Hey guys, ASU was back at it for the second time this fall. There was a lot less personnel movement tonight but position battles are still going strong.
LOCATION: Kajikawa Practice Fields
ATTIRE: Shorts
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: About 45 minutes but we were again allowed to stay for the practice’s entirety under the condition that we would not record configurations, trick plays, injuries, etc.
STRETCH MUSIC: Bigger Than You (2 Chainz Feat. Drake and Quavo), In My Feelings (Drake)
IN GREEN: None
PERSONNEL: Herm Edwards said after practice that safety Jalen Harvey is suffering from a hamstring strain and Harvey was very limited again Saturday. Linebacker Koron Crump also did not participate as he recovers from a torn ACL sustained last year. As we’ve said before, Crump will have a reduced role this season.
Observations from the trenches:
Offensive line -- Coming into fall camp, most of the talk about ASU’s offensive line revolved around left tackle Casey Tucker and left guard Roy Hemsley. The Stanford and USC transfers, respectively, definitely look the part but you can quickly tell they have some rust. Hemsley bounced back after an inconsistent performance Friday but still sits behind Alex Losoya on the depth chart. Losoya, who had a great spring, had much cleaner reps and has continuously been pointed out by offensive line coach Dave Christensen for his quick feet and tight hands. It may be tough for Hemsley to beat him out.
Tucker, however, is already slated as a starter. But throughout their team drills, the Devils haven’t been favoring the left side of their line. Instead, far more run plays have been going to the right side, which is manned by guard Steven Miller and tackle Quinn Bailey. During one drill, where the lineman shuffle their feet along the outside of a board before pushing a large pad being held by one of the younger guys, Christensen made Tucker do it three times as the entire position group watched. After he told Tucker to redo it for the first time because his hands weren’t tight enough, Christensen started overflowing Tucker’s thought process. “We’re not a rhythmic snapping team,” he said. “You have a set, then go. I’m putting a million things through your mind, that’s what I want to do.”
Coming into fall camp, I figured the left guard position battle was going to be the only one on ASU’s offensive line, but there may also be one at right tackle. Zach Robertson has been incredibly consistent so far. He lost 35 pounds in the offseason but his 6-foot-6, 301-pound frame is still dominant amongst the position group. On Saturday, Christensen praised him on most reps -- and after one where he hit the sled going left, Miller did the same. “That was smooth,” he said to a shrugging Robertson. Bailey is still the projected starter but it will definitely be a fun battle to keep an eye on.
Defensive line -- Jalen Bates stuck out to me the most Saturday. As the Devils’ front seven walked through their plays to start practice, Bates was the the most prominent voice and the guy who really just looked like he cared more than everyone else. He had the quickest and most emphatic jump off the ball, was the loudest to recite each play linebackers coach Antonio Piece called out and was constantly talking to the younger guys like Kyle Soelle and Stanley Lambert before the play. With the departures of JoJo Wicker and Tashon Smallwood, Bates feels like the leader of ASU’s defensive line right now.
Also among those who have impressed is nose tackle D.J. Davidson. He looked very good at stopping the run and had a plethora of really solid reps Saturday.
Linebackers notes:
It’s a little surprising that Jay Jay Wilson is taking second-team reps but we were told to keep an eye on Soelle, who finished very strong last season after an injury. Soelle is a smaller linebacker at 215-pounds, but is very quick off the snap and good in coverage.
Malik Lawal, who has been taking a majority of first-team reps, also looked very good Saturday. His lateral pursuit was excellent at stopping the run, even keeping Eno Benjamin from turning the corner on a few plays.
Pierce was really working with Tyler Johnson, who converted to linebacker from the defensive line, during those walkthroughs. ASU’s linebackers coach was demonstrating a stance to him during it and then talked with him one-on-one after they finished.
Interesting coaching things:
At times during those walkthroughs, Pierce will be calling out the plays, defensive line coach Shaun Nua will be snapping the ball and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales will be watching the play from the side. They’re all watching something different. So when the play ends, they all add a different comment about it. It’s very interesting to see how three different coaches see the same play.
Conversely, head coach Herm Edwards is often with the defensive backs -- him and cornerbacks coach Tony White consistently collaborate on drills. During tempo, Edwards was talking to corner Kobe Williams one-on-one on the left side of the field and White was doing the same with Chase Lucas on the right side of the field.
