The Brock Era begins
Amazing what can happen in one year.
Almost a year to the day after making his final start for the Flathead Braves football team, freshman Brock Osweiler is slated to make his first start for the Arizona State Sun Devils on national television Saturday.
The true freshman quarterback took snaps with the first team at Wednesday’s practice and afterward head coach Dennis Erickson said that Osweiler would start at 13th-ranked Oregon, according to The Arizona Republic.
The game is scheduled to be televised on ESPN starting at 8:20 p.m.
“He is what he is right now,” Erickson said of Osweiler after last weekend’s game, “a young guy who has a lot of talent.”
Senior quarterback Danny Sullivan is nursing a right bicep injury but has left the ASU starting job up for grabs after having an erratic season.
The Sun Devils are currently 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the Pac-10 and are 79th in the nation in total yards, averaging 353.8 per game.
The 6-foot-8 Osweiler faces the tough task of making his starting debut at Autzen Stadium in Eugene against an Oregon Ducks team looking to rebound from a loss to Stanford last weekend. The Ducks, formerly ranked in the top 10 in the FBS, dropped a 51-42 stunner in Palo Alto, Calf., and fell to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the Pac-10.
“We’re excited about the challenge,” Erickson said in his weekly press conference. “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.”
What can Osweiler expect in his first starting assignment? Well, for starters ...
“[The fans] are right on you. I’ve been in there too many times, but they’re right on top of you,” Erickson said. “They make a lot of noise. That’s one place in our league where you know what you’re going to get: you’re not going to be able to hear.”
The Ducks are 5-0 at home, but have concerns on defense. Last week, Stanford running back Toby Gerhart mounted 223 yards on 38 carries in the win.
“They had a little trouble against Stanford, but everybody has, we all know that,” Erickson said. “They are just a very active group, their linebackers are extremely fast and experienced. They run seven or eight guys on there in the defensive front. They are very physical.”
Osweiler has already landed on his feet after making the leap from Flathead High to playing in the Pac-10.
Against No. 12 USC last weekend, Osweiler came in the second half after Sullivan threw two interceptions that led to a 14-3 USC lead.
According to a story in the East Valley Tribune, Osweiler took the field to a loud ovation of cheers from ASU fans.
And he didn’t disappoint. Osweiler led ASU 80 yards in eight plays and hit receiver Chris McGaha for a touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter to cut the deficit to 14-9.
In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, Osweiler nearly achieved the unthinkable by upsetting USC but couldn’t get past the Trojans’ defense and forced an interception in the end zone from 45 yards out as time expired.
“This is the first time I have done this at ASU,” Osweiler told reporters after the game. “This is a situation that all I can do is learn from it, watch the film tomorrow and then improve on that area of my game.”
The former Flathead standout, who turns 19 on Nov. 22, finished 11 of 27 for 153 yards.
“I made the change because I wanted to get some energy going on offense, which Brock brought to us and Brock moved the football and scored a touchdown and made some plays and it was exciting for everyone to watch,” Erickson said after the USC game. “However, there were times during that game that his inexperience came out too ... I’ve got to do what gives us the best chance to win. Maybe it’s not the most popular decision, but it’s a decision that I’ve got to make to give our football the best chance to win.”