SB Nation - George Bell

ASU Football 12 In '12: Our Q&A With Sun Devil WR Kevin Ozier

Brad Denny — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 15:15:05 -0000

While all the attention of the offseason camps has centered on the Arizona State quarterback battle, the competition to be one of the eventual winner's receiving targets is just as intense.

After losing Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad, Mike Willie and George Bell, the Sun Devil wide receiving corps is in full rebuilding mode.

Thankfully, the group is full of talented--if inexperienced--players. One of the most promising, and inspiring, players this offseason has been junior Kevin Ozier.

The 6'0", 200 pounder began his Sun Devil career as a walk-on in 2009 and did not see game action until last year. In his limited reps, he caught 11 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. Over this offseason, his incredible work ethic resulted in Todd Graham awarding him a scholarship, and a strong spring has him currently atop the depth chart at the "Y" wide receiver spot.

I caught up with Ozier to discuss his journey, what the new passing game will look like and how good this Sun Devil team can be in 2012.

Brad Denny: Joining the team as a walk-on player was obviously a very difficult route to take. After not seeing the field until last year, did you ever have doubts, or did you always see light at the end of the tunnel?

KO: I always saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I think of myself as a humble player. I just worked hard, and they said that hard work pays off, and it finally paid off for me.

BD: As you're streaking into the endzone against Colorado, and Brock's pass is in the air, what thoughts were going through your mind, and what was the feeling after you made the score?

KO: When the ball was in the air, I was thinking "I got it, I got it, I got it." Then when I caught the touchdown, I thought "Yeah, Coach is going to see this. Hopefully after he's seen it, he'll put me in the game more, have more trust in me, and hopefully give me a scholarship off that play."

BD: It didn't take a lot of time for Coach Graham to reward your effort with a scholarship. What did that mean to you?

KO: It meant a lot. He wasn't here the previous season, so he didn't get to see me practice. All he had was film. Him giving me the scholarship shows that he has good judgement in players. I appreciate it.

BD: What has been your impression of the changes Coach Graham has brought about in his first eight months?

KO: I feel the program has gotten more strict. It's a zero tolerance type team now, and that's good. It will help keep us disciplined. He's not going to take any lollygagging at practice. You're going to go full speed no matter what you do, or you're not going to play.

BD: In the new offense, Coach Norvell has you at the Y position, making the middle of the field your domain. What should we expect from you in this scheme, and on a larger scale, from the passing offense as a whole?

KO: For me to make plays. To make a good block and open up a hole for a running back, and making great catches over the middle.

The old offense, we threw more. But in this offense, I feel like we're going to take more shots down the field. Run it, run it, run it, take a shot and hopefully get a big gain or touchdown.

BD: One of your better skills is your ability to block for the run game. With an offense that figures to be a run-first attack, how have you and the other wide receivers that responsibility?

KO: Our new receivers coach, Coach Alexander, at the beginning of practice, we do blocking drills for 10 minutes straight. We block each other and work different cutoff angles. We work at it a lot more.

BD: The big story heading into camp is the battle at quarterback. From a wide receiver's perspective, what can you tell us about the three guys?

KO: It's difficult to say. They all bring different great qualities. Eubank can zone read and he can throw the ball. TK (Taylor Kelly) can as well. I think TK and Eubank are the same kind of players, and Berc (Mike Bercovici) has more accuracy. I feel like he's more accurate and can put the ball on the money.

BD: How have you and the rest of the receiving corps taken to position coach DelVaughn Alexander?

KO: He's been coaching for 17 years or so and I feel like he knows a lot about this position. He can help teach me as well as the other wide receivers the fundamentals that we need. He does that. Like blocking. It's not all about running routes. If you can block well, it adds another aspect to your game.

BD: What do you feel are the reasonable expectations from this year's Sun Devil team?

KO: To play hard and win.

BD: What are the primary challenges that this team is going to face this year?

KO: It's really just getting the offense locked down. It's a new offense and a new defense too. As long as we grasp the new offense and defense, and we players take it in like we should and study film, we shouldn't have any problems. As long as everyone is studying film and their playbooks, we should be good.

BD: How do you define the term "Speaking Victory"?

KO: Speaking victory is simple things. If I ask you how you are doing today, I'm doing great, I'm doing excellent. You have to have an optimistic outlook on everything. Think positive.

BD: For this team to succeed in 2012, what is the one X-factor that has to come through?

KO: Just coming together. As long as we all play together. I'll speak for the offense, as long the offense all plays together and rallies to the ball, lines up and plays at a fast tempo, we're going to be a problem for other teams.

Previous interviews in our "12 in '12" series: QB Michael Eubank, K Alex Garoutte, RB James Morrison, C Kody Koebensky, CB Deveron Carr, QB Mike Bercovici, Devilbacker Carl Bradford, S Keelan Johnson, LB Brandon Magee, S Alden Darby, P Josh Hubner

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ASU Football: Which Is The Greater Concern - Wide Receiver Or Linebacker?

Brad Denny — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:00:18 -0000

What a difference a year can make. Last offseason, much of the optimism surrounding the Arizona State Sun Devil football team was based on the extensive veteran experience the team returned.

This year? Not so much.

The losses can be felt strongly in every area on the team except running back and the two kicking spots. Even the coaching staff is all new.

But two spots stand out among the absences: wide receiver and linebacker.

With the departures of Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad, Mike Willie and George Bell, the Sun Devils are losing two-thirds of last season's receiving yards. Their leading returning receiver, Jamal Miles (60 receptions), does not fit the mold of a true wide receiver, as evidenced by most of his catches coming off of swing passes from the backfield. In fact, the top returning "true" wide receiver is senior Rashad Ross with just 18 receptions.

Yet the situation at linebacker makes wide receiver seem like a group of elder statesmen. Last season's top four linebackers--starters Vontaze Burfict, Colin Parker and Shelly Lyons, and top reserve Oliver Aaron--are all gone. Senior Brandon Magee is the key cog to not just the linebacking corps if not the entire defense, but he missed all of last season due to a torn Achilles, and is still not yet at 100%.

With spring football ready to ramp up in force next week, where should ASU fans place more of their worry?

Thankfully, for as many questions as each group has, they also have a near equal number of talented players.

Ross came on particularly strong down the stretch last season, and has the type of elite deep speed that could create fits for opposing secondaries. Kevin Ozier is a former walk-on who has done nothing but impress during hsi career, and should see plenty of action due to his solid all-around game. Juco transfer Alonzo Agwuenu is a more polished product that figures to challenge for a starting spot come fall.

After that trio, players like A.J. Pickens, J.J. Holliday, Gary Chambers and Karl Holmes all have the ability to become contributors, but have not yet capitalized on their skills.

Beyond Magee, the closest thing to a certainty is juco linebacker Steffon Martin. Arriving this fall, Martin is coming off a dominant season and his NFL-caliber tangibles (6'2", 225 pounds, 4.5 speed) should find him a starting spot. That leaves a lot of players tagged with the dreaded "P" word: potential.

