ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

ASU’s Foster has ‘a different look in his eye’ as role increases

Dec 3, 2013, 11:37 PM | Updated: Dec 5, 2013, 3:26 pm

TEMPE, Ariz. — With the emergence of Marion Grice as Arizona State’s No. 1 running back, there has been very little need for D.J. Foster in the backfield.

Of course, that didn’t mean the former Scottsdale Saguaro High School standout couldn’t handle the job. He made that quite clear before a sold out crowd Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium.

“I really wasn’t surprised,” offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said.

Said receiver Jaelen Strong: “We knew all along. It wasn’t nothing new to us. We knew all along D.J. would come in and make plays. That’s what he does. He makes plays.”

Foster made plenty of plays, rushing for a career-high 124 yards and two touchdowns in ASU’s 58-21 win against the rival Arizona Wildcats.

His 23 attempts, another career-high, were two more than he had in his previous five games combined.

“I’m a really big believer in patience,” Foster said Tuesday. “Wherever I can help out the offense, at the end of the day, that’s what I try to do. It’s a team game, but it felt good to just be definitely back in the back field and get those carries and just help my team win.”

Foster, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards while leading Saguaro to the 2011 Division III State Championship, had been used more as a slot receiver. His 54 catches for 550 yards are second-most on the team.

Foster’s role changed, however, when Grice hurt his left leg late in the Pac-12 South-clinching win at UCLA. Offensive coordinator Mike Norvell said Foster “had a different look in his eye” at practice last week thanks to the opportunity in front of him.

“I just had a different look in my eye because I just didn’t want my teammates to feel like something was going to slack,” Foster said. “Our offensive line and our offense and this team has put in so much work. I wanted them to feel that there was really going to be no difference and no step back … I was going to take care of my side.”

He’ll be looked to again this week when ASU hosts Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game Saturday. Grice will miss his second straight contest, though he may be ready to return by ASU’s bowl game.

A Sun Devil victory Saturday would send ASU to Pasadena, Calif., and its third-ever Rose Bowl appearance.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Foster said. “We’ve been talking about it so long. We’re right here. We’re right where we need to be. It came by fast. We put a lot of hard work into it, but nothing matters if we don’t finish strong.”

Arizona State Football

Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports...

Wills Rice

ASU football battling moral victories vs. growth before 1st road test at Cal

ASU is coming off a positive performance against USC before traveling to play Cal, but is battling moral victories vs. growth as a team.

1 hour ago

Caleb Williams...

Arizona Sports

ASU-Colorado matchup between Kenny Dillingham, Deion Sanders airing on Pac-12 Network

The Pac-12 announced start times and channels for Arizona State's football game against Colorado and Arizona at USC.

4 hours ago

USC's Caleb Williams and ASU's Jalin Conyers (Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports)...

Wills Rice

Arizona State just misses upset bid in loss to USC, Caleb Williams

The Arizona State Sun Devils fell short of their upset dreams with a 42-28 loss to USC at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday.

2 days ago

Running back Cameron Skattebo #4 of the Arizona State Sun Devils carries the football en route to s...

Stephen Gugliociello

Bedeviled: Breaks leave Arizona State for USC in first half

Cameron Skattebo was competing at the top of his game, but Arizona State entered the locker room at halftime down 21-13 to Southern Cal.

2 days ago

Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort (Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports)...

Stephen Gugliociello

Cardinals brass at ASU vs. USC game to potentially scout Trojans’ QB Caleb Williams

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was in attendance pregame for the game in Tempe, but he was seen on the Trojans' sideline.

2 days ago

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talks with his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders during the fir...

Associated Press

‘Prime’ meat: No. 19 Colorado hammered by No. 10 Oregon at Autzen

Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes and No. 10 Oregon emphatically routing coach Deion Sanders' No. 19 Colorado 42-6 on Saturday.

2 days ago

ASU’s Foster has ‘a different look in his eye’ as role increases