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ASU football notebook: Erickson says Devils tight
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With his team staring at a potential six-game losing streak, Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson stressed the importance of the team staying loose after the team's practice Thursday.
"I think sometimes we've been a little uptight when we play," Erickson said. "Sometimes you press, particularly in the situation we're in right now. We've just got to go play football."
Just going out on the field and playing football may be tough for a team in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
"Everyone wants to win," Erickson said. "It's like any of us does sometimes when you're trying to win so bad."
"We've just got to go out and be athletes and play, and we've got to stay focused on what the hell is going on, you know, not make mental mistakes. That's killed us more than anything."
Erickson hopes that a focused and loose team means a fast start on Saturday at Oregon State for the Sun Devils, something the team hasn't been able to do recently.
"We fall behind 14-0 every time we step on the field," Erickson said. "We've got to come out, get out early and just have fun playing the game."
Pressure off Weber
With the punting job now in the hands of sophomore walk-on Trevor Hankins, sophomore kicker Thomas Weber had the chance this week to concentrate on getting back to his Lou Groza Award-winning form of a year ago.
"It's nice to not have to worry about it," Weber said.
"Trevor's going to do a great job. It just gives me the chance to just concentrate on kicking."
Weber missed just one field-goal attempt and two extra-point attempts last season but has missed four field-goal attempts and one extra-point attempt this year.
"These past couple of weeks I've just been trying to get back into form," Weber said.
"I just need to get back to being smooth, where everything just seemed natural. I'm just trying to just kick it and not think of anything."
Williams out
As expected, Erickson confirmed that junior wide receiver Kyle Williams will not make the trip to Corvallis, Ore.
Williams did not pass the required medical test in order to be cleared for play.
"He flunked it," Erickson said.
"I hope it's the only test he flunks."
Senior Nate Kimbrough will take over punt-return duties, and sophomore Omar Bolden will take over kickoff returns.
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