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ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 21, 2015

Todd Graham

Tempe, Arizona

TODD GRAHAM: Sorry I was late. I had a player that needed some attention.

Q. Todd, after going against the triple option for two weeks, it seems your defense is more geared to kind of go after what you'll face in the Pac-12. How nice is it to get back to some sense of normalcy?
TODD GRAHAM: It's really gratifying. I didn't enjoy those two weeks. I'll be honest with you, it's very difficult to defend that. And I think our guys did well.

I'm really pleased with where we're at with our guys, and key for us is to get everybody healthy. I think we'll have a few more people healthy this week. Man, this is one those kind of games that you love this week. I feel good about where we are defensively. I think that's been difficult, obviously, playing against that style, and so ready to get back to -- but Pac-12 is not no -- it's pretty challenging.

It's just different. It's a completely different brand, so we've got to really do a good job in our practice preparation, kind of getting out of that mode and back into our regular mode. I don't like doing that for two weeks because I think it's -- I'd rather be doing what we do.

Q. You saw some positives on Saturday. How are you feeling about the state of your offense heading into Pac-12 play?
TODD GRAHAM: I feel good about our football team. These guys, I mean, I think our guys -- the game of football is all about match-ups and how you match up and all that. It's proven every weekend. You know, you'll see teams that didn't start well and then they come up and they -- Stanford, for example, get beat by Northwestern on the road, and then they come back and do what they did, and that's what great teams do with great character and discipline.

I like our football team. I'm excited and have a tremendous belief in them. This is what we work for all year long is for obviously Pac-12 play, and it doesn't get any bigger than this game, and obviously our guys know the implications of this game. It's not hard to get motivated. I believe in our guys, and we're excited about the opportunity, and this is the first conference game. The key is to be 1-0.

Q. Do you feel like you got some of those things corrected?
TODD GRAHAM: Yeah, I feel like we got better. Again, I don't react like everybody else does. You know, the key is winning and getting better and being prepared and playing. We've had an unusual match-up here in these first few weeks because obviously starting off with the game that we started off with, and I thought our guys showed some tremendous character and promise in that game, and really it was our errors that really put us behind the deal in that game. I think we've had two really unique match-ups as far as -- about as different as you can get.

I feel good about our team. I feel just as good about our team as we did day 1 before we kicked it off. I've got a lot of confidence and belief in them.

Q. USC's offensive line is pretty good. Your thoughts about your defensive front and their offensive line and how that match-up is?
TODD GRAHAM: Again, I've got tremendous belief in our guys. This is the best group we've ever had, very well-coached by Coach Shipp, and they do a great job, very physical, very fast. The key for us I think is offensively our tempo on offense, and then on defense it's the same thing, just getting after it, reestablishing the line of scrimmage. I've got a lot of confidence in our guys, and obviously we're playing -- this is as good a football team as you're going to play from a talent standpoint.

Q. Kind of assess how Bercovici has played so far and why the offense has struggled at times to try to get into sync.
TODD GRAHAM: I think Mike has played very well. He's done a great job leading. You know, obviously our goal always is to get better every day in what we're doing, but I think Mike has done a great job. I think he's done a good job of managing the game, and the biggest thing for us is taking care of the football. 100 percent ball security, no negatives, and we'll -- again, we've got great -- we've just got to get -- a lot of it has been -- I hate even commenting on it because it's just a bunch of excuses. You've got to have some rhythm with the people that are in there consistently, and we've had some not-so-good fortune when it comes to having guys out that are key for us.

Our deal is just finding our rhythm. I have unbelievable belief in Mike Bercovici, and I think he'll prove that as we get moving in the Pac-12.

Q. Is there a chance Kalen Ballage might be available on Saturday?
TODD GRAHAM: We're sure hoping so. I don't know that for sure, but that's what we think.

Q. What do you think he'll do at practice this week?
TODD GRAHAM: Practice. We'll know more about that today, but I fully expect him to play.

Q. With Mike Bercovici being more adept in that read option, do you think there's a possibility you could see more kind of designed plays for him to take advantage of his legs and his speed?
TODD GRAHAM: You know, we're going to run our offense. We're a run-play action-pass team, and obviously he did a great job last week of utilizing the read zone, and that'll continue to be what we do in our package just like it always has been.

The key for us is just take what they give us, and obviously be able to execute what we're doing. And the biggest thing is just getting the tempo and the rhythm about what you're doing and just breaking out and hitting on all cylinders is kind of the deal. But I really don't -- you know, each year different things happen differently, just like last year. Last year was like, oh, gosh, you've got nine guys graduating, you're going to be so terrible on defense, and what are you going to do, and we wasted all the time talking about that, and we were probably the best we've been.

Man, it's just getting started, and we're starting off with conference play and ready to get rolling, and it doesn't get any bigger than this game. I love our team, I love our players, and our guys are going to step up and play great. I've got all the confidence in the world in them, and it's going to be a packed house, and we've got a great -- we're pretty good out here, you know. We've had a pretty good record here.

