Junior cornerback Omar Bolden is gaining a reputation as a man of his word.

He pressed ASU’s coaching staff last year and the offseason into letting him return kicks.

When finally given the opportunity, Bolden took his second-career return to the house, going 89 yards on the opening play to set the tone in ASU’s 38-14 win over Louisiana-Monroe.

“I’ve been begging coaches to put me back there since I’ve been here, man,” Bolden said.

Bolden’s new challenge is to put the clamps down on Georgia sophomore receiver A.J. Green.

As a freshman, Green burned ASU defensive backs, particularly Bolden, to the tune of eight catches and 159 yards.

“Of course you know I have a little personal vendetta,” Bolden said. “He got the best of me last season. Of course I’m trying to get the best of him this weekend.”

While Bolden said it’s best to stay within himself as a team player, he’s had a hard time erasing the memories as the guy on the tail end of the highlight reel.

“You think about it, and then you try to forget it,” Bolden said. “And then you watch ESPN and that clip comes up, and you’re like, ‘Man, I can’t wait for next year.’”

UGA’s highly touted passing game led by senior quarterback Joe Cox includes big-target receivers and a stud tight end, but that isn’t the end of the world to Bolden.

The junior said he thinks ASU’s trio of receivers, including junior Kerry Taylor and seniors Kyle Williams and Chris McGaha — a quartet if you include sophomore Gerell Robinson — are as difficult a test a college corner can face.

“There are three top receivers we got right here,” Bolden said. “We’ve got [Nos.] 6 [Williams], 5 [Taylor] and 13 [McGaha], and we face these dudes every day. All [UGA receivers] are is different cats in different numbers. [ASU receivers] prepare us better than anyone else can.”

Burfict words

The adjustment to a big college atmosphere for a freshman student-athlete, particularly a football player being asked to perform right away, is daunting.

When you’re the highest recruit in ASU history and likely the most talked about 18-year-old in the state, having already dealt with the stress of a highly publicized wait with the NCAA clearinghouse, dealing with the media can be taxing.

Not many folks are naturally comfortable with multiple microphones in the face, pressured to answer questions from the intrusive to the mundane.

Burfict was kind enough to grant his first interview with The State Press on Wednesday.

The true freshman seemed unfazed when asked about the upcoming big-game atmosphere in Georgia.

“I just play football,” Burfict said.

A supremely gifted athlete who has dominated the football field since his freshman year of high school, Burfict has shown to be one of ASU’s most intense players in practice and on the field.

But that’s just it — he’s a football player.

“I love football,” Burfict said. “I live and die football.”

When asked about what he loved about football Burfict put it simply:

“Hitting.”

Given his multiple-destruction performance against Idaho State ball carriers in his first 15 career plays from scrimmage, truer words couldn’t have been spoken.

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