The Arizona State football team got the chance to make its first impression under Kenny Dillingham in front of the fanbase during the Spring Showcase event, which immediately followed Pat’s Run on Saturday.
One aspect became clear through four quarters of the exhibition: the defensive backs – who Dillingham mentioned the position group he believes is one of the strongest on the team – are poised to take the ball away at a high rate this season under defensive coordinator Brian Ward.
Four defensive backs – Ro Torrence, Xavion Alford, Jordan Clark, and Alphonso Taylor – recorded interceptions during the game. Torrence and Taylor played for the Maroon side, while Alford and Clark were on the Gold team.
Clark has missed most of the spring after getting banged up early in the practice slate but returned on Thursday and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. During the game, he mirrored slot receiver Melquan Stovall perfectly on an outbreaking route. The ball was thrown right to him, and Clark snagged the pass out of the air for the pick.
“It’s always great to make a play,” Clark said in an interview after the game. “I hate that I had to miss so much time during spring, but that was just the hand I was dealt. It’s always great to get back out here with my guys and be able to put a product out on the field.”
Clark was playing the nickel defender position on that play but has taken reps at safety throughout camp, a spot he saw considerable time at last season. Even though his physical presence on the field was limited, Clark felt like he was able to gain a comfortable understanding of the entire defense and how Ward wants to execute it.
“I think that I was able to sit back and learn it from an off-the-field standpoint,” Clark said. “I got to learn a bit what the D-line was doing, the linebackers, not just my room and my position. So I guess oddly, I benefited from it, but ultimately you want to be on the field.”
“It’s pretty easy when the defensive coordinator is your position coach,” safety Chris Edmonds said. “You are able to learn everything from him because it’s his system. So it hasn’t been hard at all; it’s been easy. Coach Ward has done a great job coaching us and teaching us and showing us everything he wants us to do.”
In the same role at Washington State last season, Ward’s unit notched 33 sacks, 47 pass breakups, and 12 interceptions last season. His aggressive style and creative ways of bringing pressure place a lot of responsibility on Arizona State’s defensive backs. In 2023, the Sun Devils will operate out of a base 4-2-5 scheme, placing five defensive backs on the field at all times.
“It’s everything I expected and more,” Clark said. “Coach Ward has such a deep bag, so much stuff for us to run in the fall. I think that my football knowledge has expanded more than it has in my time here, and I’m super excited about where it’s going after.”
Alford arrived from USC after an injury forced him to redshirt the entire 2022 season. Along with Edmonds, he has been able to assimilate quickly as a shot-caller in the secondary. Alford’s interception in the spring game happened when the Maroon offense attempted a trick play. Wide receiver Elijhah Badger traveled back across the formation on a reverse sweep and targeted quarterback Bennett Meredith running downfield. The ball was slightly overthrown, and Alford tucked it away for the turnover.
Shamari Simmons transferred from Austin Peay and has already managed to garner a reputation as a heavy hitter. Tight end Jalin Conyers said on his podcast that he reckoned that Simmons has the most pass breakups of any defensive back in the one-on-one periods at practice.
“We have a pretty deep room right now,” Edmonds said. “It’s very exciting. Everybody is playing like a (starter) right now. It brings a lot of competition. We got a lot of great guys.”
Meanwhile, Torrence came into camp as the de facto number one cornerback and has lived up to that reputation. At 6-3 and 210 pounds, Torrence is typically tasked with guarding the top targets on the team using his formidable size and length. It was a role he excelled in during the spring game.
While matched up with wide receiver Troy Omeire (also 6-3) in man coverage, Torrence recovered to make an impressive breakup of what was sure to be a big passing play. Omeire had beaten Torrence down the sideline but had to slow up a pace for the ball. This allowed Torrence to recover and make a brilliant layout swipe when the ball arrived, disrupting the catch point. Torrence later picked quarterback Jaden Rashada on a heave to the end zone targeting tight end Jalin Conyers.
“We just have to keep geling,” Clark said. “You saw it today with Shamari in the middle of the field play super well. Chris made some plays. Ro (Torrence) is obviously lockdown; he’s the guy. I think we need to keep geling, keep learning, and we’re going to get there.
Ball skills have been emphasized heavily throughout spring. It is a common sight to see both the safety and cornerback groups turning to run and track high-arcing passes during the skill work segment of practice. Turning every member of the secondary into a sure-handed ballhawk is a clear priority.
When asked if taking away the football would become a staple of Ward’s defense, Edmonds was confident that the players would deliver in giving the offense more opportunities in the fall.
“I think so,” Edmonds said. “With the front seven we have now and our backers matched with our backend, it’s scary right now. We’re going to have a lot of fun and make a lot of plays.
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, run by the longest-tenured Sun Devil sports beat writer, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today and get your daily fix of Sun Devil news!
