Blogging with the Devils

Arizona State at Oregon State

Kickoff: 7:15 p.m. Saturday
Where: Reser Stadium; Corvallis, Ore.
TV/Announcers: FSN Arizona/Steve Physioc, Jason Sehorn and Michael Eaves (sidelines)
Radio: KTAR (92.3 FM)
Records: ASU 2-5 overall, 1-3 Pac-10; Oregon State 4-3, 3-1
Rankings: Both teams unranked
Series: ASU leads 24-9-1 and has won three of the last four matchups
Last meeting: Sept. 22, 2007 at Tempe — ASU 44, Oregon State 32

SUN DEVILS’ KEYS TO VICTORY

1. Assignment football: The ASU defense took a step back last week by being overwhelmed by Oregon’s speed, as it missed tackles when the Ducks got the ball to their playmakers in space. Oregon State offers the same challenge, particularly from Jacquizz Rodgers, the Pac-10’s leading rusher.

2. Deep thinkers: The Beavers’ defense has been susceptible to the long pass this year, and it expects the Sun Devils to try for big gains downfield. However, ASU’s passing game might face a big impediment …

3. Rain gear required: The forecast for game time calls for temperatures in the 40s and a 70-percent chance of precipitation. Two years ago, the Sun Devils visited the Beavers in the rain and were held to 223 yards of offense in a 44-10 loss.

INJURY REPORT

Arizona State
OUT: CB Jonathan Clark (knee); S Clint Floyd (kidney); OL Matt Hustad (knee); TE Dan Knapp (knee); S Max Tabach (knee); WR Kyle Williams (concussion) DOUBTFUL: LB Jeff Bereuter (elbow); DE James Brooks (ankle) QUESTIONABLE: RB Jarrell Woods (ankle) PROBABLE: C Thomas Altieri (stinger); RB Ryan Bass (hamstring); QB Rudy Carpenter (ankle); WR Michael Jones (back); S Troy Nolan (ankle); K Thomas Weber (wrist)

Oregon State
OUT: CB James Dockery (knee); OL Brent McNeil (foot); OL Jeremy Perry (knee) QUESTIONABLE: TE Gabe Miller (groin) PROBABLE: OL Andy Levitre (illness)

SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS

The weekly search for something, anything that will work consistently on offense continues. The last two games, ASU had early success with different formations and pre-snap motion, but mistakes or defensive adjustments quashed that advantage. New wrinkles can only go so far with quarterback Rudy Carpenter and many of his receivers playing hurt. With the offensive line still an issue, ASU needs as much elusiveness on the field as it can get, which is why Ryan Bass, a quick, shifty true freshman running back, is expected to play more. If the Sun Devils fall behind early, they could be in trouble, as the offensive woes and weather likely will not be conducive to quick scoring.

Oregon State running back Jacquizz Rodgers is on pace to run for 1,392 yards this year, which would break the school’s freshman record of Ken Simonton (1,028 yards) in 1998. (Getty Images photo)

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS

With running back Jacquizz Rodgers piling up yards and efficient quarterback play, Oregon State is averaging more than 32 minutes of possession time a game, tops in the Pac-10. As a result, the Beavers are wearing down teams, a dynamic that fueled ASU’s success in 2007. Quarterback Lyle Moevao has an array of playmaking receivers, led by Sammie Stroughter, who is also a dangerous kick returner. Preseason concerns about the defense have been calmed, thanks to the unit’s opportunism. In its last five games — four of them victories — OSU has forced 13 turnovers, turning them into 10 touchdowns and two field goals.

THE INTRIGUE

With all of the talk about how Oregon State controls its own Rose Bowl destiny, it is easy to forget that the Beavers are only 4-3. However, the early-season losses are a distant memory now that coach Mike Riley’s team is hitting its usual second-half stride. Before a season-defining stretch against California, Arizona and Oregon, Oregon State needs to take care of business today and next week against UCLA. As for ASU, what is left to say? Coach Dennis Erickson returns to a school where he is still admired, but if his team does not leave with a win, its postseason margin for error is down to zero.

