Hey everyone, Arizona State football went through their fifth spring practice today. Here are our notes and observations from the two-hour session:
LOCATION: Practice Fields -- outdoors
ATTIRE: Shells
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Full two hours
Green non-contact jerseys: CB Jack Jones
Personnel Notes:
-- Merlin Robertson was not at practice Wednesday after attending on Tuesday. His father, Vince. Robertson passed away last week and he and a majority of ASU's coaches will be attending the funeral on Thursday, which is why practice got moved from Thursday to Friday.
-- Darien Butler and Willie Harts both went into the bubble for the third straight practice. We have yet to learn what they're dealing with. Butler participated in the walkthroughs but then went to the bubble after stretching.
-- Both TE Nolan Matthews and QB Trenton Bourguet missed practice with a stomach illness. Yesterday, Bourguet got through just about the entire practice before sitting on the training table for the last 35 minutes. Matthews on the other hand, let's just say the entire practice field knew he was sick before stretching had even begun.
- Safety Cam Phillips was not spotted at practice for the sixth straight day. When asked about it Thursday, co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce said Phillips "working on school." Interpret that as you will. On top of that, we have not seen OL Dohnovan West in almost a week. Unsure of why he's been absent
- Wide receiver Frank Darby was out of his boot yesterday for the first time since sustaining a moderate calf strain on Thursday. Today, he was out of even the compression sleeve. Darby is expected to return before spring practices end in late March.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Jayden Daniels
RB: DeaMonte Trayanum
WR: Geordon Porter, Ricky Pearsall, Andre Johnson
TE: Ethan Long
OL: LT Kellen Diesch, LG Ben Bray, C Ben Scott, RG Jarrett Bell, RT LaDarius Henderson
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Jack Smith
RB: A.J. Carter/Daniyel Ngata
WR: Keith Davis, Jordan Kerley, Brandon Pierce, Tannor Park, Angel Ruiz
TE: Murphy Stratton
OL: LT Ralph Frias, LG Jacob Nunez, C Eddie Medina, RG Roman DeWys, RT Spencer Lovell
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Shannon Forman, Jermayne Lole, D.J. Davidson, Michael Matus
LB: Elijah Juarez, Caleb McCullough
CB: Chase Lucas, Jack Jones, Jordan Clark (Nickel)
S: Keon Markham, Evan Fields
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Amiri Johnson, Stephon Wright, TJ Pesafea, Stanley Lambert
LB: Kyle Soelle, Jordan Banks
CB: Timarcus Davis, Kejuan Markham, T Lee (Nickel)
S: KJ Jarrell, Connor Soelle
OFFENSIVE NOTES:
-- With Curtis Hodges absent and Nolan Matthews dealing with a stomach illness, Ethan Long, who recently announced that he was going to become more of a TE instead of a QB, got the majority of first-team reps. Long didn't do a whole lot that stood out other than the fact that when he shifts and motions form blocking to receiving spots, no one can really notice because he looks so much like a WR.
-- Of course, it doesn't matter a whole lot who the ball is going to during the second week of spring practice, but Brandon Pierce has seen a ton of action this week. The former JC transfer, whom Chris Gleason did a story on yesterday, has become one of Jayden Daniels' favorite targets with Frank Darby sidelined. The 5-11, 175-pound receiver, who has been clocked at running a 4.31 40-yard dash, has definitely put on muscle and his speed seems to be working well inside of Zak Hill's scheme.
-- Cody Shear was not at practice Wednesday, which meant that walk-on Eddie Medina took over at second-team center. It was an unfavorable spot for anyone, and Medina struggled to get the ball up to Jack Smith and communicating with the offense. Of course, if this were a real game, ASU would have options of different guys to shift over. But, I think everyone needs to remember that, whether it's Ben Scott or Cade Cote (if he's granted a sixth year of eligibility), it's not Cohl Cabral. He was the rock at the center, a constant force who rarely made mistakes. Don't' expect ASU to completely have that this year.
