Dimitri Nance is a sophomore running back for Dennis Erickson and the Arizona State Sun Devils.
In his second season as a Sun Devil, Nance has accumulated 7 rushing TDs on 3.9 yards per carry.
On Wednesday evening, Nance and Arizona State take on the 19th ranked Texas Longhorns. Nance may be splitting touches with running backs Ryan Torain and Keegan Herring, but you know he will come prepared to lead the Sun Devils to victory in the Holiday Bowl. Before the game, Nance fielded questions from our own Aaron Fischman. In this interview, Nance discusses Dennis Dixon's Heisman appeal, Arizona State QB Rudy Carpenter and his own break-out game against Cal.

Aaron Fischman: Who do you think was the most deserving of the Heisman Trophy this season?

Dimitri Nance: I didn't really get to see all of the Heisman players except for Dennis Dixon, so I would guess Tim Tebow deserved it since he won. But you also see how much Dixon meant to his team after he got hurt.

AF: Your team only lost twice all year, and those losses came against Oregon and USC. Which team was tougher, in your estimation, and why?

DN: I would say USC was the tougher team. They were more talented and had more depth.

AF: What can you tell us about the running back by committee that your team uses? What are the differences in running styles between you, Ryan Torain and Keegan Herring?

DN: Torain is more of a power running back. Keegan is a speed back. And I think I am a shifty back.

AF: Being the youngest member of the RB trio, what have you learned from Ryan and Keegan?

DN: We all have different styles, so [I'm] just watching both of them run and just taking a little bit from both of their styles.

AF: What makes Rudy Carpenter such a good quarterback?

DN: He is just a talented, athletic quarterback [who] uses that athleticism to make plays any way he can.

AF: Rudy Carpenter and Michael Jones are expected to return for one more season. How good can this combination be next year?

DN: They [can] be a great combination. The more they play with each other I think the better they will get along with the other receivers on the team.

AF: Chris McGaha leads the team in catches and receiving yards, yet he has no touchdowns. Why do you think that is?

DN: I don't know why, but he makes big plays that lead to touchdowns. So, to me, that's good enough. I'm sure he would like to score a touchdown, but I still think he is happy with his performance.

AF: Talk about your breakout game against Cal. How did it feel to find the endzone three times?

DN: My game against Cal was good. It was a great chance to prove what I can do and I think I did that. But I still have a lot to improve on. The three touchdowns felt real good. I got a lot of recognition at school after that game.

AF: What can you tell us about your bowl game opponent, Texas? And what has your team done to prepare for the Holiday Bowl?

DN: Texas is a great opponent that [has] always [had] great athletes on their team each and every year and is just a great program. But we are preparing for Texas and this bowl game as just another game on the schedule. We still have to go out there and play football.

 

Be sure to catch Dimitri in the biggest game of his young career on December 27 against Texas in the Holiday Bowl. Game time is 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

If you liked this interview, be sure to catch up with other college football athletes with interviews in our archives.