TEAM REPORTS

ASU OFFENSE

SE 1 Michael Jones; LT; 59 Jon Hargis; LG 67 Shaun Lauvao; C 56 Thomas Altieri; RG 63 Paul Fanaika; RT 74 Tom Njunge; TE 88 Andrew Pettes; SLOT 5 Kerry Taylor; FL 13 Chris McGaha; QB 12 Rudy Carpenter; RB 24 Keegan Herring

ASU DEFENSE

LE 49 Luis Vasquez; DT 50 Lawrence Guy; DT 90 David Smith; RE 58 Dexter Davis; SLB 44 Travis Goethel; MLB 52 Morris Wooten; WLB 25 Mike Nixon; CB 3 Omar Bolden; CB 5 Terell Carr; FS 14 Troy Nolan; SS 22 Rodney Cox

ASU 2008 schedule

ASU 2008 statistics

ASU 2008 NCAA ranking summary

OREGON STATE OFFENSE

SE 19 Sammie Stroughter; LT 66 Andy Levitre; LG 51 Adam Speer; C 60 Alex Linnenkohl; RG 73 Gregg Peat; RT 50 Mike Remmers; TE 88 Howard Croom; FL 8 James Rodgers; SLOT 13 Shane Morales; QB 3 Lyle Moevao; RB 1 Jacquizz Rodgers

OREGON STATE DEFENSE

LE 90 Victor Butler; LT 54 Stephen Paea; RT 99 Pernnell Booth; RE 58 Slade Norris; SLB 32 Keaton Kristick; MLB 41 Bryant Cornell; WLB 35 Keith Pankey; LCB 8 Keenan Lewis; RCB 36 Brandon Hughes; S 8 Al Afalava; S 44 Greg Laybourn

OSU 2008 schedule

OSU 2008 statistics

OSU 2008 NCAA ranking summary

Somebody (Sports Illustrated writer S.L. Price) didn’t read the brother-in-law’s scouting report (below) on Barack Obama. Oregon State coach Craig Robinson knows why you make the presidential candidate go right.

Just hanging out in Los Angeles for the day (a loooooong day), but before I catch a flight back to Phoenix let’s empty the vault of randomness from today’s Pac-10 basketball media day.

Arizona State was supposed to have Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden in attendance Thursday, and how would that have been for league-wide respect of Herb Sendek’s program? Not even UCLA in the last few years had two players in attendance.

Except the duo didn’t make it.

Fog led to massive delays between Phoenix and L.A. on Wednesday night. They were with Sendek at the airport waiting to leave for three hours, but as the hour grew later and later, the prospect of missing study time (Pendergraph has a mid-term in the next day or so) and the team’s 5 a.m. wake-up call on Saturday looming (Pendergraph thought about coming over to L.A. early Thursday morning), it wasn’t worth the trip.

So the players ultimately stayed behind. Sendek said he arrived in L.A. after midnight on Wednesday night, three hours late.

Pendergraph enjoys these media functions because he used to get decent food, out of class, and can gab and schmooze with the best of them. Harden, though, shouldn’t feel like he missed anything special.

Former Mesa Mountain View standout Harper Kamp has had a rough go to begin his sophomore season at California. New Golden Bears coach Mike Montgomery said Kamp struggled with knee problems last season, playing in pain.

An aggressive rehabilitation program in spring and summer didn’t work, and Kamp was forced to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery to clean out loose debris and cartilege.

When full squad workouts started two weeks ago, Kamp was in pain again after three practices.

“It’s still been a problem,” Montgomery said. “It acted up, and that happens after surgery, but it happened quicker than we hoped. He’s real discouraged but we need him. He’s an important part of our program.”

Speaking of Montgomery, he recruited Washington coach Lorenzo Romar to come play at Montana early in Montgomery’s coaching career. Romar wound up at Washington for two seasons, but he spoke of a recruiting letter his mother still has from Montgomery, circa 1977.

“I’ve always been a lousy recruiter,” Montgomery joked as he walked out of the room.

Russ Pennell, on Kamp’s former Toros teammate Brandon Lavender: “I’ve been pleased. He knows how to play and make shot. I think he can help.”

Washington State has had consecutive 26-win seasons under Tony Bennett, including a trip to the Sweet Sixteen last spring, but while the Cougars return three starters, they also have nine freshmen (two redshirted) on the roster, believed to be the most newbies of any Division I school.

Basketball scouting report on Barack Obama, courtesy of Oregon State coach and brother-in-law Craig Robinson: “I can give you a scouting report. I can also make a comment on his judgement: We’ve never played one-on-one, so he knows exactly what he’s doing. Eighty-five to 90 percent of the world are pickup players, not college or pro or European, just average run-of-the-mill playgrounders.

