Aaron Fletcher wants defensive back unit to be 'stoic and balanced'

Fletcher has to replace four senior starters in the secondary. He needs to develop a cornerback room dominated by youth and minimal game experience. Part of his focus will include acclimating two promising veteran safety transfers. The introduction process is over, but the familiarization is still ongoing.

“There’s always transition and a natural step in growth that has to occur in both sides getting to know each other,” Fletcher said in a press conference Wednesday. “Seeing the guys, they’ve bought in and taking the steps forward that we’ve been taking has been great.”

Spring practices for the defensive backs in recent years have been rambunctious. Chase Lucas and Jack Jones chirped around the clock as leaders on the wings. They not only talked trash to the man lined up across from them but also provided valuable alerts to their side of the ball. But instead of donning white practice uniforms at this time of year, Lucas and Jones are now meeting with teams ahead of the NFL Draft.

While on-field development is key, essential leadership needs to be found this spring as well. Redshirt sophomore nickelback Jordan Clark has impressed Fletcher in that area already. When Clark speaks, heads turn.

“Jordan is a phenomenal leader,” Fletcher said. “He’s the type of guy that communicates and gets the attention of his peers, which is great. One of the things we don’t state enough as coaches at times – and I’m talking throughout the profession – is how important peer pressure is. That type of peer pressure. So having a guy like Jordan Clark be able to convey the messages and also be able to communicate on the field has been really good for us as a unit.”

Defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson is also in a new role after holding Fletcher’s post last season. Henderson stated at the beginning of spring practices that he has done little to change ASU’s defensive philosophy and scheme from last year. Fletcher’s teaching has fit right in, and he revealed there is “a lot of carryover” from his previous coaching stops at Missouri and Tulsa.

Most importantly, Fletcher views Henderson as a remarkable resource and isn’t shy to grill his superior’s brain.

“There is a plethora of experience that he brings to the table for a young guy like myself,” Fletcher said. “Being able to sit there, I tell him all the time, ‘Imma bug you.’ I’ll sit there with him late and ask questions. He’s an open book. His ability to make himself available has been a tremendous blessing and an asset to me.”

Fletcher declined to discuss specifics regarding the outlook of the secondary’s scheme this season but mentioned he firmly believes it plays to his room’s strengths. The four-way quarterback competition has also been beneficial for the defensive backs. Fletcher is confident facing a variety of passers during 11-on-11 will adequately prepare his players to match any signal-caller they will challenge in the fall.

“You never know the type of guy you’ll line up against on gameday,” Fletcher said. “This guy’s skill set, his mannerisms at quarterback may be a lot like a guy you’ll see later down the road. You always want to make sure – and it’s one of the things we talk about in the room – to be able to pick things apart from our guys at practice and then see how that relates to some of the guys we’ll end up seeing on game day.”

While Lucas and Jones were vocal and bullish about their craft, former ASU safeties Evan Fields and DeAndre Pierce were versatile and proficient. When both were injured last season, as well as backup Kejuan Markham, the quality of the safety depth raised considerable alarm. Markham returns, but the Sun Devils hit the transfer portal heavily in the offseason to bolster the back half.

Chris Edmonds arrives from Samford, where he was an FCS All-American. Last season, he notched three interceptions and 40 tackles. At 6-foot-2 and 214 pounds, Edmonds oozes fluid athleticism uncanny for his size.

“He’s a longer guy, and he can run,” Fletcher said. “There’s the stereotypical thing about big guys not being able to bend, or they’re not twitchy enough, or they can’t change direction. It’s not the case with Chris Edmonds. Chris is definitely a guy that can move; he offers a lot of versatility and has some exceptional range.”

The safety transfer missed the initial walkthrough period before these spring sessions began. As a result, his journey to solidify his presence in the two-deep has been slow. Although Edmonds hasn’t locked down a starting position yet, Fletcher has all but tabbed Edmonds to be a vital piece of the secondary.

“I’m careful with the word start, but he’s definitely going to be a guy we’re counting on,” Fletcher said. “We don’t have starters. We like to play matchups. Chris is definitely going to be a guy in our quest to win the Pac-12 South.”

The same goes for Bethley, who projects at free safety and brings an exciting ballhawk nature from Hawaii. His five interceptions in 2021 enhance the takeaway potential of Fletcher’s group. His urgency to get teammates on the same page has gained Fletcher’s approval.

“He’s smart, physical, and he’s also a guy that communicates well,” Fletcher said. “Just like we talked about Jordan Clark being able to communicate, Khoury does it on the other end. Khoury brings a lot of experience and leadership to the group as a whole, so he’s definitely a guy I’m excited about.

“Very stoic, so you don’t see him getting rattled. He doesn’t make decisions based on emotion. Khoury can articulate what’s going on the field and communicate it off the field, not just to the coaches but to his peers.”

Another player whose voice reaches ears at practice is redshirt freshman cornerback Isaiah Johnson. Johnson was ASU’s top recruit in the 2021 class but only played in three games last season. With a year in the program under his belt, Fletcher said Johnson is “trending in the right direction.”

“He’s confident, so you allow him to play to his personality,” Fletcher said. “He’s a joy to listen to; he’s a joy to watch, he definitely keeps us laughing in the DB room.”

The ASU defensive backs are closer this year as teammates. Fletcher is a big reason for that shift. Developing the attitudes and relationships of his players while keeping expectations in perspective has been an integral aspect of Fletcher’s doctrine.

“I want to make sure I spend time developing those guys both mentally, physically, and emotionally because it’s going to take all of that on the field,” Fletcher said. “You never know what hostile environment that you’ll walk into. You want to make sure those guys are stoic and balanced.

“You don’t want your highs to get too high; you don’t want your lows to get too low. You want to make sure those guys are ready to rock and roll. And I don’t want just four or five guys like that; I want 10, 15, 20, you know what I mean? That’s the culture we’re creating in the defensive back room.”

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