Throughout the 2011 season, Dennis Erickson and Brock Osweiler advocated responsibility for their actions.
On Monday, the faces of the ASU football team practiced what they preached.
Less than two days after the Sun Devils couldn’t close out UCLA, the squad’s coach and junior quarterback expressed regret and liability for their share of Saturday’s 29-28 loss.
After the Bruins, down five, converted on a third-and-29 late in the fourth quarter, they were set up with a first-and-goal. UCLA was either going to take the lead or turn the ball over on downs.
Strategically, ASU needed to call time-outs to ensure itself the opportunity to drive down the field in the event the Bruins went ahead. Erickson did, but not until precious time clicked off the clock.
“It kind of happened fast on me but that’s my job,” the coach said. “We wasted about 25 seconds, I wasted about 25 seconds; it’s all on me. I talked to my players about being accountable on every play and on that particular case, I wasn’t accountable.”
After the Bruins scored, the Sun Devils got the ball back with 42 seconds left and drove 47 yards to set up redshirt freshman kicker Alex Garoutte’s 46-yard missed field goal to end the game. ASU could’ve had one or two more plays to get closer with the extra time that slipped away.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils recovered a UCLA fumble on a kickoff return to set them up in prime field position with a five-point advantage. The first two plays of the series netted four yards and set ASU up with a third-and-six.
Osweiler snapped the ball, couldn’t find anyone open and took off. The Bruins stopped him three yards short of the first down and Garoutte missed the ensuing 36-yard kick.
“We called a mesh route and I thought I saw one thing, but if I would’ve stuck with what coach Mazzone taught me to do, we might have a W in that column right now,” Osweiler said. “But that’s why football is a fun sport. You have to learn from those moments, and trust me, I have. I’ve learned from this.”
The quarterback went on to specify that it was wide receiver Jamal Miles who he missed and if he would’ve seen him in his normal progressions, the junior would’ve walked into the end zone.
Health pays off
For the first time since ASU’s season opener against UC Davis, the Sun Devils had their entire offensive line healthy Saturday.
ASU sophomore tackle Evan Finkenberg returned from a knee injury suffered against Oregon State.
Finally at full-strength, ASU allowed just one sack and ran for 5.3 yards per carry.
“That’s as good as our offensive front has played,” Erickson said. “If we can continue to do that it’ll really help us.”
The Bruins only had three tackles for loss the entire game.
“I was very proud of how the offensive line played,” Osweiler said. “That might have been their best game of the year. I wasn’t even touched.”
Reach the reporter at tyler.emerick@asu.edu
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