“He could play pickup with just about any of them. Left-handed – and a true lefty, not one of those who’s better going to his right. If you make him go right he’ll stop and shoot. He has a very good outside shot, wiry strong, and he knows the game, which makes it fun. A very high basketball IQ.”

Under the criteria used in recent evaluations of Arizona State’s 2004-06 recruiting classes, Oakland Raiders tight end Zach Miller counts as a player who is not contributing to this year’s team. So, does that make him a recruiting mistake?

Earlier this week in Jacksonville, Fla., former Arizona State football coach Dirk Koetter could have woken up with tire markings on his back from the bus he was thrown under.

With the Sun Devils, ranked 15th in the nation in the preseason, having lost five straight games, the interrogation spotlight has been placed on 2004-06, recruiting years under Koetter that, many suggest, have undermined the ASU program’s depth and experience.

Is the criticism fair? Yes and no.

Harsh judgment of Koetter’s recruiting is nothing new; Tribune columnist Scott Bordow covered that ground two years ago.

This week, the statistics have been trumpeted among Sun Devil faithful: Of the 68 players signed by ASU from 2004-06, 26 are still in the program, with 15 contributing regularly. Those are unflattering numbers, to be sure.

However, the fairest assessment requires digging deeper. By no means does it vindicate Koetter, who is now offensive coordinator of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, but the picture becomes a little more accurate.

The best way to judge the current value of those recruiting classes is to count only those who signed out of high school, as all but one of the junior-college transfers from that time period have exhausted their eligibility. Starting safety Troy Nolan, a JC transfer in 2006, is still a Sun Devil because he redshirted a season due to injury.

Right off the top, tight end Zach Miller is collecting NFL paychecks. He has no business being part of the group of 68.

Dirk Koetter

Here is a look at the 2004-06 recruiting classes (high-school players only), and their status on the current ASU squad:

2004
Signings: 22 (18 freshmen, four JC transfers)
Current starters: QB Rudy Carpenter, TE Wes Evans, WR Michael Jones, TE Andrew Pettes, DT David Smith
Current reserves: WR Nate Kimbrough, S Angelo Fobbs-Valentino
Early NFL entrant: TE Zach Miller
Out of program: S Myrio Davis, QB Max Hall, OL Jonathan Lehmann, CB Uriah Marshall, OL Bradis McGriff, S Jeremy Payton, OL Brent Russum, LB Antone Saulsberry, OL Leo Talavou, LB Adam Vincent, RB Price Wilks

2005
Signings: 22 (15 freshmen, seven JC transfers)
Current starters: C Thomas Altieri, DE Dexter Davis, RB Keegan Herring, G Shawn Lauvao, WR Chris McGaha
Current reserves: RB Shaun DeWitty, WR Brandon Smith, CB Travis Smith, TE Jovon Williams
Did not qualify: DL Jameon Hardeman
Out of program: CB Grant Crunkleton, LB Chad Lindsey, QB Derek Shaw, T Richard Tuitu’u, OL J.D. Walton

2006
Signings: 24 (15 freshmen, nine JC transfers)
Current starters: LB Travis Goethel, T Jon Hargis, WR Kyle Williams
Current reserves: LB Jeff Bereuter, DL Saia Falahola, S Ryan McFoy, RB Dimitri Nance, LB Jamarr Robinson, QB Danny Sullivan
Did not qualify: CB Brantwon Bowser, DL Jermaine Williams
Out of program: TE Lance Evbuomwan, RB Rodney Glass, LB Gerald Munns, DL Zach Niusulu

With Nolan added to the high-school recruits, 48 players signed from 2004-06 do or would likely have eligibility remaining. As a result, the 26 left-in-the-program and 15 contributing-regularly figures are still not great, but more forgiving.

Let’s look further.

Danny Sullivan is backing up a quarterback who has made 38 consecutive starts. Shaun DeWitty has been lost in the running back depth chart behind Ryan Torain, Keegan Herring and Dimitri Nance — all Koetter recruits.

Ryan McFoy played well in eight starts at safety in 2006 before being moved by coach Dennis Erickson to linebacker, where he never got consistent playing time and has since moved back to the secondary. And Gerald Munns was the starting middle linebacker before leaving the team in September due to a personal matter.

