload for this first game. There is a good chance that Moss has a high volume, as this is his first game with ASU. So, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo could target Moss often.
There is also a chance, though, that ASU's offensive motto is to feed Tyson the ball, which also makes sense. No matter what capacity he will be used, it will be great to see Moss play his first game for ASU.
After sitting deep on the depth chart for a while, Senior Wideout Malik McClain will get his chance to be a full-time starter for the Sun Devils. McClain is 6' 5", so he could be an end-zone target for Leavitt.
Tight End Chamon Metayer could also have a very productive game. Metayer has great hands, so he could haul in a good amount of passes against the Lumberjacks' secondary.
In the high chance that the Sun Devils are blowing out NAU, Noble Johnson, a transfer from Clemson, could see some time on the field as well.
In conclusion, ASU's pass catchers could big performances to start off the season!
We would highly appreciate it if you would discuss your thoughts on how ASU's Wide Receivers will perform against the NAU Lumberjacks. Additionally, follow @Kevin Hicks on X to get updates on when new ASU on SI pieces drop!
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