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ASU notebook: Erickson not concerned with running game yet
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TAKING CHARGE: Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter, shown during Saturday's game against Northern Arizona, led the Sun Devils in rushing and passing yards.
Darryl Webb, Tribune
Arizona State football coach Dennis Erickson said Monday he isn't concerned yet by the Sun Devils' lack of a productive running game against Northern Arizona.
Read 'Blogging with the Devils'
Erickson said it was difficult to judge the Sun Devil running performance based solely off one game, though he did note that it won't necessarily get any easier, as senior running back Keegan Herring remains questionable throughout the week ahead.
ASU's running backs gained just 54 yards on 18 carries against the Lumberjacks.
Erickson said the running game was perhaps stalled by NAU playing an eight-man front against the Sun Devils, then increasing its focus on the run game once quarterback Rudy Carpenter was taken out in the third quarter.
At his weekly press conference, Erickson also discussed ASU's success passing the ball against NAU and looked ahead to Saturday's game against Stanford.
Carpenter received nothing but praise from Erickson, as he gained 428 net yards and was ASU's leading passer and rusher in Saturday's victory.
Carpenter himself noted this was made possible by his receiving corps - he threw to a total of eight different players, including six for two or more catches and three for 50 or more yards.
Erickson couldn't, however, give the same praise to junior backup quarterback Danny Sullivan, or any of the other younger guys on the squad.
"Am I happy with it (their performance)? No, but can we improve? Sure," Erickson said.
As for ASU's upcoming game against Stanford, Erickson was quick to praise the Cardinal squad as a whole, saying they are "a greatly improved football team."
Senior Tavita Pritchard will be making his first appearance against the Sun Devils after winning the quarterback battle this offseason.Pritchard has recorded wins against USC last year and Oregon State this year.
Erickson credited the Cardinal defense as being much more experienced than it was a year ago, noting it returns all of its linebackers and nine of its starters.
Carpenter agreed, saying he expects to be blitzed a lot after watching Stanford's performance against Oregon State on Thursday.
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