Blogging with the Devils

Tuesday was the official groundbreaking ceremony for Arizona State basketball’s Weatherup Center, which will be located between the soccer stadium and the band’s practice field.

The roughly $20 million facility for both hoops teams will house two practice courts (where both the men and women plan to do the vast majority of practices and shootarounds), locker rooms, video rooms, weight rooms, coaches’ offices, etc.

ASU plans to move lock, stock and barrel into this home in April 2009, and is short approximately $5 million in funding, a remarkably small figure given the school’s historic struggles to raise money for previous projects.

ASU will be the sixth Pac-10 school to have a second hoops facility.

The scheduling strains put on basketball and volleyball practice times (volleyball practice will stay at Wells Fargo Arena) will disappear with this facility, since separate courts and facilites mean Herb Sendek’s and Charli Turner Thorne’s teams can practice any time they want.

Remember two years ago, when the Sun Devils had to practice at the Glendale YMCA?  Try selling that during a recruiting visit.

(Last season was an improvement: The Student Recreation Center on campus).

No, there won’t be individual plasma-screen TVs at every locker. Sendek and Turner Thorne had a lot of input in this building, but those tricked-out extras aren’t their style. 

Speaking of scheduling, before the ceremony, Sendek held a casual luncheon with some East Valley media, and among the array of topics and small-talk was his nonconference schedule.

None of this (outside perhaps the Anaheim Classic to begin the season) is set in stone, but here are a few likely nonconference opponents:

The Anaheim tournament currently has ASU, Wake Forest, Texas-El Paso, Baylor, Providence, Cal State Fullerton and UNC-Charlotte on the docket (Arkansas has been wishy-washy on a commitment).

The Sun Devils will play Brigham Young in Glendale as part of the Stadium Shootout on Dec. 20 (Louisville and Minnesota will play the other game). It’s basically a rehearsal showcase in preparation for the 2009 NCAA Tournament regional which will be held at University of Phoenix Stadium.

(By the way, how about the 6 million webs you can weave between Sendek, Louisville coach Rick Pitino and former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, now at Minnesota). 

If the regional goes smoothly, ASU will have basically made its case to host a Final Four in Glendale, as soon as 2012.

The Sun Devils also host Nebraska, face Pepperdine and start a two-year series with San Diego State.

How Sendek fills in the remaining few spots remains to be seen, but it won’t be easy.

The Sun Devil Club is sponsoring the Sun Devil Express, a series of five luncheons with Arizona State coaches in May. It’s basically a chance to listen to coaches talk about their programs and perhaps answer a few questions.

Here’s the skinny (all times are 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. unless noted):

Friday at Don and Charlie’s, 7501 E. Camelback Rd. in Scottsdale, with football coach Dennis Erickson and women’s basketball coach Charli Turner Thorne.

May 13 at Monti’s La Casa Vieja, 100 S. Mill Ave. in Tempe, with Erickson (sold out).

May 15 at Majerle’s, 3095 W. Chandler Blvd. in Chandler, with men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek and Turner Thorne.

May 22 at Majerle’s, 24 N. Second St. in Phoenix, with Sendek.

May 28 at Tucson El Saguarito, 1035 E. Mabel St. in Tucson, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. with Sendek.

Tickets are sold in advance. Contact the Sun Devil Club at (480) 727-7000 or sundevilclub@asu.edu for more information.

It’s almost time. College basketball players not graduating have until April 27 to declare for the NBA draft, but those who don’t sign with an agent have until 10 days before this summer’s draft to withdraw and return to school.

This won’t affect Arizona State directly since James Harden is returning and Jeff Pendergraph said Monday he’s returning to ASU for his senior season, a wise decision.

What could help most is the league’s attrition. Take a look at this season’s all-Pac 10 teams and their status (as of Tuesday evening):

First Team: Ryan Anderson, California (declared without agent), Harden (returning to school), Brook Lopez, Stanford (signed with an agent), Kevin Love, UCLA (declared and about to sign an agent), O.J. Mayo, Southern California (signed with an agent).