Kipeli Koniseti has the size (6'3", 243 pounds) and skills to make an immediate impact after a long road to ASU. Anthony Jones and Israel Marshall are two incredibly athletic players who have a great opportunity to make a statement this spring. Brandon Jones saw some action last season, and Carl Bradford could become a fearsome stand-up pass rusher from the spot when he is not playing defensive end. The situation becomes more crowded this fall when three members of the 2012 recruiting class--Matt Rowe, Carlos Mendoze and Salamo Fiso--arrive on campus.

Beyond the talent, scheme plays a major role.

The Sun Devils' new offense last season was a pass-heavy attack that featured three and four-wide sets constantly. This year, the focus will return to the running game, with a lot of two-back sets with tight ends playing a more prominent role. The passing game will be built off of play-action passes and will strike downfield with greater frequency than in previous years. With a new starting quarterback in place, finding consistent wide receivers will be critical in making this transition.

On defense, the mindset shifts from a bend-but-don't-break 4-3 scheme to one featuring multiple sets and an emphasis on attacking offenses. In these cases, a premium is placed on versatile and athletic linebackers who can cover a lot of ground and make plays sideline-to-sideline. The Sun Devils will also blitz from the linebacker spot much more than in the past.

While the talent of the players in both positions could ultimately lead to one or both areas becoming areas of strength come fall, the sheer number of questions surrounding the unproven players and new schemes is immense.

However, for the wide receivers, they will not be the focal point of the offensive attack, whereas the linebacking corps will be the tip of the pitchfork for the Sun Devil defense. While both groups will warrant serious and long looks from coaches, players and fans over the next several months, it is indeed linebacker spot that takes the title of "position most likely to keep the coaching staff up at night".

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Poll

Which area concerns you more?

Wide Receiver

48 votes

Linebacker

96 votes

144 votes | Poll has closed

ASU Football Spring Practice Primers: Breaking Down The WR Competition

Brad Denny — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:50:04 -0000

One of the strengths of the Arizona State Sun Devil football team coming into 2011 was experience. Up and down the roster were returning starters and backups who had seen meaningful time.

The 2012 team does not boast that same luxury.

Gone are fifteen players who made starts in 2011, and most every area of the team except for running back felt the sting of those losses.

One of those that was most affected was wide receiver, where the departures of Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad, Mike Willie and George Bell represent 66% of the team's receiving yards from a season ago.

Replacing that production presents one of the greatest challenges for the team this offseason, and the battle to ascend the depth chart begins during spring practices, which begin on March 13th.

Let's take an in-depth breakdown of the contenders for playing time, by breaking them down into three major groups.

The Experienced Veterans

Senior Jamal Miles, ASU's "slash" extraordinaire, makes his official home at wide receiver and is the team's top returning receiver with 60 receptions. However, all those catches only went for 361 yards, as most of his action came on swing passes out of the backfield or on quick screens. Miles has great speed and has shown good hands at times, but his route running is still very unrefined, and he lacks a prototypical wide receiver frame (5'10", 180 pounds). It will be interesting to see during spring practice how and where offensive coordinator Mike Norvell utilizes him.

A player who is gaining a lot of momentum is senior speedster Rashad Ross, who we profiled in our Breakout Candidate series last month. Ross developed from a part-time special teamer to a legitimate deep threat by the end of the season, posting a five-catch, 108 yard game against Cal. With his lethal speed (he recently won the MPSF 200-meter indoor track championship), the 6'0" Ross has the inside track to be the team's home run threat. Like Miles, he needs to refine his route running, but a strong spring could land him a starting job.

Senior A.J. Pickens caught 12 passes a year ago, scoring two touchdowns. At 5'10", 168 pounds, he makes up for his lack of size with a good burst of speed, and he had success a season ago working the crossing routes across the middle. Pickens has seen little playing time over his first three seasons, so the time is now for him to break through into a more prominent role.

Junior Kevin Ozier is hoping that his upward journey from humble walk-on beginnings includes a starting spot in 2012. He's worked diligently over his time in Tempe and Coach Graham recently rewarded him with a scholarship. On the field, he has good size at 6'0", 200 pounds and has shown above-average speed and hands, as evidenced by his touchdown catch against Colorado. That skill combination should land him significant time, and a strong spring may land him a starting job in the fall.

Kyle Middlebrooks, like Miles, is another slash type of player. He had some good moments as a running back and a receiver in 2010, but last year he regressed significantly. The loaded ASU backfield may force him to wide receiver, but with so many players competing for jobs, he may be an odd man out.

Inexperienced Upperclassmen

The next group contains three juniors who have seen little time on the field over their tenure at ASU.

Chris Coyle is a big bodied target (6'3", 231 pounds) who played sparingly in all 13 games last season. With his size, he may see time in a H-back type role, as the new offensive scheme will involve the tight ends more in the passing game. Unfortunately for Coyle, he will miss spring practice with with a shoulder injury.

With the departure of Robinson and Willie, the offense is in need of a tall target, and Jarrid Bryant could be the guy. He's the tallest receiver in the corps at 6'5", but rail thin. He doesn't have elite speed, but with his height, he could be a redzone target that can "go get it" and beat defensive backs for jump balls.

J.J. Holliday's season got off to a rough start due to a broken collarbone suffered in August, and he appeared in just three games during the season and did not make a reception. Holliday has the skills needed to be a contributor, and with the opportunity created by the departures, his best chance at meaningful playing time begins with a strong showing in the spring.

Young Upstarts

The final group contains players who are total unknowns on the playing field and may be another year or so away from significant contributions, but they could enter into the discussion with strong springs.

Karl Holmes is a redshirt freshman who brings a good size and speed combination. At 6'3" with reported 4.5 speed, he has some very intriguing tools.

Ditto for Gary Chambers. After a decorated prep career here in the Valley, Chambers enters spring ball as a 6'3" redshirt freshman with a ton of talent, and he may be the best suited among this group to see immediate action.

Redshirt sophomore Kevin Anderson fits the mold of a shifty slot receiver, standing just 5'9" and 177 pounds. With players such as Miles, Middlebrooks and Pickens serving a similar role, his path to the field is strewn with a few more obstacles than the others.

Coming This Fall

The already crowded picture will become even more dense in the fall when three members of the 2012 recruiting class come on board.

Alonzo Agwuenu is a very intriguing prospect who figures to see plenty of action immediately, and may very well secure a starting job. After an accomplished two-season junior college career, the 6'4" Agwuenu brings a wealth of talent and a polished game to the Sun Devils. (Hear Agwuenu discuss his role on his recent appearance on the Speak of the Devils show)

Richard Smith and Josiah Blandin are both members of the "Poly 4" group of prospects. The 5'9" Smith is an explosive slot receiver who could see action as a freshman, while Blandin is a lanky 6'4" wide receiver who needs time to develop and should be destined for a redshirt.

Overall Analysis

This will be a fun story to follow throughout the spring and fall. Not a single player on the roster has had sustained success as a true wide receiver at this level, but all of them are very talented. Guys like Ross, Ozier and Miles figure to be the early leaders for large playing time, with Holliday, Bryant and Chambers highlighting that next tier of potential breakout players. Part of the charm of spring and fall camps, after all, is seeing the middle-to-bottom depth chart guys emerge and force their way into prominent roles.

