With the vast majority of Arizona State’s two-deep returning from an 11-win season and a Big 12 championship, the objectives for spring 2025 schedule were drastically different than the previous spring. As the coaching staff remains unchanged from a coordinator and positional standpoint, the Sun Devils had a unique opportunity in today’s age of college football, where the early days of season preparation can be focused on refining the players’ abilities rather than constructing a foundation from the ground up.

Defensively, this is especially true as just one marquee starter in nickelback Shamari Simmons exhausting hos eligibility. Defensive coordinator Brian Ward has been spoiled with nearly an identical starting core from the 2024 campaign, allowing newcomers and younger players to enhance ASU's depth.

“Our philosophy is situational,” Ward said. “So, we're trying to get all the situations. And I feel like we have been able to improve in the situations, or at least get a multitude of reps in those situations this spring ball, unlike other spring balls."

With the added layers to Ward’s established defensive unit, there is an opportunity to propel young players further into the mix. Arizona State is loaded with talented underclassmen across the defense, including sophomore linebacker Martell Hughes and redshirt freshman cornerback Rodney Bimage Jr., who spent the majority of spring on the second team.

“We've got some veteran players, but we're also getting a lot of guys that haven't been in there getting a lot more reps right now,” Ward noted. “So, we're growing and we're getting better. Trying not to waste any practices, and a lot of guys are getting reps. So, we're trying to develop that underbelly of our depth chart. We've been able to get guys reps against some of our better players on offense, too. And those guys have been able to go out and execute in situations.”

Certain position groups had to delve into different changes over the spring. The defensive back room is loaded with incredible depth in the safety and cornerback positions, with different players to fulfill different roles. The biggest thing for Ward and his current group now is mitigating cautious play and using situations to assert aggressive coverage.

“The thing that we got to get better at from last year is more three-and-outs,” Ward explained. “More, quick series, whereas you've seen, I feel like when we have certain personnel on the field, we can get—we can play closer and tighter defense, especially in the middle of the field.”

Despite finishing 2024 with the best run defense in the Big 12, allowing just 112.9 yards per game on the ground, the pass rush was a touch less exceptional, finishing sixth in the league with 24 sacks, two less than the 26 recorded in a three-win campaign in 2023. For Ward, developing formidable pass rushers is an element that experienced some growth throughout spring, but it also remains to be seen if it will exhibit significant advancement from last year.

“I feel like there's times we've shown that and we've been able to be a little more creative in how we've been able to develop our pass rush,” Ward said. “We're one of the few programs that believe you do develop pass rushers, and you can do that. We did have some of those top guys who did not practice in the spring, so it (pass rush ability) is really going to show itself in fall camp. So that’s when the proof will be in the pudding. It’s part of the process.”

The spring has also allowed the defense to plug out any potential holes, particularly in the secondary. Players have adapted to playing different positions than their naturally slotted at, such as Keith Abney II and Montana Warren playing at nickelback, a role that Warren currently is expected to start at, which Ward couldn’t be more enthused about heading into the summer.

“Being able to get guys to play multiple positions in case of an emergency and being able to work on that this spring is just going to add to our depth,” Ward commented. “That's one of the blessings that we had last season. We didn't have that kind of depth, but we had guys play multiple positions.

“We were able to slide Montana from free to nickel for our last game of the year and not skip a beat on defense. And that's really what we're trying to do. It's not only getting guys that have position flexibility and that love football, but it's having guys that just have the ability and the capacity to learn and listen.”

Offensively, the story is somewhat different, as this group has a heap of upper classmen, especially at the skill positions. This unit did have to go through some adjustments, welcoming seven new wide receivers in the position group to aid redshirt junior and All-Big 12 selection Jordyn Tyson, in addition to adding multiple new running backs and tight ends. Production over spring from the group has been steady as new installations of plays came in hot and heavy; it took failing at first and coming back stronger for offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo’s unit before the tide began to shift.

“I've always looked at spring as like, ‘There's got to be a task at hand to get done,’” Arroyo described. “Whether it's the development of the roster, going through the scheme from the offseason, and making sure you're checking the boxes that you want to get done.

“I do like what we've done in spring. I like the juice and the energy that new guys have brought to it.”

The running back room has gone through an interesting transition. As All-Big 12 Cam Skattebo who carried the offensive load in 2024, will be waiting to hear his name called in this week’s NFL Draft, the rest of the position group is learning to adapt to life without him. In 2024, junior Kyson Brown saw a solid chunk of time (73 carries in 14 games) when spelling Skattebo; however, a majority of the group has barely touched the turf for the Maroon and Gold. Redshirt junior Raleek Brown played in only two games dealing with a lingering hamstring injury. Redshirt freshman Jason Brown Jr. saw action in one contest. Beyond the returners, Army transfer junior Kanye Udoh and true freshman Demarius Robinson have flashed on numerous occasions during the spring, and Arroyo is very pleased by the collective showing of this position group.

“I've got a good feel for what these new backs are,” Arroyo said. “What Kanye feels good with, and what I need to develop in that regard, whether it be run game, screen game, or pass game. To see (Robinson) as a true freshman who should be at prom this week, to see if he's able to do some things—physically—because as a guy coming in early, the physical piece is the biggest game. The speed of the game is that you can't help. But the physical piece—can he hold up in certain situations?”

Tyson missed most of spring practices with a minor foot injury, which allowed for specialized work for the wide receiver group. The position is filled with players, experienced and new, and regardless of age, all the new pieces have displayed growth in their familiarity with the playbook and their teammates.

“There's a lot of timing, a lot of learning, a lot of growth,” Arroyo noted in the wide receiver room. “I think summer and fall camp is really when those guys start to become a tight nucleus. I think we've got some guys outside who are going to be able to help us.”

Robinson, along with fellow true freshmen tight end AJ Ia and wide receiver Harry Hassman, have all stood out with the latter two certainly making a case for game day reps in the fall. ASU’s offensive coordinator joked that these early enrollees should have probably been busy making plans for their high school senior prom, but was also full of praise for that trio and their ability to hit the ground running and show that they belong.

“For those guys to come in and do what they're doing right now says a lot about, number one, where they're at, and their coaches and what high school they're at,” Arroyo stated. “I mean, cheers to all those coaches and those staff … that are teaching these guys ball, because we didn't teach them that before they got here.

“They came in, they've done a good job applying what they learned, and coaches are doing a hell of a job with them.”

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