While the Oregon football team is making the trip from Eugene to Tempe in hopes of beating the Sun Devils, junior cross country harrier Kyle Alcorn left Eugene to help the Sun Devils win.
In 2005, Alcorn transferred from the University of Oregon to ASU in order to compete for the cross country and track and field teams.
Alcorn's arrival as a Sun Devil was made official on Sept. 15, when he finished the Dave Murray Invitational in fourth place.
Alcorn said that so far, it hadn't really clicked that he is now officially a Sun Devil.
"It still feels different," Alcorn said. "But it feels good to be in the jersey finally."
For two seasons Alcorn was a member of the Ducks' cross country and track and field teams.
Before choosing Oregon, Alcorn excelled in distance running at Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif.
Immediately, Alcorn had an impact at Oregon, establishing himself as one of the school's top runners in track and cross country.
Under then head coach Martin Smith, Alcorn played a big part in the teams' success, including the track team's win at the 2005 Pac-10 Outdoor Track and Field Championship.
Alcorn finished the 3,000-meter steeplechase in seventh place at the 2005 Pac-10 Championships behind his future ASU teammate Aaron Aguayo, who took the Pac-10 title.
After also running in the Ducks cross country team's top five consistently, Alcorn proved himself to be one of the program's greatest assets.
However, Oregon's cross country and track and field programs began a transition phase in March 2005 when Smith resigned as the teams' head coach.
Oregon hired former Oberlin College Athletic Director Vin Lananna to replace Smith in July 2005, which weighed the most on Alcorn's decision to leave Eugene.
"The philosophy that [Lananna] was bringing on was changing a lot, so I decided to make a change," Alcorn said.
The growing potential of ASU's cross country and track programs, along with coach Louie Quintana's philosophy made coming to ASU a great scenario for Alcorn.
Because Quintana's training style is similar to Smith's, Alcorn said that the transition hasn't been too difficult.
What Alcorn has had to adjust to is the weather.
While training in Eugene in the fall, the weather wasn't nearly as hot, which forces the Sun Devils to train early in the morning.
Alcorn was able to parlay his success at the Dave Murray Invitational to a 12th place finish at the Roy Griak Invitational last weekend, continuing his promising beginning as a Sun Devil.
"So far, I thought we've started out strong, and me personally, I've started out well," Alcorn said. "I'm looking forward to this season."
Reach the reporter at devin.hicks@asu.edu