Second Team: Jerryd Bayless, Arizona (signed with an agent), Jon Brockman, Washington (returning to school), Darren Collison, UCLA (undecided), Maarty Leunen, Oregon (graduated), Kyle Weaver, Washington State (graduated).

Third Team: Chase Budinger, Arizona (declared without agent), Taj Gibson, USC (returning to school), Derrick Low, Washington State (graduated), Pendergraph (returning to school), Russell Westbrook (declared without agent).

The Pac-10 may not be quite as remarkable next season, but that list has ASU looking good.

In the bigger picture, for every Harden and Pendergraph, however, are a lot more guys on the other side: Mayo, Love, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, etc. They’re (more) ready for the NBA and have every right to take advantage of the payday coming.

Here’s a recent column by Gene Wojciechowski at ESPN.com, and while it’s nothing that hasn’t been spouted off about for years and years, it’s that time of year to get back on the pulpit.

Seems as though Arizona State basketball assistants keep getting plucked for other jobs, and that’s not a bad thing.

Archie Miller left after one season with ASU for Ohio State, and today it’s longtime assistant Mark Phelps, who’s headed to Drake.

Here’s Sean Keeler’s take from today’s Des Moines (Iowa) Register, and it’s impressive, in this day and age, that there was no rumor mill or message board mongering in either Tempe or Des Moines. Not a whisper of Phelps’ name was mentioned as a candidate in the past week.

Basically, Phelps’ hiring to replace the departed Keno Davis was pretty shocking in both time zones. The ASU connection helped (Drake athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb was a former associate AD in Tempe), but Phelps sealed this job with two terrific interviews, one via phone and the other in person.

Introduced as the new Drake basketball coach on Monday, former Arizona State assistant Mark Phelps called it a “precious opportunity,” but it was a long time coming for the 12-year assistant to Herb Sendek. (Des Moines Register photo) 

Phelps’ departure means ASU coach Herb Sendek has a spot to fill on his staff for a second consecutive summer.

Greg Hansen of the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson has already mentioned ASU radio analyst Russ Pennell as a possible Lute Olson assistant once Kevin O’Neill officially departs, and no doubt Sendek’s thought the same at ASU.

Pennell was a former assistant under Rob Evans, an AAU coach who knows the high school and AAU scene as well as anyone. He has an excellent relationship with Sendek (Ty Abbott, anyone?) and, given a better opportunity, can coach.

Friendship and high-pressure coaching don’t always mix, so one question is whether Sendek and Pennell would take the chance on mixing the two.

Whether he’s coaching or doing radio, Pennell’s one the Sun Devils don’t want to lose.

Arizona State linebacker Travis Goethel breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver Brandon Smith during the Sun Devils’ intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday. (Darryl Webb/Tribune)

The end of spring drills for Arizona State brought more notes and quotes than could be stuffed into my story that appeared in Sunday’s edition of the Tribune. Fortunately, there are no word-count limitations in cyberspace:

Perhaps the most inspiring part of the 17-17 tie in Saturday’s intrasquad game was the performance of sophomore defensive end Jamarr Robinson, whose end to spring 2008 directly contrasted a year ago.

In the ’07 spring game, Robinson, then a linebacker, suffered a knee injury that kept him out until October. On Saturday, Robinson had three of the game’s seven sacks, the best evidence yet that he has found a home in the DE rotation behind starters Dexter Davis and Luis Vasquez.

Jamarr Robinson

“This year has been a lot more fun,” the 6-foot-2, 233-pound Robinson said. “I’m blessed to be in the situation that they have presented me, and I’m just loving it.

“When (defensive coordinator Craig) Bray called me into his office, I thought I was in trouble. But he just said we could use more depth at end, and it was an opportunity for me to get on the field. I just went for it.”

