ASU adding wrinkles to keep Carpenter off ground

While the first-team offense had a break during Arizona State’s scrimmage on Saturday, quarterback Rudy Carpenter sauntered up to a sideline onlooker.

Read Blogging with the Devils

“How did you like that screen pass to Dimitri?” Carpenter said. “That worked pretty good, huh?”

It was just one play — a middle screen to running back Dimitri Nance, put in last week, that gained 23 yards — but Carpenter hopes it is just one element of a game plan that forces defenses to back off. That would be a refreshing change after a 2007 season in which opponents spent much of the game teeing off on the Sun Devils quarterback.

“We’re trying to find as many ways as possible to keep teams honest and not have them sit back there and blitz us so much,” Carpenter said. “That screen (in the middle) has been hurting our defense, so hopefully, that’s something that we can build on.”

For ASU, which allowed a school-record 55 sacks last season, the four- and five-receiver formations and more short drops and quick passes implemented this spring are designed to help limit the pass rush.

However, the personnel will be just as vital as the play design. Especially out of the backfield.

“Rudy brought us running backs together and talked about improving the protection,” running back Keegan Herring said. “Quarterbacks can’t do their job when they are getting hit all the time, and Rudy got hit too many times last year. Helping him get more time is definitely something we have to pick up.”

The running back quartet of Herring, Nance, Jarrell Woods and Shaun DeWitty is expected to be heavily involved in the quick-passing game. In Saturday’s scrimmage — the second this spring — at Sun Devil Stadium, Nance caught three passes for 33 yards, DeWitty two for 17 yards and Herring one for 16 yards.

“I really like those screens,” running backs coach Jamie Christian said. “I’d call them every other play if I could.”

Coach Dennis Erickson said that, as was the case late last season, Herring and Nance would get the bulk of the work if ASU had to play a game today.

The backs are striving to improve their pass blocking, an area that suffered after Ryan Torain’s season-ending foot injury in the seventh week of 2007. In Torain’s absence, Herring was used primarily for outside running on first and second downs, Nance on short-yardage and passing-down situations.

This fall, Christian said, there can not be as much specialization.

“They have strengths and weaknesses, but we need them to be complete backs,” Christian said.

“If one guy is a better pass protector, we shouldn’t feel a need to get him in there for every passing situation.

“If you are the back in there at the time and you have to pass protect, you need to do that.”

The offense gave up five sacks, two by backup defensive lineman Paul Unga.

In other scrimmage news:

• ASU had a big-time injury scare when its top receiver, Chris McGaha, and cornerback, Omar Bolden, stayed down for a minute after their legs tangled on a sideline play. Both got up and walked off under their own power.

“I wouldn’t have cared if we ran another play,” Erickson said. “I saw those two guys go down, and my life flashed in front of me. They are both OK.”

• Herring had a 1-yard touchdown run, and receiver Brandon Smith scored after recovering Kyle Williams’ fumble in the end zone. Thomas Weber (3-for-3) and Zach Richards (2-for-2) were perfect on field-goal tries, and walk-on receiver Joseph Redding blocked a Richards punt out of the end zone for a safety.

• After committing 15 penalties in the first scrimmage, ASU had 10, seven by the defense (three offsides, two holding, pass interference, face mask).

• Carpenter was 12-for-20 for 154 yards. Woods was the top rusher, with 30 yards on six carries, and Kerry Taylor led all receivers with four catches for 68 yards.

• Safeties Jarrell Holman (back) and Jonathan Clark (shoulder), tight end Dane Guthrie (shoulder) and defensive tackle David Smith (concussion) were among those that sat out.