Apparently some people just can’t leave well enough alone.
At least according to Jake Plummer who took to the airwaves Thursday morning to defend Arizona State senior starting quarterback Taylor Kelly for his past two performances after coming back from a foot injury which sidelined him for close to six weeks. Some critics and fans have been outspoken in favor of Kelly being replaced by junior Mike Bercovici who led ASU to a 2-1 record in his place.
“I just don’t get it,” Plummer explained to Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat during his weekly segment. “People think Bercovici should be the guy–I think they have no clue what’s going on because you don’t displace a third-year starter who’s a senior because it’s his team who put in all this work and earned this spot just because the kid behind him threw for 500 yards and threw a Hail Mary at USC. People need a reality check. He’s a winner.”
No one can argue the fact Kelly is a perfect 5-0 this season and 20-5 in his past 25 starts at ASU.
Wednesday after practice the All-Pac-12 second-team performer was asked to assess his performance against the Utes (18-32, 205 yards, touchdown, INT) in the Sun Devils 19-16 overtime win to improve to 7-1, 5-1 in Pac-12 play.
“I thought I was better than the week before,” he told the assembled media in Tempe. “We just missed out on some opportunities in the red zone. Penalties hurt us as a team. We had a couple of 15-yard runs that had to be brought back. They’ve got a great football team, a great program.”
Plummer echoes the sentiments of his fellow Idaho native.
“People have to remember, that defense of Utah,” Plummer said. “They’re damn good. They got after it in the pass rush. They cover well. They don’t make it easy. When his team needed him to step up he did. Ya know, I don’t care about stats and numbers and throwing the ball all over. When your team needs you, you step up. That’s all I care about. That’s what he did in the fourth quarter to tie the game. He made some big throws.”
He’ll have to make plenty more Saturday against a Notre Dame squad who is in top 50 against the pass and the top 30 nationally in total defense.