Each of those players are slotted in the “do not contribute regularly” column. However, how can any of them be strikes against Koetter?

Also, three Koetter-era walk-ons are making substantial contributions: Paul Fanaika is a starting guard who some NFL scouts believe could be drafted in April, linebacker Mike Nixon is the team’s leading tackler, and kicker Thomas Weber won the Lou Groza Award in 2007.

Clearly, much of the blame for the personnel deficiencies can be laid at Koetter’s feet. ASU has essentially lost a year on the offensive line, as none of the four blockers signed in 2004 are still with the team. The nine junior-college players signed in ’06 — although the group included Nolan, Torain and cornerback Justin Tryon — were an indication that enough depth had not been built.

However, ASU is not the only school that must deal with such roster limitations. The Sun Devils’ 17 seniors is one of the lowest figures in the bowl subdivision, but Alabama (nine), North Carolina (11), Fresno State (12) and Oklahoma State (15) are among the schools that have fewer. In terms of starters, ASU’s upperclassmen total is one of the higher ones in the Pac-10.

During a 10-win season in ’07, Erickson said often that Koetter “did not leave the cupboard bare.” Many of the veterans from that squad — including Torain, Tryon, receiver Rudy Burgess, center Mike Pollak, tight end Brent Miller and defensive lineman Michael Marquardt — are gone.

The overall talent left behind might not have justified the lofty preseason expectations, but as Erickson said earlier this week, the Sun Devils are better than 2-5. 

Could Koetter have recruited better? Absolutely.

But he should not be a scapegoat.

A couple of weeks ago, I promised to divulge my Pac-10 preseason basketball ballot upon its return to the league office, so here it is:

1. UCLA — A couple of veterans return (notably Darren Collison) with a top-three recruiting class.

2. Southern California — O.J. Mayo are Devon Jefferson are gone, but Daniel Hackett, Dwight Lewis and Taj Gibson return, plus freshman DeMar DeRozan has already turned heads. 

3. Arizona State — The top seven scorers return. The key will be staying healthy and getting Eric Boateng to progress a little more. Also, who amongst Ty Abbott, Rihards Kuksiks and Derek Glasser will become consistent offensive threats?

4. Washington — A situation similar to ASU’s in that nearly everyone returns. The Huskies have Jon Brockman in the middle, but have still underachieved the last couple years. Methinks that will finally change.

5. Washington State — Kyle Weaver and Derrick Low left, leaving Taylor Rochestie, Daven Harmeling and big man Aron Baynes to lead this team. Tony Bennett’s coaching style means that the Cougars will be in almost every game.

6. Arizona — Fair or not, the circus surrounding Lute Olson leaving is a big distraction (witness Kevin O’Neill last season). A terrific trio returns in Chase Budinger, Nic Wise and Jordan Hill, but there’s not much behind them, and defense will again be a problem.

7. Oregon — The Ducks lost a bevy of seniors, but point guard Tajuan Porter returns, a promising freshmen class is in, and a couple players (Kamyron Brown and LeKendric Longmire) emerged late in the season.

8. California — Until Olson’s departure, Mike Montgomery going from Stanford to Cal was the biggest preseason story. He replaces the fired Ben Braun (who I’m sad to see gone, having dealt with him many times between the Pac-10 and Mid-American Conference). Lots of veterans return (Harper Kamp, Jamal Boykin, Jordan Wiles, Jerome Randle), but leading scorer and rebounder Ryan Anderson does not.

9. Stanford — No more Lopez twins (Robin and Brook) has the rest of the league happy. Anthony Goods, Lawrence Hill and Mitch Johnson are a solid trio for new coach Johnny Dawkins, but there’s precious little experience behind them.

10. Oregon State — It’s going to be a while before new coach Craig Robinson (presidential candidate Barack Obama’s brother-in-law) has a chance to make an imprint. There is no economic stimulus package that can help in Corvallis this season.

Pac-10 media day is in Los Angeles on Thursday, so if not before then, we’ll check in this space again.

SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: I will double-check with Arizona State’s sports information office, but I believe Ben Stapley’s comment that the Sun Devils wore all maroon in their 2001 game against Arizona is correct.

Arizona State tight end Todd Heap is upended during the 1999 Aloha Bowl.

For Arizona State, a “new season,” as coach Dennis Erickson put it earlier this week, means a new look.

