Already a two-sport legend in the vast state of Montana, Kalispell’s own Brock Osweiler is poised to begin his collegiate career at Arizona State, focusing his efforts on winning the open quarterback position.

With just ten days left before he graduates from Flathead High school, Osweiler will be making his way to Tempe on January 17, giving himself just two short days before classes begin on January 20, and he becomes a Sun Devil officially.

I caught up with Brock shortly after Christmas, when Kalispell was enjoying a heat wave of sorts, with weather reaching the mid-20s. He enjoys the HBO hit series Entourage and the Madden video game series.

Osweiler mentioned that both he and Matt Tucker (grade 77 from Colorado, #69 ATH in the 2009 rankings), will be arriving just in time for spring semester, giving them both an opportunity to participate in spring practice and improve their chances on making an early impact.

Originally committed to Gonzaga to play basketball, Osweiler made the big decision to instead play football at ASU on April 30, 2008. His commitment to Gonzaga was all the way back in 2006, before his sophomore year at Flathead.

The games are always exciting and physical. It was built up all week long around the state, and we went in there and beat them 21-14. It was a perfect game, with great memories. That year, in the first round of the playoffs we went back to Butte and beat them again 28-14. Those are two games that I will never forget.

How difficult was the decision to decommit from Gonzaga, and sign with ASU instead?

It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life. It was something that had been on my mind for months. And when it finally came around, that week was so hard and I was in constant discussion with my parents, family, and friends. I finally decided that my best opportunity was in football.

The phone call to Gonzaga was tough, but they took it great and they have been supportive and understanding of what I had to do for my future. Gonzaga has a few power forwards graduating, and next year I could have started.

It was tough to turn down something that seemed so great, but when I looked at the upside that football had, I had to make a decision that was in my best interest.

ASU had a disappointing season, finishing 5-7. What is it about Arizona State that compelled you to commit here?

The biggest thing is to be able to work with Coach Erickson. He’s a legend in Montana, where he’s from. His record speaks for everything.

He’s won the national championship, he’s had successful seasons at every single college he’s been at, and he’s played at the Rose Bowl. To be able to play and learn from a guy with such great credentials, that excites me.

The second thing is the opportunity to compete for the starting quarterback position.

Will Brock actually be competing for the QB job this year? Has he talked to Herb Sendek about playing basketball at ASU? Continue reading!

Continue reading this post »

House Of Sparky is on an incredible roll. We just interviewed Johnny Coy, and now the elusive Bye Week has even stopped by to honor us with an interview. Unfortunately, he's not quite the man he's been made out to be in the press and in oral interviews, but I will try to respect him for what he is, and not what I want him to be. That's how all relationships survive, isn't it? I am in bold.

We’ve already seen you once this season, and some would say it led to disastrous results (losing to California, laying an egg against USC). What makes you think that seeing you again will help our team become a better squad?

Frankly, I can’t guarantee that it will. Bye weeks like myself are difficult to come by, and can offer a team the rare opportunity to rest its wounded, and give more reps to young guys in practice. However, look at the roster. Thomas Weber’s arm doesn’t have anything to do with his awful season, and no amount of time can make Danny Sullivan faster. Rudy cannot magically heal, no matter how much you want him to.

I never said I wanted him to heal. At this point, we’re 2-4 and should see what Samson Szakacsy can do under center before we run into the wood shredder that is 2009.

You want a red shirt freshman quarterback running the team? What is this, 2005?

Actually, it kind of is. Experienced QB goes down, freshman plays out of his mind, sending ASU fans on a euphoric binge of unrealistic expectations for 2006? I can see some similarities. Trade Sam Keller!

Listen, you’re an ass. Bye weeks are for assessing your team’s strengths and weaknesses, watching the other team live on Saturday, and bringing together your game plan to exploit the visiting Oregon Ducks on the 25th. Fantasizing about freshmen quarterbacks and throwing the depth chart out of order just for a chance at success is foolhardy.

Come on, bye week. Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh? We shouldn’t shake up a team that scored 0 points last week?

You won’t score any points this week either. Just throwing it out there.

That’s ridiculous to even say. Who said anything about scoring points on the bye week?

No one scores on bye week. Bye week is undefeated since we began play in 1916, when Harvard came into town and was decimated by our tactics.

