Three months late, ASU finally comes home
Arizona State is guaranteed just one home football game, the fewest since 1919 when the first season after World War I consisted of two away games.
Fewer than 1,000 fans will be in attendance at 55,000-seat Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday to watch ASU’s long delayed home opener.
The Sun Devils originally were scheduled to open at home against Northern Arizona on Sept. 3. That was revised in late July because of the coronavirus pandemic with the Pac-12 unveiling a 10game, all-conference schedule that had ASU opening at Arizona then hosting Stanford in early October.
After that fell through, the entire season was in jeopardy until the Pac-12 CEOs became comfortable enough with COVID testing to approve a seven-game schedule starting Nov. 7. ASU played at USC, losing that opening game, then was to open at home against California on Nov. 14 before a COVID outbreak forced cancellation of three consecutive games, including another at home against Utah last week.
So Saturday against UCLA (2-2), ASU finally play on familiar ground for since the 2019 Territorial Cup more than a year ago.
J.D. Loudabarger, ASU associate athletic director for operations and facilities, said despite the absence of a full stadium, officials still will have challenges.
“It’s a different set of security in this scenario,” Loudabarger said. “Obviously we’re really focusing on COVID and making it safe for our athletes and officials and coaches. We’ve changed some policies to make sure we’re meeting local and state guidelines.”
Masks are mandatory other than when eating or drinking for those allowed to enter, including up to 520 player and coach family members from ASU and 400 from UCLA. There is a no-bag policy other than a clutch bag less than 8x5 inches that can be visually inspected. Spectators will be spaced 10 feet apart, a change from the original six-foot plan.
“We’re trying to limit the amount of touch points not only for the player guest attending the game but also our staff,” Loudabarger said.
SafeSite, a third party company hired by the Pac-12, will administer game-day antigen tests to both teams with that work to be completed four hours prior to the 8:30 p.m. kickoff. If there are any positive tests, SafeSite will perform rapid-result PCR tests (two per hour) for confirmation.
ASU has successfully hosted a women’s basketball multi-team event and one men’s basketball game ahead of the football home opener.
“It’s a smaller scale because of the size of the venue,” Loudabarger said. “But it helped just to show we can do it. We had a little test run with player guests coming and the rules on the no bag policy. Going through that, seeing any issues that came up, will help us for the football game.
“We’ve been having our weekly event managers call and hearing what the other schools have learned through this process and picking their brain. I feel like we’re as prepared as we can be. The field is in about as good a shape as it’s ever been in. We’re all excited to get this game in.”
ASU does not yet know who or where it will play Dec. 19, but Loudabarger said the staff is prepared to host a second home game if assigned one by the Pac-12. In between UCLA and Dec.19, the Sun Devils are at Arizona on Dec. 11.
Pierce: UCLA is ‘one-game season’
ASU co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce said the three-week layoff hammered home how fragile this season is.
“Obviously each week is not guaran
teed to us,” he said Wednesday. “We need to approach this game like it’s a one-game season and hopefully get a lot of guys out there.”
That includes Ed Woods, Kejuan Markham and Cam Phillips in the secondary, where the Sun Devils are expected to be without Jack Jones and Aashari Crosswell, both indefinitely suspended.
DeAndre Pierce will start again at free safety as he did ahead of Crosswell against USC on Nov. 7. Timarcus Davis or Jordan Clark presumably would start at cornerback in place of Jones.
Throwback to 1975
ASU athletics began planning 18 months ago with apparel partner Adidas for a 1975 throwback uniform to wear during the 2020 season.
That work culminates Saturday when the Sun Devils will debut the popular uniform (maroon jersey with arm stripes, gold helmet and pants) featuring a sunburst logo and retro ASU logos on the back, neck and helmet against the Bruins.
“The pandemic threw us for a loop,” said Becky Parke, ASU senior associate athletic director for marketing. “The uniforms just arrived Tuesday. Adidas had several production facilities closed for 90 days or more in the spring. Once the (most recent) schedule was in front of us, we said let’s push this to the very last possible date. We’re fortunate to still be able to get the uniforms done.”
The throwback jersey is available for online purchase through Adidas and Fanatics and at the Carson Center team shop.