ASU announces new Sparky design
The fans have spoken for the next Sparky design.
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The fans have spoken for the next Sparky design.
For a brief moment in the beginning of the second quarter, it genuinely seemed like redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici was about to lead No. 15 ASU football to an improbable upset over No. 11 UCLA.
Redshirt senior De'Marieya Nelson rushes UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley in the second quarter of the Sun Devils' game against UCLA. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez) As if ASU's dismal end to the first half wasn't bad enough, it quickly made its own nightmare even worse just 19 seconds into the third quarter. UCLA redshirt junior quarterback Brett Hundley found junior wide receiver Jordan Payton open on the right side. Payton beat both of ASU's safeties for an 80-yard touchdown, extending the Bruins' lead 34-17. The ASU offense had a sluggish start in its first drive back, but an 11-yard catch by sophomore wide receiver Cam Smith, a 19-yard catch by redshirt junior Jaelen Strong and a 15-yard reception from redshirt freshman Ellis Jefferson kept the drive going. The 14-play, 68-yard drive ended with sophomore kicker Zane Gonzalez's 24-yard field goal. But the nightmare still went on. UCLA junior cornerback Ishmael Adams returned the ensuing kickoff for 100 yards. ASU redshirt junior Mike Bercovici fumbled on the Sun Devils' 19 on the first play of the drive, and UCLA cleaned up with freshman running back Nate Starks' 1-yard touchdown two plays later. Bercovici still kept fighting, as he led ASU on an 11-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Ellis Jefferson. The Sun Devils got UCLA to punt after five plays, but ASU was stopped via turnover on downs at the top of the fourth quarter. It took six plays for UCLA to move the ball on the ensuing drive as junior wide receiver Jordan Payton got his second touchdown pass of the game for five yards. The ASU offense continued to work at its normal pace, as it worked up another 12-play drive. This time, it ended in no score as the UCLA defense stopped freshman running back Kalen Ballage on 4th-and-1 on the Bruins' goal line. With under seven minutes left to go, Hundley stayed in despite a bad left elbow. Redshirt sophomore running back Paul Perkins broke out an easy 81-yard run on the first play of the drive. The Bruins powered their way and and finished it off with a 1-yard score from Hundley that put UCLA up 62-7. ASU went for one more scoring attempt but got stopped on turnover on downs at UCLA's 40-yard line with 1:22 left. Sixty-two points is the most ASU has ever allowed at Sun Devil Stadium in one game. Reach the reporter at jnacion@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Josh_Nacion Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter
It wasn’t a good start for ASU redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici as he started his first drive 3-for-5, but sophomore kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a 49-yard field goal to put ASU up 3-0.
By now, everyone should know ASU redshirt junior backup Mike Bercovici is replacing redshirt senior Taylor Kelly (foot) for Thursday’s contest. Bercovici has thrown just 112 yards and one touchdown in his career, but coach Todd Graham and the rest of the team believe Bercovici is just as good as many starting quarterbacks around the FBS. Bercovici’s confidence and his passing decisions will definitely be examined all throughout the game.