What the hell are you talking about?

I like watching USC beat Washington State by 62.

Okay, I think we’re done here.

No wait. Honestly, I am a little lonely. There’s margaritas in the blender and Jimmy Buffett in the CD player, where do you think you’re going?

I am going to interview that space of time between the final regular season game and the bowl game. You know, Mr. Month Between Games.

Ah, he lives down the street. He makes a mean guacamole.

Okay, fine. I’ll ask you one more question. What’s the most likely scenario for an ASU bye week? Does this actually benefit us?

Yes, C.W. The truth is, Dennis Erickson right now is devising the most diabolical scheme for college football ever seen. No, it’s not the A-11 offense from Piedmont High in California, but you will see Ryan Bass actually gain ground in the running game next week. Expect great things from the Devils.

I will not take your word for it, but I do want some guacamole. Adios, muchacho.

With the news that USC QB Mark Sanchez is starting against ASU today, we look towards the ASU sideline for news on our quarterback situation. As of yesterday, there was still conjecture that led to both sides of the coin. One writer thinks that Rudy will "strong-arm" Coach Erickson into starting him.

Sullivan and Szakacsy aren't the only ones eyeing Carpenter's job for next season. There's an intriguing mix in the wings.

It starts with Jack Elway, the 6-3 son of a former NFL legend who is trying to create his own legacy. He didn't capture much attention until his senior year at Cherry Creek (Colo.) High, where scouts began to appreciate his strong arm. He chose ASU because he connected so well with the coaching staff.

Also in the mix is 6-foot-8 Montana product Brock Osweiler, who is expected to arrive at ASU in the spring and turned down an opportunity to play basketball at Gonzaga. So, too, is Chasen Stangel, a redshirt freshman from San Jacinto, Calif.

Knowing the gritty Carpenter, he'll strong-arm Erickson into playing despite a sprained left ankle, and we'll never see any of this group today. It shouldn't stop us from wondering who will have the starring role in Life After Rudy.

With the game in an hour and a half, we still don't have the final word. Erickson is most likely keeping this close to his chest in order to protect Sullivan, and force Pete Carroll to prepare for both Carp and Sully.

Of course, Danny can't really move out of the pocket. Erickson could rationalize that since Rudy can't either with a bum ankle, might as well have the 4-year starter in than a green backup. So, lets see what 12:30 PM Pacific time on ABC regional brings.

Dan Zeiger tells us that Rudy is 'very doubtful' to play, likely meaning Danny Sullivan will be making his first career start. Also, look for Ryan Bass, our #1 recruit for this year, to get some carries in the Coliseum.

USC LB Rey Maualuga will suit up for the game, really hurting our chances. As for QB Mark Sanchez...

"He threw the ball really well today and he took a third of our team plays, and that's a really good sign," said [Coach Pete] Carroll.

Sanchez remarked after practice that he was "doing great." He was fortunate, as his father, Nick, explained that he was wearing a knee brace when he went down awkwardly. X-rays and an MRI exam had revealed no ligament damage.

Want to learn more about new commit QB Brock Osweiler? Here is the article to do it with. He passed up a promising college basketball scholarship to Gonzaga to play here, so we can expect big things from the 6'8" monster from Missoula.

Last spring Osweiler's choices were whittled down to firm offers from three schools, Washington State, Arizona State and Stanford - Colorado State and the Montana schools offered too, but weren't in the running - when he chose ASU on the last day of April. He announced his pick the next day, though partial offers from schools like Alabama, Florida State and UCLA still loomed.

“I didn't want to mess with that whole game anymore,” said Osweiler, of why he chose ASU when he did. “I had three offers, I did all the pros and cons for each school and Arizona State stood out - hands down. It made the choice real easy.”

USC is now favored to win by 27.5 points...

Check back soon. We're doing a Q & A with Conquest Chronicles about Saturday's matchup which should be completed soon.

After a 24-14 defeat at the hands of California, ASU (2-3, 1-1 Pac-10) is seemingly without direction. Taking into account the ankle sprain suffered by QB Rudy Carpenter in Saturday's loss, the prospects look even more grim for next weekend's road game against the #8/9 USC Trojans, a team fresh off of a 44-10 thumping of then-#23 Oregon.