During his career, ASU coach Dennis Erickson has often moved defensive players closer to the scrimmage line — switching safeties to linebacker and linebackers to the line — to take advantage of their speed. In Robinson and redshirt freshman James Brooks, the Sun Devils appear to have ends that can be especially quick off the edge.

“(Defensive line) coach (Grady) Stretz has been a great teacher, and I’ve learned a lot by watching Dexter and Luis,” Robinson said. “I’ve been able to rush and play freely. I have to gain a few pounds to stop the run better, but I’m excited (about the season). I think we’ll have one of the best defensive lines in the Pac-10.”

Running back Shaun DeWitty has rarely been able to show off his athleticism at ASU due to injuries, most notably a sore back that healed while he utilized a redshirt last season. On Saturday, the junior was the leading rusher, with 71 yards on 13 carries, including a 29-yard touchdown.

The biggest ASU running back at 6-feet-2 and 227 pounds, DeWitty’s lanky frame makes him more difficult to slow down and wrap up with an arm tackle. It also makes him susceptible to getting the ball knocked out — he lost a fumble on Saturday — if he is too upright while running.

“I’ve been working with the coaches on getting my pad level down,” DeWitty said. “I feel like I’ve gotten better at it during the spring. I’m still up at times. I’m a tall guy and have had back problems, so I got into some bad habits. It’s like anything you work at, really. It will get better over time.”

DeWitty’s best year at ASU was in 2006, when he ran for 121 yards in the spring game and — when he was not limited due to back stiffness — was used as a third-down back in the fall. With Keegan Herring, Dimitri Nance and Jarrell Woods also options in the backfield, DeWitty will likely be limited to a situational role this season.

However, DeWitty said that performing up to his capabilities is his biggest concern.

“I hope I’m ready to do that,” DeWitty said. “That’s my goal. If I keep working, I know I’ll be able to contribute.”

Jarrell Holman also redshirted in 2007, but it was not by his design. At ASU’s football media day last August, I approached Holman to ask about cornerback, where he was expected to compete for a starting job after transferring from Phoenix College. He disappointingly told me that, after just two practices, he had been moved to safety.

“It was very discouraging,” Holman said earlier this spring. “I sat up at nights, thinking about whether I made the right decision to come here. But I had to fight through it. I changed my perspective. I had some good talks with family members, and they told me to just work hard. I know I can play. It’s just a matter of having the right attitude.”

Holman learned the nuances of safety with the help of watching starters Troy Nolan and Josh Barrett and backups Jeremy Payton and Rodney Cox. The payoff was an impressive spring that culminated in seven tackles on Saturday.

In addition to being in the safety rotation behind first-stringers Nolan and Cox, Holman has gotten playing time at nickelback.

“I’m not playing tentative anymore,” Holman said. “My motto has become: ‘Hit them before they hit you.’ “

Lastly, here are the pertinent statistical details from the spring game:

SCORING SUMMARY
Maroon 17, White 17

Maroon — DeWitty 29 run (Z. Richards kick)
White — B. Smith 43 pass from Carpenter (Weber kick)
Maroon — FG Z. Richards 45
White — Nance 1 run (Weber kick)
Maroon — Kimbrough 31 pass from Sullivan (Z. Richards kick)
White — FG Weber 46

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: DeWitty 13 for 71, TD; Nance 13 for 44, TD; Herring 10 for 14; Woods 9 for 12; Carpenter 1 for minus-5; Stangel 1 for minus-10; Sullivan 2 for minus-14; Szakacsy 4 for minus-26

PASSING: Sullivan 13 of 28 for 115, TD, INT; Carpenter 7 of 21 for 88, TD, INT; Stangel 6 of 12 for 77; Szakacsy 2 of 2 for 19; Williams 0 of 1

RECEIVING: Williams 5 for 39; Kimbrough 3 for 47, TD; Nance 3 for 43; Driscoll 3 for 12; Taylor 2 for 26; Simpson 2 for 20; Simmons 2 for 18; Knapp 2 for 17; Evbuomwan 2 for 10; B. Smith 1 for 43, TD; Piva 1 for 9; DeWitty 1 for 8; Herring 1 for 7

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None

DEFENSIVE SUPERLATIVES: Bertrand (sack); Brooks (sack); Montt (sack); Munns (11 tackles, pass deflection); Nixon (interception); Parker (fumble recovery); Robinson (three sacks); Singfield (interception); Vasquez (sack)

It’s never too early to look ahead, is it?

