Arizona State was back in pads on Thursday for its fifth practice of the spring:
DAY FIVE DEPTH CHART (TWO-DEEP)
QB: Manny Wilkins – Blake Barnett
RB: Eno Benjamin – Trelon Smith
WR-X: Ryan Jenkins – Terrell Chatman/Curtis Hodges
WR-Y: Kyle Williams – Trevor Russell
WR-Z: Frank Darby – Jeremy Smith
TE: Ceejhay French-Love – Tommy Hudson
LT: Tyson Rising – Mason Schell
LG: Alex Losoya – Jesse Cozens
C: Cohl Cabral – Marshal Nathe
RG: Cade Cote – Corey Stephens
RT: Quinn Bailey – Kyle Breed
DE: Shannon Forman – Jordan Hoyt
NT: Renell Wren – DJ Davidson
DE: Jalen Bates – Doug Subtyl
OLB: Jay Jay Wilson – Parker Higgins
MLB: Nick Ralston – Khaylan Thomas
OLB: Kyle Soelle – Malik Lawal
Tillman: Evan Fields – Tyler Whiley
F-CB: Chase Lucas – Terin Adams
B-CB: Kobe Williams – Kordell Caldwell
F-S (Ranger): Jalen Harvey – Dominique Harrison
B-S (Ranger): Langston Frederick – Caleb McShanag
K: Brandon Ruiz
P: Michael Sleep-Dalton – Matthew Bazarevitsch
LS: Riley John
PR: Chase Lucas – Ryan Newsome – N’Keal Harry
KR: Eno Benjamin – Ryan Newsome – Trelon Smith
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“IT’S SPRING…TRY IT”
As has become usual, ASU’s early practice portion included the defensive backs going through jamming drills on the sleds. And once again, head coach Herm Edwards’ voice boomed over the sound of the crashing metal as the cornerbacks and safeties went through the drill:
“Keep our hands up!”
“Knock the pad up!”
“Underneath the shoulder pad!”
Sophomore cornerback Chase Lucas was at the front of the line. This new hands-up, physical-at-the-line technique ASU’s new coaches are trying to instill is something Lucas is still adjusting to. His position coach Tony White could tell and shouted out to Lucas, “It’s spring. Try it.”
That message can apply to the Sun Devils’ entire roster. Everybody is having to adjust to a new routine.
A few examples from Thursday:
The loafing sprints for the defense were back, with players forced to run a perfect 10 yards for every occurrence of “loafing” during the previous practice. Thursday’s spring total added up to 31.
DL coach Shaun Nua also pushed his players on the sleds. The group worked both on stationary sleds to practice getting off blocks, as well as on the free-standing sleds to develop explosiveness.
The linebackers had tennis balls incorporated into practice again, having to turn past a block and get low to tap the rubber ball on the ground.
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OFFENSIVE NOTES
The offense stuck to its normal routine, starting with an extended tempo period (not facing the defense) before splitting into individual drills. Plays from that period:
-Manny Wilkins hit Eno Benjamin on a short route in the flat, then found Ceejhay French-Love over the middle before connecting with Frank Darby on a play-action bomb down the middle.
-Blake Barnett rolled to his right and fired a short pass to Curtis Hodges, another to Ryan Jenkins. Benjamin took a short handoff on the next play before Barnett hit Terrell Chatman on a bubble screen to the right.
-Wilkins came back for a second drive, opening with another short pass to French-Love. He then rolled to the right to throw to Jenkins, but the receiver dropped the ball. The offense ran the ball on the next two plays, once with Wilkins, the other with Mark Cosgrove. Both went for short yardage.
Later, the Sun Devils broke into full-team live-action scrimmage. Plays from that portion of practice:
-Wilkins led the first team, handing off to Eno Benjamin on a stretch run to the right side. Benjamin turned the corner before being tackled by Jay Jay Wilson. Wilkins found Benjamin on the next snap on a dump off pass into the left flat. Wilkins was forced to hurry a throw to the edge that fell incomplete after the Sun Devils’ defense blitzed up the middle. On the last play, Wilkins had time in the pocket but no one open downfield, so he tucked it and ran up the middle for a short gain.
-Barnett quarterbacked the second team, throwing quick passes to Ceejhay French-Love and Jeremy Smith on the first two downs before giving a handoff to Cosgrove that was blown up by DE Doug Subtyl for no gain. Cosgrove took a read-option handoff on the last play for a small gain up the middle.
Per usual, the Sun Devils worked on 1-on-1 coverage drills as well on Thursday. A few offensive highlights:
-Frank Darby ran a sharp out-route for a completion as CB Kobe Williams slipped on the outside.
