ASU head football coach Dirk Koetter announced Wednesday that sophomore defensive end Nick Johnson is no longer on the team. Johnson already had been on indefinite suspension for undisclosed reasons.
Koetter cited rule violations and a personal decision by Johnson as reasons for the dismissal.
"There was definitely some team rule violations in there, but he made a decision that he didn't want to be involved with our program anymore, and that's the way it goes," Koetter said.
Johnson started the team's first two games before junior Ishmael Thrower passed him on the depth chart. In five games this season, Johnson tallied eight tackles, including two sacks totaling 18 yards.
Johnson, a Chandler High product, was thought to be the heir apparent to former ASU All-American Terrell Suggs, who is now with the Baltimore Ravens.
Koetter said suspensions to redshirt freshman Barton Hammitt and senior lineman Matt Mason still are indefinite.
Both players were charged with aggravated assault and criminal trespassing last week.
"Some legal proceedings have to take place before we can even get involved in that again," Koetter said.
Shorter practice
Koetter said the coaching staff has decided to shorten practice to about an hour and a half after warm-ups.
"We always back it down at this time in the season, and the other thing is we're 15 degrees hotter than normal," Koetter said. "You've got to teach a new game plan every week. It's not like we need to spend a whole lot of time on other things right now."
Bradley switches positions
Last week, redshirt freshman Kellen Bradley began practicing at his new position of wide receiver.
Bradley, a former quarterback, came to Koetter's office about three weeks ago saying he "felt that he had a better chance to contribute to our team as a wide receiver," Koetter said.
He said he was surprised at the request, but when players ask for position changes, he tries to honor them because "sometimes they know best."
At the time, Koetter said the Sun Devils still were "finding themselves" at wide receiver and delayed the move. He added that Bradley had to condition his body and improve on his speed and strength before he could be considered a "true wide receiver in the Pac-10."
If Bradley were to work himself into the rotation, it wouldn't be until after spring 2004.
Bradley, a product of Scottsdale Saguaro High School, had planned to go to Oregon State but changed his mind and committed to ASU in the spring of 2001. He was the scout-team quarterback last season before true freshman quarterbacks Sam Keller and Mike Affleck passed him on the depth chart this fall.
Players' plays
Koetter said that during ASU's win over North Carolina, quarterback Andrew Walter and wide receivers Skyler Fulton and Derek Hagan "gave me some great ideas."
"We made a lot of subtle adjustments during the game based on what the receivers were telling me."
Koetter said one of Fulton's catches up the middle on a fourth-and-eight play was in the team's playbook but not in the Tar Heel game plan. Koetter said the play was "penciled up."
Also, during a hitch-and-go play in the third quarter that set up a touchdown, Koetter said Walter called for the play.
"I think that really shows the chemistry between the quarterbacks and the receivers has really come a long way," Koetter added.
Reach the reporter at christopher.drexel@asu.edu.
