ASU Football notebok: UA secondary a primary topic

Although quarterback Rudy Carpenter was half-serious when he made a preseason comment about what he would do to the Arizona secondary, it has not been forgotten by that unit’s most-accomplished player.

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Cornerback Antoine Cason, a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, said he took joy in Carpenter and the Sun Devils getting “spanked” by Southern California on Thanksgiving night.

“To hear Rudy before the season say that he’s going to throw five touchdown passes on the Wildcats, that’s awesome for me,” Cason said on Monday. “I watched the USC game and had a good time. They like to talk a lot; that’s who they are.”

The rival schools meet for the 81st time on Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium.

At least against Arizona, ASU has been more about actions than words. It has won four of the past five meetings.

Last year, Carpenter threw for three scores in the Sun Devils’ 28-14 win.

“I might not have a lot of TD passes this year, but I’ll probably have five or six against UA,” Carpenter said in a radio interview in August.

Cason, a fourth-year starter, has five interceptions, 11 pass breakups and 69 tackles this season.

“(Carpenter) is going to say a lot this week, and I’m ready for it,” Cason said. “I do a lot of talking. You will see me yapping a lot this week.”

NO WORDS

Although he is new to the UA-ASU rivalry, coach Dennis Erickson has received regular reminders of its importance during the 11 months he has been in Tempe.

One of the more vivid ones was from Sun Devil coaching legend Frank Kush.

“He does not have to say anything,” Erickson said during his weekly press conference on Monday. “All he’s got to do is look at me. It’s understood. When I look at him this week, it’s scary.”

Kush, who attended Monday’s news conference, was 16-5 against the Wildcats from 1958-78, including a string of nine straight wins.

LINE CONCERNS

ASU has allowed 49 sacks this season, a school record. And this week, Carpenter is behind a line that is aching.

Starting left tackle Brandon Rodd is questionable with two sprained ankles, and his backup, Richard Tuitu’u, also has a sore ankle.

Robert Gustavis, who had been backing up at guard, will play left tackle if Rodd and Tuitu’u cannot go.

“Brandon is one of our best offensive linemen, and we need him,” Carpenter said.

“But if he can’t, it will still work out for us. We have guys who can come in and play and be moved around.”

Guard Zach Krula (knee) likely will not be back this season, Erickson said.

In other injury news, Erickson reiterated that safety Josh Barrett (knee) will likely not play on Saturday. Rodney Cox, who had a career-high nine tackles against USC, or Jeremy Payton are the replacement candidates.

EXTRA POINTS

Saturday’s forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of precipitation. It has not rained steadily during a UA-ASU game since the 1981 contest in Tempe.

Erickson, on changing his mind and allowing players to speak to the media this week: “I’m not scared of somebody saying something or anything like that. I’m beyond that. Once it’s kicked off, it doesn’t matter anyway.”