Also during that defensive tempo period, Gonzales will sometimes be the quarterback -- able to dissect the play from an offensive point of view and talk to players from across the line
11-on-11: ASU ran tempo and 11-on-11. Here is who I had out there:
First team offense:
QB Manny Wilkins
RB Eno Benjamin
WRs: N'Keal Harry, Kyle WIlliams, Terrell Chatman/Frank Darby
TE Tommy Hudson
OL: LT Casey Tucker, LG Alex Losoya, C Cohl Cabral, RG Steven Miller, RT Quinn Bailey
Second team offense:
QB: Dillion Sterling-Cole
RB: Trelon Smith/Brock Sturges
WRs: Curtis Hodges, Ryan Newsome, Brandon Aiyuk
TE: Ceejhay French-Love/Jared Bubak
OL: LT Tyson Rising, LG Roy Hemsley, C Cade Cote, RG Jarrett Bell, RT Zach Robertson
First team defense:
D-Line: Jalen Bates, Renell Wren, Darius Slade/Shannon Foreman
LB: Malik Lawal, Nick Ralston, Kyle Soelle
CBs: Chase Lucas, Kobe Williams
TILLMAN: Tyler Whiley
Safeties: Joey Bryant (field ranger), Demonte King (boundary ranger)
Second team defense:
D-Line: Doug Subtyl, D.J. Davidson, Jordan Hoyt
LBs: Jay Jay Wilson, Khaylan Thomas, Merlin Robertson
TILLMAN: Evan Fields
CBs: Terin Adams, Darien Cornay
Safeties: Langston Frederick (field ranger), Dom Harrison (boundary ranger)
Notes from 11-on-11 and redzone drills:
There was a lot of personnel changes throughout the 11-on-11 and redzone periods so at times the first-team offense would go against the second-team offense or Wilkins would be quarterbacking the second-team offense. Regardless, here’s some of the more notable parts of the action:
LOCATION: Kajikawa Practice Fields
ATTIRE: Shorts
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: About 45 minutes but we were again allowed to stay for the practice’s entirety under the condition that we would not record configurations, trick plays, injuries, etc.
STRETCH MUSIC: Bigger Than You (2 Chainz Feat. Drake and Quavo), In My Feelings (Drake)
IN GREEN: None
PERSONNEL: Herm Edwards said after practice that safety Jalen Harvey is suffering from a hamstring strain and Harvey was very limited again Saturday. Linebacker Koron Crump also did not participate as he recovers from a torn ACL sustained last year. As we’ve said before, Crump will have a reduced role this season.
Observations from the trenches:
Offensive line -- Coming into fall camp, most of the talk about ASU’s offensive line revolved around left tackle Casey Tucker and left guard Roy Hemsley. The Stanford and USC transfers, respectively, definitely look the part but you can quickly tell they have some rust. Hemsley bounced back after an inconsistent performance Friday but still sits behind Alex Losoya on the depth chart. Losoya, who had a great spring, had much cleaner reps and has continuously been pointed out by offensive line coach Dave Christensen for his quick feet and tight hands. It may be tough for Hemsley to beat him out.
Tucker, however, is already slated as a starter. But throughout their team drills, the Devils haven’t been favoring the left side of their line. Instead, far more run plays have been going to the right side, which is manned by guard Steven Miller and tackle Quinn Bailey. During one drill, where the lineman shuffle their feet along the outside of a board before pushing a large pad being held by one of the younger guys, Christensen made Tucker do it three times as the entire position group watched. After he told Tucker to redo it for the first time because his hands weren’t tight enough, Christensen started overflowing Tucker’s thought process. “We’re not a rhythmic snapping team,” he said. “You have a set, then go. I’m putting a million things through your mind, that’s what I want to do.”
Coming into fall camp, I figured the left guard position battle was going to be the only one on ASU’s offensive line, but there may also be one at right tackle. Zach Robertson has been incredibly consistent so far. He lost 35 pounds in the offseason but his 6-foot-6, 301-pound frame is still dominant amongst the position group. On Saturday, Christensen praised him on most reps -- and after one where he hit the sled going left, Miller did the same. “That was smooth,” he said to a shrugging Robertson. Bailey is still the projected starter but it will definitely be a fun battle to keep an eye on.
Defensive line -- Jalen Bates stuck out to me the most Saturday. As the Devils’ front seven walked through their plays to start practice, Bates was the the most prominent voice and the guy who really just looked like he cared more than everyone else. He had the quickest and most emphatic jump off the ball, was the loudest to recite each play linebackers coach Antonio Piece called out and was constantly talking to the younger guys like Kyle Soelle and Stanley Lambert before the play. With the departures of JoJo Wicker and Tashon Smallwood, Bates feels like the leader of ASU’s defensive line right now.
Also among those who have impressed is nose tackle D.J. Davidson. He looked very good at stopping the run and had a plethora of really solid reps Saturday.
Linebackers notes:
It’s a little surprising that Jay Jay Wilson is taking second-team reps but we were told to keep an eye on Soelle, who finished very strong last season after an injury. Soelle is a smaller linebacker at 215-pounds, but is very quick off the snap and good in coverage.
Malik Lawal, who has been taking a majority of first-team reps, also looked very good Saturday. His lateral pursuit was excellent at stopping the run, even keeping Eno Benjamin from turning the corner on a few plays.
Pierce was really working with Tyler Johnson, who converted to linebacker from the defensive line, during those walkthroughs. ASU’s linebackers coach was demonstrating a stance to him during it and then talked with him one-on-one after they finished.
Interesting coaching things:
At times during those walkthroughs, Pierce will be calling out the plays, defensive line coach Shaun Nua will be snapping the ball and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales will be watching the play from the side. They’re all watching something different. So when the play ends, they all add a different comment about it. It’s very interesting to see how three different coaches see the same play.