The Sun Devils, losers of four straight games, took the field before Saturday’s contest against Oregon in all-maroon uniforms. It is the first time that ASU has sported that look at home since Nov. 27, 1999, in a 42-27 victory against Arizona.

That win clinched a berth in the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day. ASU went the maroon route against Wake Forest, to less-than-charming results in a 23-3 loss. The Sun Devils, coached by Bruce Snyder, were hamstrung by the loss of 10 players, including three starters, to food poisoning.

Snyder is one of eight members of the 2008 ASU athletic Hall of Fame induction class that will be honored at halftime against Oregon.

Oregon at Arizona State

Kickoff: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Sun Devil Stadium
TV/Announcers: None
Radio: KTAR (620 AM)
Records: Oregon 5-2 overall, 3-1 Pac-10; ASU 2-4, 1-2
Rankings: Both teams unranked
Series: ASU leads 16-12 but has lost three straight matchups
Last meeting: Nov. 3, 2007 at Eugene, Ore. — Oregon 35, ASU 23
Tickets: Available at Sun Devil Stadium ticket office, by calling (480) 727-0000 or online at thesundevils.com

SUN DEVILS’ KEYS TO VICTORY

1. A good start: In ASU’s last two games — and in contests against Oregon in 2006 and ’07 — the Sun Devils were overwhelmed right away. If the Ducks hurry to a two-touchdown lead today, consecutive loss No. 5 is likely. Barring a confidence and execution transplant during the bye week, ASU’s offense is not equipped for a big comeback.

2. Men in tights: Two tight ends, that is. ASU’s offense had success with different looks out of the two-tight end formation early against Southern California two weeks ago. They will need it for a full game against an Oregon defense that boasts a fierce pass rush and is ranked second in the Pac-10 against the run.

3. Red-zone success: This is an assumed key to victory in any game, but after ASU got more inept the closer it got to the USC goal line, a refresher course is in order. Oregon opponents have scored on 24 of 25 red-zone forays (13 of them touchdowns) this season.

INJURY REPORT

Oregon
OUT: RB Remene Alston (foot); QB Nate Costa (knee); LB Terrell Turner (knee) QUESTIONABLE: DE Dominic Glover (back); OL Fenuki Tupou (knee) PROBABLE: OL C.E. Kaiser (undisclosed); QB Justin Roper (knee); CB Walter Thurmond III (pelvis)

Arizona State
OUT: CB Jonathan Clark (knee); S Clint Floyd (kidney); OL Matt Hustad (knee); TE Dan Knapp (knee); S Max Tabach (knee) DOUBTFUL: LB Jeff Bereuter (elbow) QUESTIONABLE: S Angelo Fobbs-Valentino (knee); LB Brandon Magee (pectoral); RB Jarrell Woods (ankle); PROBABLE: QB Rudy Carpenter (ankle); G Paul Fanaika (leg); LS Thomas Ohmart (shoulder); DT David Smith (neck); K Thomas Weber (wrist)

Quarterback Justin Roper passed for 484 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions before suffering a knee injury at Purdue on Sept. 13. He is available to play, but coach Mike Bellotti had not named a starting QB as of Friday.

SCOUTING THE DUCKS

How Oregon’s offense functions based on who plays quarterback — Jeremiah Masoli (run-oriented) or Justin Roper (more balance) — might be overstated. The run will be a big part of the game plan regardless of who takes snaps, and with a running-back tandem of Jeremiah Johnson and LaGarrette Blount, why not? Given the quality of the Ducks’ pass rush and the fact that cornerbacks Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond III and rover Patrick Chung are among the Pac-10’s best at their positions, Oregon’s susceptibility to the pass (268.7 yards a game) has been a surprise. The special teams need a shore-up after allowing two returns of at least 30 yards against UCLA two weeks ago.

SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS

Quarterback Rudy Carpenter’s ankle, as his thumb did in 2007, is likely to continue bothering him. And, as evidenced by last year, offensive-line issues are rarely solved later in a season — at this point, many teams are what they are. It is possible that ASU’s struggles on offense will remain through the end of the year, although they could be lessened when the schedule softens. Fortunately for the Sun Devils, the defense has played well enough in the last two games to keep them competitive, as long as it is not put in bad field-position situations. The defensive line, which utilizes an eight-man rotation, has been the most consistent unit on the team.

