Blogging with the Devils

It started out as a typical drive along State Highway 260 to Payson after watching the Arizona State football team practice at Camp Tontozona on Friday. What happened next, as Newman of “Seinfeld” fame would say, changed me in a very deep and profound way.

A squirrel became roadkill before my eyes.

About six miles from Tontozona, I was the last in a group of three cars heading West on a two-lane section of the road. I saw the squirrel try to cross, its bravado dissipated when it realized that the approaching vehicles were coming in a hurry.

The poor creature had no choice but to try and play dodge ‘em. It managed to avoid the first car, which was driven by DevilsDigest.com publisher Hod Rabino, but the specter of death was behind the wheel of the next vehicle, a Toyota Camry with a New Mexico license plate.

Left front tire, splat. All squirrel movement ceased as my car followed over.

Before we get to the Sun Devil doings on Friday, a brief eulogy for the squirrel. I’m not sure where it is now, but wherever it is …

May trees be plentiful …

May its cheeks be always full of nuts …

And may every day be a college football Saturday.

ASU’s kicking duel continues to become just that, as freshman walk-on Zach Richards made five of six kicks on Friday, missing a 38-yarder on the final play of the workout. Thomas Weber also booted the ball well, hitting six of seven attempts.

Richards, a product of Phoenix Thunderbird High, appears to have the stronger leg.

“There’s some competition in our kicking game!” coach Dennis Erickson yelled to no one in particular after a series of field goals.

Another walk-on, diminutive freshman receiver Kevin Ballard, continues to make attention-grabbing catches. The 5-foot-9, 165-pounder had two more on Friday, with a diving catch, then holding on to another pass as he was walloped by safety Jeremy Payton. Ballard is unlikely to play this year, but he is looking like a scout-team standout.

Jonathan English worked with the second-team defense on Friday. Could the 335-pound English play this season as a true freshman?

“I don’t know. We’ll find out,” Erickson said. “This next week is going to be big. We’ll have to see if he can help us. That’s an area where we need some help. We need some backups to emerge, and that’s an area that is open.”

The Tribune’s ASU coverage in Saturday’s edition consists of Scott Bordow’s column featuring very frank talk from defensive coordinator Craig Bray and my notebook detailing defensive tackle Saia Falahola’s successful surgery to repair a torn triceps muscle.

ASU’s camp scrimmage begins at 11 a.m. today. A crowd of about 3,000 is expected.

For those making the drive to Tontozona, please watch out for the squirrels.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 10th, 2007 at 9:04 pm and is filed under Camp Tontozona 2007. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.