ASU's Davis and Nixon Named Preseason First-Team All-Pac-10 by Lindy's

In all, eight Sun Devils honored with preseason conference honors.

TEMPE, Ariz.--Arizona State University senior linebacker Mike Nixon and senior defensive end Dexter Davis have been named to Lindy's 2009 Pacific-10 Preseason All-Conference Team. Six other Sun Devils were honored with second-team preseason All-Pac-10 honors. Senior wide receiver Chris McGaha, senior offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao, punt returner Kyle Williams and junior placekicker Thomas Weber were named to the Offense Second-Team. Sophomore defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and defensive back Omar Bolden were given Defense Second-Team accolades.

This is promising for our defense. Mike Nixon has been invaluble at the linebacker position since his enrollment.

To read our exclusive interview with Mike Nixon from February, click here. He is a great leader for our team, and has a lot of interesting things to say.

Anywho...

On another note, this girl goes to ASU and is in this Karaoke contest, she sounds pretty good. We like to keep you up to date here at the House.

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

2 months ago: Michigan quarterback Steven Threet scrambles for yardage during the second half of a NCAA college football game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008. Purdue won 48-42. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

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Redshirt freshman Steven Threet is coming to Tempe.

Michigan fans say they don't care.

Threet is 6'6, 230 LBS and was a 75 grade from Scouts, Inc in the 2007 recruiting class. Scouting evaluation:

(Done for Class of 2007) Threet is a pocket passer with fantastic measurables and a big arm. Has ideal size and is a better athlete than you might think. Has the arm to place the ball anywhere on the field and is very accurate. He stands tall in the pocket, keeps his eyes downfield and does an excellent job working his way through progressions. He is balanced and poised in the pocket, has his feet set and generally delivers the ball on time. He shows very good RPMs on all throws, has natural wrist-snap and the velocity to fit the ball into tight coverage. He makes good, quick decisions and rarely forces the ball. He has just enough movement skills to avoid within the pocket and buy a second passing chance. Builds speed as he goes and is capable of making the short first down with his legs, but he is not an elusive athlete. He is not a guy you want on the perimeter; is at his best in the pocket. Threet's delivery is quick, though you do see a subtle wind-up, he gets rid of the ball quickly. You worry a little about his release point. For such a tall player, he releases the ball low and his elbow sinks, very much like Vince Young. This negates his great natural height and can cause batted balls. His footwork can be inconsistent and drop speed needs to improve. Overall, Threet has good tools and upside. He needs to clean up his mechanics, but he is very productive and should only get better with experience. He is smart and heady.

With Elway quitting and Stangel transferring, that left only 3 QBs on scholarship.

Threet started 8 games for Michigan last year, and while not spectacular, he was facing a tough schedule, a new coach running an odd offense with personnel in place who did not fit, and wanted to play in a pro style system (hence, ASU).

I like it. I think he has a chance to play next year, and will be able to compete for the number 2 job right away.

Not bad. Had a good game against Notre Dame and Illinois.

Let's see what you've got Threet. Welcome to Tempe.

UPDATE: Miami QB Robert Marve was also considering ASU. Does Threet's decision mean we are out on Marve? Marve was in Threet's 2007 recruiting class and was regarded slightly higher - Scouts, Inc 80 grade. 2008 stats at Miami

Scouting Report: This kid is going to be a very good college quarterback. He may not be receiving the national attention of others, but he probably should. Marve is an excellent overall passer and very good athlete to boot. He has good size and will need to bulk up, but he has the frame to develop into an impressive athlete at the quarterback position. He is a pocket passer first who can make plays with his legs when he has to. He has good feet, drops quickly and his set up is balanced and calm. Stands tall in the pocket and sees the field well. Carries the ball at chest level and shows good pocket presence avoiding the rush, yet keeping his eyes downfield. His delivery and arm are both excellent. Release is quick and compact, and he gets great natural wrist snap on the ball. Shows big RPMs on short-to-intermediate routes. Can thread the needle on underneath throws. Shows good touch, timing and accuracy on underneath routes. Can changed ball speeds. Has the arm to drive the ball downfield and has the touch to drop it in over coverage. His throwing motion is something that need not be messed with. He is a deceptive and elusive runner with good speed for the position. Can be dangerous outside of the pocket as a pass/run threat. Throws well on the move and when off balance. Can make the first defender miss in space and is tough, will lower his shoulder to get the extra yard. Overall, this kid is going to be a late-bloomer with his best days of football ahead of him. He has confidence and savvy to go along with very good physical tools and arm strength.

6'2, 190 pounds. If getting Threet means no Marve, that is ok. I like Threet - prototypical size, seems to fit. Looks like Marve is leaning towards Purdue. We will keep you updated.

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

Philadelphia Eagles football fan Tommy Gaughran reacts outside Radio City Music Hall upon hearing that the Eagles drafted ASU OL Paul Fanaika in the 7th round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Paul Fanaika has landed with the Philadelphia Eagles, getting picked with the 4th pick in the seventh round of today's NFL Draft. He was pick #213 overall. Fanaika was a rock for ASU, starting 35 consecutive games to end his collegiate career. Good pickup in the late rounds for the Eagles.

