QB Kelly’s legacy this season and beyond still in the works

SEATTLE tempest descended upon Husky Stadium on Saturday night but so, too, did a defense with comparable ferocity.

Arizona State will be thrilled to leave the Pacific Northwest with a 24-10 victory. The elements were brutal, the offense anemic. The good news is the Sun Devils return home with a 6-1record and a firm grip on their destiny, if not their quarterback situation.

Strong winds complicated a mixedbag performance by Taylor Kelly, who returned after missing three games with a right-foot injury.

Gusts as strong as 61 mph were reported nearby. More than 20,000 residents lost power and patches of darkness could be seen around the stadium.

Kelly had a few patches of darkness, too, completing 14 of 25 passes for 180 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

When the Sun Devils needed him most, however, he delivered, completing a 7-yard pass to Gary Chambers to break a 10-10 tie with three minutes to go in the game.

It helped make up for an earlier ill-advised pass to Demario Richard that was intercepted by John Timu and returned 63 yards for a touchdown.

The Huskies didn’t help their cause. Before Kelly’s touchdown pass to Cham-

Abers, Washington settled for a field goal after a questionable sweep by Shaq Thompson. The Huskies had tired ASU’s defense with repeated runs up the middle, but the sweep at the Sun Devils’ 2 -yard line cost them 4 yards. And another big nod goes to the defense and Armand Perry’s 61-yard interception return for a touchdown with 52 seconds left that secured the Sun Devils’ victory.

It was an odd game that will surely leave some wondering if there is a quarterback controversy. There shouldn’t be. Not yet. Kelly’s injury’s put understudy Mike Bercovici center stage. The junior’s impressive efforts against USC and Stanford earned high praise from fans and even Kelly, but you could tell from the senior’s body language the last few weeks it was killing him not to be out there.

It’s tough when the end of your college career is staring back at you.

He was thrilled to be back on the field against Washington.

He didn’t look himself and weather complicated a true analysis. Kelly hopes to finish his career strong.

His biggest priority is leading ASU to the Rose Bowl but he wouldn’t mind showcasing his skills for NFL scouts in the process.

He is no sure thing. The league is seduced by size and off-the-charts arm strength. Kelly is a respectable 6-2 but his strengths are his touch, on-field smarts and ability to extend plays with his legs.

He showed that early on against the Huskies, running 16 yards to give the Sun Devils a first down.

His best skills aren’t always the ones that translate on the statistics sheet.

“I think many of us are still formulating opinions,” one NFL scout said Saturday. “If you don’t fit the prototype, you have to separate yourself in other ways.”

It can be done. Jake Plummer is almost identical in size to Kelly. He played 11 years in the league.

Against the Huskies, Kelly passed Plummer and moved into third in ASU’s total offense list.

One Kelly statistic that shouldn’t be overlooked: He completed more than 67 percent of his passes last season, an ASU record. That has to account for something. He’s used to the doubters. He has thrived on proving them wrong.

Think back to the summer before his sophomore season in Tempe. He was competing for the starting job with Bercovici and Michael Eubank. For many observers, he wasn’t even in the conversation.

But Kelly won over the coaches with his accuracy and decision-making and last season led the Sun Devils to the Pac-12 title game.

He knows he has unfinished business, too.

He needs to show he can win consistently on a big stage.

That was tough to do Saturday. Between the elements, a bit of rustiness and a pesky Washington defense, Kelly was inconsistent.

His first pass was a 31-yard completion to D.J. Foster that was first deflected by Jaelen Strong and a Huskies defender.

But he missed quite a few receivers, too, as the wind picked up. Wind gusts of 62 mph were reported on a floating bridge near Husky Stadium.

After one quarter, Kelly had completed 5 of 10 passes for 53 yards.

Washington’s Troy Williams was 1 for 5 during the same stretch.

It didn’t take long for social media to reveal critics calling for Bercovici to come into the game. It wasn’t surprising with the memories of exciting victories over USC and Stanford still fresh in their minds.

But it also came from fans watching on TV and not in tune with the elements impacting the game. Kelly is accustomed to hearing from skeptics.

“I’ve seen players go from undrafted to draft pick by their (performance) in a few games,” the scout said. “Stats are important, the combine is important, but a lot of other factors are taken into account.”

That’s good news for Kelly, who excels in the “other” categories.