Just four months ago, ASU fifth-year offensive lineman Jon Hargis went down in a spring scrimmage with a torn ACL in his left knee.
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, ASU coach Dennis Erickson thought his career in Tempe was likely over.
Now, with the 2010 season opener in spitting distance, Hargis is hopeful he can make a return midway through the fall.
The lineman’s hard work was finally rewarded this week when his teammates delegated him as one of four captains.
“It just goes to show you how much respect that our players have for what he went through this spring and how hard he’s fought to come back to have the opportunity to play,” Erickson said. “Whether he plays a down this fall or whether he doesn’t, he’s obviously a leader of this football team. [He’s] been here five years and he’s what the program is all about, so it was great to see that vote.”
Joining Hargis at midfield will be redshirt senior linebacker Gerald Munns, senior place-kicker Thomas Weber and junior cornerback Omar Bolden.
“That shows that they respect me and I appreciate that,” Bolden said. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been a leader, regardless of if they name me a captain or not, but the fact that they want me to be out there and lead them, man, that’s big ups to my teammates.”
Quarterback Update
Sophomore quarterback Brock Osweiler took the first intrasquad snaps Wednesday with redshirt junior Steven Threet going second.
“They weren’t as good today as they were yesterday,” Erickson said. “That’s how it is [though], I’m just looking for some consistency.”
Osweiler went 3 for 6 in his first series including a 10-yard strike over the middle to redshirt freshman tight end Christopher Coyle.
Threet followed by completing all seven of his attempts. Only one, however, was more than five yards.
“Again, we’ll look at them tomorrow and Friday, then make the decision Monday,” Erickson said. “Who we’re going to start doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s how it will be all year … we’re going to make the decision that’s going to help us win.”
Taylor’s Place
The lesson of Wednesday’s practice had to be ‘don’t make Kerry Taylor angry.’
The senior wide receiver got into a scrap with redshirt sophomore cornerback Deveron Carr during 11 on 11 drills when Carr gave Taylor a shove after the whistle blew.
Not five minutes later, Taylor responded by catching a 35-yard pass over Carr down the sideline.
To cap off the seniors’ big day, Taylor went on to catch a 15-yard touchdown pass from Threet later in practice.
Notes
Junior wide receiver Gerell Robinson (hamstring) was held out of practice again, but did throw warm-up passes to his position mates … Junior tight end Trevor Kohl dressed in pads but did not participate in drills … ASU men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek attended the majority of practice, even watching by himself at times from the sidelines.
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
