After a strong showing in Saturday’s loss to Wisconsin, junior linebacker Oliver Aaron will replace junior Shelly Lyons in the starting lineup against Oregon.
Aaron entered the game last Saturday when junior Brandon Magee was injured and filled in admirably. Aaron recorded nine tackles against the Badgers.
Linebackers coach Trent Bray informed Aaron on Sunday that he would be moving to the first team.
“I feel good,” Aaron said. “I feel like it was a long time coming, and I’m thankful for the opportunity the defensive staff gave me.”
It certainly will be a welcome opportunity to Aaron, who has waited four years for the chance.
“He’s been good,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “Like all players, when you are young, you have your ups and downs. He’s been great on special teams, and he stayed very positive. He can run like a deer, and he’s a great football player. He got his chance last week and played extremely well. He’s earned it.”
Aaron’s positive attitude has kept him ready for when this moment came.
“It was very frustrating, but at the same time, one of our mottos is you can only control the things that you can control,” Aaron said. “I have just tried to stay positive and take that into this season.”
That positive attitude shines when Aaron was asked if he ever considered transferring from the program.
“I always knew I had the ability to play,” Aaron said. “I always thought about what I could do to get on the field, not so much as where I can fit somewhere else.”
Originally, Aaron came to ASU as a safety and has bounced back and forth between the two positions over the past few years.
“I didn’t get a chance to learn safety,” Aaron said. “I don’t think it was my fit. I like more downhill and being around the ball.”
He came to ASU from Gainesville, Fla., not a common recruiting hot spot for the Sun Devils.
Aaron’s dad was in the Navy and encouraged his son to explore other places. Aaron also used to watch Erickson’s Miami teams and was drawn to the coach when he took the ASU job.
“I think what made it so appealing was that the coaching staff was at Miami and I grew up watching the Hurricanes and Florida, the classic battles,” Aaron said. “I always knew about the ‘U’. Growing up in Gainesville, you follow every team [in Florida].”
At 6 foot, 208 pounds, Aaron is an undersized linebacker, but is lightning fast and uses his speed to make up for his lack of size.
“I’m small but I really try not to get touched,” Aaron said. “Not being scared, it is just self preservation. I do my best to work swims and if it comes to me, I try to hit, but most of it is my speed.”
Another starter switch
Another starting lineup switch appears to be happening on the defensive side of the football.
Junior defensive tackle Bo Moos is running with the first team defense, and it looks like Moos will start alongside junior Lawrence Guy at the tackle position.
“We haven’t decided on who’s starting, but as of right now [Moos] is,” Erickson said.
Saturday’s game will have added importance for Moos, who is a native of Eugene, Ore. Moos’ father, Bill, previously served as the athletic director at Oregon and is currently the athletic director at Washington State.
An honor for Broussard
ASU wide receivers coach Steve Broussard received a pretty big honor recently.
Broussard was named to the All-Seahawks team, which was voted on by fans at Seahawks.com. The team is compromised of the best Seahawks at each position in the 35-year history of the franchise.
Broussard was named to the team as a kick returner. He played for the Seahawks from 1995 to 1998.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