DEFENSIVE NOTES:
-- It's starting to make more and more sense to me what Antonio Pierce was saying when he kind of crapped on the 3-3-5 scheme during our Q&A. Pierce thought it worked well and all, but it wasn't going to allow ASU to get top-tier D-Line talent. As he basically told me, Do you think Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux is going to play on inside? Of course not. Amiri Johnson and Stanley Lambert, with their arms that just seem to keep going and going, are more versatile and effective coming off the edge in a traditional four-down scheme. They're not being utilized right if they're rushing up the A- and B-gaps. And as Pierce mentioned, if those guys succeed in the system, the Sun Devils can go to recruits with film of it and say, 'Hey, do you see what Amiri Johnson is doing off the edge. You can do that, too.'
-- There has been much fluctuation in the depth at ASU's LB spot. Merlin has obviously missed time and an injury has hampered Darien Butler. Both situations suck. But, the absences of ASU's starting backers has forced Antonio Pierce to throw guys like Caleb McCullough, Jordan Banks and Elijiah Juarez into the fire, giving them meaningful practice reps in a scheme that everyone is learning for the first time. Down the road, that can only help the development of those guys.
QUOTES:
-- “If you want to know what it looks like to knock a guy’s ass of the ball, watch the left tackle,” Dave Christensen told his offensive linemen, referring to Texas A&M transfer Kellan Diesch. Thorugh two weeks, I don't think I've seen Diesch get beat in any capacity -- he's been as advertised and then some.
-- “Are you guys ready to stop doggy paddling and start swimming," DL coach Robert Rodriguez told his linemen
-- Later on, when Rodriguez had his group huddled around. In a very unique way, he basically told his group to not give excuses:
“You can’t give me this 'Somebody said.' Somebody is the worst motherf----- in the word. He’s responsible for everything.”
-- During 11-on-11s, Jack Smith was too quiet with his call, which caused a delayed snap and caused a false start. Zak Hill quickly spoke with Smith -- “Cmon Jack, use your voice. I can’t even hear you back here.”
Then Kevin Mawae chimed in:
“Even Ariel found her voice.” Mawae yelled.
LOCATION: Practice Fields -- outdoors
ATTIRE: Shells
MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Full two hours
Green non-contact jerseys: CB Jack Jones
Personnel Notes:
-- Merlin Robertson was not at practice Wednesday after attending on Tuesday. His father, Vince. Robertson passed away last week and he and a majority of ASU's coaches will be attending the funeral on Thursday, which is why practice got moved from Thursday to Friday.
-- Darien Butler and Willie Harts both went into the bubble for the third straight practice. We have yet to learn what they're dealing with. Butler participated in the walkthroughs but then went to the bubble after stretching.
-- Both TE Nolan Matthews and QB Trenton Bourguet missed practice with a stomach illness. Yesterday, Bourguet got through just about the entire practice before sitting on the training table for the last 35 minutes. Matthews on the other hand, let's just say the entire practice field knew he was sick before stretching had even begun.
- Safety Cam Phillips was not spotted at practice for the sixth straight day. When asked about it Thursday, co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce said Phillips "working on school." Interpret that as you will. On top of that, we have not seen OL Dohnovan West in almost a week. Unsure of why he's been absent
- Wide receiver Frank Darby was out of his boot yesterday for the first time since sustaining a moderate calf strain on Thursday. Today, he was out of even the compression sleeve. Darby is expected to return before spring practices end in late March.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Jayden Daniels
RB: DeaMonte Trayanum
WR: Geordon Porter, Ricky Pearsall, Andre Johnson
TE: Ethan Long
OL: LT Kellen Diesch, LG Ben Bray, C Ben Scott, RG Jarrett Bell, RT LaDarius Henderson
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB: Jack Smith
RB: A.J. Carter/Daniyel Ngata
WR: Keith Davis, Jordan Kerley, Brandon Pierce, Tannor Park, Angel Ruiz
TE: Murphy Stratton
OL: LT Ralph Frias, LG Jacob Nunez, C Eddie Medina, RG Roman DeWys, RT Spencer Lovell
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Shannon Forman, Jermayne Lole, D.J. Davidson, Michael Matus
LB: Elijah Juarez, Caleb McCullough
CB: Chase Lucas, Jack Jones, Jordan Clark (Nickel)
S: Keon Markham, Evan Fields
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL: Amiri Johnson, Stephon Wright, TJ Pesafea, Stanley Lambert
LB: Kyle Soelle, Jordan Banks
CB: Timarcus Davis, Kejuan Markham, T Lee (Nickel)
S: KJ Jarrell, Connor Soelle
OFFENSIVE NOTES:
-- With Curtis Hodges absent and Nolan Matthews dealing with a stomach illness, Ethan Long, who recently announced that he was going to become more of a TE instead of a QB, got the majority of first-team reps. Long didn't do a whole lot that stood out other than the fact that when he shifts and motions form blocking to receiving spots, no one can really notice because he looks so much like a WR.