With a new coaching staff, there is no pre-existing loyalty, so rest assured that the players who fit the "high octane" mold and give the team the best chance to win will see the field.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

2012 Breakout Candidate: WR Rashad Ross

Brad Denny — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:09:50 -0000

In 2011, quarterback Brock Osweiler set numerous school passing records, including yards, completion and attempts. With a new run-first offense, a new starting quarterback and a ridiculously talented stable of running backs, the keepers of the Sun Devil record book will not have to worry about altering those marks any time soon.

Even with the emphasis on the ground, the Sun Devil offense will need viable aerial threats to maintain the necessary balance. The departures of Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad, Mike Willie and George Bell takes away 66% of ASU's receiving yardage total from a season ago.

While filling that hole poses a serious challenge for the team, it also presents a tremendous opportunity for the large group of unproven wide receivers currently on the roster.

If his late-season surge is any indication, Rashad Ross is one player who is primed to take the next step this fall.

Joining the Devils after two seasons at Butte College, the lightning-fast Ross initially saw time as a defensive back before moving to wide receiver. He saw little time early in the season at wide receiver, making just two receptions for 13 yards over the first six games. Ross did see some productive time as a secondary returner to Jamal Miles, returning five kickoffs for an excellent 28.6-yard average and took three punts back 29 yards.

With an unremarkable first half behind him, Ross' fortunes began to slowly change over the season's final six games.

Against Oregon, Ross made three catches for 22 yards, and would register a reception in every game the rest of the year. However, his receptions still resulted in only short gains, with his yards-per-catch average only 8.3 yards in ASU's three games after the bye week. For a player of his speed, that playcalling was a serious misallocation of receiver resources.

Ross and his speed finally broke out during the Duel in the Desert against Arizona. His first two receptions of the game went for 30 and 20 yards, and he finished the game with four grabs for 77 yards.

That performance earned him additional looks in ASU's regular season finale against Cal. Ross showed his explosive speed as a downfield target, hauling in a 37-yard reception in the first quarter. Later, with under a minute left in the first half and the Devils facing a fourth and 10 at the Cal 35, Ross beat his man along the right sideline on a fly pattern, making a nice mid-air adjustment to the Osweiler pass and getting both feet inbounds to score his first career touchdown [See the play here]. Ross finished with a career-high and team-leading totals of five receptions for 108 yards in the 47-38 loss.

In the Maaco Bowl against Boise State, Ross would only make a single reception for nine yards, but he did score again, this time with a 98-yard kickoff return score. The play was a prime example of the type of game-breaking speed that Ross possesses, as he broke through the initial line and then simple outran everyone else on the field.

Ross' speed is not confined to the football field. He is currently the in the Top 25 in the 200-meters and recently posted a run of 21.15 seconds, sixth best in school history.

New offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said in a recent interview with DevilsDigest.com that he wants the offense to "run the ball well and get safeties to commit to being closer to the box, so you will get one-on-one matchups outside". That opens the door for a player like Ross, whose 6'0" height and 4.37 speed can create nightmares for opposing secondaries.

Yet there remains a lot of work to be done for Ross to take that next step. Adjusting to a new starting quarterback and learning a new offensive system will each take time. He must also work on ball security and refine his route running to become a high-level contributor in 2012.

But with his talent and speed, it's easy to think that Ross will be racing towards a prominent role this season.

Follow me on Twitter @BDenny29 for the latest on ASU football

Poll

What do you except from Ross in 2012?

Indispensable part of the offense

36 votes

Starter/Solid contributor

121 votes

Role player

2 votes

Nothing

1 votes

160 votes | Poll has closed

Previewing the Arizona St. Sun Devils: Part I - Coaching and Offense

AHMB — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:00:47 -0000

Two years ago, Dennis Erickson found himself squarely on the hot seat at Arizona St. Things had started well with the Sun Devils, as Erickson's team went 10-3 in 2007. However, he went 5-7 in 2008 and 4-8 in 2009. In order to save his job, Erickson was essentially forced to let go of longtime offensive coordinator Rich Olson. Olson had coached with Erickson at the University of Miami, as well as with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, and it was evident that Erickson did not want to let Olson go at the time. Enter Noel Mazzone

After springing back to 6-6 last year, Arizona St. started the season with high expectations due to narrow losses @ Wisconsin, @ Oregon St., @ USC, and vs. Stanford the year before. They gathered all sorts of attention by unveiling new uniforms and have not disappointed this year, although the close loss @ Illinois is looking worse than before. The Sun Devils currently sit atop the Pac-12 South and are gearing up for a spot in the inaugural Pac-12 Championship game.

Coaching Staff

Erickson became famous with his singleback offense at the University of Miami where he won two national championships in the late 1980's/ early 1990's. The offense was predicated on the inside zone/outside zone/vertical routes. When Rich Olson was let go, Erickson found a coordinator that ran a similar offense. There is plenty of details for my fellow football nerds at www.brophyfootball.blogspot.com, but the gist of the story is that Erickson found a way to "modernize" his offense without throwing out his principles.

The year before coming to ASU, Noel Mazzone was coordinating a high school offense. Now, he's selling his offense. Prior to ASU, Mazzone was not a "spread" coach. He had about 30 years of collegiate and NFL experience, none of which would have led you to believe that he would coordinate an uptempo, shotgun based attack. Yet Arizona St. is 17th in passing offense (294.2 ypg), 30th in total offense (438.8 ypg), and 22nd in scoring (35.9 ppg).

As good as their offense is, Arizona St.'s defense may be more impressive. Defensive coordinator Craig Bray is in his 5th season at ASU as defensive coordinator. The defense may give up a lot of yards, 240 passing ypg, 140 rushing ypg, but they only allow 21.5 ppg (29th nationally). This is partly due to the speed the offense plays with and partly due to the fact that Oregon and Missouri both racked up over 500 yards of offense. However, for the most part the defense has been good when it counted. The Sun Devils have forced 12 more turnovers than it has given away, as well as recorded 18 sacks and 46 tackles for loss.

Quarterbacks

The announces will probably mention this 100 times on Saturday, but QB Brock Osweiler (6-8 240 Jr.) is big. He's 6'8. There aren't that many quarterbacks as big as Big Brock. He's really, really, REALLY big. In fact, he's so big that his skills might get overlooked. On the season, he is completing 65.9% of his passes for 284 ypg and has 17 TD's to 8 INT's. He might not be Andrew Luck, but he's better than Case Keenum or Nick Foles, and they both destroyed our soft defense.

Sitting in Osweiler's outrageously large shadow are backups Mike Bercovici (6-1 205 Fr.) and Taylor Kelly (6-1 202 RS-Fr). Highly touted QB Michael Eubank is redshirting this year.

