It wouldn’t be accurate to say there wasn’t an appreciation for the contributions of Thomas Weber at Arizona State.

There was. But it certainly had to grow when his availability was limited by injury a year ago.

As Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson said of his placekicker deluxe during Pac-10 football media day at the Rose Bowl, “It shows you what happens when you don’t have a kicker. Last year, he pulled up right before we played at Georgia, and we missed three field goals.”

A strained calf muscle on his kicking leg prior to game two reduced the 2007 Lou Groza Award (he was the first-ever freshman honoree) winner’s participation to eight games a year ago.

The injury limited the 6-foot-1, 207-pound senior who has already graduated to 13 field goal attempts, of which he made eight. Bobby Wenzig, a freshman out of San Diego, did his best to pick up some of the slack in 2009 by making three of four attempts.

But nothing can really replace an All-American.

Weber, a Downey resident and 2005 graduate of L.A.’s Loyola High School, said he’s completely recovered and ready to return to the form of his first two seasons when he made 43 of 50 field goal attempts and also handled punting duties for the Sun Devils.

“It really hindered me quite a bit,” Weber admitted. “It never completely got healthy, but in the offseason I got a chance to rest it and now it’s feeling really comfortable.”

Erickson agreed that his kicker is 100 percent.

“He had a great spring kicking the ball,” he said. “He’ll be invaluable to us. I think he’s the best kicker in the country.”

Weber has personal and team goals as Arizona State prepares for its Sept. 4 opener against visiting Portland State.

“I’d like to make 95 percent of my field goals and make every opportunity inside 45 yards,” he said. “But my basic goals are just to help the team any way I can. With kickoffs I want to get as many touchbacks as I can and help us with our field position.”

Don’t bet against somebody with his resume.

High efficiency has always been a keynote for Weber, who is 51-for-63 (81.0 percent) on field goals and 94-for-98 (95.9) on extra points during his ASU career. He doesn’t lose much in accuracy when length increases, either, going 2-for-2 on 50-plus yarders (53 is his longest).

He connected on a school-record 17 field goals during one stretch in 2007, his Groza Award winning campaign.

His 247 career points are fourth best all-time for the Sun Devils. His 43 field goals in his first two seasons are the most by a Sun Devil in the beginning two years.

He also averaged 40.5 yards as a punter his first two years. Those duties have since been relinquished to Trevor Hankins, who enters the season as the NCAA’s ninth-ranked punter.

Weber thinks prospects for the Sun Devils, who are trying to rebound from a 4-8 season that saw them lose their last six games, are pretty good for 2010.

“I see big things for us,” he said. “The guys are real excited. There’s a new attitude and desire to win that’s through the roof.

“I know what we’re capable of doing and I want to show everybody.”

NOTES
Clint Floyd, a junior out of Crenshaw High, will start at strong safety for the Sun Devils.

He’s one of the best all-around athletes in the program, having seen action at both free and strong safety, quarterback, wide receiver and on special teams.

He’s recorded 22 tackles in 19 career games, five of them starts. He has one career interception (27-yard return against USC last year).

Floyd is part of a defense that features All-American defensive lineman Lawrence Guy, linebacker Vontaze Burfict and cornerback Omar Bolden.

“I think Lawrence Guy is one of the best defensive linemen in the country and Vontaze Burfict had a great spring,” Erickson said. “He didn’t get any penalties. And we have Omar Bolden back at corner.”

Among the incoming recruits is Devan Spann, a cornerback from Serra High.