ASU junior wide receiver Mike Willie admitted that he was nervous when he stepped on the field against Portland State for his first game in maroon and gold.
That nervousness showed in week one as Willie caught just two passes for 12 yards and dropped a potential touchdown pass.
With the nerves out of his system, Willie showed up to play Saturday, catching eight passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in ASU’s 41-20 win over Northern Arizona.
"It was a night where I didn't really have to worry about it being my first game, so I was more comfortable,” Willie said. “I got to go to work and not worry about too many people. I could just worry about working on my routes and catching the ball."
Willie admitted that, in his second game at the Division I level, the game slowed a bit, allowing him to just play.
“It slowed down a lot,” Willie said. “It was kind of fast because it was the first game, so I had to focus. I was not really nervous, but I was thinking too much.
“When you're thinking too much, you're not really playing well. I got to the point [against NAU] where I could just play."
Simmons could play more
Like Willie, another junior college transfer, offensive lineman Aderious Simmons, has been turning heads early this season.
Simmons replaced junior Brice Schwab at right tackle in the third quarter against NAU.
“He is getting better all the time,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “He hasn't played a whole lot but he played in the second half and did okay.”
It was only a matter of time before the massive tackle got more playing time, and he could move into the starting lineup soon.
He has the ideal body of an NFL tackle but has only been playing football for two years.
“With Aderious, in a month from now, he will be a way better football player,” Erickson said. “He has such a huge upside, but I've never had a player who played just two years and came in. He is very athletic with long arms. Mentally and technique-wise is what's hurting him the most right now, but that comes from playing."
Pass-heavy offense
The dynamic run game that ASU displayed in the win over PSU was absent as the Sun Devils topped NAU.
The Sun Devils carried the ball 29 times for just 75 yards and threw the ball 52 times.
“[Steven Threet’s] arm must be sore,” Erickson said. “We wanted to run the football. We didn’t run it really well. But if we threw 50 times, that’s too many as far as I’m concerned.
“We’ve got to be able to run it, we’ve got to run it, and as we get into the year and this part of our schedule that’s coming up, there’s no mercy.”
Early departure
Normally when ASU has an away game, the team leaves on Friday morning. However, for their trip to Madison, Wis., ASU is leaving on Thursday.
Because they are leaving earlier than normal, the Sun Devils will practice just twice in Tempe this week.
Injury report
With the physical Wisconsin Badgers next on the schedule, the depth of ASU’s defensive line will be tested.
Sophomore defensive end Toa Tuitea is expected to play for the first time this season after battling an elbow injury.
While Tuitea is expected back, sophomore defensive tackle Corey Adams is not expected to be ready to play in Madison.
Reach the reporter at andrew.gruman@asu.edu