Arizona State hosts the 2009 West Regional of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, with three games at University of Phoenix Stadium between March 26 and 28.

Tickets are $167 and available to the general public. Applications will be accepted until May 15. Fans can now apply for tickets online.

Tickets will be assigned according to the order that applications are received. If the demand for tickets exceeds supply, a random drawing will be held to select ticket recipients.

Applicants will be notified in June if they were selected and will be delivered in mid-February 2009. Those not selected to receive ticket will be given refunds.

David Bertrand

The most unlikely first-team defensive player for Arizona State during spring practice was, at this time last year, playing for the Sun Devils’ in-state rival.

Defensive tackle David Bertrand is a junior who, frustrated at Arizona’s unwillingness to offer him a scholarship after two years as a backup, transferred to ASU shortly before the start of last season. The Scottsdale Horizon High product played in six games for the Wildcats in 2006 and three in ’05, collecting seven career tackles.

“I’m really happy to be here and happy not to be there,” Bertrand said. “I had some personal problems and decided to leave there and wound up here. I played the first two years, and they just weren’t going to give me a scholarship. I had to get out of there.”

The 6-foot-1, 283-pound Bertrand has practiced with the first team since the second week of spring drills. Even as Saia Falahola (triceps) and David Smith (concussion) have returned from injuries, Bertrand has remained with the top unit.

Smith and Jonathan English are listed as the first-team tackles on ASU’s depth chart, and ex-Michigan player Eugene Germany (who can play tackle or end), junior-college transfer Spencer Gasu and highly-touted freshman Lawrence Guy are among seven defensive linemen arriving in the fall.

However, coach Dennis Erickson said that Bertrand has potential to contribute.

“I think he can help us. He’s had a good spring,” Erickson said. “He’s not big, but powerful, and he is getting an opportunity with other guys hurt. We need guys to step up at defensive tackle.”

Bertrand is one of two former Wildcats on the roster; redshirt freshman running back Avory Battle — whose brother, Allante, will play football and run track at ASU starting this fall — is the other.

“I can’t wait to get on the field against (Arizona),” said Bertrand, who will get a chance to line up against his former school on Dec. 6 in Tucson.

Tuesday’s practice was the next-to-last workout in pads this spring. ASU will don helmets only on Thursday before concluding drills with the spring game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium.

“We had to get something done (on Tuesday), and we did,” Erickson said. “Thursday, we won’t do much in shorts. We’ll split into two teams and practice for about 45 minutes, and then we’ll have the game. By the time Saturday comes around, we should be ready to go. We should get something out of it.”

Asked his assessment of the team with the end of spring looming, Erickson said: “I’m happy with where we are defensively. We’re way ahead of where we were last year at this time because we have a lot of players back. Offensively, (quarterback) Rudy Carpenter has had an outstanding spring. Our front is getting better all the time. You can sense an improvement in that group since the beginning of spring ball.”

Erickson said that left tackle Jon Hargis, a converted defensive lineman, has improved in recent practices. Hargis is battling for one of three vacant starting spots on an offensive line that Erickson said has responded well to the simplified protection schemes.

“I thought we had too much last year,” said Erickson, whose offense surrendered a school-record 55 sacks in 2007. “Even if we had all of those (starters) back, I would still cut back on the stuff we did, because it was confusing. Things are easier. You aren’t going to pick up every blitz, but assignment-wise, we’re in good shape.”

Another Final Four. Another circus.

