One of the perks of being a college football head coach, Dennis Erickson likes to joke, is being able to pick the winning team in the spring intrasquad game and say that was the unit you guided.

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There was no need for Arizona State's coach to invoke that privilege on Saturday, as the final result was most ideal for the Sun Devils and their fans: Nobody lost. Thomas Weber's 46-yard field goal as time expired gave the white team a 17-17 tie with the maroon team.

"I took a vote, and no one wanted to play overtime," Erickson said, smiling. "Including me."

The deadlock in front of about 3,000 spectators at Sun Devil Stadium was perhaps an appropriate end to spring drills in which both the offense and defense believe progress was made on spicing up the mostly basic approach utilized last season.

The offense is now employing four- and five-receiver formations and more quick passes in an attempt to limit the opposition pass rush.

The defense, which has little deviation from a base 4-3 look, is blitzing more.

"We were a little rusty at times," Erickson said of Saturday's game. "A lot of work is needed in the (passing game). I don't think we're as sharp as we need to be on offense. But this spring, we made a lot of improvement....

"Defensively, we did some good things and ran around. The hitting, tackling and execution were good."

The white team, which included the first-team offense and second-team defense, scored touchdowns on a 43-yard pass from Rudy Carpenter to Brandon Smith and a 1-yard run by Dimitri Nance.

Carpenter was 7-for-21 for 88 yards with an interception, and Nance had 44 yards on 13 carries to go along with three catches for 43 yards. Starting receivers Chris McGaha (toe fracture) and Michael Jones (baseball) did not play.

"It's a difference when you don't have those guys in," Carpenter said. "But that's good for our team in the spring, to get guys like Brandon Smith and Kyle Williams reps. Those guys are going to separate us offensively.

"We are farther along than we were last spring, especially in pass blocking."

Although the defenses did not blitz, seven sacks were recorded, three by defensive end Jamarr Robinson for the white team. The first-team defense, which was part of the maroon squad, was led by middle linebacker Gerald Munns, who collected 11 tackles and a pass deflection.

"We're playing a lot more freely," Munns said. "We understand the technique. We're pretty happy with the way the spring went.

"The first-team defense played with confidence and ran to the ball well. It was a lot better than last year."

The maroon team's touchdowns came from running back Shaun DeWitty on a 29-yard carry and receiver Nate Kimbrough on a 31-yard reception from backup quarterback Danny Sullivan. Zach Richards added a 45-yard field goal.

DeWitty was the game's top rusher, with 71 yards on 13 carries, and Sullivan completed 13 of 28 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.