USC is gunning for their 400th win in the Coliseum, and can achieve that goal with a victory over the Sun Devils. USC has had a winning percentage at home of .751 since 1923, the year the Coliseum was opened.

Mondays are when press conferences are held here at Arizona State, when Coach Dennis Erickson and Rudy Carpenter can update the media about the previous weekend's events.

Erickson arrived first, looking somber. When asked about Carpenter's availability to play on Saturday, Erickson replied "if he plays, it is because he is tough."

Immediately, this drew interest in Danny Sullivan from the press. Coach Erickson complimented Sullivan as a "very competitive guy" who "studies as much as any backup quarterback I've ever been around." His physical play and strong arm defines him as a signal caller, and he is "prepared" to start if necessary against USC.

"We are not on all cylinders offensively," Erickson said. "We have to continue to improve; continue to try to run the football. The worst thing you can do is panic."

Erickson noted that the team is focused on the task at hand, and that is beating USC. They know what must be done in practice, and the good habits they are developing will serve them well for the rest of the season.

When asked about USC's linebacker core, Erickson talked about their downhill play and the speed at which they operate. The scout team attempts to emulate the linebackers of USC, but in game they play at a speed that cannot be foreseen.

After Coach Erickson left, Rudy Carpenter hobbled in, heavily favoring his right leg. He looks downright hurt. When asked how he felt, Carpenter quickly replied, "I feel good."

"I really have no idea what is going to happen," Carpenter said. The doctors have yet to clear him to practice, so he doesn't know if and when he will be ready to play. His current consecutive games played streak is 36, but according to Rudy that is not any extra motivation for him to get on the field.

"We have to find a way as a whole offense to get better on first and second downs."

Carpenter lamented on Oregon State's victory over USC two weeks ago, saying that it was essential that ASU has a working running game in order to beat USC and get USC's defense into coverage that Carpenter could work with and pass against.

"If I had the answers, we would be doing them already. I am trying to find the answer," Carpenter said when asked what is going wrong in the offense.

It all seems diplomatic to me. We must look at the lack of running game; this is handcuffing the team. If ASU was able to move the ball on the ground and sustain drives like OSU did against USC, then we would be able to pass the ball with more regularity and with less coverage to pick through.

Touching upon Rudy's injury one more time, I would like to add that he doesn't look mobile. He seems to be frustrated and in a lot of pain, something that came across in the press conference. He did mention that if Danny Sullivan was given a chance to play, he believed Sullivan would do well. I think it would take an act of God to put Rudy Carpenter on the field this Saturday; there's just no way he can give ASU the best opportunity to win if he can barely walk today.

The student section was rowdy and ready for another season of college football. After taking a beating in the Holiday Bowl at the hands of Texas, Rudy Carpenter and the boys looked prepared to show their fans that they are a legitimate Pac-10 contender.

The first thing I noticed was the inexperience of the offensive line really shining through. While statistically looking good on paper, Rudy was flushed out quite often. He showed his mettle and got rid of the ball when he needed to, rather than taking those sacks he was so familiar with.

To be fair to the line, they look promising. There are no guarantees in college football, but if they can give Carpenter 4 seconds to find a receiver, there will be hell to pay.

Continue reading this post »

It seems as though Garth Gerhart has gone down with an ankle injury, and will be out for a few days to help it heal.

This couldn't come at a worse time for Gerhart, as Thomas Altieri returned to the field from his concussion on Friday (just in time to play in the Tontozona road exhibition).

Altieri might have the opportunity to lock down the starting center job in the next few days if he shows strong performances in practice.

Another offensive lineman, Matt Hustad, has been injured and is standing on the sidelines with a knee injury. With the lack of depth on the OL in the first place, these injuries put further stress on the skill positions.

In other Sun Devil news, Samson Szakacsy has been named the third string QB, beating out Chasen Stangel (last year's scout team QB). Szakacsy was injured last season, and did not have an opportunity to show off his promise. Both Szakacsy and Stangel are redshirt freshmen. Danny Sullivan is still the backup QB.

As for the slot receiver battle between Kerry Taylor and Kyle Williams, the role is still up for grabs. Whoever wins the role will have a fantastic spot in the offense, with the other still being active in 4-wide sets.