Sure enough, one week of expected and bizarre activity has already transformed the Pac-10 next winter. Hard to believe since it’s April, but no other conference has (so far) gone through such upheavel.

Most of this basketball hurricane has past but there are a few unknowns still waiting to be answered.  Most speculation won’t end until June 16, the last day underclassmen can withdraw their name from the NBA lottery (unless they’ve hired an agent).

Take a look at what the league lost in the past week, and it’s easy to see why Andy Katz has ASU ranked No. 15 — second in the Pac-10 — heading into next season. We know how little merit this stuff has today, but it’s not far-fetched.

Mixed messages keep coming out of Westwood about the fate of UCLA’s Kevin Love, Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook.

At least one of the three will leave, and probably two.  The sophomore Westbrook appears most likely to stay another year, but his draft stock was enhanced by a strong showing in the NCAA tournament, while Collison’s inconsistency on offense didn’t help his cause.

Terrific all-around point guard Darren Collison didn’t fare too well offensively in the NCAA tournament. If it potentially costs him a spot in the NBA lottery (top 14), he may return to UCLA. 

Then there’s Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Alfred Aboya, both of whom are currently juniors but are on pace to leave school early if they so choose.

The Bruins have a pair of excellent backcourt recruits coming in, but they’re still going to take a hit.

Stanford 7-footers Brook and Robin Lopez are leaving early for the NBA, and Anthony Goods may jump as well. Three days later, Pac-10 Coach of the Year Trent Johnson bolted for Louisiana State and doubled his salary. The Cardinal administration has egg on its face for letting one of the better coaches (even if he was rigid and a mercurial personality) leave when all it had to do was offer Johnson a formal contract extension that was circulating for months. Get ready for more rumblings of Randy Bennett (St. Mary’s), Mark Fox (Nevada) and Mark Few (Gonzaga).

The Cardinal could have re-hired Mike Montgomery (though that wasn’t likely even with all his success and ties to the school), but California signed him the week before to replace the fired Ben Braun. The Bears have underachieved for the past few years, and it could get worse if sophomore Ryan Anderson decides to go pro.

Anderson was the Pac-10 leading scorer and third-leading rebounder, but a string of solid NBA workouts and a new coach at Cal may sway him to greener pastures. 

Washington State retains coach Tony Bennett after flirtations with Indiana and LSU, but loses three of its top four players: Derrick Low, Kyle Weaver, and Robbie Cowgill.

O.J. Mayo is gone from USC (shocking absolutely nobody). If Daniel Hackett, Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson all return, the Trojans will be very good. It’s a group to watch as NBA draft deadline approaches.

Oregon loses its three leading scorers.

Jerryd Bayless is leaving Arizona. Chase Budinger might (he was oh-so-wise to not sign with an agent), and though All-American Brandon Jennings is coming in, duplicating Bayless’ production is an unreasonable expectation.

The Wildcats still lack depth but if they return to a running style under Lute Olson, they could be interesting with a return to good health.

Hard to blame Jerryd Bayless for making the jump, given the likelihood he’ll be a top-five draft pick. Given how big a recruit he was (and being a local kid), does he leave a legacy behind after one season? 

Gerald Munns

During the three weeks that Arizona State has been in spring drills, coach Dennis Erickson said, it has not been difficult to identify the defensive player with the biggest knack for finding the football.

“Any time there is a collision, Gerald Munns seems to be involved,” Erickson said. “He’s been making as many plays as anyone.”

Munns, a junior, has displayed enough awareness, anticipation and aggressiveness to claim the first-team assignment at middle linebacker, a status he held very briefly last season before a knee injury caused him to miss four games.

Now healthy, leaner and with two years of college-level learning experience, the Hamilton High product believes that he has gained the maturity to be a regular impact player. This upcoming season, he feels, is his time.

“I’m starting to see the field a lot better,” said Munns, who recorded 20 tackles (15 solo) and a sack last season. “With experience I have, I feel a lot more calm out there, and things are starting to slow down. I can react a lot faster and go out and make plays.”

