Sept. 20, 2009
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery
Arizona State Notes:
Let's Get it Started: Omar Bolden opened the game with an 89-yard kick-off return for a touchdown, marking the first time since Rudy Burgess returned a kick-off 98 yards against USC on November 22, 2007, in Tempe. Bolden's return was the 13th for a touchdown in the program's history and the 12th-longest of those returns. His return also marks the first time in program history that ASU has returned the game's opening kick-off for a touchdown.
ASU KICKOFF RETURNS FOR A TOUCHDOWN
Sept. 19, 2009, Omar Bolden, 89 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Nov. 22, 2007, Rudy Burgess, 98 yards vs. USC
Sept. 30, 2006, Terry Richardson, 100 yards vs. Oregon
Dec. 1, 2001, Tom Pace, 100 yards at UCLA
Nov. 2, 1996, Terry Battle, 100 yards at Oregon State
Oct. 12, 1996, Terry Battle, 99 yards at UCLA
Nov. 11, 1995, Brian Singleton, 85 yards at California
Nov. 8, 1986, Bruce Hill, 96 yards vs. California
Nov. 16, 1974, Mike Haynes, 97 yards vs. North Carolina State
Nov. 2, 1968, Lenny Randle, 84 yards vs. New Mexico
1949, Bobby Fuller, 92 yards vs. Northern Arizona
1948, Willford White, 100 yards vs. Pepperdine
1939, Hascall Henshaw, 91 yards vs. Cal-Poly SLO
1938, Wayne Pitts, 99 yards at New Mexico
One and Only: Bolden's return also is one of three today throughout the nation and the only one in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Earlier in the day, Terry Newsome of the University of Mary took the opening kick 98 yards for the score against Minnesota-Crookston (NCAA Division II) and Shepherd University's Deante Steele ran 93 yards for the opening score against Fairmont State (NCAA Division II).
Drought Buster: Bolden's return also ended a touchdown drought for the team as the Sun Devils had not scored a touchdown in the first quarter since its opening game with Northern Arizona last year, a span of 29 drives resulting in 20 punts, six field goals, two interceptions thrown and one fumble lost.
Defense Stands Out Again: For the 16th time in 27 games under Dennis Erickson, the Sun Devil defense recorded at least one takeaway and their 12th time with three or more. Omar Bolden added an interception to his kick-off return while Travis Goethel picked one pass and returned it 34 yards to set up a score and also recovered a fumbled punt (muffed). The two interceptions are the fifth and sixth of the season for the defense.
Equal Output: With their 14 points scored in the first quarter tonight, the Sun Devils equaled the previous high for points in the opening stanza in Dennis Erickson's tenure at ASU. The Sun Devils also scored 14 points in the first quarter on two other occasions, both coming in the 2007 season: vs. San Diego State (Sept. 15) and vs. USC (Nov. 22).
Better Output: The Sun Devils only scored 22 total first quarter points in all of last season and, through tonight's game, have scored 17 points already this year (14 tonight and three vs. Idaho State in week one).
Streak Ends: With 7:57 remaining in the second quarter, the Sun Devil defense surrendered its first touchdown of the season, snapping a streak of 5-consecutive quarters without allowing one. ULM's Trey Revell hit Darrell McNeal with a 14-yard pass for the streak-snapping score.
Ad-Nancing the Ball: Dimitri Nance had a solid outing for the Sun Devils tonight as he carried the ball 17 times and collected 82 yards with two touchdowns in the game. His rushing total was just 10 yards off his career-high of 92 which he set twice - against Washington in 2007 (13 for 92 yards) and against UNLV last year (20 for 92 yards). Nance, who has two rushing touchdowns this season, is one away from equaling his output from both 2006 and 2008 (he had seven in 2007).
First Kicks: Bobby Wenzig, a true freshman, not only made his collegiate debut tonight, he also got his name on the score sheet as he connected on 5-of-5 extra point attempts and 1-of-1 field goal attempts for eight points. His first action came almost immediately as he was called upon to convert the PAT after Omar Bolden returned the opening kick-off for a touchdown and later added his first collegiate field goal from 24 yards out.
More Firsts: Wenzig was not the only Sun Devil to make his debut tonight as three others wore the maroon and gold for the first time. The others included Gregory Smith (DE), James Morrison (RB) and Steven Figueroa (TE).
Sullivan's Scamper: With 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Danny Sullivan plunged over the goal line for the first rushing touchdown of his career, scoring from one yard out. On the night, the starting signal caller collected 220 yards on 19-of-31 passing and threw one touchdown pass and no interceptions while adding the rushing score.
Scoring Differences: Through the first two games of the season, the Sun Devils have scored 88 points, allowed just 17 points and set highs for the first two games of the season under Dennis Erickson. ASU scored 78 points through two games in 2007 and 71 last year while allowing 17 in 2007 and 30 last year. The margin of victory - 71 points - also is up by a large amount through two games this season after outscoring San Jose State and Colorado in 2007 by a combined 61 points and then Northern Arizona and Stanford by 41 points last year. The 88 points the Sun Devils have scored through two games this year also stands as the third-most in the past 20 years (behind only the 97 points scored in 1996 and the 94 tallied in 2005).
Hash Marks: Trevor Hankins uncorked a career-long punt of 57 yards with 12:00 minutes remaining in the second quarter surpassing a 53-yard measurement recorded last year... the Sun Devils are now 2-1 all-time against schools from Louisiana (1-0 vs. ULM, 1-0 vs. UL-Lafayette, 0-1 vs. LSU) and 6-1 against current members of the Sun Belt Conference (1-0 vs. ULM, 1-0 vs. ULL, 4-1 vs. North Texas)... Arizona State, which had lost its previous three games the week following a bye, picked up its first win following the bye with the last such victory coming on October 27, 2007, a 31-20 home upset of #18/#20 California... Dexter Davis started at defensive end for the 40th time in his career and moved into a tie for fifth (since 1984) at ASU with Jake Plummer (1993-96).
ULM Notes:
ULM team captains were QB Trey Revell, LB Josh Thomas, DB James Truxillo, P Scott Love.
Arizona State's 89-yard kick return for a touchdown is ironically the second 89-yard touchdown return ULM has given up to an opponent this season. The first came against Texas in Austin during the second quarter of that game.
Safety Greg James extended his team-leading starts streak out to 35 games; punter Scott Love and linebacker Josh Thomas extended their respective streaks to 27 games.
Aaron Morgan's two sacks propelled him to three-consecutive games with a sack. It was also the third time in his career that he has recorded two sacks in a contest.
Darrell McNeal's 14-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was the second-consecutive game this season in which he has caught a pass for a score.
Darrell McNeal was the only ULM receiver to catch multiple passes during Saturday's game against Arizona State. It was also the 28th game of his career in which he has hauled in multiple throws.
Darrell McNeal is ranked 15th in the NCAA with 25-consecuitve games with a catch.
Darrel McNeal's four catch against Arizona State pushes his career total to 141 catches, six receptions shy of tying fifth all-time with 147.
Troy Evans became the third ULM defender to record a sack this season. Aaron Morgan and Josh Thomas are the other two Warhawks defenders to sack an opponent.
Running back Frank Goodin's 62 yards pushed him into sole possession of eighth place all-time in ULM history with 1,606 yards. He is now 52 yards shy of tying seventh place all-time (1,658 yards).
Linebacker Cardia Jackson moved within 21 tackles of 10th place on the all-time ULM tackles list with 283.
Anthony McCall's fourth quarter touchdown pass was the first of the season and the fifth different ULM receiver to catch a touchdown strike.