Conversely, head coach Herm Edwards is often with the defensive backs -- him and cornerbacks coach Tony White consistently collaborate on drills. During tempo, Edwards was talking to corner Kobe Williams one-on-one on the left side of the field and White was doing the same with Chase Lucas on the right side of the field.
Also during that defensive tempo period, Gonzales will sometimes be the quarterback -- able to dissect the play from an offensive point of view and talk to players from across the line
11-on-11: ASU ran tempo and 11-on-11. Here is who I had out there:
First team offense:
QB Manny Wilkins
RB Eno Benjamin
WRs: N'Keal Harry, Kyle WIlliams, Terrell Chatman/Frank Darby
TE Tommy Hudson
OL: LT Casey Tucker, LG Alex Losoya, C Cohl Cabral, RG Steven Miller, RT Quinn Bailey
Second team offense:
QB: Dillion Sterling-Cole
RB: Trelon Smith/Brock Sturges
WRs: Curtis Hodges, Ryan Newsome, Brandon Aiyuk
TE: Ceejhay French-Love/Jared Bubak
OL: LT Tyson Rising, LG Roy Hemsley, C Cade Cote, RG Jarrett Bell, RT Zach Robertson
First team defense:
D-Line: Jalen Bates, Renell Wren, Darius Slade/Shannon Foreman
LB: Malik Lawal, Nick Ralston, Kyle Soelle
CBs: Chase Lucas, Kobe Williams
TILLMAN: Tyler Whiley
Safeties: Joey Bryant (field ranger), Demonte King (boundary ranger)
Second team defense:
D-Line: Doug Subtyl, D.J. Davidson, Jordan Hoyt
LBs: Jay Jay Wilson, Khaylan Thomas, Merlin Robertson
TILLMAN: Evan Fields
CBs: Terin Adams, Darien Cornay
Safeties: Langston Frederick (field ranger), Dom Harrison (boundary ranger)
Notes from 11-on-11 and redzone drills:
There was a lot of personnel changes throughout the 11-on-11 and redzone periods so at times the first-team offense would go against the second-team offense or Wilkins would be quarterbacking the second-team offense. Regardless, here’s some of the more notable parts of the action:
- The secondary was firing on all cylinders. ASU’s cornerback tandem -- Kobe Williams and Chase Lucas -- were aggressive all night and both almost picked off Manny Wilkins. On his first drive, Wilkins misread a play and nearly threw the ball right into the hands of Williams. It would have been a surefire interception if receiver Ryan Newsome didn’t break it up. A few series later, Lucas undercut a short pass intended for Frank Darby but couldn’t hang on. It would have been an incredibly easy pick-six if he held on and as expected, Lucas made sure everyone within five miles knew he almost had it. Along with that, Wilkins and backup quarterback Dillion Sterling-Cole often had nowhere to go with the ball because the coverage was so tight downfield. It’s early, but converted cornerback Joey Bryant looks great at safety -- his speed and coverage ability has really benefited the secondary.
- The running backs are catching a lot of passes. Running backs coach John Simon told me after practice that Edwards made it an emphasis when he arrived as something the group needs to harp on. The additions on Brock Sturges, Isaiah Floyd and A.J. Carter certainly help that. The trio was very active in the receiving game, constantly running routes away from the backfield, not just behind the line of scrimmage as the Devils often did last season. Floyd in particular has been hyped up for his speed, and rightly so (he said he ran an 11-second 100-yard dash during his sophomore year of high school), but he shows great vision -- especially for someone listed at 5-foot-7.
- Despite having the backup job solidified, Sterling-Cole is still making constant mistakes. It doesn’t seem to matter how far away his receiver is, he has constantly sailed the ball over their heads. After overthrowing three receivers in a five-play redzone stretch, Edwards yelled out to him, “Get the ball down 1-5.” It’s been an ongoing issue for Sterling-Cole, who has all the arm strength in the world but too often doesn’t even give his receiver a chance to make a play. Some of his issues are mental, too. On on 11-on-11 play, he decided to throw the ball instead of handing it off -- a decision that failed after the pass sailed over Frank Darby’s head and went out of bounds. Offensive coordinator Rob Likens was quick to voice his frustration: “Hand it off. Everyone is just standing there. Hand it off.”
- N’Keal Harry doesn’t think Jay Jay Wilson can tackle him. During Wilkins first drive of the redzone drill, he connected with Harry on a short pass and though the refs blew the play dead after Wilson touched him (which signifies a tackle), Harry wanted to let Wilson, who was egging him on, know that would have been a touchdown if they were in pads. “That’s a touchdown,” Harry somewhat angrily yelled across the field to a laughing Wilson. “He’s getting run over. You can’t tackle me by yourself.”
- Brandon Ruiz had a tough night kicking the ball. In five attempts that ranged from about 35 to 48 yards, Ruiz went 2-for-5 -- . Backup Christian Zendejas proceeded to make 4 of 5 from similar distances.
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