ASU linebacker Gerald Munns brings down Southern California running back Stafon Johnson last season. (Jennifer Grimes/Tribune)

The 6-foot-4, 238-pound Munns — listed at 240 pounds last year, he said that his weight has remained steady as he has added more muscle — impressed during fall camp and early-season practices, earning the starting nod for the San Diego State game on Sept. 15. On the second series, he suffered the knee injury.

After his return, Munns backed up Morris Wooten and Mike Nixon in the middle.

“It was hard to get back into shape for a while,” Munns said. “I had to get my knee back in shape, and my overall endurance was tough to get back. But everyone goes through injuries. It was something I had to get over and keep fighting.”

Munns’ biggest asset, Erickson said, is his ability to read and recognize a play developing, which enables him to “play faster,” as it is known in coaching parlance.

“He’s smart and knows what’s going on,” Erickson said. “You watch him on tape, and he looks like a guy who runs 4.4 (seconds in the 40-yard dash) because he knows what he’s doing. I don’t think he’s that fast, but he looks that fast on the field.”

A soft-spoken nature belies Munns’ torpedo style on the field. Middle linebacker is a position where leadership is usually expected, and Munns said that as he grows more comfortable in the spot, he will raise his voice more often.

“We have a lot of guys on the team that need to step up vocally, and I’m probably one of them,” Munns said. “But I primarily try to show leadership with my effort and hustle to the ball. I’m a guy that can be held accountable. That’s the most important kind of leadership, I think.”

The most talked-about happening at Thursday’s practice was a shoving match between guard Shaun Lauvao and defensive tackle Jonathan English that turned into a skirmish involving several players.

Erickson could only chuckle afterward, saying that the pile-up was big, but tame.

“They couldn’t hurt each other,” Erickson said. “It wasn’t vicious. That was like it was almost planned. There’s a coaches’ clinic here, so (the players) had to do something to show how tough they are. It wasn’t really exciting to me. I almost fell asleep.”

There indeed appeared to be theatrics. As the fracas broke up, running back Keegan Herring shouted at cornerback Omar Bolden, “I was looking for you in that huddle!” Herring’s usual mile-wide smile indicated that he was not even half-serious.

Two of the special-teams vacancies appear to be filled, as Erickson said that Thomas Ohmart is “by far” the best long-snapper in camp and that backup quarterback Danny Sullivan will likely hold on placement-kick attempts. Kicker Thomas Weber is still the first-team punter, but Zach Richards and two junior-college walk-ons will get a chance at the job in the fall.

The scrimmage, the second of the spring, is at 9:45 a.m. Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium. It will follow a format similar to the first. There will be several street closures around ASU due to Sunday’s Arizona Ironman triathlon, so the school is offering travel tips for those planning to attend the scrimmage and other athletic events this weekend.

The Sun Devils have a wrinkle when they employ an empty-backfield formation, occasionally splitting a running back out where a wide receiver normally lines up. When Dimitri Nance has lined out wide in recent workouts, an outside linebacker has covered him — a favorable matchup that ASU would like to create whenever possible.

“We’ll throw those (running backs) around different places,” Erickson said. “We’re doing a lot of things out of an empty formation, and you’ll see a lot more by the end of spring. We were pretty successful out of the empty in the first scrimmage.”

Tight end Dane Guthrie (shoulder), safeties Jonathan Clark (shoulder) and Jarrell Holman (back) and defensive linemen Luis Vasquez (ankle) and David Smith (concussion) did not practice on Thursday but should be back on Saturday.

Construction on ASU’s indoor practice facilities for football and basketball is expected to begin by the end of April, a school spokesman said.

Jon Hargis

Jon Hargis had every reason to believe that his football career at Arizona State would play out as a defensive lineman after a move to offense last spring lasted all of one practice.