Running Backs

Cameron Marshall (5-11 223 Jr.) is Arizona St.'s leading rusher with 632 yards and 12 TD's. Deantre Lewis, last year's freshmen firecracker is redshirting this year after suffering a gun shot wound in the offseason, and Marshall is getting more carries per game as a result.

Kyle Middlebrooks (5-8 175 So.) is part slot receiver, part running back. He has 32 carries for 101 yards and 13 catches for 90 yards and has speed to burn. He is listed as Marshall's primary backup. James Morrison (5-11 214 Jr.) is the third running back, but has only 9 carries on the year.

The third leading rusher is F Jamal Miles (5-10 183 Jr.). Although the position is technically a receiver in Mazzone's offense, Miles will often line up in the backfield or motion out of the backfield. On the season, he has 23 carries for 193 yards as well as 36 receptions for 257 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Receivers

Gerell Robinson (6-4 222 Sr.) and Mike Willie (6-4 220 Sr.) start outside with Aaron Pﬂugrad (5-10 180 Sr.) and the aforementioned Miles inside. Robinson leads the team with 36 catches for 612 yards and 4 TD's, but Plufgrad is the prototypical collegiate possession receiver. Plufgrad has 30 catches for 446 yards and 4 TD's. While Robinson wows you with size and talent, Plufgrad makes the annoying 13 yard receptions on 3rd and 12 that drive defenses crazy.

When you focus on Robinson and Plufgrad, Willie will burn you. He was a JuCo transfer and doesn't get as much attention as Robinson, but he has 24 catches for 347 yards and 3 TD's.

As mentioned above, Miles will often have some sort of backfield motion. One play to watch for is a zone read play in which Miles will vacate the backfield in motion. Osweiler will read the MLB and either run an inside zone run if the MLB vacates or swing it to Miles if the MLB stays home. The same motion can also be used to set up vertical routes if the defense begins to use safety help.

Backing up Robinson and Willie are Chris Coyle (6-3 235 So.), Kevin Ozier (6-0 201 So.), and Rashad Ross (6-0 164 Jr.). They have 6, 7, and 6 receptions, respectively. Plufgrad is backed up by George Bell (6-3 203 Sr.) andJarrid Bryant (6-5 180 So.). Bell has 10 receptions on the year while Bryant has 1. Miles is backed up by A.J. Pickens (5-10 176 Jr.), who has 8 receptions and only 1 rushing attempt.

The Sun Devils do have tight ends on their roster for short yardage. Trevor Kohl (6-1 245 Sr.) is the listed started and is backed up by Max Smith (6-2 248 So.).

Offensive Line

Arizona St. starts seniors at 4 of the 5 starting positions, and a junior at the other. Despite the experience, the Sun Devils have had some problems in pass protection this season, which is to be expected given the number of pass attempts and need for Osweiler to wait while their vertical routes open up. Arizona St. has given up 20 sacks this season, including 6 to Illinois and 4 to Oregon in losses.

C Garth Gerhart (6-1 300 Sr.) is the leader of the line and is responsible for making the correct slides on protection. Kody Koebensky (6-4 300 So.) and Trent Marsh (6-2 320 Sr.) will backup Gerhart.

Guards Mike Marcisz (6-5 300 Sr.) and Andrew Sampson (6-3 300 Jr.) return as starters, with Sil Ajawara (6-3 297 RS-Fr.) and Adam Tello (6-3 292 Sr.) listed as backups.

At tackle, LT Dan Knapp (6-5 277 Sr.) starts in the place of injured Evan Finkenberg. He's backed up by Jamil Douglas (6-4 284 RS-Fr.) and Kyle Johnson (6-7 292 Jr.) RT Aderious Simmons (6-7 310 Sr.) battled with Knapp for the starting RT spot in the offseason.

That concludes Part I of the Arizona St. Sun Devil Preview. Fire away with any additional comments and observations, and be sure to check back in tomorrow for Part II of the Preview, where we'll take a look at the Sun Devil defense and special teams.

Arizona State Beats Missouri: Beyond The Box Score

Bill C. — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:00:54 -0000

As one would expect, there was a lot to like and a lot to dislike about this one.

Arizona State 37, Missouri 30
	ASU	Missouri		ASU	Missouri
Close %	100.0%		STANDARD DOWNS
Field Position %	42.2%	53.2%	Success Rate	59.6%	39.2%
Leverage %	73.4%	64.6%	PPP	0.57	0.31
			S&P	1.162	0.699
TOTAL
EqPts	33.2	28.9	PASSING DOWNS
Close Success Rate	53.1%	38.0%	Success Rate	35.3%	35.7%
Close PPP	0.52	0.37	PPP	0.39	0.47
Close S&P	1.050	0.745	S&P	0.741	0.830

RUSHING			TURNOVERS
EqPts	6.6	9.9	Number	1	0
Close Success Rate	50.0%	42.9%	Turnover Pts	4.8	0.0
Close PPP	0.22	0.28	Turnover Pts Margin	-4.8	+4.8
Close S&P	0.721	0.710
Line Yards/carry	2.61	2.98	Q1 S&P	1.183	0.832
			Q2 S&P	1.032	0.674
PASSING			Q3 S&P	1.083	0.723
EqPts	26.6	19.0	Q4 S&P	0.746	0.902
Close Success Rate	55.9%	34.1%
Close PPP	0.78	0.43	1st Down S&P	1.113	0.706
Close S&P	1.340	0.773	2nd Down S&P	1.161	0.824
SD/PD Sack Rate	4.6% / 0.0%	8.3% / 0.0%	3rd Down S&P	0.549	0.597
Projected Pt. Margin: Missouri +0.5 \| Actual Pt. Margin: Arizona State +7

Like: James Franklin

He took some good hits and looked none the worst for wear, and despite still showing his inexperience at times ... boy, he looked good as a whole, didn't he? Never mind the glitches, never mind all the "Dislikes" below: Franklin completed 62% of his passes and engineered a two-touchdown comeback, in the fourth quarter, on the road, against a team that very well might end up in the Pac-12 title game. Stripping aside all other context, that's pretty damn impressive.

Dislike: Standard Downs Defense

Arizona State had an excellent scheme, pulling off multiple fakes with each snap and preventing Mizzou from confidently attacking a given play. That said ... Arizona State doesn't end up with a 1.162 S&P on Standard Downs against everybody, and they didn't change their scheme just for Missouri. Meanwhile, Mizzou attempted to confuse ASU by disguising their coverages on defense, and they really only ended up confusing themselves.

A 60% success rate on standard downs is far too high, though it makes Mizzou's near-comeback all the more impressive. ASU was able to do whatever they wanted to on those downs, and though Mizzou did relatively well in shutting drives down once they reached passing downs status, they didn't force enough passing downs.

Like: Passing Downs Offense

(I could have also put this as "Dislike: Standard Downs Offense.")

I've long considered standard downs the "play-calling downs" or the "game-planning downs." Meanwhile, passing downs are the "play-maker downs." Just hope that somebody talented can make a play and get you back on schedule. It makes sense, then, that Mizzou's standard downs offense isn't very good right now. Mizzou is not only breaking in a new quarterback -- one who differs significantly from the last one in terms of strengths and weaknesses -- but they are doing so while missing their No. 2 receiver, their starting left tackle, their starting center, and three of their four strong running backs. Hard to gameplan when your personnel changes from heartbeat to heartbeat.

