ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

Not even Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury can 1-up Mike Bercovici in Scottsdale

Aug 8, 2022, 8:11 PM | Updated: Aug 9, 2022, 7:20 am
Arizona State quarterback Mike Bercovici celebrates a touchdown pass against West Virginia during t...

Arizona State quarterback Mike Bercovici celebrates a touchdown pass against West Virginia during the first half of the Cactus Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

GLENDALE — Cardinals offensive assistant Mike Bercovici might be just a few years into his coaching career with Arizona, but in terms of his time in the Valley, the Arizona State alum has his head coach beat tenfold.

And Kliff Kingsbury knows it.

“We call him the local celebrity. … I actually did a presentation with the offensive unit that if you ever go out with him, you’re playing for second place already because he’s like the Pied Piper around here,” Kingsbury said Monday. “He obviously has the ASU status, which carries him a long way in Scottsdale.”

On top of one-upping his head coach during a night out on the town, Bercovici is also leaving his mark on how he goes about his business on the field.

“He’s got a great football mind. I think the biggest thing I noticed early on was just the rapport with the players,” Kingsbury said. “They respect how he carries himself.

“I think he’s done a good job building relationships within the building and with the players and they know he works his tail off and they know how he coaches. … There’s a level of trust he’s built with the guys.”

Originally joining the coaching staff in 2020, the former signal caller was promoted from a coaching assistant to an offensive assistant this offseason.

After working with the quarterbacks last season, Bercovici now turns his attention to the tight ends.

“He knows the offense inside out, so it’s great having him in our room now, because you get the whole new perspective on what they’re thinking, what we should be thinking,” tight end Maxx Williams said Monday.

“It makes him a more rounded coach too because now he’s getting more into the tight end and blocking and knowing more of that stuff. It’s been great having him in the room.”

Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Nick Vigil corrals the football during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) An Arizona Cardinals fan holds up a sign during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Marco Wilson runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Christian Matthew runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Marco Wilson runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Christian Matthew runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Dennis Gardeck runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Isaiah Simmons runs through drills during training camp on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S Jalen Thompson prepares for a drill during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown looks on during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Nate Brooks runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S James Wiggins runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S James Wiggins runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Breon Borders runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Josh Jackson runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S James Wiggins runs through drills during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin (26) looks on during training camp on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Ezekiel Turner looks on during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals LB Ezekiel Turner looks on during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Jonathan Ward runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Keaontay Ingram runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Keaontay Ingram runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals RB Keaontay Ingram looks on during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals WR Greg Dortch runs through drills during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals TE Trey McBride looks on during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Antonio Hamilton jogs during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals OLB Myjai Sanders looks on during training camp on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Glendale. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)

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