Last week head coach Dennis Erickson said his team would be getting a lot of guys back as the team inched closer to game day.
Right on queue, several key players rejoined the Sun Devil football team for Tuesday night's practice.
Most notably was junior defensive end Luis Vasquez, who has been out since Camp Tontozona with a high ankle sprain.
"He was doing some things but his brace was bothering him so we had to get the thing adjusted," Erickson said. "Whether he'll play, I don't know. I can't give you an answer. He probably won't, but I'm not going to count him out."
Vasquez was a two-time All-American for Arizona Western Community College in Yuma, Ariz., and figures to fight his way back into the starting lineup once healthy. Meanwhile, junior Dane Guthrie has been taking most of the snaps with the first team at defensive end along with sophomore Dexter Davis.
Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Smith also made his presence felt in his first football action in about three weeks. Just ask senior safety Justin Tryon.
Smith made a great play on an under thrown ball in an offensive drill, beating Tryon for about a 35-yard pass down the right sideline.
Smith then proceeded to bark, "I told you! I told you!" to Tryon as he walked back to huddle. The trash talking continued after practice as the two were seen going back and forth leaving the field.
Senior wide receiver Rudy Burgess was in full pads for the second straight practice as he tries to recover from an injured calf. Erickson said that Burgess and Smith have about a "50-50 chance" to play in Saturday's contest.
Injured sophomore linebacker Ryan McFoy wasn't back in pads yet Tuesday night, but he was running sprints in between drills. Erickson said McFoy wouldn't be available until at least next week.
Erickson said he plans on using senior Ryan Torain, junior Keegan Herring and sophomore Dmitri Nance at running back this weekend, with Jarrell Woods still on the mend with an ankle injury.
Junior Shaun DeWitty was seen practicing with the scout team, and Erickson said it was a possibility that he and junior defensive end Eric Tanner would be redshirted this season.
Reach the reporter alex.espinoza@asu.edu