For Mizzou to succeed through all of this ridiculous transition, they're going to need some play-makers to, quite simply, make plays. They did just that on Friday night, producing a much better S&P on passing downs (0.830) than on standard downs (0.699). For one reason or another, this was always a weakness for a Blaine Gabbert offense, but it wasn't last week.

Drive No. 2: James Franklin rushes for 18 yards on 2nd-and-10.
Drive No. 2: Franklin passes to Michael Egnew for 14 yards on 2nd-and-16.
Drive No. 3: Franklin rushes for 22 yards on 3rd-and-14.
Drive No. 3: Franklin passes to T.J. Moe for 20 yards on 2nd-and-8.
Drive No. 3: Franklin passes to Marcus Lucas for 21 yards on 2nd-and-15.
Drive No. 5: Henry Josey rushes for 24 yards on 2nd-and-13.
Drive No. 6: Franklin passes to Lucas for 8 yards on 2nd-and-8.
Drive No. 7: Franklin passes to Wes Kemp for 18 yards on 2nd-and-10.
Drive No. 7: Franklin passes to Kemp for 11 yards on 3rd-and-10.
Drive No. 10: Lucas draws a pass interference penalty on 3rd-and-15.
Drive No. 11: Franklin passes to Lucas for 49 yards on 3rd-and-14.

Three of Lucas' four catches came on these downs, but we'll come back to him.

Dislike: Short Yardage

The following tidbit comes from Tidbit King Tom Orf:

Mizzou on 4th-and-2 or Less
	1-30 Yard Line			31-49 Yard Line
	Run	Pass	FG	Run	Pass	Punt
2011			3-3	1-1
2010	0-2		2-3	2-2	1-2	3
2009	1-2	1-2	3-3	1-2	2-2
2008	1-2	1-1	2-2		1-2
2007		4-4	2-2		1-2	2
2006	2-3	1-2	1-1	2-2		2
2005	4-4	0-1	2-3	2-2		1
2004	4-4		4-4	1-1	1-1	1
2003	10-13	0-1	1-1	3-3	1-2	2
2002	5-7	0-1	2-4		1-3	1
2001	0-1	1-2	1-3	1-1		1

So on fourth-and-2 or less, inside the opponent's 30, Mizzou went for it 83% of the time in 2006, 67% of the time in 2007, 60% of the time in 2008, 57% of the time in 2009, 40% of the time in 2010 and, thus far, 0% of the time in 2011. Because of some combination of distrust of the offensive line, distrust of the quarterback and trust in the defense, Mizzou is taking FAR fewer chances in short-yardage situations; I approve of the need to be a bit more conservative, but this is almost too conservative.

As we heard Rod Gilmore say approximately 26 times (only 474 fewer times than we heard Joe Tessitore tell us that Brock Osweiler was 6-foot-8), the spread offense is not naturally inclined to dominate at the goal line. But Mizzou has a solid overall track record in this regard, especially in the more pass-happy Chase Daniel years (6-for-7 passing inside the 30 on 4th-and-2 or less from 2006-08). Right now, it appears the confidence in the personnel is lacking, and hopefully both improved health and increased experience change that as the season progresses.

Like: The Offensive Line

The Missouri offensive line currently includes a backup guard at left tackle and a starting guard at center. In missing Elvis Fisher and Travis Ruth, you have to take the good with the bad here. And to be sure, there was some bad to go around, namely some atrocious early-game shotgun snaps and three penalties for 25 yards (a chop block by Justin Britt and a false start and illegal block by an unspecified lineman). But there was quite a bit to like, too.

For starters, three penalties is an improvement over the previous week. So there's that.

More importantly, the line averaged 2.98 line yards per rush attempt, not a wonderful total, but a stable one. Plus, against an Arizona State defense that feasts on passing downs, they allowed no sacks and gave Franklin enough time to find some targets downfield. This was huge. The Mizzou line is not yet as good as we dreamed it might be with Fisher, Ruth and company, but it took a significant, size-18 step forward.

Dislike: The Pass Rush

Again, the motion and fakes seemed to sap Mizzou's aggression a bit, but they also seemed to voluntarily keep the foot off the accelerator as well. The Tigers managed to chop down Osweiler just once all night, though it did come at a key time: 2nd-and-3 for ASU right after Mizzou had tied the game at 30-30. It helped to force the punt that set up Grant Ressel's ill-fated attempt at the game-winning field goal. Granted, they did not face that many sack opportunities (i.e. passing downs), but they didn't take advantage of the ones they had either. It does not surprise me, then, that there was a bit of a shuffle on the depth chart: Michael Sam will now start in Jacquies Smith's absence instead of Brayden Burnett.

Like: Marcus Lucas

He came through big-time. Sure, it would have been great if he had one extra step in him to outrun defenders to the end zone (he was stopped at the 1 on his 22-yarder and at the 2 on his 49-yarder), but he is a big, physical presence, and he asserted himself in the desert. He caught three passes for 78 yards (and drew a pass interference penalty for 15 more yards) on passing downs, and he caught another nine-yarder (and both drew and committed other pass interference penalties) as well. The six passes targeting him averaged 14.5 yards a pop, almost as high an average as the averages of Wes Kemp, T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew combined.

Mizzou	Targets	Catches	Catch%	Target%	Rec. Yds.	Yds. Per Target
Wes Kemp (WR)	9	5	55.6%	21.4%	43	4.8
T.J. Moe (WR)	8	6	75.0%	19.0%	48	6.0
Michael Egnew (TE)	7	3	42.9%	16.7%	27	3.9
Marcus Lucas (WR)	6	4	66.7%	14.3%	87	14.5
Brandon Gerau (WR)	5	2	40.0%	11.9%	16	3.2
L'Damian Washington (WR)	4	3	75.0%	9.5%	39	9.8
Henry Josey (RB)	2	2	100.0%	4.8%	51	25.5
Jared Culver (RB)	1	1	100.0%	2.4%	8	8.0
TOTAL	42	26	61.9%	100.0%	319	7.6
TOTAL (WR)	32	20	62.5%	76.2%	241	7.5
TOTAL (RB)	3	3	100.0%	7.1%	51	17.0
TOTAL (TE)	7	3	42.9%	16.7%	27	3.9

Other thoughts:

Michael Egnew has had a dreadful first two games of the season: 11 targets, 5 catches, 39 yards.
Juniors and seniors receivers (Kemp, Moe, Egnew, Gerau): 29 targets, 16 catches, 134 yards (4.6 per target)
Sophomore receivers (Lucas, Washington): 10 targets, 7 catches, 126 yards (12.6 per target).
Good things are ahead.
Regression toward the mean just wrecked Brandon Gerau. He isn't nearly as explosive as last year's numbers suggest, and Friday's numbers adjusted his averages pretty far in the other direction.