THE INTRIGUE

Coach Dennis Erickson has said that ASU is starting a “new season,” and it could be a short season if the Sun Devils do not start posting victories. With at least a 4-2 record in its last six games required for a bowl bid, ASU is reaching “must-win” time. With road challenges at Oregon State and Arizona remaining, a loss today wounds the postseason hopes of Erickson’s team. Oregon is in a four-way tie with USC, Oregon State and Arizona for first in the Pac-10. If the Ducks want to play in a big bowl, they cannot afford a slip-up today.

TEAM REPORTS

OREGON OFFENSE

WR 4 Jaison Williams; LT 57 Fenuki Tupou; LG 51 Jeff Kendall; C 60 Max Unger; RG 71 Mark Lewis; RT 69 Bo Thran; TE 83 Ed Dickson; WR 23 Jeff Maehl; WR 8 Terence Scott; QB 2 Jeremiah Masoli or 11 Justin Roper; RB 24 Jeremiah Johnson

OREGON DEFENSE

DE 39 Will Tukuafu; DT 91 Ra’Shon Harris; DT 97 Cole Linehan; DE 49 Nick Reed; SLB 13 Jerome Boyd; MLB 58 55 Casey Matthews; WLB 38 Eddie Pleasant; LCB 32 Jairus Byrd; RCB 6 Walter Thurmond III; FS 2 T.J. Ward; ROV 15 Patrick Chung

Oregon 2008 schedule

Oregon 2008 statistics

Oregon 2008 NCAA ranking summary

ASU OFFENSE

SE 1 Michael Jones; LT; 59 Jon Hargis; LG 67 Shaun Lauvao; C 56 Thomas Altieri; RG 63 Paul Fanaika; RT 74 Tom Njunge; TE 88 Andrew Pettes; SLOT 6 Kyle Williams; FL 13 Chris McGaha; QB 12 Rudy Carpenter; RB 24 Keegan Herring

ASU DEFENSE

LE 49 Luis Vasquez; DT 50 Lawrence Guy; DT 90 David Smith; RE 58 Dexter Davis; SLB 44 Travis Goethel; MLB 52 Morris Wooten; WLB 25 Mike Nixon; CB 3 Omar Bolden; CB 5 Terell Carr; FS 14 Troy Nolan; SS 22 Rodney Cox

ASU 2008 schedule

ASU 2008 statistics

ASU 2008 NCAA ranking summary

Russ Pennell

Arizona State’s basketball media day had long ended, but radio play-by-play guru Tim Healey and I stood in a hallway talking about Brad Nahra, who was recently hired as the Sun Devils’ new basketball analyst.

Healey surmised Nahra has plenty of potential, but the conversation invariably veered back to his predecessor, who was named new Arizona basketball coach on Friday: Russ Pennell.

Pennell had his Gilbert-based business, the Arizona Basketball Academy. He also has a family, and after three stints as an assistant, he never spoke or even intimated a desire to return to the grind and constant travel of college basketball coaching.

He was terrific next to Healey on the airwaves; well-spoken and offering insights perhaps only a coach could see.

“I guess it’s in the blood,” Healey quipped of Pennell’s return to being an assistant. “Once they get the itch, it can never be scratched.”

His connections with area high school coaches was a big reason Lute Olson went after Pennell last spring, and though ASU assistant Mark Phelps had left for Drake, Pennell had already been around the ASU coaching block before. Also, a solid relationship with ASU coach Herb Sendek wasn’t worth compromising in the professional ranks.

Nobody saw Olson’s retirement coming like this. We all figured his recent bouts with lethargy and hoarse voice of late were a basic illness.

Even fewer saw Pennell as Olson’s replacement.

Based on a handful of conversations in the past six months (most recently in mid-August), Pennell sure didn’t see this coming. In time, he felt he had a chance to move up the coaching ladder working under Olson. He, too, operated under the belief Olson was going to be at Arizona a couple more years, enough to the point he sold his house in Gilbert and moved the family to Tucson.

Talk about an awkward promotion.

Though the Wildcats have plenty of question marks heading into the season, Pennell can coach, and he certainly can recruit. The problem is he may get one season to do the former, and no chance at the latter.

A national search is underway to find the next Wildcats coach, and it’s not likely to include Pennell or Dunlap (or Kevin O’Neill). As expected, the A-list coaches out there are being thrown against the wall in rumor-ville and speculation city.

