ASU improvement due to blocking tight end

A reason for the success of the Arizona State running backs at Southern California on Saturday — the unit averaged 4.1 yards a carry and had a handful of longer runs out of a two-tight end formation in the first half — was the lead blocks of tight end Wes Evans.

Sun Devils looking to start over

The senior, who moved from defensive end midway through last season, got his first career start. Evans should see more playing time with Dan Knapp out for the season with a knee injury.

“He was a bright spot offensively for us,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “He is a guy who has moved around, and he’s done whatever we’ve asked him to do.”

• Quarterback Rudy Carpenter “lost a little juice throwing the football” as Saturday’s game progressed, Erickson said. The senior, a game-time decision to start because of a left ankle injury, completed 11 passes for 126 yards with one interception.

With ASU off this week, Carpenter might see little activity during practice. “We’ll see,” Erickson said. “I’d like him to coach a little, to stand back and work with (backup quarterbacks) Danny (Sullivan) and Samson (Szakacsy). He should be healthy by the end of the week.”

• Erickson said that safety Troy Nolan, who had an interception, and cornerback Terell Carr, whose eight tackles led the team, had their best games of the year.

INJURY REPORT

•Knapp suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament while making a reception and will require surgery. He is the second Sun Devil in two games to suffer that fate; safety Max Tabach tore an ACL at California.

Knapp, a redshirt freshman, started the last two games.

• Long snapper Thomas Ohmart briefly departed at USC with a separated left shoulder. He returned after having the shoulder popped back in by trainers.

•Guard Paul Fanaika (leg) should be OK, Erickson said.

NOTES

•Erickson said that the sideline eruption by receiver Nate Kimbrough during the second half Saturday was a product of frustration over playing time. Kimbrough, a senior, was a team captain and saw action against USC but did not catch a pass.

“I know Nate is a competitive guy, and in the heat of the moment, he reacted,” Erickson said. “He cares about winning and about ASU and wants to play. That kind of thing happens all the time.”

Kimbrough has appeared in five games this year, with two catches for 19 yards.

• Chris McGaha led ASU in receiving — with some of the catches electrifying — last year, but the junior, who had offseason toe surgery, has not found a groove this year and had just one reception on Saturday.

“I don’t know if he’s fully recovered from that toe,” Erickson said. “I don’t know if it has created some new problems for him, like maybe his hamstring. But it has slowed him down.

“He’s not healthy enough to do what he did a year ago. Then, he made a lot of catches that kept drives going and helped us win games.”

Asked about his season two weeks ago, McGaha said that he was “getting by.”

LOOKING AHEAD

The Sun Devils host Oregon (5-2 overall, 3-1 Pac-10) on Oct. 25. The time and television arrangements will be announced Monday.

The only available TV window is at 12:30 p.m. on ABC, with UCLA-California the network’s other option.

If Oregon-ASU is not on ABC, the contest will kick off at 7 p.m., with no television coverage.