Dislike: The Secondary

Evidently there were some communication issues for the Mizzou secondary as they attempted to disguise their coverages. To be sure, the defense improved significantly late in the game ... but not quickly enough to stop Aaron Pflugrad from destroying them.

ASU	Targets	Catches	Catch%	Target%	Rec. Yds.	Yds. Per Target
Aaron Pflugrad (WR)	8	8	100.0%	24.2%	180	22.5
Jamal Miles (WR)	8	6	75.0%	24.2%	50	6.3
Gerell Robinson (WR)	4	2	50.0%	12.1%	66	16.5
Mike Willie (WR)	4	2	50.0%	12.1%	22	5.5
Cameron Marshall (RB)	3	2	66.7%	9.1%	21	7.0
Kyle Middlebrooks (WR)	2	2	100.0%	6.1%	12	6.0
George Bell (WR)	2	2	100.0%	6.1%	12	6.0
Chris Coyle (WR)	1	1	100.0%	3.0%	25	25.0
N/A	1	0	0.0%	3.0%	0	N/A
TOTAL	33	25	75.8%	100.0%	388	11.8
TOTAL (WR)	30	23	76.7%	90.9%	367	12.2
TOTAL (RB)	3	2	66.7%	9.1%	21	7.0
TOTAL (TE)	0	0	N/A	0.0%	0	N/A

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm not sure I've ever seen a cornerback with an odder ratio of cover skills to ball skills as E.J. Gaines.

Summary

Losses suck. They just do. But non-conference losses to good teams (on the road, no less) only tend to matter if you are aiming for the national title. That probably wasn't in Mizzou's plans this year, and in the end, this post would have had the same likes and dislikes even if Ressel had made the 48-yard field goal at the end of regulation. Mizzou moves forward having shown significant improvement in some areas (offense) and ~~regression~~ opportunities for improvement in others (defense). They probably aren't going to beat Oklahoma in two weeks, and they will almost certainly be 2-2 when they head to Manhattan after a bye week on October 8. But what they showed Friday night suggests both that they should be well-equipped to handle the Big 12 gauntlet, and that the future is still bright in Columbia

Who has the best group of receivers in the Pac 12?

John Berkowitz — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:15:45 -0000

The west is the land of wide open offenses and quarterbacks who like to air it out for huge numbers. So who has the best corp of wide receivers in the Pac 12 conference?

I am going with Arizona for now with Washington coming in a close second. The one thing that holds me back from picking the Huskies is a healthy Juron Criner at Arizona and a lack of toughness that was displayed at times by UW receivers last season.

Arizona - Most experts have picked the Wildcats as having the best group pf WR's in the conference and that is hard to dispute since Juron Criner comes back to lead a group with good talent, depth, and experience. It has been rumored that Criner has been suffering from some physical ailment this summer and that it has put his season into possible jeopardy. Mike Stoops is now saying that Criner will be ready to go when camp opens. If that is true we have to give Arizona the nod for having potentially the best group of wide outs in the Pac 12.

Reports late last month claimed that Arizona's All-American wide receiver status for the 2011 season was "uncertain" after an "erratic episode" that had resulted in his hospitalization. But Wildcat head coach Mike Stoops told the Arizona Daily Star today that Criner was "here and ready to go" once the team's fall camp opens on Aug. 4. "We anticipate him being the same player - or a better player - than he was a year ago," Stoops added.

CBS Sports

Washington - It is hard not to pick the Huskies number one but the lack of a returning QB could diminish the firepower in comparison the Arizona. Kearse and Aguilar are big time guys entering their senior seasons with plenty of potential for upside. Frosh Kasen Williams will provide immediate impact. There is plenty of experienced depth behind them and there is finally going to be some solid help from the tight end position. ASJ, Hartvigson, and Hudson represent a major upgrade but they are unproven at this point.

A mixed bag. Kearse had big moments, Aguilar had few, Johnson had none. Aguilar caught 14 fewer passes, and also had a drop in yardage and touchdowns. That was a banner season compared to Johnson. The sophomore finished the season with one catch.

Todd Dybas - SPNW

Southern Cal - When all you recruit are four and five star players you are definitely going to build up a great arsenal of wide receivers. Robert Woods is the next great Trojan wide receiver while true frosh George Farmer and Kyle Prater have the potential to be even better. As usual there is plenty of talented depth and most importantly an older and wiser Matt Barkley to deliver the ball.

Farmer comes out of the same high school as 2010 freshman phenom Robert Woods and fellow 2011 USC WR recruit Marqise Lee. Farmer, the overall #12 pick and the #1 pick for wide receivers is fast, big, intelligent and has a set of golden hands on him. Speculation says he’d make a great safety as well as wide receiver. It is likely Farmer will start alongside his former high school teammate Robert Woods, with his main competition being redshirt freshman Kyle Prater.

Gridiron Goddess

Washington State - The Cougars can throw the ball all over the field and they have receivers who are more than capable of getting after the ball. Marquess Wilson burst on the scene last year as a true frosh and hauled in over 1000 yards. Jared Karstetter snagged 62 passes from QB Jeff Tuel who is primed to have a great season. The Cougs have put together some nice depth behind them led by Gino Simone.

Wilson exploded onto the Pac-10 scene last year as a lithe true freshman, receiving over 100 yards in five of his first eight games. He would end up over 1,000 yards for the season, the first Cougar to do that since Brandon Gibson did it as a junior in 2007. Did I mention he was a true freshman? Playing on an offense that was one of the worst in history the year before he arrived?

Coug Center

Arizona State - The Devils have been amassing some decent talent and experience at the WR positions. Quarterbacking is expected to improve next season so perhaps this group is headed for a breakout season. Mike Willie, Aaron Pflugrad and Jamal Miles will be the starters with some great depth off the bench from George Bell, A.J. Pickens, and J.J. Holliday. Plufgrad is a transfer from Oregon. He left after the Ducks fired his (Robin) dad. His dad landed on his feet and is now the head coach of Montana.

Senior cornerback Omar Bolden left Saturday's scrimmage at Sun Devil Stadium with a knee injury that looked to be serious. Coach Dennis Erickson didn't immediately know the severity, but he was concerned. Especially after senior receiver T.J. Simpson was carted off the practice field just two days ago with a similar issue. "When you see two guys like that go down you almost feel like not practicing," Erickson said. Losing either player would hurt the Sun Devils' chances to contend in the Pac-12's South Division.

AZ Central

Oregon State - I could be rating the Beavers a little high here with the uncertainty surrounding the health of James Rodgers and Jordan Bishop. If those guys are at 100% this group is right at the top of the conference Markus Wheaton, Darrell Catching, Kevin Cummings and Geno Munoz are healthy and good enough to keep the Beavers in the upper half of the conference at this position.

In a perfect world, the Oregon State passing game would look golden going into spring football: what's not to like about strong-armed QB Ryan Katz throwing to the likes of James Rodgers, Markus Wheaton, Jordan Bishop, Darrell Catchings and Joe "The Tank'' Halahuni? Who doesn't love the upside of 6-foot-5 Obum Gwacham, an intriguing red zone target once he learns to run routes properly, or dependable Geno Munoz, who moves to slot receiver?