Williams said he's looking forward to playing alongside Taylor this season.

"It's going to be me and Kerry on the inside (receiving positions) most likely," Williams said. "When we go to single sets, it will be me or Kerry. Depending on who is tired, I might come in and play for Chris (McGaha) or for Mike. Same with Kerry.

"We've got a hell of a rotation, we really do."

Hopefully the line can stay healthy long enough to give our wideouts the chance to break free this year.

Some compelling storylines are starting to emerge from Sun Devils camp now that season has begun to inch closer and closer.  Many of our questions have yet to be answered, but lets take a look at some of the interesting items that trickled out in the locals this past week.

The Arizona Republic took a look at everyone's favorite backup quarterback, Danny Sullivan.  Sullivan's frustration with being the backup for the past 26 regular season games is beginning to show.

"To know that it's going to be my third year being the backup (is frustrating)," Sullivan said. "But I got to take it in stride and just got to go with it. Hopefully my time comes, because he's (Carpenter) the guy right now, and I got to support him."  

Despite his somewhat underwhelming command of the English language, Sullivan has shown that he has the skills to be a competent backup with his performance in the Holiday Bowl. Something Sullivan is quick to remind his possible detractors.

"Everyone can say that it was meaningless," he said, "because I don't know how many people have told me that. Well, shame on you. I'll take it as a real personal issue, because I'll strive off that if you think that."

Shame on you. Sullivan has the support of Erickson, though, and is definitely the number 2 quarterback.  Whether he has the starting job locked up once Rudy graduates is another matter, and something that probably is not guaranteed given the potential of the players behind Sullivan, but for the upcoming season Sullivan is your backup quarterback.

One receiver that Sullivan will not have next season is Michael Jones.  The East Valley Tribune catches up with Jones after his short stint in the Yankees farm system this summer, and has a few quotes from the coach and Jones on the upcoming season.  Reading between the lines you can tell that Erickson was none too pleased that Jones decided to sign with the Yankees and waste some crucial training time hitting .189 and striking out twice as many times as he reached base with a hit. (18k vs. 9 hits) Jones also lost his scholarship from signing - sucks for him - but, technically, this is a boon to ASU because it allows us to give his scholarship to another player who would rather spend his full time being a Sun Devil student athlete as opposed to pretending he has major league talent.

If Jones has a solid season and builds on the flashes of brilliance he displayed last year, he will easily be a first day pick and could even be a first ROUND pick.  Some of the ESPN mock drafts have him going in the first round, and nearly all of them have Jones ranked as one of the top 100 college prospects for the 2009 NFL draft.

The East Valley Tribune really either needs A) A better editing staff, B) Better journalists, or C) Both because this story features quite a blatant contradiction between the reporter and athlete. The journalist, Dan Zeiger, writes:

His tall frame and leaping ability have made Jones ASU's big-play receiving threat, with a team-high 10 scores last season. He would like to build speed and strength before the 2009 NFL draft.

Oh, so Jones will be focusing on building strength and speed this coming season then? The very next setence Zeiger drops this quote from Jones:

"Now is not the time to worry about getting fast and strong," Jones said. "Now is the time to worry about building chemistry with my teammates and getting ready for the season....

 

Simply brilliant.

Zeiger also has a story about Freshman linebacker, Brandon Magee.  Magee, the 26th best outside linebacker recruit according to Rivals.com, was also selected in the 29th round of the Amateur Baseball Draft in June.  The Tampa Bay Rays offered Magee a larger signing bonus than most 29th round picks get, but Magee decided to go to ASU instead. 

ASU is lucky, because Rivals.com has Magee's 40 time listed at a very impressive 4.44.  If anyone remembers last season's Thanksgiving Day Massacre versus USC (I know, I know - you spent months trying to forget...) then you wil remember our biggest problem, aside from the O-Line and Lawrence Jackson, was trying to contain USC's speed.  Our linebackers simply were not in the same league as USC's running backs and it showed everytime JDB handed off the rock.  Erickson's ability to recruit players like Magee is a huge step forward for the program.

The first full contact practice for the Sun Devils was on Friday, and two-a-days start this weekend.  Things are starting to get interesting, folks.