ASU will definitely enjoy playing at home this weekend, but that also means they will have to deal with the elements.
It is no secret that Arizona is hot, but the heat, coupled with a lack of proper hydration often results in cramps.
Osweiler was the most notable player to cramp up during the season opener against UC Davis and the quarterback is trying to hydrate himself this week to make sure he does not have to miss any time on Friday.
“Instead of drinking two gallons of that water, he’s drinking three a day,” Erickson said.
Osweiler also talked about his hydration levels, which will be important as Friday’s high is 103 degrees.
“I definitely thought I was hydrated (last week),” Osweiler said. “I drink two gallons of water a day on top of Gatorade, Cytomax and everything else. “I’ve definitely upped my intake this week.”
Sun Devils expect reinforcements at O-line
The Sun Devil offensive line may be getting some help sometimes soon.
Senior offensive linemen Adam Tello, who is recovering from a back injury, is expected to play in the near future.
“I watched him real close yesterday on tape,” Erickson said. “I thought he did some really good things with movement and getting his hips down and things that normally bother a back injury like his. Whether he’ll play this week or not, the doctors have got to totally clear him, but I would say he’s got a real good shot.”
Tello saw action in games against Portland State, Washington State, UCLA and others last season.
He also earned Hard Hat player recognition for his work in ASU’s offseason strength and conditioning program.
Not to be outdone, the defensive line is also looking to add another body.
Freshman defensive end Mo Latu is expected to make his Sun Devil debut in the near future, possibly as soon as Friday.
“We think he brings an element to us on the defensive front that we don’t have right now which is a 340 pound defensive tackle,” Erickson said. “He will play this year. He’s athletic as heck.”
While Erickson’s desire to play Latu was clear, the coach said the player was working on his conditioning and will play as soon as he is ready.
Erickson’s outlook on season remains broad
There may be a lot of hype leading up to the Missouri game, but when all is said and done, it is just one of 12.
“You don’t put the season on one game,” Erickson said. “Would it be nice to start with that win here at home against a ranked team? Of course. It will give us a lot of momentum.”
While it is only one game, Erickson acknowledged the fact that the atmosphere will be exciting on Friday night, but also pointed out that Missouri is a tough opponent and the Sun Devils will have to play a good game to beat them.”
“We have our hands full it’s going to be a hell of a test for us,” Erickson said.
Injury update
There were two notable injuries from last week’s season opener against UC Davis.
Both situations became clearer as the dust settled.
Freshman safety Ezekiel Bishop tore his ACL on kickoff coverage and will use his redshirt this year.
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Aderious Simmons sprained his ankle and remains questionable for Thursday night. Dan Knapp and Evan Finkenberg will start at the tackle positions instead.
“Simmons wasn’t able to do anything on Sunday,” Erickson said. “He may be able to backup but we’ll start Knapp at right tackle and Finkenberg at left tackle. We have some depth there but hopefully he can come in and backup though.”
ASU sophomore running back Deantre Lewis hasn’t returned to practice yet either. He’s still suffering from a nagging offseason hamstring problem.
The injury bug hasn’t been kind to the Sun Devils’ opponent either.
Missouri starting defensive end Jacquies Smith and linebacker Will Ebner will likely miss the game in Tempe after both going down in their team’s win against Miami, Ohio.
The Tigers’ starting running back, Kendal Lawrence, suffered a fracture in practice Monday and will miss Thursday as well, according to PowerMizzou.com.
Reach the reporters at william.boor@asu.edu and tyler.emerick@asu.edu
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