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Erickson: UNLV blocker ‘came right up the gut’
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OFF TO A BAD START: ASU’s Omar Bolden watches as UNLV’s Phillip Payne scores the Rebels’ first touchdown Saturday night at Sun Devil Stadium.
Darryl Webb, Tribune
GRADING OUT
• The breakdown on the final play of Arizona State’s overtime loss against Nevada-Las Vegas on Saturday occurred between Brent Good and Adam Tello, the left guard and tackle, respectively, on the Sun Devils’ field-goal unit.
Devils try to pick up pieces before facing Georgia
UNLV’s Malo Taumua charged through the gap and blocked Thomas Weber’s 35-yard attempt to secure a 23-20 win.
“The guy came right up the gut,” coach Dennis Erickson said.
• ASU’s red-zone challenges continued on Saturday, as it had a field goal and the game-ending block the two times it drove inside the 20-yard line. The Sun Devils have scored on 12 of 13 trips inside the red zone in 2008, but have only six touchdowns.
• Erickson said the Rebels’ spread offense — an unorthodox, methodical operation in which all 11 players line up, look to the sidelines for the call, then run the play — did not confuse the ASU defense. Auburn has used a similar approach since introducing the spread at last year’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
• UNLV’s rushing game got stronger in the second half against an ASU front seven who started the game minus linebackers Gerald Munns (finger) and Brandon Magee (pectoral). Strong-side linebacker Travis Goethel left the game with a fourth-quarter injury.
“Anytime you lose players, it hurts you,” Erickson said. “But we have to play better. We made mental mistakes. We didn’t play well. We didn’t coach well. All of the above.”
INJURY REPORT
• Erickson said ASU “came out of the game well, injurywise.” Goethel should return for this weekend’s game against Georgia.
• Running back Keegan Herring (hamstring) and tight end Andrew Pettes (groin) ran well on Sunday, Erickson said, and could return this week.
NOTES
• Two defensive reserves, end Jamarr Robinson and linebacker Morris Wooten, will return this week after serving suspensions for undisclosed team rules violations.
• With the UNLV loss, the Sun Devils fell to 4-3 all time in overtime games.
looking ahead
• Third-ranked Georgia visits ASU on Saturday, and the 5:13 p.m. game will be broadcast nationally on ABC. The Sun Devils are 2-6 at home against top-five teams in The Associated Press rankings, with the victories against No. 2 Southern California in 1978 and No. 1 Nebraska in ’96. In a 47-10 loss against No. 5 Miami (Fla.) in 1994, the Hurricanes were coached by Erickson.
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