As the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-5, 2-4 Pacific-10 Conference) get ready to take on the No. 14 Oregon Ducks in Autzen Stadium this Saturday, they will be relying heavily on a defensive unit that could pose a major threat to the powerful Oregon offense.
 
Through nine games, ASU has allowed only 18.4 points per game, which ranks second in the Pac-10, while featuring the conference’s top-ranked rush defense that allows only 87.4 yards per game. But slowing the conference’s top-ranked rushing offense and redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James will be a whole other challenge for the Sun Devils.
 
“We’re excited about the challenge,” Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson said. “Offensively at times (Oregon is) a machine. It’s frightening at times what they’re able to do when things are going right and they have the timing; it’s interesting to watch.”
 
Senior linebacker Mike Nixon, redshirt senior safety Jarrell Holman, and senior safety Ryan McFoy have each recorded three interceptions on the year and will look to slow down junior quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and the Ducks passing attack. Nixon leads the team with 53 tackles and three forced fumbles, while freshman linebacker Vontaze Burfict has recorded 49 tackles, including five tackles-for-loss and two sacks, to go along with his five pass break-ups and two recovered fumbles.
 
“They have a really strong linebacking core,” Oregon junior quarterback Nate Costa said. “And their d-line core is strong. They’ve got good DBs too, and overall it’s a
good defense.”
 
The ASU secondary will be playing without senior cornerback Terell Carr on Saturday, following his actions off the field earlier in the week. According to the Arizona Republic newspaper, Carr was booked into Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of driving with a suspended or revoked license, disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting, and assault. The incident came only hours after Erickson announced the Carr had been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules.
 
But after senior running back LeGarrette Blount’s Sept. 3 incident in Boise, the Oregon Ducks have been a shining example in showing just how a team can respond from adversity, and the same is expected from ASU on Saturday. And even without Carr, Erickson feels that his defense is much better prepared to take on the Duck offense
compared to season’s past.
 
“You’ve got to simplify things in a plan against them,” Erickson said. “Just so you know what you’re doing. So like I said, it’s a challenge but I feel like we’ll go in there and play well as long as we stay disciplined and do the things that we can do and not worry about giving up a play, because they’re going to make plays.”
 
Offensively, the Sun Devils have featured a two-quarterback system throughout the year with senior Danny Sullivan and freshman Brock Osweiler. Sullivan has seen the majority of the time this season, completing 154 passes for 1,771 yards and eight scores, while the 6-foot-8 Osweiler provides physical talent at the position. Erickson named Osweiler as the
starter Wednesday.
 
“I haven’t made a decision on what I am going to do yet,” he said. “We’ve talked about it and there are things you’ve got to think about going in there.”
 
“He’s got a strong arm,” Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews said of Sullivan. “He’s not too mobile but he’ll hold it if he reads right… They throw a lot and it’ll be exciting for us to be able to make some plays.”
 
Erickson also commented that he and his team always enter Autzen Stadium knowing what they are going to get from the fans, and that Sun Devils have worked on a silent snap count throughout the week.
 
Making plays will be key as the weather could be a factor if the rain limits both teams to their respective running games — something that could leave Arizona State scrambling for
answers all day long.
 
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