ASU football notebook: Sun Devils’ offense sputters again

TUCSON - Arizona State’s season finale on Saturday had the same theme as much of the year: punchless offense. The Sun Devils — who entered the game ranked 91st in the country in offense (113th rush, 47th pass) — mustered just 162 total yards.

Arizona scorches Sun Devils, 31-10

Bordow: Fitting end to dismal season for Devils

SLIDESHOW: ASU vs. U of A

Morgan: Carpenter’s hope for great final season ends in agony

Cats earn winning mark at expense of rival

What is the solution? Coach Dennis Erickson said that it will likely not be staff changes, meaning that Rich Olson, the offensive coordinator that has come under fire from ASU fans, is staying put.

“That’s ridiculous,” Erickson said when asked if a change among his offensive assistants was in order. “It’s not about coaching changes. It’s about us as a group. If I had to make a change with the guy that runs the offense, I would have to get rid of myself. And that’s not in my plans at this moment.

“We’ve got some things to investigate. We can’t play like we’ve been playing on offense. We have to look at it and see what we have to do to get better.”

ASU averaged 309.4 yards a game this season.

In the days before the game, Erickson suggested that all the Sun Devils could do was try to find some way, any way to move the ball against the Wildcats — and in a bowl, if ASU qualified for one — then start from scratch in the offseason.

“We had some adjustments on offense going into the game, and they helped in the beginning,” quarterback Rudy Carpenter said. “But Arizona made some adjustments during the game, and that helped shut us down.”

HAPPY RETURNS

Slot receiver Kyle Williams had another big kick return on Saturday, as he brought a kickoff back 46 yards to set up a second-quarter field goal.

The junior, who ranked fourth in the nation in punt returns (a 17.6-yard average) coming into the game, was eased back into his special-teams role since returning from a concussion. Having big kick-coverage men coming in at full speed can be intimidating — especially coming back from a head injury — but Williams said that he has no fear.

“I’ve been doing this my whole career,” Williams said. “It’s not about the guys coming down; it’s about trust in the guys on the return unit. They go all out for me every time. I’m not really worried about the coverage guys. When our guys do their jobs, it’s a lot easier on me.”

NUMBERS GAME

Sixty-two ASU scholarship players have eligibility remaining.

Wide receiver Allante Battle, who spent this year on a track scholarship, is switching to a football one. As many as three walk-ons — running back James Morrison, cornerback Pierre Singfield and long snapper Thomas Ohmart — could earn scholarships in the spring.

Barring attrition, that would leave the Sun Devils at 19 or 20 scholarships under the NCAA limit of 85 heading into signing day in February. ASU has received 11 commitments in the 2009 recruiting class.