Todd Graham's defense will need to create turnovers and limit big plays to defeat No. 11 UCLA Thursday. (Photo by Kyle Newman) Todd Graham seemed confident in his weekly press confidence Monday that ASU football will win its upcoming game. That’s just how he usually is every week. But this week, it’s a little surprising, considering what the team is heading into for Thursday’s game against No. 11 UCLA. ASU will be without redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly heading into its first contest against a ranked opponent. Most Vegas sports books are declaring the Bruins as a five-point favorite over the Sun Devils. None of that matters to Graham, though. He knows exactly what to expect for Thursday’s game. “I think they know what we do and we know what they do," Graham said. "There’s just two very explosive offensive football teams, and I think that’s going to be a big factor of the game." Since the postgame interviews following the Colorado game, Graham has preached ball security throughout the bye week and heading into game week. He said that’s the only thing he’s talked about with junior running back D.J. Foster and redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici. With little surprise, it was part of the offensive keys to the game that he outlined during the presser. “No. 1 thing is going to be ball security — owning the football … turnover ratio is obviously huge in this game,” he said. “But I think (making) explosive plays is second. Both years we’ve played them, they’ve made explosive plays.” Then there’s also UCLA’s offense that has caught Graham’s eye. Although Bruins redshirt junior quarterback Brett Hundley will likely play Thursday, Graham respects both Hundley and redshirt sophomore quarterback Jerry Neuheisel as playmakers under center. The Bruins’ rushing attack has also impressed Graham, and that’s what he believes ASU needs to lock down first. “First thing we got to do to be successful defensively is stop the run, so that’ll be our focus,” he said. “And then, we’ll control the pass.” As for the state of the Sun Devils, Graham said the team has had several great practices over the past couple of weeks and expressed confidence in his newer players for their development in recent weeks. He said his defensive backs like redshirt senior Damarious Randall and redshirt juniors Jordan Simone and Lloyd Carrington make up a better secondary than ASU had last year. Overall, the veterans have already won Graham’s respect this season, and it’s just a matter of the newcomers continuing to get better as the schedule gets more strenuous. “I do think the development of those young freshmen is the key for us,” he said. Graham not tired of QB attention The main storyline heading into Thursday’s game has obviously been about which quarterbacks will play for each team. All week, Graham has fielded media questions about Bercovici and if he’s ready heading into Thursday. It’s not fazing Graham, though, and he continues to express confidence in Bercovici. “You can only worry about the things you can control, but sure, it’s a big deal,” Graham said. Devilbacker update Graham said redshirt junior linebacker at Antonio Longino and redshirt senior tight end De’Marieya Nelson will split time at Devilbacker. “De’Marieya will have more plays there than he’s had in the past,” Graham said. Reach the reporter at jnacion@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Josh_Nacion
With ASU redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Kelly ruled out for the Sept. 25 home game against UCLA, some fans already doubt redshirt junior Mike Bercovici as a viable replacement for such a critical game.
[slideshow_deploy id='149980']No. 16 ASU football survived in Boulder, Colorado, Saturday with a 38-24 win over Colorado, but getting the ‘W’ seemed more like an afterthought.
[slideshow_deploy id='149980']It didn’t take long at all for No. 16 ASU football to get back in business in the second half against Colorado.
[slideshow_deploy id='149980']The Sun Devils forced a quick three-and-out on Colorado’s first offensive drive. ASU’s drive on offense lasted 3:07, the first that lasted longer than three minutes this season. It ended with Foster’s 15-yard touchdown run.
Video by Sean Logan | Multimedia Quarterbacks EDGE: ASU Redshirt senior Taylor Kelly’s numbers throughout the first two games are a little ho-hum, but he’s been cruising to start the season. Kelly broke out the wheels when he had two runs over 40-yards against New Mexico last week, and his ability to throw the long ball seemed to be rounding into form when he hit a 41-yard touchdown strike to sophomore wide receiver Cam Smith. He sat out the fourth quarter the past two games, and it would take ASU to be in trouble against Colorado for Kelly to break that streak on Saturday. Sophomore Sefo Liufau, who appeared in last year’s ASU-Colorado game as a backup, is now the Buffaloes’s full-time starter. His completion rate is at a decent 61.7 percent and he has only thrown one interception so far. Liufau threw for 18-of-22 but also two interceptions against the Sun Devils’ loaded defense last season, so it will be interesting to see his performance on Saturday with more experience under his belt and a downgraded ASU defense. Running Backs EDGE: ASU How good has D.J. Foster looked so far? After the first two games, the junior checks in with the third-most rushing yards in the nation at 363. The Sun Devils’ rushing attack doesn’t only have Foster — they also possess two freshmen who have already scored touchdowns. Freshman Demario Richard scored his first touchdown against New Mexico and Kalen Ballage already has three scores. Colorado rotates between Liufau, Christian Powell, Michael Adkins II and Tony Jones on the ground, but none of them have surpassed 100 rushing yards throughout the first two games. Wide Receivers / Tight Ends EDGE: ASU ASU only had 12 completions last week against New Mexico, but that’s largely due to Foster’s monster game on the ground. The Sun Devils were completely content with redshirt junior receiver Jaelen Strong having only three catches, but it’s safe to say Kelly will go back to Strong if the offense needs it. Smith has also emerged as a speedy target. With Paul Richardson gone, Nelson Spruce has been Liufau’s go-to target and accounts for four of Liufau’s five passing touchdowns. Spruce had a 70-yard touchdown reception against Massachusetts last week and his 10-catch, 145-yard performance for two touchdowns ended up being crucial toward the Buffaloes’ close 41-38 win over the Minutemen. Offensive Line EDGE: ASU The Sun Devils have a slight size advantage at offensive line over Colorado. The line has done a decent job holding the line of scrimmage for Foster, Ballage and Richard and also hasn’t put Kelly in much trouble in the pocket recently. Take note of Colorado’s right side of its offensive line on Saturday. Senior right guard Daniel Munyer is the most experienced out of that group and junior right tackle Stephane Nembot checks in at 6-foot-7, 245 pounds. Defensive line EDGE: Push Both teams have three sacks each and are giving up over four yards per rush, so it should be interesting to see which defensive line gives up less considering both teams are playing their best opponent to date. The Sun Devils’ run defense against New Mexico’s triple option last week wasn’t stellar, but it held the Lobos to a decent 3.6 yards per rush. Although senior Juda Parker and junior Josh Tupou gives the Buffaloes experience at defensive end, Colorado also starts two freshmen in Derek McCartney and Christian Shaver, which is similar to ASU’s experience on the line. Linebacker EDGE: ASU This is the strongest position on both teams’ defenses, but the Sun Devils get a slight advantage here for their talent. Redshirt sophomore Salamo Fiso is one of two only starters on ASU’s entire defense and freshman Laiu Moeakiola has fit in well enough at Spur to earn himself captain status on ASU. Freshman D.J. Calhoun only has eight tackles the past two games but has made a couple impressive stops. ASU has some questions coming into Saturday on who to start on the boundary side, but redshirt sophomore Jordan Simone should start at boundary safety. Sophomore Addison Gillam is the linebacker to watch for Colorado, as he leads the defense in tackles with 22. Secondary EDGE: ASU Surprisingly, ASU hasn’t recorded an interception yet, but that’s largely due to the fact that neither team they’ve played passed the pall much. Redshirt senior safety Damarious Randall has been the best defensive player so far with a team-high 19 tackles and a forced fumble. Redshirt sophomore Lloyd Carrington has a decent history against Liufau, as Carrington recorded his only pick as a Sun Devil against him in last year’s game. No one on Colorado has been a bigger playmaker than sophomore safety Tedric Thompson so far. Thompson has 19 tackles for the season and also has both of the Buffaloes’ only interceptions of the season and forced a fumble against Overall: ASU Colorado’s first two weeks haven’t been too fun. The Buffaloes opened with an ugly 31-17 loss to Colorado State on Aug. 29 and barely defeated MAC foe Massachusetts last week. Saturday should be an easy road game for the Sun Devils on the surface, but like last week, a lot of intangibles could factor into the game. Barring any extremes, ASU should win by a distant margin in mile-high elevation. 2014 season in photos [slideshow_deploy id='149980'] Reach the reporter at jnacion@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Josh_Nacion Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
They share the same first name. They both had to switch positions on defense from what they started from their careers. They both have done enough at their respective positions to catch ASU coach Todd Graham’s attention.
Well, this is it, ladies and gentlemen — my last byline in The State Press.
Junior college basketball All-American Willie Atwood was supposed to announce his next school Wednesday. Then he postponed it to Thursday at noon and pushed it back again for another hour.
If Saturday’s Spring Game was any indication of where the ASU football program currently stands, the Sun Devils have a few reasons to be optimistic.
ASU men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek proudly declared to reporters Wednesday that he’s stepping up his “Twitter game” to boost his social media presence.
Spring camp is a period for football players to slowly learn and grasp concepts as the regular season is still months away, especially for incoming freshmen and transfers.
With three more players transferring from ASU men’s basketball, some Sun Devil fans have been concerned about the team’s high turnover rate of transfers following every season.
Video by Josh Nacion | Sports reporter
Sports got some normalcy on Saturday night — Manny Pacquiao dominated another great opponent.
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