Oregon Live

California - The big problem with the Cal offense as of late has been the play at QB. Consistent play from new QB Zack Maynard would give this group a big shot in the arm. Keenan Allen and Marvin Jones will carry most of the load. Ted Miller of ESPN picked Pac-12 Cal WR Keenan Allen as the most indespensable player on the Cal roster.. Allen is the half-brother of new quarterback Zach Maynard, and as a true freshman caught 46 passes for 490 yards and a team-leading five receiving scores.

This one might come as a surprise to some, but not to observant Cal fans. This selection is not just about Keenan Allen, sophomore receiver. It's about the idea of Keenan Allen: an athletic, big-play guy who, with his half-brother Zach Maynard playing quarterback, becomes the second coming of DeSean Jackson as a sophomore -- only at 6-foot-3 -- the flashy half of a top receiving combination with Marvin Jones.

Ted Miller - ESPN

Oregon - The Ducks were pounded by graduation at these positions but they do have one of the best TE's in the conference in David Paulson. In addition to solid depth at TE they have some real serious talent coming in as freshman this season. Devon Blackmon, BJ Kelley, and Raushan Vaughn are expected to contribute in a big way. Lavasier Tuinei and Josh Huff saw extensive action last season and are laso expected to pick up a piece of the slack.

Say hello to Lavasier Tuinei. This senior wideout should be a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12 this season if his play even comes close to his physical attributes. Although Tuinei only had 36 receptions for just fewer than 400 yards last season, he is a physical specimen who defensive backs will have a hard time covering.

National Football Authority

Stanford - The Cards graduated their two top WR's but they do have a great stable of tight ends and the best QB in the country. Andrew luck will deliver the ball on the money and whoever Stanford puts out there is going to catch the ball. Chris Owusu is the top returnee but there are a few health questions concerning him. When healthy he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Drew Terrell, Darren Daniel, Griff Whalen and Jamal-Rashad Patterson represent the current future and depth at the position.

As new Stanford head coach David Shaw convened his first spring football practice Monday, it was clear that Andrew Luck didn't develop any rust on his passing touch since the Orange Bowl. It was less clear who his main targets will be in the fall.

SF Gate

UCLA - The Bruins are in one of the most fertile recruiting territories in the country. There is always talent on this roster at the skill positions. Nelson Rosario can be one of the better WR's in the country when he is engaged. The question is how happy and engaged is this unit or squad with a coach on the hot seat? Randy Carroll and Josh Smith will be expected to take it to the next level to help out this season's starting QB.

Our top two receivers - Embree and Rosario - combined for 61 total receptions during the 2010 football season. In comparison, J. Kearse, Pac-10's 6th best receiver caught 63 balls during the same season.

Rosario and Embree combined for 718 receiving yards. That number would have been barely good enough for the 8th spot in conference statistics in which Robert Woods - a Trojan freshman - placed 7th with 786 receiving yards in Lane Kiffin's offense.

Bruin receivers and tight ends combined for 8 TDs for the entire season. Jeff Maehl from Oregon (and Kearse from Washington) caught 12 scores alone during the same season.

Bruins Nation

Utah - DeVonte Christopher is the only guy on the roster returning who has much experience. The cupboard isn't empty though. The Ute's have some good looking talent with Reggie Dunn, Dres Anderson, Luke Matthews, Dexter Ransom and Kenneth Scott getting a shot to compete for spots in the rotation.

Receiver DeVonte Christopher emerged as a dangerous deep threat last season and should be the go-to guy in new coordinator Norm Chow's offense. Christopher - a 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior who played quarterback in high school - is Utah's leading returning receiver after recording 39 catches for 660 yards (16.9 ypc) and six touchdowns in 2010. Christopher topped 100 yards against Pitt, Iowa State and Colorado State en route to earning honorable-mention All-Mountain West Conference honors.

OC Register

Colorado - Paul Richardson and Toney Clemons are a dependable duo but the depth behind them needs to step up if the if the Buffs intend to compete in the Pac 12 this season.

Despite losing CU's all-time leading wide receiver in Scotty McKnight, we return five guys who saw the field last year, plus one guy who logged playing time two seasons ago. We should be OK at the position this season, and I'm not sure there is much question as to who will be seeing the field.

Ralphie Report

ASU Football: Wide Receiver Depth Chart Reveals Experience, Talent

Cory Williams — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:00:38 -0000

As we begin the month of May out here in Arizona, we're all resigned to the same fate: it's about to get very hot up in here. With everyone headed inside for the next three months, we can now safely look ahead at the 2011 ASU football team and break down the depth chart a little bit.

Today, we will look at the wide receivers, a corps that will play a crucial role in whether or not the Sun Devils will make it back to bowl season for the first time since 2007. We begin with some upperclassmen that you've seen before, and then we'll move on to the "up and coming" players.

Aaron Pflugrad: A redshirt senior, Pflugrad transferred to ASU from Oregon after his sophomore season to play for the Sun Devils. Making his debut in 2010, Pflugrad made 29 catches, picking up 329 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He's a solid third wide receiver, someone who can make a tough catch in open spaces and he also happens to run clean routes.

He was a nonfactor against Arizona in the Territorial Cup game (zero catches), but that might have more to do with QB Brock Osweiler than Pflugrad.

For several more key contributors, including Gerell Robinson, continue reading.

Gerell Robinson: Another senior, Robinson was highly touted when he arrived at Arizona State. A local kid, Robinson came to ASU after graduating from Hamilton High School in Chandler. Robinson also made 29 catches in 2010, earning 387 yards and hitting paydirt five times.

Robinson has had an excellent spring, culminating in a four catch, 65-yard effort in the spring game. He has built rapport with Osweiler and is likely the top wideout on the team after the loss of T.J. Simpson to a torn ACL. If Robinson can make good on his talent, he will be considered a force in the Pac-12.

Mike Willie: Out of nowhere, Willie was a pleasant surprise for ASU last season. Transferring from Cerritos Community College in California, he made 36 catches and scored six touchdowns. He came up big against Oregon, scoring two touchdowns and picking up 74 yards. As far as targets go, Osweiler will bring plenty of passes in this senior's direction.

Now that we've established the top tier of the hierarchy, lets look at some wild cards in the depth chart.

J.J. Holliday: This guy was a special teams beast in 2010, and as a redshirt sophomore should contend for more time on the offensive unit in 2011. Holliday made four catches for 60 yards in the spring game, showing that he is being given a real opportunity by coach Dennis Erickson. By all accounts, he's very fast.

Kyle Middlebrooks: It's hard to tell whether this guy is a wide receiver, a running back, or just a kick returner. He's most famous for his almost touchdown against Wisconsin as time expired in the first half. Just imagine if he made it into the end zone:

So very close.

There are a ton of other players on the depth chart at wide receiver, including George Bell, but realistically these guys will see the most playing time in the early part of the 2011 season. Hopefully they will fit the bill during this potential-filled season.

