Arizona State coach Todd Graham wants senior quarterback Taylor Kelly to go fast.
But only on the football field.
When Graham learned during the summer that one of Kelly’s hobbies was drag racing, the third-year Sun Devils coach pulled the plug.
Graham had grown up in the Dallas area near a speedway. But regarding Kelly, one must value certain priorities, he said.
“When I called Taylor, he said, ‘Coach, I thought you were a fan of racing,’ ” Graham recalled. “I said: ‘Yeah, you can race if you want. It’s not a big deal. You’re just not going to be our starting quarterback.’
“We came to an understanding pretty quick on that.”
Interestingly, Graham could use drag racing as a metaphor for being careful. One of Graham’s goals this season is for the Sun Devils to dramatically reduce their number of turnovers from 2013. That included 12 interceptions thrown by Kelly.
Kelly, working on a graduate degree this fall, apparently is coachable. Through two games, he has attempted 47 passes without an interception and hopes to extend that streak Saturday night (8 p.m., ESPNU) when the 16th-ranked Sun Devils (2-0) face Colorado (1-1) in Boulder. This will be the Pac-12 opener for both teams.
“The game is slowing down for me,” said Kelly, a third-year starter who likes to get the ball away quickly from ASU’s spread attack. “I’m starting to understand the calls that are made in different situations. I almost know the next play that’s coming.”
Any improvement in Kelly’s game must be a frightening thought for his opponents. Kelly passed for 3,635 yards last season and is on pace to set an ASU record for career touchdown passes after throwing 29 as a sophomore and 28 in 2013.
But what makes Kelly (6-foot-2, 211 pounds) even more of a headache for opposing defensive coordinators is his ability to tuck the ball and run. Last fall the native of Eagle, Idaho, rushed for 608 yards and nine TDs.
Colorado coach Mike Mac Intyre said Kelly should not be overlooked in any discussion about Pac-12 quarterbacks. As a dual threat, Kelly adds another dimension to a Sun Devils offense that features plenty of options. Junior running back D.J. Foster tops the Pac-12 in rushing (363 yards, four touchdowns) after two games. Junior wide receiver Jaelen Strong (6-3, 212) has the speed to stretch a defense. And the offensive line is bigger this year.
Graham was fortunate to inherit Kelly when Graham left the University of Pittsburgh after the 2011 season after only one season with the Panthers. At ASU, Kelly had succeeded current Broncos back-up quarterback Brock Osweiler.
“This is the best offense I have ever coached,” said Graham, who coached two Tulsa teams that led the nation in total offense.
Kelly said he likes hearing that confidence from a coach. Surpassing 2013 in offensive production would be no easy feat. The Sun Devils averaged 39.7 points per game last fall.
“That’s what we expect ourselves to do,” Kelly said. “We always talk about national championship, Rose Bowl, being an explosive offense.”
Tom Kensler: tkensler@denverpost.com or