-- Of course, it doesn't matter a whole lot who the ball is going to during the second week of spring practice, but Brandon Pierce has seen a ton of action this week. The former JC transfer, whom Chris Gleason did a story on yesterday, has become one of Jayden Daniels' favorite targets with Frank Darby sidelined. The 5-11, 175-pound receiver, who has been clocked at running a 4.31 40-yard dash, has definitely put on muscle and his speed seems to be working well inside of Zak Hill's scheme.
-- Cody Shear was not at practice Wednesday, which meant that walk-on Eddie Medina took over at second-team center. It was an unfavorable spot for anyone, and Medina struggled to get the ball up to Jack Smith and communicating with the offense. Of course, if this were a real game, ASU would have options of different guys to shift over. But, I think everyone needs to remember that, whether it's Ben Scott or Cade Cote (if he's granted a sixth year of eligibility), it's not Cohl Cabral. He was the rock at the center, a constant force who rarely made mistakes. Don't' expect ASU to completely have that this year.
DEFENSIVE NOTES:
-- It's starting to make more and more sense to me what Antonio Pierce was saying when he kind of crapped on the 3-3-5 scheme during our Q&A. Pierce thought it worked well and all, but it wasn't going to allow ASU to get top-tier D-Line talent. As he basically told me, Do you think Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux is going to play on inside? Of course not. Amiri Johnson and Stanley Lambert, with their arms that just seem to keep going and going, are more versatile and effective coming off the edge in a traditional four-down scheme. They're not being utilized right if they're rushing up the A- and B-gaps. And as Pierce mentioned, if those guys succeed in the system, the Sun Devils can go to recruits with film of it and say, 'Hey, do you see what Amiri Johnson is doing off the edge. You can do that, too.'
-- There has been much fluctuation in the depth at ASU's LB spot. Merlin has obviously missed time and an injury has hampered Darien Butler. Both situations suck. But, the absences of ASU's starting backers has forced Antonio Pierce to throw guys like Caleb McCullough, Jordan Banks and Elijiah Juarez into the fire, giving them meaningful practice reps in a scheme that everyone is learning for the first time. Down the road, that can only help the development of those guys.
QUOTES:
-- “If you want to know what it looks like to knock a guy’s ass of the ball, watch the left tackle,” Dave Christensen told his offensive linemen, referring to Texas A&M transfer Kellan Diesch. Thorugh two weeks, I don't think I've seen Diesch get beat in any capacity -- he's been as advertised and then some.
-- “Are you guys ready to stop doggy paddling and start swimming," DL coach Robert Rodriguez told his linemen
-- Later on, when Rodriguez had his group huddled around. In a very unique way, he basically told his group to not give excuses:
“You can’t give me this 'Somebody said.' Somebody is the worst motherf----- in the word. He’s responsible for everything.”
-- During 11-on-11s, Jack Smith was too quiet with his call, which caused a delayed snap and caused a false start. Zak Hill quickly spoke with Smith -- “Cmon Jack, use your voice. I can’t even hear you back here.”
Then Kevin Mawae chimed in:
“Even Ariel found her voice.” Mawae yelled.
