TEMPE, Ariz. -- As many powerful offenses as Arizona State will meet in the Pac-12 this season, none of them will present the type of challenge New Mexico's does Saturday in Albuquerque.
Like just a handful of other Division I teams, the Lobos employ the run-heavy triple option, and the Sun Devils know better than to take that lightly.
"It's the great equalizer of athletic ability because you can have one person not take care of their assignment and it's going to be over -- big play," ASU coach Todd Graham said during his weekly press conference on Monday. "They can make you look bad."
The triple option requires the quarterback to read the defense and decide between three options: hand the ball off to the fullback, keep it himself or pitch it to a running back. In New Mexico's case, the quarterback lines up in pistol formation, four yards behind the center.
"They're a triple-option team, (but) they're different because all of it's out of the gun," Graham said.
ASU vs. NEW MEXICO
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: University Stadium, Albuquerque, N.M.
TV: CBS Sports Network (Carter Blackburn, Aaron Taylor)
Radio: KTAR 92.3 FM (Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst)
The triple option often can be a nightmare for opposing defenses not used to playing against it. Just last weekend, Navy's triple option gave Ohio State fits at times. Georgia Southern beat Florida with it last year. And Notre Dame over the years has had its share of struggles against it when playing the service academies.
Notre Dame's issues against the triple option actually inspired its use at New Mexico. Current New Mexico coach Bob Davie spent 13 seasons at Notre Dame, including five as head coach, and in 2012 installed the triple option when he took over the Lobos. Just as Graham did Monday, Davie called the offense an "equalizer," a way to close the talent gap a bit against better teams.
In preparation for the challenge, Graham stresses assignment soundness over anything else. That's no small task for a yet untested defense that last week featured nine new starters in ASU's season-opening win over Weber State.
"Leaving somebody uncovered or not taking care of your responsibility, that can't happen," Graham said. "You've got to be disciplined against this type of offense."
Graham is plenty familiar with the triple option offense. He recalled Monday playing quarterback in a triple option offense in high school. He also coached against the offense frequently during his time in the high school ranks. And as a Division I coach Graham has faced the triple option numerous times, most recently against Navy in the 2012 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, which ASU won 62-28.
But New Mexico's triple option, unlike Navy's, also comes with the challenge of defending the pass, though New Mexico is expected to be without starting quarterback Cole Gautsche, who suffered a hamstring injury in New Mexico's loss to UTEP last week.
"If someone can just throw the ball or just run the ball, I think that's easier than when they can do both," Graham said. "Our guys know this is a very formidable opponent, and we're going on the road so we need to go out and play our best."
Graham on Monday said when he first got to ASU he kept hearing all about how ASU couldn't win on the road. He got tired of it pretty quick.
"What has that got to do with us winning on the road? Nothing," Graham said. "That's an absolute excuse. This program is about winning championships, and you've got to go on the road and win."
Since Graham took over, the Sun Devils are 7-6 in games played away from Sun Devil Stadium. Saturday's game will be the first road test of the season for a young team that features 14 first-time starters, but Graham said he's not concerned about this group going on the road, particularly after seeing great focus from his players before last week's game.
"We have a lot of guys that haven't traveled," Graham said. "We have a lot of newcomers, right? But it's better than it was last year. Our pregame meal, our bus ride over, our hotel -- everything. I'm talking about focus. It was the best everything up to the game."
It seems hardly a day goes by lately that Graham doesn't mention true freshman Chad Adams. The defensive back out of Allen (Texas) High -- where Graham used to coach -- has made a quick impression and saw action against Weber State last week.
So what does Graham like so much about Adams?
"What I like about him is his ability to cover," Graham said. "He's fast, he's got speed to recover. Obviously he can cover man-to-man, he's pretty sharp as far as key reading and picking up concepts. Early on guys get really confused and kind of (struggle), but he's been able to get through that and really progress. Obviously he's cut from a really good background and program. I just really like his demeanor. He's very poised, very calm, doesn't make mistakes."
Graham sees Adams as either a boundary cornerback or boundary safety. He's not in the picture to start at either spot yet, but he will play. Whether or not he'll play more this week, Graham said, is yet to be determined.
-- Graham opened his press conference Monday by congratulating former ASU players that made NFL rosters after final cuts on Sunday. In all, five players from last year's team made rosters: defensive tackle Will Sutton (Bears), linebacker Carl Bradford (Packers), defensive tackle Davon Coleman (Cowboys), defensive back Robert Nelson (Browns) and running back Marion Grice (Chargers). Grice, though, was waved Monday morning.
-- Graham said he wants to get linebacker Marcus Washington on the field more this week. Washington only played two snaps on defense last week. On one of them, he stuffed Weber State's running back at the one-yard line on fourth down.
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