That belief was fortified in the fall, when the Mesa Red Mountain High product, serving as a backup defensive tackle, showed improvement as the season went on. After suffering a separated shoulder against UCLA, Hargis was lauded as a tough guy, as he not only finished that game but played in the year’s three remaining contests.

Expecting to compete for a starting spot at defensive tackle in 2008, Hargis instead received news during the offseason that he was getting another stint on offense. Since then, he has undergone a crash course at left tackle that has intensified since the start of spring drills.

“It was a little surprising to be making the switch,” said Hargis, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound sophomore. “I started out as filling a gap on the defensive line, but I really progressed. I was going to be fine with anything that the coaches decided, though, and this is going to be the best move for me and the team.”

Completely revamping his mechanics in the trenches has been an exercise in patience for Hargis. On defense, he rushed on his toes. On offense, he often backs up on his heels, making sure to keep his feet spread apart. On defense, he tried to drag an opposing lineman aside. On offense, he tries to push him away.

What’s more, there are all kinds of protection calls and reads to learn.

The fact that Hargis is frequently assigned to block Dexter Davis, ASU’s best rush end, has not made the on-the-job training easier. But the coaches have shown enough faith in Hargis to give him most of the first-team snaps this spring, ahead of junior college transfer Tom Njunge and redshirt freshman Mike Marcisz.

“It’s been good and hard,” Hargis said. “The hardest thing is not getting frustrated. There are a lot of new things, technique-wise. But it’s coming along. I’m feeling more comfortable this week. It’s coming along for me in a lot of areas.

“I wasn’t expecting to be first team, but I’m doing my best to go with it. I’m trying to seize the opportunity, as they say.”

Randy Shannon

More than a decade after he left the Miami (Fla.), Erickson has an opportunity to directly influence what the Hurricanes will do on the field in 2008. Second-year Miami coach Randy Shannon and many of his offensive assistants are visiting Tempe to brainstorm with Erickson and the ASU staff.

Some of the assistant coaches attended Wednesday’s practice. Shannon — who from 1991-97 was a graduate assistant, defensive line coach and linebackers coach at Miami — was due to arrive in the evening, and the Hurricane contingent will stay through Friday.

“They wanted to exchange ideas,” Erickson said. “It will be good to see Randy and sit down and talk.”

Miami’s spring drills ended in March.

Information sharing between coaches from different schools is commonplace, though typically not among conference rivals. For example, Ohio State’s coaches traveled to Gainesville, Fla., to pow-wow with their Florida counterparts in the summer of 2006, months before the teams played in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Erickson said that his defensive coaches engage in such sessions, sometimes with as many as five other staffs at a time.

“You can’t stand still, you have to keep learning, or you are going to get your rear end beat,” Erickson said.

A handful of players hobbled off the practice field on Wednesday, including tight end Dane Guthrie (shoulder), wide receiver Chris McGaha (leg), defensive end Luis Vasquez (ankle) and safeties Jonathan Clark (shoulder) and Jarrell Holman (back). With 10 practices down and five remaining, it is that time of spring when injuries can pile up.

After Thursday’s practice and Saturday’s scrimmage, players should have time to heal. The final week of drills has just three sessions, one on Tuesday, a non-pads workout on April 17 and the spring game on April 19.

The injuries have especially hit the defensive line, which was further depleted on Wednesday with Davis’ absence due to class. After Vasquez departed, the first-team line consisted of ends Jamarr Robinson (a converted linebacker) and James Brooks and tackles David Bertrand and Jonathan English. Of those four, only English has played in a game on the defensive line at ASU.

Starting DT David Smith, who has been out with a concussion, should return Thursday.

“You go with the guys you’ve got,” Erickson said. “When you have injuries, you try to develop some depth. You have to remember it’s the spring. I’ve had to remember that over the years, because I’m so competitive. Guys got hurt, and you’d get upset because you can’t do things.

“But it’s the spring. There will be guys that are hurt, and you can’t do anything about it. (The NCAA) set the rules at 15 practices, and it was probably right to do that.”