The Wildcats will get a well-known coach who’ll agree to shovel through the biohazard that’s unfolded the past two years at UA.

But after this season, the future probably won’t include Pennell, which would leave him and his family unexpectedly caught between a (red) rock and the buttes.

Stephen Rogers

Though a few things may still shake out in Arizona State basketball land when it comes to a final roster, Stephen Rogers seemed to slip into a Sun Devils uniform nearly anonymously.

Rogers was a top-notch forward at Mesa Mountain View from 2002-06. The 6-foot-8, 185-pounder (he wasn’t quite as big in his Toro days) teamed with Harper Kamp (now at California) and Kendall Wallace (both a year younger than Rogers) and won a couple state basketball championships under coach Gary Ernst.

Rogers spent the past two years on Mormon mission trips, mostly through the northern half of Ohio: Cleveland, Akron, Youngstown, Toledo, Canton, etc.  No doubt a rough area of the Rust Belt.

“It’s sketchy driving through some of those places at night,” he said. “They all seemed like they were slowly dying.”

Thanks to the steel and auto industries, they’ve been dying for 25 years. 

Rogers had time for basketball once a week, usually two or three hours on that given day. It sounds like a lot at once, until you go through a couple of Herb Sendek practices (and those aren’t once a week).

“I was completely out of shape and struggling quite a bit,” Rogers said of the first week of practice. “They do a great job of getting us in shape.”

When Sendek first arrived at ASU, he heard about Rogers, but with the mission trip a foregone conclusion, nothing became of it. At that point, Rogers had committed to the University of San Diego, but a coaching change led to Bill Grier being hired before last season, and Rogers backed out of his commitment. 

Last January, when the trip was nearing its end and Rogers (and his dad) contacted Sendek again.

He’s a freshman but turns 21 in November and enrolled in the business program for now.

As for basketball, parts of ASU’s motion offense are similar to Mountain View’s, but the practices are anything but.

Where he fits into this year’s group is still being determined, but it’ll be a tough road given the talent and experience ahead of him.

“That’s what everyone here is trying to figure out,” he said. “What we all need to do and can do to help.”

Oregon at Arizona State
7 p.m. Saturday; Sun Devil Stadium

Arizona State needs no lesson on how good Oregon defensive end Nick Reed is; he had 3½ of the Ducks’ nine sacks of quarterback Rudy Carpenter last year in Eugene. (Getty Images photo)

The national-reputation hit that the Pac-10 has taken could be healed somewhat if a team other than Southern California climbs back up the national rankings.

Can Oregon be that team?

The Ducks are 5-2, with both losses to ranked schools, USC and Boise State. All of Oregon’s remaining regular-season games are winnable, but coach Mike Bellotti believes that his squad is in no position to think about running the table.

“The biggest thing is, I don’t see enough consistency in any aspect of what we do,” Bellotti said in the days after the Ducks defeated UCLA on Oct. 11. “Offense, defense and special teams. We’ve played great and we’ve played poorly. What I’m looking for in the second half of the season is continued development and consistency of performance.”

Oregon, like ASU, was idle last week, enabling Bellotti to rest beat-up players while, as he put it, “going back to basics.”

However, the biggest objective of recent practices has been determining a starting quarterback. Justin Roper has missed four games with a knee injury, giving the controls to Jeremiah Masoli. Both players are sophomores.

A big reason Oregon ranks sixth in the nation in rushing offense (275.1 yards a game) is Masoli, who has complemented the team’s productive running backs. Against UCLA, Masoli ran 24 times for 170 yards, just 3 yards shy of the school record by a QB.

“(Masoli) is going to get better and better the more he practices,” Bellotti said. “And Justin Roper is a very good quarterback. We have a good opportunity now to really, truly evaluate the two and decide whether we’re going to have a one-quarterback system, a two-quarterback system or use guys situationally.”

BURNING ISSUE: Who will be the Ducks’ quarterback, a decision that affects how the entire offense functions? Oregon is more balanced with Roper at QB and an option-based running team with Masoli taking snaps. Bellotti said during the Pac-10 teleconference on Tuesday that it is possible that both will play against ASU.

