The start of classes on Thursday meant the end of two-a-day practices for the ASU football team.
The Sun Devils switched to their regular practice schedule for the rest of the season, practicing once a day in the late afternoon.
Normally the practice that occurs on the first day of class isn’t outstanding, but ASU coach Dennis Erickson was pleased with the effort his team displayed.
“This is a hard day; they have a lot of things to focus on,” Erickson said. “Usually this is not a very good day. Today there was a lot of energy (even) with school starting.”
ASU starts school earlier than a lot of universities throughout the country; some even start class after its football team’s first game.
“That is the good thing I like about having it now, [it is] before we play any games,” Erickson said.
Mazzone Takes Over Offense
New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone was coaching high school football in North Carolina when Erickson gave him a call and asked if he would be interested in the job.
“It was either Panther Creek High School or the Arizona State Sun Devils,” Mazzone joked. “I came out and spent some time with him and he must have had a moment of weakness and decided I could do (the job).”
Mazzone learned a lot of what he preaches from Erickson.
“What I learned as a younger coach was [from] when I used to go watch him when he coached at Miami and Washington State,” Mazzone said.
Despite his intensity on the field, Mazzone also has a sense of humor, which showed when he was asked what quarterbacks he has influenced.
“Philip Rivers was terrible until I started coaching him,” Mazzone laughed. “I have had a chance to be around a lot of great ones — Jason Campbell, Philip Rivers, Chad Pennington and Brett Favre with the Jets. I have learned so much from those guys. It was kind of a give-take deal.”
Offensive depth chart taking shape
The offensive depth chart should begin to take shape shortly after Saturday’s scrimmage, the team’s second of the fall.
“There is some great competitions going at a lot of positions,” Mazzone said. “It is pretty open. We’ll start to settle down the middle part of next week.”
With the no-huddle offense, the depth chart may not mean much. Even guys listed as second or third team players will see the field.
“The fun thing about this offense is we need 10 receivers to play; we need four or five running backs to play,” Mazzone said. “We have one and one-A. You better not get any Gatorade.”
Linebacker Emerges
With the loss of two senior leaders at linebacker, ASU will need players to step up to replace the depth the unit had last season.
One of those guys is redshirt junior Colin Parker.
Parker has impressed during camp so much that Erickson compared him to one of the seniors from last season.
“He is very similar to Mike Nixon in a lot of ways,” Erickson said. “He is very smart; he understands everything. He is a good player and we are going to use him; he can play any place. He’s smart and you can trust him.”
Injury Update
A couple of projected starters on the offensive line decided to end their football careers recently due to injuries. Redshirt junior Matt Hustad and redshirt sophomore Zach Schlink both decided to call it quits due to knee injuries.
Sophomore defensive tackle Otis Jones also ended his career early due to a knee injury.
On a less serious note, junior wide receiver Gerell Robinson continues to be limited due to a hamstring injury. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Toa Tuitea has been out with an elbow injury, but Erickson expects him back by early next week.
Notes
Redshirt junior quarterback Samson Szakacsy threw on Thursday for the first time in a couple of days, but arm fatigue may take him out of the quarterbacks’ race. Junior college transfer tackle Aderious Simmons has completed his course work and has begun practicing with the team. The massive tackle can’t play in any games until the NCAA clearinghouse clears him.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