Troy Nolan will get a shot with the Houston Texans, getting drafted with the 14th pick in the 7th round (223 overall).

Both of these players are lucky to even have their names called, to be frank. But the fact that there is any interest in them is a nice sign, and hopefully they can pull out a spot on the teams they have been drafted by.

Good luck, Troy and Paul!

UPDATE: Rudy Carpenter has signed with the Cowboys and Michael Jones has signed with the Houston Texans.

Good job and good luck guys.

One year removed from a frustrating offensive football season, the Devils appear to be in a similar situation.  3 QB's with only a little mop-up time to share between them, and some RB's with limited game experience (except Nance, but he plays like he has very little experience), the Devils offense is of great concern to the SD faithful this season.  With Sully as our QB, and a high octane defense, we need to play a grind-it-out style of football that we haven't seen in the Valley of the Sun in a long time.  Last years resembled that of a run and kill the clock offense, but that was just because we were physically unable to do anything with the ball.

With the departure of Keegan Herring and the DeWitty academic problems, the Devils backfield is left in the hands of Nance, Bass, and Morrison.  Hopefully Nance is fully healed after a hand injury plagued his ability to hold on to the football last season.  Of more concern, was his inability to run the ball for any yardage.  We can blame the O-line all we want, but any decent running back  will hit a hole every once in a while.  Nance was unable to do this.

Bass is that bolt of lightning that may take the place of Herring.  He apparently has been able to take off numerous times in this years scrimmages, but has also been fumble-prone in practices.  If he can hold on to the ball, he may emerge as our #1 RB.

Morrison is a powerful, thunderous, running back who the Devils need to utilize.  He can move the pile, and break tackles a lot like Torain.  If Morrison can hang on to the football, the tandem of Bass and Morrison may prove to be exactly what the offense needs to push the Devils to victory.  It should play out to be an interesting summer and fall for sure.

It looks like the battle for QB1 at ASU has just got a bit narrower.  Chasen Stangel has decided to transfer from ASU, after basically being the #4 QB on the depth chart.  Having fallen behind Sullivan, Szakacaksky, and Osweiler... Chasen is going to move on from the Sun Devils.  This seems like a logical move for someone who was most likely not going to see the field as a Devil. 

It seems that the arrival of Osweiler has started to chase some QB's away as they realize he may hold the key to our future.  If you ask me, I think trimming the QB's on our roster is a good thing right now.  With a few top QB recruits looking our way, we may become a more attractive offer with fewer QB's.  It appears that heading out of spring practices, the depth chart stands as follows:

1)Sullivan

2)Samson S.

3)Osweiler

Erickson has not officially come out and said that Sullivan has locked up the starting job, so hopefully the competition will continue.

With the spring scrimmage taking place earlier this afternoon, it looks like the Defense was back to their same old tricks.  They basically shut down the ASU O.  I have a feeling this will be a reoccuring trend of the year, D outshines O.  It was a succesful day all around with another outstanding Pat's run followed by a good scrimmage.  The dominance of the defense definitely has created a buzz with the fans.  If the offense can play decent, the Sun Devils will be a troublesome team to face.  Here's to hoping for a better 2009 season. GO DEVILS!

In a story I did not see coming... Jack Elway has quit the Arizona State Sun Devil football team, but will remain as a student.  Elway is tired of football and wants to do something else with his life.  The battle remains for starting QB between Sullivan, Szakasasy, Osweiler, and Stangel.  It should be an interesting rest of the spring with the battle for the starting QB position.

With a busy week of school behind me, I am happy to announce my revival.

If you hadn't noticed, Danny Sullivan and Samson Szakacsy are the two frontrunners for the QB job, with Sully currently in the lead. Lets look at the numbers, shall we?

Sensual. His (albeit minimal) performance in 2008 is not a clear indication of growth for 2009. He came off the bench against NAU and went 1/8. Not good.

I have never once been impressed by Danny Sullivan. Ever. Does this mean he can't be ASU's quarterback? Clearly, I am not in the coaching circle, but I do believe that he has not shown the athleticness or the intangible qualities that make QB's so hard to come by.

I am more than willing to give him a chance. But the rope has to be short. He's a senior, and next year will not be a good one for our W-L record. We might as well get some young blood under center and see where he takes us.

Lets not forget that we have Brock Osweiler in camp, a player who just finished a full season in Montana. He is a player who has just gone through a season's worth of reps, and should be able to come in and perform. I know that he's not going to see the field, but he should be worked out continuously until Idaho State comes to town.

Check out our interview with Brock Osweiler here, and while you are surfing our football coverage, check out the Mike Nixon interview if you have yet to do so.

We're committed to bringing you another angle on ASU football, one that is free from mainstream media's formatting and story rules. If we have an entire page of quotes, hell, we're going to let you read them. That's just our style.