-Jeremy Smith beat Terin Adams deep after on a stop-and-go route on the edge.
-Terrell Chatman made a strong catch on a crossing route while being tightly covered by Kordell Caldwell.
-Trevor Russell made a contested catch across the middle and got open deep two other times, though was overthrown.
-Ryan Jenkins made an impressive leaping catch on a crossing route in tight coverage.
Lastly, the offense worked on 7-on-7 work (though in the 3-3-5 the defense plays with 8 on the field). The biggest play of the session was a long connection between Wilkins and Chatman, who ran a double-move down the sideline to get behind Caldwell.
Overall, the quarterback group as a whole continues to do okay. The deep passes have been inconsistent at times, though Wilkins, in particular, was sharper in that area on Thursday. Dillon Sterling-Cole, on the other hand, is still struggling to find his accuracy on those long passes. Blake Barnett has thrown mostly short passes during full team activities this spring, though has also been inconsistent when airing deep during 1-on-1 drills.
It should be noted that the QBs are working on a lot of fundamentals, especially with footwork right now, per offensive coordinator Rob Likens.
The short passing game has been solid though, something that featured prominently in ASU’s offense when the deep ball was missing last season.
N’Keal Harry was again a limited participant on Thursday. In his place, Ryan Jenkins has received a lot of reps. The senior – who received an extra year of eligibility after missing 2017 with injury – is the most experienced of ASU’s rotation of receivers and has been targeted consistently this spring. His one drop aside today, he has looked reliable. At 5-11, 209, he is a little smaller than ASU’s prototypical perimeter threat but has run good routes and found ways to get himself separation so far this spring.
Another receiver who was bumped into the two-deep on Thursday was Trevor Russell. The redshirt freshman was elevated to second-team slot (WR-H) with Ryan Newsome being limited. Though undersized and not ASU’s best athlete at receiver, Russell has been another target who has run good routes and found ways to get open down the field.
On the line, Alex Losoya continues to hold down the left guard position, about the only spot in ASU’s front five up for grabs this spring. On Thursday, a lot of the Sun Devils’ blocking schemes forced Losoya to pull around to the right edge of the line, something Sam Jones was asked to do last season. Losoya’s 6-4, 290-pound frame mirrors the 6-5, 290-pound size Jones was listed at last season as well.
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DEFENSIVE NOTES and INJURIES: see below
DAY FIVE DEPTH CHART (TWO-DEEP)
QB: Manny Wilkins – Blake Barnett
RB: Eno Benjamin – Trelon Smith
WR-X: Ryan Jenkins – Terrell Chatman/Curtis Hodges
WR-Y: Kyle Williams – Trevor Russell
WR-Z: Frank Darby – Jeremy Smith
TE: Ceejhay French-Love – Tommy Hudson
LT: Tyson Rising – Mason Schell
LG: Alex Losoya – Jesse Cozens
C: Cohl Cabral – Marshal Nathe
RG: Cade Cote – Corey Stephens
RT: Quinn Bailey – Kyle Breed
DE: Shannon Forman – Jordan Hoyt
NT: Renell Wren – DJ Davidson
DE: Jalen Bates – Doug Subtyl
OLB: Jay Jay Wilson – Parker Higgins
MLB: Nick Ralston – Khaylan Thomas
OLB: Kyle Soelle – Malik Lawal
Tillman: Evan Fields – Tyler Whiley
F-CB: Chase Lucas – Terin Adams
B-CB: Kobe Williams – Kordell Caldwell
F-S (Ranger): Jalen Harvey – Dominique Harrison
B-S (Ranger): Langston Frederick – Caleb McShanag
K: Brandon Ruiz
P: Michael Sleep-Dalton – Matthew Bazarevitsch
LS: Riley John
PR: Chase Lucas – Ryan Newsome – N’Keal Harry
KR: Eno Benjamin – Ryan Newsome – Trelon Smith
---
“IT’S SPRING…TRY IT”
As has become usual, ASU’s early practice portion included the defensive backs going through jamming drills on the sleds. And once again, head coach Herm Edwards’ voice boomed over the sound of the crashing metal as the cornerbacks and safeties went through the drill:
“Keep our hands up!”
“Knock the pad up!”
“Underneath the shoulder pad!”
Sophomore cornerback Chase Lucas was at the front of the line. This new hands-up, physical-at-the-line technique ASU’s new coaches are trying to instill is something Lucas is still adjusting to. His position coach Tony White could tell and shouted out to Lucas, “It’s spring. Try it.”
That message can apply to the Sun Devils’ entire roster. Everybody is having to adjust to a new routine.
