ASU Football: Dennis Erickson Talks Steven Threet, NAU Game

After a solid performance against Portland State on Saturday, ASU coach Dennis Erickson had plenty of complimentary things to say about his starting quarterback, Steven Threet.

"I like his command of what he's doing, seeing things at the line of scrimmage," Erickson said. "[Threet] got rid of the ball real quick, which is huge in our offense."

Coach Erickson made it clear that experience counts at the quarterback position. "There's no substitution for having played [at Michigan]," adding that while it's possible that Brock Osweiler will get some reps against Northern Arizona this weekend, "it's dependent on the game. Steven is our number one quarterback."

In the new offense implemented by offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone, Threet is counted on to read the defense and choose the option that will yield the best results. Having an effective running game is essential for this type of offense to work, with Cameron Marshall and Deantre Lewis playing a large role.

Coach Erickson also spent some time this afternoon talking about ASU's upcoming opponent, the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks.

Erickson immediately praised NAU coach Jerome Souers for the way he has built the team, and believes that the Lumberjacks will be a challenge. "I consider that good football," Erickson said after stating that NAU will be a strong contender to win the Big Sky conference.

NAU is led on offense by senior Michael Herrick, who spent two seasons at Ole Miss (burning his redshirt in the process) before transferring to play in the FCS. Erickson saw it fit to call him "an outstanding quarterback," and also praised former Hamilton standout Zach Bauman, who ran for 167 yards last weekend against Western New Mexico.

Erickson thinks the Sun Devils “better be ready to play” against the Lumberjacks, and referenced Jacksonville State’s upset over Ole Miss with the implication that anything can happen on Saturday. "They gave Arizona everything they wanted last year," and Erickson will not allow his team to look ahead to Wisconsin.

Quick hits:

• Coach Erickson was very impressed with his team's effort, and especially lauded the downfield blocking by his wide receivers.
• The offense has yet to be fully implemented, and coach would like to "add something each week" for the opposition to have to plan for.
• Eddie Elder will be credited with a sack on the safety this past weekend against Portland State. The play was ruled as an intentional grounding by the Vikings QB.
• Erickson is concerned about penalties once again. "Personal fouls are something that we can't have. They're selfish" and do little to help the team win games.