Coach Todd Graham talks with a player during the Sun Devils’s practice at Sun Devil Stadium on Tuesday. Graham will coach his first game at ASU in Thursday’s home game against NAU. (Photo by Aaron Lavinsky)
When ASU storms out of Tillman Tunnel on Thursday night with fireworks erupting on either side, it will have been 279 days since they last played a meaningful game in Sun Devil Stadium.
The Sun Devils enter the 2012 season on a five-game losing streak, but they have won their last 13 home openers by an average of 30 points per game. If Sun Devil fans believe that is a reason to be optimistic, the fact ASU has not lost to the NAU Lumberjacks since 1938 — and are 12-0-1 against them in the span — should be encouraging.
The team, however, is not taking this game lightly.
“Our focus has been nothing but them,” coach Todd Graham said. “Our deal is to start this deal off 1-0, and to do that we have to really focus on them. I think they are 27th in a (FCS) poll.”
Redshirt senior cornerback Deveron Carr also knows the importance of starting off the season the right way and echoes Graham’s sentiments and intensity.
“Never underestimate anyone that plays college football,” Carr said. “I know they are coming in trying to win and we’re most definitely trying to win so we all have to bring our ‘A’ game.”
The Lumberjacks, members of the Big Sky conference, finished 4-7 a season ago, but Graham knows that they have talent on the offensive side of the ball.
Earlier this week, Graham mentioned his biggest defensive concern was giving up big plays. While NAU won’t be confused with Oregon or other BCS schools, it has the playmakers to make the Sun Devils pay if ASU doesn’t properly fill their gap assignments.
“(Senior quarterback Cary Grossart) is a very good player,” Graham said. “They have a really good tailback. He is a guy that can definitely play at (the Division I) level.”
In addition to the running back and quarterbacks, Carr has been impressed with the NAU receivers during film study.
However, the success of the Sun Devils will ultimately come down to how they execute and focus.
“The key to winning football games, especially in your first game of the year, is to not beat yourself,” Graham said. “That is what we have to be focused on, but I don’t want them out there trying not to mess up … we only have two simple goals on offense for this game. They are don’t turn the ball over, 100 percent ball security and no penalties.”
While Grossart was a third-team All-American selection and was an Honorable Mention for All-Big Sky, the Sun Devils’ quarterbacks have yet to start a collegiate football game.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Taylor Kelly and redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Eubank will both receive snaps, but Graham wants people to know Kelly is the main signal-caller for now.
“Taylor will be the every down guy and Mike is going to play as he progresses,” Graham said. “We are going to have Taylor do the things he does well and Mike do the things he does well. We are pretty comfortable using two quarterbacks, but I do think Taylor will get the majority of the reps.”
Graham wants the offense to get about 80 snaps, and he would prefer to have Kelly take about 50 of those.
Note:
The Sun Devils will wear circular stickers with the number 57 on their helmets to honor Emerson Harvey. Seventy-five years ago, Harvey became the football program’s first African-American student athlete. Harvey will be honored at halftime.
Reach the reporter at william.boor@asu.edu
