Tuesday Post-Practice Quotes

The ASU head coach addressed the media after the team’s practice on Tuesday night, as the Sun Devils prepare for their road game at Stanford. Defensive tackle Saia Falahola, who returned to practice after missing eight weeks with an arm injury, also talked to the media about his road back to health and his chances of playing this week.

(updates on his injured players)

“Marquardt – we still have to look at him tomorrow (Wednesday). He has a chance (to play). Other than the ones who are out for a while, looks like we’ll have most guys back. Saia (Falahola) worked. I’ll have to see what condition he’s in. I don’t know if he can help us out this week. I would say more like the week after.”

(on the responsibilities in the playing calling duties among his staff)

“We meet offensively as a group. The reason I hired Rich (Olson) because him and I think a lot alike. We sit down and spend a lot of time during the week. As we get into the game, him and I are on the sidelines. He’ll make a play, I’ll make a suggestion, and he’ll call a play. It kind of depends on how it’s going. He calls a large percentage of the plays – that’s his job. Obviously I’m involved in it.”

“I’m really happy with the ones (the plays) that worked, and upset with the ones that didn't (smile). I’m real happy with it and like I said the reason I hired him is…this offensive staff has been together for a long time. Coach Cozzetto, Yarber, Jamie (Christian), Coach Smith…we have a pretty good idea of what we’re gonna do. During the week as you study the defenses and what you want to do in down and distance and make the calls. We give a lot of responsibilities in audible wise to Rudy (Carpenter).”

(on his assessment of Stanford running back Anthony Kimble)

“He’s a heck of a player. He broke a couple of big ones. He has good speed, size…there’s a lot of good backs in the league and he’s one of them. He carries a load for them, runs the football very successfully. He catches the football very well too.”

(on how the Stanford defense compares to that of Oregon State )

“It’s hard to tell. I hope they’re not a lot better than Oregon State – they’re pretty good. They play with the same kind of intensity level. They’re not as experienced as Oregon State – they’re probably the most experienced defense in the Pac-10. They’re playing hard, they’ve done a good job against the run. They gave up some big plays against Oregon that hurt them…we’ve got our work cut out for us on both sides.”

Saia Falahola “Right now I’m just trying to get back into things. I won’t be able to contribute much (against Stanford), but I’ll get back in the learning cycle and get ready for next week…I had enough conditioning – my legs weren’t hurt and they had me running up and down this field. It’s just getting back to (squaring off)…the basics…once I get back the hang of those things, I’ll be back in there.”

“It’s been really hard (to wait to get back into action). It would be hard for anyone else sitting out seven to eight weeks. It was hard for me to just sit out there and watch my guys play. So I’m happy to get back into things.”