ASU Football: Wood, Matus reflect, prepare for UNLV

Several Arizona State Football coaches and players spoke to the media on Wednesday in their last availability before facing UNLV on Saturday at 7:30 p.m MST in Tempe. Here are a few highlights from what was discussed.

Wood impressed with TE group, enjoying job

ASU interim tight ends coach Juston Wood was pleased with how sound the tight end unit was with their assignments in Week 1, considering the challenges of playing in an offense with so many pass and run game responsibilities.

“There’s just a lot of things they get asked to do,” Wood said. “We have a motto of [that] we need to be the type of guys that are extremely efficient in our preparation, extremely efficient in not wasting reps in practice, and efficient in our meeting time. We just got to be able to do more with less.

“When it comes down to Saturdays, if we’re not executing blocking people, and targeting correctly … if we’re not getting open in the pass game, if we’re not catching the football, nobody cares about those challenges.”

Wood specifically pointed out senior tight end Curtis Hodges, who at 6-foot-8 was reliable against the Thunderbirds, hauling in two catches for 56 yards. Redshirt junior halfback/fullback Case Hatch was another name that popped up, with Hatch being a key blocker on several of ASU’s touchdowns.

“By and large, our productions as an offense and as a group is going to be a part of that role and doing whatever is asked, and [a] ‘No task is too small’ mentality,” Wood said. “With Case, the guy just outfights his weight class. He’s so fun to watch and I think people see that in just the way he tries to attack people.”

With Wood being promoted to interim tight ends coach after coach Adam Breneman was placed on administrative leave, Wood said that he’s enjoying the opportunity.

“It’s been a blast,” Wood said. “I wish I didn’t have this mask on so you could see the smile on my face right now. We start off in this profession because we obviously have a passion for working with young people. As players, people invested in us and helped us trying to reach our potential, and you get such a positive experience from that you’re like, ‘Hey I want to get back and coach now, and do that for other young people.’”

Matus believes D-line has room to grow, describes defending White, Trayanum

As head coach Herm Edwards and defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce harped on last week, ASU’s defensive line was able to get Southern Utah sophomore quarterback Justin Miller off his spot, making up for a lack of sacks and instead resulting in interceptions. However, redshirt junior defensive end Michael Matus still said the defensive pressure will need some fine-tuning heading into the Sun Devils’ matchup with the Rebels.

“If you don’t have anything to improve on after Week 1, then you’re messing up somewhere,” Matus said. “I think we left a lot out there on the field and I think we can make up for it this week.”

With ASU having to defend UNLV senior running back Charles Williams – who netted over 1,200 yards in 2019 and rushed for 172 yards last week – Matus said the key will be to make the Rebels’ offense one-dimensional.

From his experience going head-to-head with them at practice, Matus also has a unique perspective on the dynamic nature of ASU’s running back group, with senior Rachaad White and sophomore DeaMonte Trayanum leading the pack.

“Do you want Chip (DeaMonte Trayanum) to run over you, or do you want Rachaad [White] to get to the edge?” Matus said. “It’s really hard to stop. I think that’s what has made us better as a D-line, having to go against a dynamic duo like that, you really have to pick your poison.

“You have to be honest, you have to be true because they will make you pay if you don’t.”