There are just a couple more practices before the team packs up for Camp Tontozona and, unfortunately, the story of the Sunday session was some injuries that started to pile up.
Laiu Moeakiola was again in a green jersey and worked on Muscle Beach where he was joined by Frederick Gammage, who had a noticeable limp, although I couldn't figure out which leg he was favoring. Later in the practice, James Johnson suffered a right shoulder injury.
Johnson was definitely in some pain and the trainers eventually got him out of his shoulder pads and wrapped his shoulder with some ice. Before he suffered the injury, Johnson worked with the first-team defense at SPUR linebacker in the place of Moeakiola, and worked with the second-team defense at his usual safety spot.
The full lineups for the first 11-on-11 looked like this:
First-team offense: Mike Bercovici (QB), Demario Richard (RB), Tim White (WR), Devin Lucien (WR), De'Chavon Hayes (WR), Kody Kohl (TE), Evan Goodman (LT), Christian Westerman (LG), Nick Kelly (C), Vi Teofilo (RG), and Billy McGehee (RT).
First-team defense: Demetrius Cherry (DE), Corey Smith (N), Tashon Smallwood (DT), Kalen Ballage (Devil), Antonio Longino (WILL), Salamo Fiso (SAM), James Johnson (SPUR), Lloyd Carrington (CB), Kweishi Brown (CB), Jordan Simone (S), and Armand Perry (S).
Second-team offense: Bryce Perkins (QB), Jacom Brimhall (RB), Ellis Jefferson (WR), Gary Chambers (WR), Jalen Harvey (WR), Raymond Epps (TE), Steve Miller (LT, Sam Jones (LG), Tyler McClure (C), Quinn Bailey (RG), and Zach Robertson (RT).
Second-team defense: Edmond Boateng (DE), Ami Latu (N), JoJo Wicker (DT), AJ Latu (Devil), DJ Calhoun (WILL), Christian Sam (SAM), Marcus Ball (SPUR), Solomon Means (CB), Ronald Lewis (CB), James Johnson (S), and Chad Adams (S).
Besides Johnson filling in at SPUR, another takeaway from the lineup was the shuffle at wide receiver. D.J. Foster didn't even take a rep against a defender at wide receiver during the portion of practice allowed to media, but that's probably just coaches giving other players they expect to contribute an opportunity to work with Mike Bercovici and the first-team offense.
On that note, Devin Lucien is getting rave reviews so far. Those who have had the chance to see full practices (not just the portions allowed to the media) say that Lucien has been able to get behind the secondary with some consistency, which is not easy against ASU's veteran defensive backs.
Yesterday, Byron said that defense stole the show against the first-team defense and that was again true, for the most part. Early in practice Demario Richard got through the middle of the defense for a touchdown, but it was the only big play the defense allowed. There was almost a turnover too when Kweishi Brown jumped a route in front of Jalen Harvey and nearly intercepted Bercovici, one of two pass breakups in the morning for Brown.
The offenses also just struggled to capitalize on the opportunities when they were there. Bercovici threw an out route to Gump Hayes that probably should've been caught, but Gump short-armed it and it fell incomplete. On another play Bryce Perkins and Ellis Jefferson had a miscommunication that almost led to an interception.
Unfortunately, the drops for Hayes were somewhat of a theme for the day. He had the drop from Bercovici which wasn't the easiest catch to make, but also muffed punt return and kick return reps. Get the ball in his hands and he's absolutely dangerous, but getting the ball there safely hasn't been the smoothest process.
Joining Hayes to take punt return reps was Harvey and on kick returns it was Hayes, Harvey, Tim White, Jacom Brimhall, Kalen Ballage, D.J. Foster and Devin Lucien taking reps.
One last note for the day, Jay Jay Wilson is still in green and not participating, but spent the earliest portion of practice with the defense watching the walkthrough. After he spent time talking with Kalen Ballage before the next segment of practice.