OFFENSIVE SNAPSHOT: With the right field general — as Dennis Dixon proved last season — coordinator Chip Kelly’s spread attack is as dynamic as any in the country. Regardless of who starts at quarterback, the running game will be a big part of the Ducks’ game plan. The running-back tandem of LeGarrette Blount and Jeremiah Johnson has combined to average 158.2 yards a game on the ground. Oregon has had great balance in its passing attack, as receivers Jaison Williams and Terence Scott lead the team with 24 receptions each, and tight end Ed Dickson and WR Jeff Maehl are tied for third with 23 catches apiece. Center Max Unger is an All-America candidate. 

DEFENSIVE SNAPSHOT: Nick Reed and Will Tukuafu are the monsters in the Ducks’ 4-3 formation and one of the top defensive-end tandems in the country. Reed, who has enjoyed some of the best games of his college career against the Sun Devils, has eight sacks on the season, and Tukuafu has added six. Oregon leads the Pac-10 in sacks and is fourth in the nation at 3.43 per game. Pass defense is an area of concern, as the 268.7 yards a contest the Ducks allow through the air is 12th-most in the country. That is a surprising statistic, given the quality of the pass rush and the fact that cornerbacks Jairus Byrd and Walter Thurmond III and safety Patrick Chung are among the best in the Pac-10 at their positions.

UNSUNG HERO: Athletic freshman Chris Harper came to Oregon as a quarterback, graduating high school early to take part in spring drills, where he improved and impressed. However, he has been needed at receiver, where he has developed into a multi-purpose X-factor for the offense. Harper has caught two passes for 25 yards, ran 35 times for 137 yards and tallied a touchdown passing, rushing and receiving. He will likely have a bigger role as the season progresses.

FURTHER READING:

Oregon football official site

Eugene Register-Guard

The Oregonian

A healthy Derek Glasser hasn’t existed for many, many months. But after knee surgery in May to clean and repair several painful abnormalities, the junior said he’s ready to go.

All the right things were said during Thursday’s Arizona State basketball media day, and, really, they might as well be said in mid-October. Every other school in the country is doing it.

Besides a more general approach to previewing its season as practice starts Friday, we’ll empty the vault on a couple specific topics which were questioned and answered.

Herb Sendek called his nonconference schedule “formidable.” He noted a couple better matchups believed to be in-hand instead fizzled “at the stroke of midnight.” Never one to point fingers or name names, we’ll take a stab that he’s referencing a few things which went awry when the schedule was first released.

He also said this schedule (at least the final version) had little to no effect on being left out of the NCAA tournament last year, in which the popular theory for their omission was a weak non-conference schedule.

As he’s mentioned before, Sendek pointed out the Pac-10 plays 18 conference games, more than any other major conference. He also noted that, given the Sun Devils were coming off an 8-22 season in 2006-2007 and would likely start three or four freshmen, a tougher slate could have been “disasterous,” for such a young team.

(Plus, the Sun Devils weren’t counting on Maui Invitation opponents Louisiana State, Illinois and Princeton to all go belly-up last season, which they did).

Junior point guard Derek Glasser reported no problems with his right knee, in which he underwent surgery in spring to have it repaired. At times, you could tell he walked around with a slight limp and lost some his explosiveness, but most of us underestimated the amount of pain he dealt with. The hope is it’s a thing of the past.

Sendek reported junior forward Eric Boateng is at 8 percent body fat, supposedly a drop from nearly 18 percent (that’s a Sendek estimation; it’s hard to tell looking at someone who’s 6-foot-10).

The Sun Devils tried briefly to play Boateng and Jeff Pendergraph together early last season, but it didn’t work well and Sendek never really tried it again. It could be back on the shelf, especially if sophomore Kraidon Woods continues to gain size and develop.

“I think Jeff and Eric can play together, and our team will have a little more flexibility in lineups and combinations of players we can use at the same time,” Sendek said.

James Harden, on friend O.J. Mayo beginning his first season in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies: ”I talked to him last week, and he said it’s tough. Everyone is looking at you and the whole NBA rookie experience is tough, plus he has to carry bags for people.”

Except for a couple basketball camps, Harden spent almost all summer around ASU working out and taking classes. His own smarts and the camps identified three biggest needs of improvement: Mid-range shooting, weak-side drives (in Harden’s case, it means driving to the right since he’s left-handed), and conditioning. Of course, not many college freshman come in and wind up carrying an offensive burden like he did.

“We put an awful lot on his plate,” Sendek said.