Go Devils!

Even with our successful basketball and baseball teams playing important games tonight, we still have continuing coverage of the retooling football team.

Many Sun Devil fans look at linebacker Mike Nixon as one of the reasons for our defensive success in 2008. He was an integral part of the defense all season, and even moreso when Gerald Munns left the team after the Georgia game.

via www.eastvalleytribune.com

Nixon took the time of out his day yesterday to sit down and discuss the upcoming football season, his academic success, and his journey from minor league baseball to ASU.

House Of Sparky: Many say that the defense was a bright spot of the 2008 Sun Devil football campaign. What do you think are the biggest strengths of the defensive core?

Especially going on to next year, we're going to have a lot of guys who played a lot of football. This year, at times, we took our bumps and bruises because we had some younger guys playing, but the fact is that all the linebackers got quality playing time.

Our safeties are going to be fairly young, but other than that we've got our corners back and most of our D-line; we only lost 2 out of the 8 guys in that rotation.

Experience should be a huge factor for us. Hopefully in those games that we could win, hopefully we will pull them out next year.

ASU recruited some topnotch talent on defense. How will this improve the team in 2009?

I think it will be great. There are always going to be injuries throughout a season, and the more depth we have and the better quality of guys we have coming in, there won't be a drop off between first and second teamers.

If you have different sorts of talents, too, coaches can put different packages in that exploit the talents of the guys they have. I think it will make us a lot more versatile next year.

On the whole, how do you think the team will fare in 2009?

I think it's going to be a lot better than this year. We had a tough schedule, and we didn't win a couple games we thought we should have.

We had a fairly young team, and hopefully all that stuff carries over where next year, those games that we could have won, we are winning.

Instead of a 5-7 season, we get back to where we were two years ago, hopefully vying for a Pac-10 title.

ASU takes on the University of Georgia in Athens on September 26, 2009. Do you look forward to traveling to SEC country for the first time in your college career?

I'm loving it. Traveling on the road is a ton of fun. It's tough to win on the road, just because the crowd; you've got 70,000 people against you.

We are going to be an underdog going into that game, and it will be a game where we have something to prove. Hopefully we can go out and get the season started on the right foot.

You and Troy Nolan both won the 2008 Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year award at the Sun Devil awards banquet. How will you build upon your success in 2009?

We were 5-7 as a team, so we all have to get a lot better in a lot of aspects. The defense played well at points last year, and I think we've got to be more consistent overall.

Going back and looking at film, I think there is definite room for improvement from everybody, and mine's no different.

You were the winner of the Clyde B. Smith Award for academic achievement in 2008. You were also named to the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team and the ESPN The Magazine All-Academic All-District-VIII First Team. Do you feel like you set a positive example in the locker room for the younger players, who are trying to strike a balance between football and their studies?

I think so. A lot of our guys at first are living in the dorms, they are trying to balance being away from home for the first time with school, with football for the first time at this level.

Some people struggle with it, but I try to set an example to do the right thing, and put yourself in the position to succeed, getting good grades, and doing well in football will be a little bit easier.

Try to go to class when you have it, get your homework done. If you're making the effort, teachers will [recognize that].

You played minor league baseball for 4 seasons, making it all the way to AAA. What was it like to play minor league baseball, and how did it prepare you to play football at ASU?

It was fun. I am glad I did it, and I'm glad it's over with.

It was kind of a grind, I enjoyed doing it, but unless you're making it to the big leagues, the professional baseball life in the minor leagues is not very glamorous at all.

I got to the point where I didn't think making it to the Major Leagues was a strong possibility. It was kind of a long shot. It wasn't the life I wanted to be doing for another eight years to never make it in the Majors.

How did you end up on the football team at ASU?

Coach [Dirk] Koetter had actually recruited me out of high school. I was thinking about going back to school, and football was strong on my mind as well.

I bought a condo [in Tempe], and I lived here during my off season from baseball about two minutes away from campus.

Coach Koetter had actually contacted me during my third year [in the minors] and asked how things we going, and reminded me that if I ever thought about coming back, I'd have a spot on the team.

So just knowing that, and wanting to play in front of family and friends, it brought me back here.

I had actually signed with UCLA out of high school to play football, but only Coach Koetter contacted me and said there was always an open door in case things didn't work out. I am glad he did that for me.

You recorded 89 tackles, 5 interceptions, and a touchdown in 2008. Are you interested in playing professional football?

If that would be something that I realistically had a shot at, I would definitely pursue it 100%. We get to talk to some scouts this spring, and I'd really love to hear their take one way or another just so I know if that's a possibility in the future.

If it is, I will go for it as hard as I can. If it's a 1-in-100 chance, I feel like I am going to be successful wherever I choose to go in life, and I don't need to be putting all my eggs in that basket.

If you don't end up in the NFL, what do you plan on doing?

More school. Either law school or trying to get an MBA in Sports Management. Anything to put off the real world (laughs).

Thanks again to Mike Nixon. We're just getting started with today's ASU coverage.