Thursday’s Post-Practice Quotes

ASU’s Head Coach Dennis Erickson addressed the media as the Sun Devils wrap up their practices for the Oregon game.

(On his thoughts now that practices have concluded for the Oregon game)

“It’s fun. This is huge. This is a big game. You get an opportunity to go out and play a great football team, at their place, on national TV…it doesn’t get better than that. I had the opportunity to do this before, they haven’t. It’s pretty special. I do know one thing – we’ll play hard, and play as well as we can.”

(How’s Carpenter’s thumb? Look like he was shaking it off a few times…)

“He’s fine. He threw it good today. He’ll be fine.”

(You played a lot of home games this year. This will probably be one of your few tough tests on the road?)

“Pullman wasn’t easy…we’ll play as well as we can play. If it’s good enough it’s good enough and if it isn’t it isn’t. That’s how I feel about it. They’re a good team. They couldn’t beat USC without being one of the best teams in the country. We’re dealing with a pretty special football team on both sides of the football. We just have to go up and try to execute our game plan and see where we end up.”

(On not practicing with speakers simulating loud crowd noise )

“I have (done that) but it didn’t do me any good. I figured with the airport so close (to ASU’s practice field) what’s the difference? It’s not about what you’re trying to communicate. When it gets so loud you don’t say anything anyway, because you do silent (count). You gotta go into a stadium where you’ve been many times, and find out what can and can’t you do. We got plans for everything. To be very honest with you, I’m half deaf because of those (speakers)…I tried it everywhere I’ve been. Trust me it doesn’t make any difference”

(on whether he gets extra excited for a big game like this)

“If you can’t get gassed up for a game like this, you can’t get gassed up. For us it’s a matter of preparation during the week, having an idea what you’re gonna do on Saturday and let it go. The fun thing about going there, and I’ve been there a couple of times, is that they got great fans. It’s a great place to play. When you go in there it motivates you.”

(How do you try to simulate Dennis Dixon with the scout team?)

“The same way we try to simulate (Jake) Locker, probably not very well. (Grant) Crunkleton did it both times. He can play quarterback, run around…as I said you don’t simulate that. You simulate it when you see him. When that ball is kicked off and all of a sudden he steps back there for the first time, and you say ‘Wow.’ That’s just how it is. That’s the nature of simulating someone that you can’t.”