ASU football linebacker Koron Crump out indefinitely
Sep 19, 2017, 1:24 PM
Arizona State linebacker Koron Crump (4) pressures New Mexico State quarterback Tyler Rogers (17) in the second half during an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State defeated New Mexico State 37-31. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
ASU football head coach Todd Graham ruled out linebacker Koron Crump for this Saturday’s game against Oregon and announced he is out indefinitely on Tuesday.
ASU coach Todd Graham said Koron Crump won't play this week vs. Oregon. Out indefinitely.
— Craig Morgan (@craigsmorgan) September 19, 2017
The 6-foot-3, 222-pound Crump exited in the first quarter of last Saturday’s game against Texas Tech in Lubbock with a left leg injury. Crump was initially not ruled out for the game but did not return.
Crump plays the devil backer position, which is a hybrid between a defensive end and a linebacker.
According to Justin Toscano of Devils Digest, there were some players moved around in order to fill in for Crump during the media viewing period of Tuesday’s practice. Junior linebacker Abraham Thompson filled in for Crump on the first team defense while junior starting tight end Jay Jay Wilson played with the second team defense.
Wilson last played outside linebacker and safety in high school. Redshirt sophomore tight end Tommy Hudson ran with the first team offense as the tight end in Wilson’s place. Wilson has one catch on the season for 16 yards.
The Sun Devils’ defense struggled to contain the high-octane Red Raiders’ offense without Crump. ASU lost the game 52-45 and dropped to 1-2 on the season for the first time since 1999.
Crump entered week two of the season with four sacks, the second most in the nation. As a junior in 2016, Crump led the team with nine sacks. In addition to his sack total, Crump had racked up 13 total tackles (11 solo) and four tackles for loss in 2017.
Before the season began, Crump was named to the 33rd annual Butkus Award watch list, an annual honor given to the country’s best linebacker. Crump was also named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, which is given to the nation’s top defensive player.
