Teammates used to call former Sun Devil starting quarterback Danny Sullivan “Vanilla Vick” last year.
While Sullivan had his moments in 2009, including a last second game-winning heave against Washington — he was slow — very, very slow, like un-hitch the plow slow.
Last year’s starting running back Dimitri Nance was a workhorse in 2009.
He was also not fast.
His best attribute was agility, with his jump cutting and power; moving to and fro making defenders miss — good enough for an NFL roster this year.
Meet the quarter horses.
ASU’s 54-9 win over Portland State on Saturday was the first track meet of the season for the Sun Devils’ stable of backs and receivers catching balls in the flats and backfield.
To the tune of 316 yards on 22 touches, freshman Deantre Lewis and sophomores Cameron Marshall and Jamal Miles made an opening statement.
“With these guys, you give them the ball in space and they are tough to take down,” redshirt junior quarterback Steven Threet said. “It’s not going to happen very often.”
When you add to the mix freshman Kyle Middlebrooks, who is likely to get touches as a receiver in the flats and out of the backfield, the Sun Devils have five “backs” in the 4.45 seconds and under forty-yard dash club.
Lewis’ may be the second fastest behind Middlebrooks, but his 62-yard touchdown reception down the sideline looked like a play made by some of the other electric Pac-10 ball carriers the last few years—Jhavid Best, Reggie Bush and LaMicheal James come to mind.
“On that one run he made on that (reception) he just has another gear and he can take it to the house,” Erickson said. “Jamal can do the same thing. Cameron is a little faster than people think too. But Lewis brings something different than what we had here the last couple of years.”
Even the quarterbacks, Threet and sophomore Brock Osweiler, got into the mix with a few zone-read runs, combining for 44 yards; showing not just a willingness to run, but agility, posing a threat that did not exist at the position last year.
When combined with the depth and athleticism at receiver, the Sun Devils may be very difficult to game plan against moving forward.
“It’s give us a pretty good balance depending on what people do,” Erickson said. “And you can see it and take advantage of it when you see people in the box.”
While ASU compiled 253 yards on the ground and originated many of their passing yards from the flats, they believe they have the ability to change things up and go down field when teams adjust.
“The better we can run the ball, the better we can pass the ball and vice versa,” Marshall said. “The offense is deadly.”
Reach the reporter at nick.ruland@asu.edu