Observations From ASU Spring Practice 4/3

Jess Root — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:00:23 -0000

For the past three years, I have taken the time to go watch the Sun Devils in their spring practices whenever I can. I took the opportunity do so this past Saturday at 2PM. It wasn't an exciting practice in particular, but there were a few things that stuck out. Here is what stuck out to me:

Cameron Marshall is a beast. He looks even bigger than last year and ran hard. The highlight of the day was a running play to the left in which Marshall took on Vontaze Burfict. The collision was bone-crushing and Marshall won. He put Burfict on his butt and gained another 15 yards. That is hard to do.

Incoming freshman Michael Bercovici looks like he has some real potential. His throwing motion is extremely quick. He also already has the ability to look off a guy and throw the ball to another.

The swing pass that is the staple of the ASU offense showed some improvement. Last season I can't remember how many times there was either a drop on those plays or a drop that turned into a fumble because it was a lateral. It was not perfect in practice, but it looked much crisper than last season.

DT William Sutton is loud. We heard him talking, hooting and hollering all practice. Expect a lot of trash talking by the defense again this year.

Gerell Robinson is going to drive me nuts. He is so big and talented, but he comes in really dumb. He misses balls that are put on the money and then makes a spectacular plays. I imagine this will continue.

George Bell cannot catch a ball thrown to his chest. He was rocking red dreads, but like he did a few times last season, he will drop a ball when he is standing still and the ball is delivered to his chest. He will, however, pull down balls you have no idea how he does.

Brice Schwab looks ready to play. The JC transfer has lost another 20 lbs and looks much quicker. He is down the 300 lbs and is moving well. Hopefully he will not whiff on any blocks with the kicking game.

Lawrence Guy and Thomas Weber were in the house. I saw Guy on the sideline and, according to my brother-in-law, I walked right past Weber.

I should be back in a week to report next Saturday's practice. Come join us at Sun Devil Stadium at 9AM.

Getting to know the ASU Sun Devils: Q&A with House of Sparky

jtlight — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 03:44:56 -0000

We're less than 24 hours away from the start of Pac-10 football, and Cory Williams of SBNation's ASU blog, House Of Sparky was kind enough to answer a few questions on the Sun Devils. Below are our questions, and his answers.

1) Steven Threet transferred from Michigan and has had a pretty solid couple games for the Sun Devils, and what I saw of the Wisconsin game impressed me. Have you been surprised by his performance, and what does he bring to the table that last years QBs did not?

Surprised can mean a lot of things. I'm optimistic about Threet's ability to lead this Sun Devil team, which I couldn't say about Danny Sullivan last year. He has been baptized under fire over at Michigan, and while he transferred out of there due to a clash of styles, Threet has excelled under coach Dennis Erickson.

He brings a sense of legitimacy. Threet knows the pocket and can move around the blitz. He has quick feet and a good release, and puts the ball in the chest of his receivers. He is tall and knows what needs to be done to move the chains.

Threet has a dark side: he sometimes slightly overthrows the ball, but if that's your worst complaint, you're in good shape. I haven't been this confident in an ASU quarterback in years, and I'm including Rudy Carpenter in this discussion.

2) What skill position players have excited you the most this year? Who needs to have a big game for ASU to stay competitive?

I was really excited when Deantre Lewis got to campus, and he has not disappointed at all. He's so fast - just needs to work on his seasoning and he will be a true stud in the Pac-10. If he hadn't tripped up on the Arizona State 30-yard line last week, he would have scored a 99-yard touchdown on the Badgers.

I am also happy about the new wide receiving corps that filled the depth charts in 2010. Mike Willie, George Bell, Aaron Pflugrad: all have been positive contributors this season. Kerry Taylor has stepped up and been a good target for Threet.

All in all, there's a lot to be excited about in Tempe, and that's news to most ASU supporters.

3) ASU's offensive line has been an Achilles heel for the Sun Devils in recent years. How do you expect the line to stand up to Oregon's varied blitzing schemes?

Honestly, I don't. Our left tackle is a converted tight end. We're getting better, but we're not good enough to stand up to Oregon's speed and depth.

I do expect the offense to try new things, however. Threet won't have a lot of time to throw the ball, so you might see some misdirections and some tomfoolery.

As Boise State has proven time and time again, having a few tricks up your sleeve can pay huge dividends. People don't remember how you win: all that matters is that you do.

4) On defense, everyone knows about Vontaze Burfict. Who else should Duck fans keep their eye on when the Ducks have the ball?

I am a fan of Eddie Elder, a JUCO transfer who is very active in the secondary. He makes things happen, and has a good eye for coverage. Against the Oregon "PlayStation" offense, however, I am not sure if Elder will be the main prize.

The entire starting linebacker corps hails from Centennial High School in Norco, California. Brandon Magee, Shelly Lyons, and Vontaze Burfict have been playing together for years, and coach Erickson saw fit to keep it that way for a reason.

If they are able to mesh, they might come up with some key stops. This is just such a tough task, and Oregon is so much faster than Wisconsin could dream of being.

5) Burfict has a reputation for playing out of control. Will he and the rest of the line backing corps be able to play sound defense and not over pursue Oregon's misdirection and option plays?

That's the dream and the hope of ASU fans across the valley. Is it feasible? Yes. Burfict played smart in Wisconsin, after some ill-advised plays against Northern Arizona.

In my mind, the coaching staff had a quick word with the young man, and it went a little something like this: "If you make a boneheaded decision, you will not play." When such a big game is at stake, even Vontaze Burfict can be kept in line.

As for stopping Oregon, that's funny. The goal is containment. Holding Oregon to under 35 points is what I would consider a victory tomorrow night. ASU has a good offense and could muster up a battle if the defense can stymie the big play.

In the end, Oregon will leave Arizona with another victory, but the Sun Devils will finally show some self-respect and give the Ducks a fight. In the end, a good game is all we want - and ASU hasn't played UO tough in years.

SB Nation - George Bell

ASU Football 12 In '12: Our Q&A With Sun Devil WR Kevin Ozier

ASU Football: Which Is The Greater Concern - Wide Receiver Or Linebacker?

Which area concerns you more?

Wide Receiver

Linebacker

ASU Football Spring Practice Primers: Breaking Down The WR Competition

2012 Breakout Candidate: WR Rashad Ross

What do you except from Ross in 2012?

Indispensable part of the offense

Starter/Solid contributor

Role player

Nothing

Previewing the Arizona St. Sun Devils: Part I - Coaching and Offense

Arizona State Beats Missouri: Beyond The Box Score

Arizona State 37, Missouri 30

Like: James Franklin

Dislike: Standard Downs Defense

Like: Passing Downs Offense

Dislike: Short Yardage

Like: The Offensive Line

Dislike: The Pass Rush

Like: Marcus Lucas

Dislike: The Secondary

Summary

Who has the best group of receivers in the Pac 12?

ASU Football: Wide Receiver Depth Chart Reveals Experience, Talent

Observations From ASU Spring Practice 4/3

Getting to know the ASU Sun Devils: Q&A with House of Sparky