Erickson needs no special reason to get up for Saturday’s contest against the Oregon Ducks.
“To me, (they) may be the best football team in the country,” Erickson told The Arizona Republic. “When you look at them on both sides of the football and in the kicking game, they’re so balanced it’s hard to decide what their strengths are.”
The Sun Devils (2-1) will look to test the strengths of the Ducks (3-0) early and often in the Pacific-10 Conference opener for both schools.
Low expectations may have sunk early opinions of an Arizona State team which finished 2-7 in the Pac-10 last season.
But last week’s game at No. 11 Wisconsin opened eyes across the country.
The Sun Devils overcame a missed 25-yard field goal, a kickoff returned to the Wisconsin 1-yard line to end the first half, and a punt return touchdown negated by penalty to stay in contention. However, yet another miscue — a blocked extra point — had the Badgers celebrating a 20-19 win.
“I don’t believe in moral victories,” Arizona State quarterback Steven Threet told The Arizona Republic after the close loss. “We played well. It just wasn’t enough.”
Moral victories were also absent in Oregon’s 69-0 thumping of Portland State, a Football Championship Subdivision school, last week.
Through three games, the only true adversity the Ducks have faced was a 13-3 second-quarter deficit at Tennessee. Kelly and the players kept their heads cool, and Oregon won 48-13.
The national statistics have been staggering: The Ducks are the national leaders in total offense (611.67 yards per game), scoring offense (63.0 points per game), total defense (193.33 yards per game) and scoring defense (4.33 points per game).
Oregon’s presence in the statistical Big Four is subtly acknowledged by players and coaches, but — with just three games under their belts — not dwelled upon.
“The hard part right now with statistics is that, people play so many different people, it’s hard to say (how much they matter),” Kelly said. “You’re comparing things that really can’t compare.”
Those statistics will surely shrink after facing an ASU defense featuring middle linebacker Vontaze Burfict, defensive tackle Lawrence Guy and defensive end James Brooks.
“Anytime you’ve got three single-digit linebackers, that’s never good for the offense,” Oregon offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. The Sun Devils’ starting linebackers Shelly Lyons, Burfict and Brandon Magee are clad, respectively, in uniform numbers 6, 7, and 8 — numbers traditionally given to skilled offensive players.
“They’re very fast. Their corners are outstanding. They play a ton of guys, and their depth is (real) depth,” Helfrich said.
Kelly stressed the importance of the Ducks’ offensive line play against Arizona State in his Tuesday press conference.
“That’s where the challenge is going to be, in how our O-line matches up against their front seven,” he said.
This week in practice, the Moshofsky Center was converted into a literal hothouse. The high temperature for Tempe on Saturday is expected to be 105 degrees. Kelly and the football staff cranked up the heat lamps and sealed the doors on the players, hydrating them constantly.
“It kind of feels like the summer down here in Oregon, actually,” defensive end Terrell Turner said. “I’m from LA, so I’m kind of used to a breeze, but it’s hot. Down here in Oregon, I really don’t get much of a breeze. But it’s kind of like practicing in the summertime. It feels great. We’re pretty much in Arizona every day.”
Two weeks after a game in warm, muggy Tennessee, the Ducks hope their preparation will mitigate the heat factor — and the Sun Devils’ chances at a home upset.
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