ASU football notebook: Kicker Weber has broken bone in wrist

Perhaps the biggest delayed-reaction injury in Arizona State football history could affect the punting game in Saturday's contest at California.

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Thomas Weber on Wednesday wore a cast on his left wrist after X-rays revealed a broken scaphoid bone, believed to have been suffered during a blocked punt in the game against Georgia on Sept.20.

The 2007 Lou Groza Award winner's kicking should not be affected, but he will need less-restrictive protection in order to catch the snap to punt. Weber's cast will be cut, or he will wear a splint.

"Coach (Dennis Erickson) will make his decision on what he thinks I'm capable of doing and how it affects the team," Weber said.

Trevor Hankins, a sophomore walk-on, is the backup punter.

The scaphoid bone is on the thumb side of the wrist and is often broken by stretching the hand out to protect against a fall. Weber did that on the second-quarter punt block by Georgia.

His wrist was swollen the next day, but initial X-rays revealed no break. Weber said he was told that because the bone is small, a fracture can be slow to show up.

"I've never had a kicker who has broken his wrist," Erickson said. "That will go in Chapter 14 of my book. You should read the first 13."

SPECIAL TEST

Weber and the ASU kicking game will be tested by California special teams that have scored four touchdowns - on two blocked punts, a blocked field goal and punt return - this season. The Sun Devils have had a kick blocked in two straight games.

"We'd better shore it up," Erickson said.

"We have to play like we are capable of. The punt we had blocked was something where we weren't focused on what we should have been doing. We took the wrong guy, and the guy got inside unblocked. That was a mental mistake, which can't happen."

Erickson praised long snapper Thomas Ohmart and Weber, who combine to get most punts off in less than two seconds.

STORM CHASERS

The forecast for Berkeley, Calif., on Saturday calls for temperatures in the 60s with possible showers during the game.

"We won't be able to practice in a downpour here," Erickson said. "You deal with it. I've been in a lot of games, coached in rain, and you just execute the way you can. There's no way you can simulate it.

"You have to be more careful with the ball. It alters what you can call offensively.

"But you don't know until you see (the conditions)."

EXTRA POINTS

ASU reserve linebacker Anthony Reyes was named one of 164 semifinalists for the Draddy Trophy, which is called the "Academic Heisman." Up to 15 finalists will be selected on Oct.29, with the winner announced in December.

The Sun Devils experimented with receiver Michael Jones at holder during field-goal work on Tuesday, but backup quarterback Danny Sullivan still has the job.