Feel free to send any questions my way and I'll do my best to answer.
Laiu Moeakiola was again in a green jersey and worked on Muscle Beach where he was joined by Frederick Gammage, who had a noticeable limp, although I couldn't figure out which leg he was favoring. Later in the practice, James Johnson suffered a right shoulder injury.
Johnson was definitely in some pain and the trainers eventually got him out of his shoulder pads and wrapped his shoulder with some ice. Before he suffered the injury, Johnson worked with the first-team defense at SPUR linebacker in the place of Moeakiola, and worked with the second-team defense at his usual safety spot.
The full lineups for the first 11-on-11 looked like this:
First-team offense: Mike Bercovici (QB), Demario Richard (RB), Tim White (WR), Devin Lucien (WR), De'Chavon Hayes (WR), Kody Kohl (TE), Evan Goodman (LT), Christian Westerman (LG), Nick Kelly (C), Vi Teofilo (RG), and Billy McGehee (RT).
First-team defense: Demetrius Cherry (DE), Corey Smith (N), Tashon Smallwood (DT), Kalen Ballage (Devil), Antonio Longino (WILL), Salamo Fiso (SAM), James Johnson (SPUR), Lloyd Carrington (CB), Kweishi Brown (CB), Jordan Simone (S), and Armand Perry (S).
Second-team offense: Bryce Perkins (QB), Jacom Brimhall (RB), Ellis Jefferson (WR), Gary Chambers (WR), Jalen Harvey (WR), Raymond Epps (TE), Steve Miller (LT, Sam Jones (LG), Tyler McClure (C), Quinn Bailey (RG), and Zach Robertson (RT).
Second-team defense: Edmond Boateng (DE), Ami Latu (N), JoJo Wicker (DT), AJ Latu (Devil), DJ Calhoun (WILL), Christian Sam (SAM), Marcus Ball (SPUR), Solomon Means (CB), Ronald Lewis (CB), James Johnson (S), and Chad Adams (S).
Besides Johnson filling in at SPUR, another takeaway from the lineup was the shuffle at wide receiver. D.J. Foster didn't even take a rep against a defender at wide receiver during the portion of practice allowed to media, but that's probably just coaches giving other players they expect to contribute an opportunity to work with Mike Bercovici and the first-team offense.
On that note, Devin Lucien is getting rave reviews so far. Those who have had the chance to see full practices (not just the portions allowed to the media) say that Lucien has been able to get behind the secondary with some consistency, which is not easy against ASU's veteran defensive backs.
Yesterday, Byron said that defense stole the show against the first-team defense and that was again true, for the most part. Early in practice Demario Richard got through the middle of the defense for a touchdown, but it was the only big play the defense allowed. There was almost a turnover too when Kweishi Brown jumped a route in front of Jalen Harvey and nearly intercepted Bercovici, one of two pass breakups in the morning for Brown.
The offenses also just struggled to capitalize on the opportunities when they were there. Bercovici threw an out route to Gump Hayes that probably should've been caught, but Gump short-armed it and it fell incomplete. On another play Bryce Perkins and Ellis Jefferson had a miscommunication that almost led to an interception.
Unfortunately, the drops for Hayes were somewhat of a theme for the day. He had the drop from Bercovici which wasn't the easiest catch to make, but also muffed punt return and kick return reps. Get the ball in his hands and he's absolutely dangerous, but getting the ball there safely hasn't been the smoothest process.
Joining Hayes to take punt return reps was Harvey and on kick returns it was Hayes, Harvey, Tim White, Jacom Brimhall, Kalen Ballage, D.J. Foster and Devin Lucien taking reps.
One last note for the day, Jay Jay Wilson is still in green and not participating, but spent the earliest portion of practice with the defense watching the walkthrough. After he spent time talking with Kalen Ballage before the next segment of practice.
Feel free to send any questions my way and I'll do my best to answer.
