'Easy transition' for Osweiler at ASU

Everybody knows when Brock Osweiler is around.

He stepped onto the infield during the Archie Roe Invitational track meet a couple weekends ago - a young man out to watch the competition and enjoy a warm afternoon - and was instantly surrounded with well-wishers.

He is easy to pick out in a crowd. At 6-foot-8, 235 pounds - he does stand out.

He's also the Arizona State Sun Devils lone true quarterback recruit of the 2009 class.

He's been in Tempe since mid-January, having graduated early from Flathead High School.

Osweiler took 13 credits this spring and plans to take another six this summer.

"School is great. That was an easy transition," he said.

He hasn't picked a major yet, and instead plans to continue with general classes for the next couple of years.

"It's been great. It's been a lot of fun," he said of Arizona.

"I've had the time of my life. I've met a lot of people within the football program. There hasn't been a dull moment," he said.

"There is a lot more to do (than in Kalispell). It's a huge area and no matter what time of day, what time of night, there's always something to do. It's a lot of fun.

"Right away we started with our winter weight and conditioning program, then spring ball ran for about a month.

"Now I'm back here and home for a month.

"It's definitely not as warm," he smiled. "But it's been good to be back and see family and friends, people I haven't seen for awhile.

"It's always good to come home and see people and get some down time with my family.

"I have kept in touch with all my good friends. So it's been pretty easy to transition back."

As for the football?

"I'm actually pretty surprised with how well things went," he said.

"Coach (Dennis' Erickson is a great coach. He's coached at every level and he's won at every level. Each day I try to have an open mind," he said.

"Right now, there's three guys, including myself (going for the starting job). All spring long all of us took reps with the 1s and 2s," he said.

"(Senior) Danny Sullivan has the upper hand because he's been there. We'll see what happens."

The third quarterback is sophomore Samson Szakacsy.

Does Osweiler believe he has a chance to be the starter on opening day?

"I couldn't tell you. It's so wide open. Danny and Samson and myself all had a great spring. We're all there for each other. Danny has been great about teaching me and Samson a lot about the offense. We all push each other. We all want that job. But we all understand whoever wins the job we have to support him."

Osweiler admits he was a little surprised when redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Elway decided to give up football.

"It was kind of a shock to all of us. That's a decision his family and he needed to make. He's going to continue with school down there," he said.

The jump from high school to Division I went well, he added.

"The biggest different is how defenses can disguise coverages. You've got to spend a lot of time watching film," he said.

And how about basketball? Does he regret the decision he made?

"No, not at all. I miss basketball from time to time, but I love football so much. There's something different about the sport of football that basketball can't offer."