Getting healthy

The Red Wolves are on a bye this week, and to say it’s much-needed and well-timed would be an understatement.

ASU has experienced a wave of key injuries through its first six games on both sides of the ball. Anderson said practice this week will be non-contact.

“We have obviously tried our best to put a competitive group of dudes out there with the bodies that we have, but it’s becoming difficult to do as you can see,” Anderson said. “They need the time away from contact. We’re gonna have to be really smart about how we approach not only the next few days, but honestly the second half of the season to allow guys that are playing more snaps than normal with beat-up bodies to be able to make it through and be effective and more effective than they are right now.”

Aside from losing their starting quarterback and now their second- and third-string running backs for the year, the Red Wolves have been hit even harder on defense.

ASU was without four defensive starters on Saturday against Georgia State, as the Red Wolves got manhandled by a Panthers offense that put up a schoolrecord 722 yards, while also tallying 52 points, the most the program has ever scored against an FBS opponent.

Junior cornerback Jerry Jacobs (torn ACL) and junior nose tackle Forrest Merrill (torn bicep) are both out for the season. Senior defensive tackle Kevin Thurmon has missed two consecutive games with a broken hand, but Anderson said there’s a chance he could return Oct. 17 against Louisiana-Lafayette.