Arizona State sophomore running back Kalen Ballage was sent home from Houston because he has mononucleosis, azcentral sports has confirmed.
Ballage -- a top option out of ASU's backfield - was expected to play a significant role in the Sun Devils' opener against Texas A&M, a 38-17 loss Saturday at NRG Stadium. He traveled with the team to Texas, but was sent back to Tempe.
Scout.com first reported Ballage's illness.
Mono affects people in different ways. Ballage could miss just a few weeks or he could miss significant time. Since Ballage played last season as a true freshman, he has a red-shirt season available, but it may not come to that.