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Source: ASU quarterback Taylor Kelly will miss Sept. 25 contest vs UCLA, but could return for USC or Stanford. http://t.co/zUZ0dHdFRf
— Doug Haller (@DougHaller) September 15, 2014
*I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the biggest natural disaster to hit Tempe since last Monday's thunderstorm from hell; Taylor Kelly leaving Folsom Field on crutches, with reports flooding in Sunday (pun intended) that he won't be ready to go against the Bruins. Okay Sun Devil fans, breathe in. Breathe out. Feel better? Good... because that is completely misguided and we have no hope to upset UCLA without Taylor Kelly.
I keed, I keed. Guys, if I had a nickle for every "source" that ended up being completely and utterly wrong, I wouldn't be living on cheese quesadillas and a Brita filter. Especially with one of the biggest game of the season coming up, the training staff is going to pull all the stops to get our beloved Jake Jr. back on the gridiron. We are over a full week away from kickoff in Tempe; a LOT can change between now and then... but, if you're into Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, you can read Chris Karpman's report and just feel your worst nightmare slowly creep in and devour your reality:
Arizona State senior quarterback Taylor Kelly is expected to miss at least two games with a foot injury, according to multiple sources directly familiar with the development.
Kelly will not play in ASU's home game against UCLA Sept. 25, and is extremely unlikely to play at USC Oct. 4. A return against Stanford following a bye week on Oct. 18 is very possible, but will depend on how his foot heals.
Taylor Kelly is expected to miss at least the next two games for Arizona State
It is also possible Kelly could miss additional time if his foot does not heal on what one source said is, "an achievable, but optimistic timeline."- via ASUDevils.com, Chris Karpman (h/t Nick Krueger)
You're not dying Sun Devil fans; it's just a panic attack. Breathe in and out. IF worst comes to worst and Chris Karpman is truly the Sun Devil football oracle (and sadly, his article comes highly recommended and may very well be), we start Mike Bercovici who Sporting News said, "is good enough to start for many PAC-12 teams." CTG has been bringing up this kid up as Taylor's #2 since he set foot in Tempe a little over two years ago. Try and think of it as Derek Anderson playing for Cam Newton in week one; he's spent the last couple weeks getting work in during meaningless games, just in case disaster should strike. Well, it may very well have struck and in the slightly altered words of Tommy Pickles, "A backup's gotta do, what a backup's gotta do." Keep the faith Sun Devils; Bercovici has prepped the last two and a half years for this moment.
Anyway, we should know even more next week, so check back here for updates on TK10's status. If it helps any, UCLA lost a Heisman trophy candidate Saturday and still pulled out the dub when the dust settled. It's not the end of the world people, just a foot injury...
*Update: ... Aaaand I lied folks. The apocalypse is upon us (and I'm not talking about today's upcoming torrential downpour). If you haven't heard yet...
Arizona State senior quarterback Taylor Kelly will miss the 15th-ranked Sun Devils' next game with a right foot injury, though his status beyond that is uncertain.
Kelly was injured during Saturday's game at Colorado and left on crutches and wearing a protective boot.
Senior Mike Bercovici will replace Kelly for Arizona State's game against No. 12 UCLA on Sept. 25, but coach Todd Graham has said he will not update his quarterback's status until after that game.
- via Associated Press, ESPN
So I wrote pretty much all of the above over the past two days which makes me the #1 contender for biggest jinx in Sun Devil athletic history. For all ASU alums with prop bets locked in on the PAC-12 Championship, I sincerely apologize. Good news: we still have no news on whether Brett Hundley will play a week from Thursday. Bad news: if you're rooting for a 21 year old, who grew up 15 minutes outside Tempe, to be hurting so he can't play in a child's game, that kinda makes you a de facto scumbag. Mike Bercovici, it's on you buddy. Save me from these degenerate Tempe gamblers... oh and our season. But mostly me. No pressure.
Jordan Washington, a sophomore forward from Indian Hills Community College who last week committed to Arizona State, has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing two DVDs from a Walmart in Ottumwa, Iowa.
According to OttumwaPost.com, Washington was arrested Thursday night after allegedly stealing copies of "Curse of Chucky" and "Taken." Total value of the items: $17.84.
Washington is a 6-foot-8, 255-pound, three-star prospect from New York. Last season, playing for current ASU assistant coach Barret Peery, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.7 rebounds. He is expected to play a bigger role this season.
- via azcentral sports, Doug Haller
Arizona State has parted ways with recent 2015 basketball commit Jordan Washington following his reported arrest in Ottumwa, Iowa for fifth degree theft according to sources directly familiar with the development.
A 6-foot-8, 280 pound post player at Indian Hills Community College, Washington committed to ASU while on his official visit to the school at a dinner on Sept. 5, but will not sign with the Sun Devils now. ASU will look to fill the scholarship spot elsewhere.
- via ASUDevils.com, Chris Karpman
Despite the public perception that our basketball team ceased to exist after Jahii's jump to pro ball, Jordan Washington has been doing big things for program's public publicity... by which I mean stealing DVD's from an Iowa Wal-Mart. Couple things I wanted to note here, #1: Does Jordan Washington know that you can steal movies off the internet and it is far easier than shoving a 5" by 7" plastic box down your pants? If anyone confessed stealing a movie to me, I'd just assume they torrented it off Pirate Bay, like every other bored college student with a broadband connection. Stealing a physical DVD is so 2003 kid; get with the times.
#2: "Curse of Chucky" and "Taken"... really dude? That's what you're mortgaging your future on? A murderous doll and Liam Neeson? If you're gonna risk your full ride athletic scholarship to the "New American University", at least steal a Tarantino movie or something. Heck, I'd take any Sandler movie over those shining examples of American cinema... okay not Jack & Jill, Zookeeper, Bedtime Stories, or any member of the Grown Ups franchise. Let's not get ridiculous.
Quick Hits:
- Better late than never CU-Boulder Fun Fact: "The official school colors are silver and gold, as opposed to the common belief of black and gold. Silver and gold were chosen to represent the state's mineral wealth, but the colors did not look good together on the uniforms, so black was substituted," further proving the theory of why do anything if you don't look good doing it.
- Sun Devil women's soccer and volleyball also won over this weekend, to improve to 6-1-1 (soccer) and 8-1 (volleyball). Women's sports kinda get lost in the fold with the big two sports, but they put in just as much work, if not more. A little recognition now and again doesn't hurt.
- UCLA's visit to Tempe will be a "Black Out" game, with respect to our student section and uniforms. Notice the very carefully worded slogan, after 2012's "Black Out" game versus Oregon when "Black Out or Back Out" became a campus war cry.
- ASU men's hoops will open their PAC-12 conference slate against the dreaded Wildcats down in Tucson where we will obviously repeat the upset from last year... Wait, Jahii's in Australia? Oh...
- Speaking of ASU basketball, if you haven't heard, UNLV transfer Savon Goodman can ball. Picture Aaron Gordon with less dunking talent, worse defense, a better jumper and above-average handles... so nothing like Aaron Gordon.
- Former Sun Devil defensive backs Eric Allen and Darren Woodson will join ASU's Ring of Honor during halftime of the Sun Devil's homecoming game (11/1) against the Utes. Los Angeles Dodger's Andre Either will also join the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame during the halftime of the ASU-Stanford game on October 18th.
- If you see a kid in Hayden Library with a keyboard USB'ed into his laptop, that weirdo will be me. Feel free to hurl fruit and derogatory barbs my way. I'll feel special, knowing you read my contributions.