It’s not a four-letter expletive, but it will make a quarterback say one.

Drop.

Senior quarterback Danny Sullivan’s first career start was marred by at least five passes — and as many as seven — that should have been caught.

Despite the rare drops by his receiving corps, Sullivan stayed positive.

“[There were] a couple of unfortunate events out there, but that’s the game,” the senior said. “You just learn to run with it.”

Sullivan, who said he had some first-half nerves, went 13-for-25 for 165 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

Before Sullivan was taken out of the game after the first possession of the second half for freshman Brock Osweiler, he threw four passes that should have been touchdowns.

“Just making decisions in the red zone has to be a big key for us,” Sullivan said. “We have to start catching balls down there.”

On ASU’s third possession of the game, senior wide receiver Kyle Williams dropped a would-be touchdown over the middle, though ASU would later score on a nine-yard dash from senior running back Dimitri Nance.

Williams also dropped a much tougher would-be touchdown while getting hit later in the game.

Sophomore wide receiver Gerell Robinson, who was one of the stand-outs during training camp, had two drops, including one in the end zone in the second quarter. Robinson also had a touchdown called back after a questionable offensive pass interference call.

Sophomore tight end Dan Knapp also dropped a ball in the end zone that was slightly behind him.

“Those guys are good receivers that don’t drop it very much, so it’s not like we’re worried about it happening all the time,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said.

Due to an engulfing defense, the Sun Devils’ offense was gifted four possessions inside ISU’s 35-yard line.

ASU gave the red zone a red sea appearance, making the 20-yard area seem like an endless abyss by scoring one touchdown in their first seven trips.

“We had some opportunities offensively in the first half,” Erickson said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen very often for those guys. Like I said, they are proven, they have been around. [It was] just one of those nights.”

Two of ASU’s red-zone drives ended in Sullivan runs. The quarterback had five carries for 17 yards, but he had a critical 17-yard scramble on third and 21 that allowed ASU to go for it and convert on the ensuing fourth down.

“I didn’t get any ‘Vanilla Vick’ chants this time, but I’m more mobile than people think,” Sullivan said. “That’s all the hard work I put in the offseason trying to get leaner, faster, quicker,” Sullivan said.

Reach the reporter at nick.ruland@asu.edu.