When ASU coach Todd Graham summoned redshirt junior Mike Bercovici near the end of the third quarter of the Sun Devils' 42-35 Territorial Cup loss, he gave merit to those calling for redshirt senior Taylor Kelly's starting job.
The critics had been there since Bercovici led the Sun Devils to two wins in his three games filling in, including throwing the Jael Mary to beat USC. Before those three games, Bercovici was an unknown commodity. Just a name on the bench. A guy who came in and performed mop-up duty when things got out of hand.
Bercovici was never outstanding in that role, if anyone could be. In limited game action between 2013 and the first two games of 2014, Bercovici compiled a 10-of-17, 89-yard resume. Then, he came in and acted as ASU's savior during the three games Kelly missed with a right-foot injury.
And it was those performances that cemented a quarterback controversy in the minds of some fans. But it never crossed the minds of the coaches. For weeks, Graham and his staff, along with Bercovici himself, reiterated this was Taylor Kelly's team. That it was his when he was ready to return.
They weren't lying. Kelly came back against Washington in inclement weather. He looked rusty. And that rust never really went away. But the coaches stuck with him because it was his team.
Finally, Kelly put up the numbers he was expected to against Washington State. He threw for 232 yards and four touchdowns. After the game, Graham gave Kelly the highest praise possible.
"In 27 years of coaching he is the most special person I have ever been around," Graham said after Kelly's senior day. "I am proud that I had the chance to coach him. In my career there has only been one Taylor Kelly."
It's true. Kelly was a special player for this program, and it likely wouldn't be where it is without him. He made Graham's transition to ASU far easier than expected. When he arrived, there wasn't a starter penciled in like there was for almost all of his three seasons in Tempe. That's thanks to Taylor Kelly.
For that reason, Kelly deserved the leeway he got. In the end, it might not have been the correct call to continue running Kelly out there at less than 100 percent. But you can't fault Graham for staying with the quarterback who got the Sun Devils to where they are.
But as long as Graham stuck with Kelly, the voices chanting "Ber-co-vi-ci" only got louder. At first, it was a blatant overreaction. But Kelly continued to struggle and the offense sputtered with him. Still, though, it was Kelly's team.
As these things tend to do, it finally hit a breaking point. With 3:30 remaining in the third quarter of the Territorial Cup -- Kelly's sixth game back since his injury -- Graham chose Bercovici over a healthy-enough-to-play Kelly for the first time.
For the first time, Kelly's mediocre end to a stellar career overvalued the last two-plus seasons. The season was on the line, and Graham felt his chances to win were better with Mike Bercovici than Taylor Kelly.
"We went ahead and attempted to spark our offense," Graham said of the move. "Whether that was a mistake or not, I don't know. But we had to do something to generate some offense."
It was a lose-lose decision by Graham. If Bercovici comes in and wins the game, people question why he didn't make the move sooner. If he leaves Kelly in and ASU can't come back, those voices calling for Bercovici only get louder.But Graham has to be applauded for putting the game in the hands of who he felt gave ASU the best chance to win, regardless of history or loyalty.
What does raise questions is who Graham said is the starter for the bowl game: Taylor Kelly. Apparently, it's still Kelly's team, despite Bercovici being the choice to finish the Territorial Cup. Assuming the Sun Devils' main motive is to win their bowl game (and not treat it as a ceremony for its outgoing players), Kelly should have to win his job in the weeks of practice leading up to it.
Todd Graham made his voice heard with 3:30 left in the third quarter on Friday. He thought Bercovici could give ASU a "spark" Kelly couldn't. Whether he wanted to or not, the decision to pull Kelly finally gave weight to those who had been calling for Bercovici all along.
With four long weeks until ASU's bowl game, expect those "Ber-co-vi-ci" chants to only increase, now that they've been justified.
Reach the reporter at ewebeck@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @EvanWebeck
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @statepresssport