You know, Mike, as far as Mike being -- I don't think Mike is an option-style quarterback. He's a run-play action-pass guy that can utilize his legs with the read zone. The big thing is just taking what they give you. If they cover everybody and you can run with the ball, run with the ball. Just take what they give you, and I think that's the biggest thing that we emphasize with Mike. Again, I'm ready to get -- tee this thing off and get it rolling.

Q. What stands out to you about Cody Kessler, and are you seeing anything different this year?
TODD GRAHAM: He's really good. He's a really good thrower. He can make all the throws. These are very, very explosive running backs, probably the best -- no doubt the best running backs that we'll play I think all year long. Collectively when you take the group of four and five guys that they rotate in there, pretty explosive. The receiving corps is the same way. He does a great job of managing the offense and just distributing the ball, and he can make all the throws, so he's a very good quarterback.

Q. It appears you guys are still kind of feeling the situation out at tackle between Billy and Sam and Evan --
TODD GRAHAM: Not really. I mean, I think that we have a good idea what that is. It's just getting everybody healthy. Those are our three tackles that are going to play. I think getting them healthy where they can play each week. Sam was hurt in camp. That slowed his process. And then Evan got hurt, now Billy got hurt. So it's trying to get a rhythm there.

You want to have five guys that are playing all the time, and so as long as you're rotating them, that hasn't established yet. So that's been slower than we thought it would be, but I think it has a lot to do with the injury things, and then just getting those guys experience. But I think Coach Thomsen has got a pretty good idea of what we would like it to be, who we think that it should be, but it all has to do with reps and getting guys experience doing it, you know, and really adapting to that. But that's been really tough because you're in a game and you're going from left tackle to right tackle, it's very hard because injuries kind of put us in that position. Those guys are all, I think, healthy and should all practice tomorrow.

You know, we'll see how that goes, but I think it'll -- if we can keep those guys healthy, I think that'll settle down and get a lot more consistent.

Q. Has moving Christian out there ever been a consideration?
TODD GRAHAM: Yeah, we've talked about it, but no. We've got too much really invested there. We could do that. I just don't know how -- I don't know if that's -- right now I don't think that's the best for our team and probably definitely not what's best for Christian.

Q. Mike has played against USC before, one of the few Pac-12 teams he's played. How big is that that he got a chance to play against them last year?
TODD GRAHAM: Yeah, Mike, the experience he got last year playing UCLA, USC and Stanford I think really helped him. Obviously he's not -- again, he's a guy that he has those three starts, and I think those are valuable -- very, very valuable because those were some huge games in the Pac-12. I think that gives him great experience and comfort going into a game, knowing that you've been in that position before and he knows exactly what to expect.

Q. With Ballage coming back and having this season --
TODD GRAHAM: Well, I don't know that 100 percent.

Q. If he's able to come back, would you limit him to just playing on offense coming back, just because of what he's gone through? Would it sort of take away your plan to use him on defense, too?
TODD GRAHAM: Yeah, we wouldn't have any plans to use him on defense. That's mostly because of conditioning and stuff like that. It's pretty hard to do that. It'll take him a little bit to get back to where he needs to be there.

Q. Can you reflect back on last year's USC game and where that ranks in your memory bank of great games, great finishes, moments in your career?
TODD GRAHAM: About as -- pretty good. I don't think it gets any better than that is what I'd tell you. You know, I just think just the resolve. It showed a lot about the character of our guys, and collectively. It wasn't just one play. It was guys that played 104 snaps on defense, and when we had to stop them, we stopped them. I think we gave up a punt return for a touchdown, and you look at 104 plays, and I don't know, it was like 28 points or whatever it was. I mean, that's pretty phenomenal, and the effort that we gave. Just really, that's one of the most special games and teams that will always be up there at the top for me.

Q. I'm guessing evaluation of your receivers has been difficult when you've got a couple guys dinged up; Devin is hurt, DJ has been dinged up, but do you sense somebody taking that role of big-play receiver?
TODD GRAHAM: Oh, I think we know exactly who our receivers are. I think Tim White is a big-play guy for us. D.J. is a big-play guy for us. I think that those guys have really -- are guys that we -- our guys got to be playmakers. Gump is a guy that can be a playmaker for us at the slot receiver, as well. Gary has been very steady and been very consistent. E.J. is a guy that's just got to continue to get better, and he's done some nice things. But really I think when you look at wide receiver, the guys that we're trying to -- I thought Devin did a great job last week. And obviously different week it's a different person.

But I think when it comes to -- D.J. Foster is obviously a playmaker, Tim White is every week getting better and better and better and better. He was slowed by an injury. And then obviously Devin has been solid. I think Gump has got a chance really to do a whole lot. He played the first game, and then had the issue, the injury where he couldn't play last week.

I think we've got plenty of playmaker guys, just consistency and practicing and getting into rhythm and all that stuff because I know how good they are because we played really good in camp. I defended them every day so I know the potential we have there.

Again, the whole deal, I really don't care if it's 7-3 or 60-59. It doesn't matter to me. I just want to win, and I think our guys understand that. I think we've got a -- I think we've got a team that's going to play well.

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