The ASU football team welcomed junior wide receiver Gerell Robinson back to practice Tuesday after he missed Saturday’s game against Portland State.
Robinson was held out of the opener because of a hamstring injury, one that has hampered him much of the last month.
“Robinson was pretty good today,” Erickson said. “It was a test for him today because he felt good about it and he made it through a full practice and didn’t feel like there was any pull at all.”
Robinson attempted to come back during summer camp after he initially injured it, but he re-aggravated it in his first practice back.
Receivers, perhaps more than any other position on the field, have to make sure leg muscle injuries are healed before returning.
“A lot of that it seems like is his confidence being able to explode and run routes particularly at that position and I know he is excited because he was pretty happy to be back at practice,” Erickson said.
Robinson started five games last season, appearing in all 12 and had 26 catches for 261 yards.
Robinson gives the Sun Devils offense another versatile weapon.
“He is a great receiver and very athletic,” redshirt junior quarterback Steven Threet said. “He can play on the inside, in the middle of the field or on the outside. He is really dangerous and tough on defenses.”
Erickson believes that Robinson also provides the Sun Devils with excellent options when matched up against linebackers, safeties and third and fourth string cornerbacks in the slot.
“It gives us a little more flexibility,” Erickson said. “We can move (junior transfer) Mike Willie outside some and Gerell can play outside and now we have three guys who play the Y position in four-wide.”
ASU’s offense put up more than 550 yards of total offense in the opener, but will likely face a stiffer test against Northern Arizona, a more experienced and more talented team than PSU.
Threet avoided the subject of how good the ASU offense could be this year, but he did talk about the offenses’ philosophy.
“All we are worried about is NAU,” Threet said.
ASU had trouble connecting on deep and intermediate passing plays in the opener, but one of the key tenets of Noel Mazzone’s scheme is to spread the ball around in the underneath zones.
“I think it is just making the plays that are there and not trying to force things,” Threet said. “Taking what the defense gives us and letting our guys make the plays from there.
Lumberjack leader
Erickson said he was pleased with the offensive line’s performance in the opening game after watching game film, but he was also impressed with NAU’s starting senior quarterback Michael Herrick after seeing his tape.
“Just watching him on tape from a year ago and their first game he is very athletic and gets rid of the football really, really quickly and has a good arm,” Erickson said. “He is one of the best quarterbacks in their league. They do a lot of the stuff we do. And he can run.”
Reach the reporter at nick.ruland@asu.edu