A few examples from Thursday:
The loafing sprints for the defense were back, with players forced to run a perfect 10 yards for every occurrence of “loafing” during the previous practice. Thursday’s spring total added up to 31.
DL coach Shaun Nua also pushed his players on the sleds. The group worked both on stationary sleds to practice getting off blocks, as well as on the free-standing sleds to develop explosiveness.
The linebackers had tennis balls incorporated into practice again, having to turn past a block and get low to tap the rubber ball on the ground.
---
OFFENSIVE NOTES
The offense stuck to its normal routine, starting with an extended tempo period (not facing the defense) before splitting into individual drills. Plays from that period:
-Manny Wilkins hit Eno Benjamin on a short route in the flat, then found Ceejhay French-Love over the middle before connecting with Frank Darby on a play-action bomb down the middle.
-Blake Barnett rolled to his right and fired a short pass to Curtis Hodges, another to Ryan Jenkins. Benjamin took a short handoff on the next play before Barnett hit Terrell Chatman on a bubble screen to the right.
-Wilkins came back for a second drive, opening with another short pass to French-Love. He then rolled to the right to throw to Jenkins, but the receiver dropped the ball. The offense ran the ball on the next two plays, once with Wilkins, the other with Mark Cosgrove. Both went for short yardage.
Later, the Sun Devils broke into full-team live-action scrimmage. Plays from that portion of practice:
-Wilkins led the first team, handing off to Eno Benjamin on a stretch run to the right side. Benjamin turned the corner before being tackled by Jay Jay Wilson. Wilkins found Benjamin on the next snap on a dump off pass into the left flat. Wilkins was forced to hurry a throw to the edge that fell incomplete after the Sun Devils’ defense blitzed up the middle. On the last play, Wilkins had time in the pocket but no one open downfield, so he tucked it and ran up the middle for a short gain.
-Barnett quarterbacked the second team, throwing quick passes to Ceejhay French-Love and Jeremy Smith on the first two downs before giving a handoff to Cosgrove that was blown up by DE Doug Subtyl for no gain. Cosgrove took a read-option handoff on the last play for a small gain up the middle.
Per usual, the Sun Devils worked on 1-on-1 coverage drills as well on Thursday. A few offensive highlights:
-Frank Darby ran a sharp out-route for a completion as CB Kobe Williams slipped on the outside.
-Jeremy Smith beat Terin Adams deep after on a stop-and-go route on the edge.
-Terrell Chatman made a strong catch on a crossing route while being tightly covered by Kordell Caldwell.
-Trevor Russell made a contested catch across the middle and got open deep two other times, though was overthrown.
-Ryan Jenkins made an impressive leaping catch on a crossing route in tight coverage.
Lastly, the offense worked on 7-on-7 work (though in the 3-3-5 the defense plays with 8 on the field). The biggest play of the session was a long connection between Wilkins and Chatman, who ran a double-move down the sideline to get behind Caldwell.
Overall, the quarterback group as a whole continues to do okay. The deep passes have been inconsistent at times, though Wilkins, in particular, was sharper in that area on Thursday. Dillon Sterling-Cole, on the other hand, is still struggling to find his accuracy on those long passes. Blake Barnett has thrown mostly short passes during full team activities this spring, though has also been inconsistent when airing deep during 1-on-1 drills.
It should be noted that the QBs are working on a lot of fundamentals, especially with footwork right now, per offensive coordinator Rob Likens.
The short passing game has been solid though, something that featured prominently in ASU’s offense when the deep ball was missing last season.
N’Keal Harry was again a limited participant on Thursday. In his place, Ryan Jenkins has received a lot of reps. The senior – who received an extra year of eligibility after missing 2017 with injury – is the most experienced of ASU’s rotation of receivers and has been targeted consistently this spring. His one drop aside today, he has looked reliable. At 5-11, 209, he is a little smaller than ASU’s prototypical perimeter threat but has run good routes and found ways to get himself separation so far this spring.
Another receiver who was bumped into the two-deep on Thursday was Trevor Russell. The redshirt freshman was elevated to second-team slot (WR-H) with Ryan Newsome being limited. Though undersized and not ASU’s best athlete at receiver, Russell has been another target who has run good routes and found ways to get open down the field.
On the line, Alex Losoya continues to hold down the left guard position, about the only spot in ASU’s front five up for grabs this spring. On Thursday, a lot of the Sun Devils’ blocking schemes forced Losoya to pull around to the right edge of the line, something Sam Jones was asked to do last season. Losoya’s 6-4, 290-pound frame mirrors the 6-5, 290-pound size Jones was listed at last season as well.
---
DEFENSIVE NOTES and INJURIES: see below
