Dillingham wants to see 'who shines in the bright moments'

As the 13th practice of Arizona State spring ball drew to a close, head coach Kenny Dillingham introduced a special guest to talk to the team and provide some insight about building team culture.

That guest was former quarterback Jake Plummer, who stood barefoot in a sun hat and khakis while delivering a message Dillingham thought aligned with the vision he has for the program.

“Effort, competitiveness, but you’re still a family,” the 32-year-old head coach said while summarizing Plummer’s speech. “How you got to be able to compete, compete and fight, and you got to be on the field, and he is your worst enemy. But at the end of the day, he’s got to be your brother. And he just gave a few examples of that throughout his team and his career here. And then just about effort, how it takes one person to set the tone of the effort. And then one person follows him. And one person follows him, and one person follows him. And you go from 10 guys jogging and one guy busting his butt to 11 guys busting their butts because one person chose to set a standard.”

Setting the standard has been a focus for Dillingham since the first day of practice. From the first period, the tempo was noticeably faster. There are more live action and contact drills. Players are expected to master details under a fast pace in competitive environments against their teammates.

And even though Thursday was the last session of a tiring spring slate which has thoroughly tested the team’s endurance, Dillingham floored the gas pedal in order to see what his players were made of.

“It was actually the hardest practice of the year in terms of the amount of time on the field,” Dillingham said. “The amount of physicality, and the amount of team drills, and the amount of periods, right, because I wanted to challenge them. I knew it was gonna be hotter than it’s been.

“We’ve had a pretty good spring, so I wanted to put these guys in a situation where they thought that we’re going to come out here and just kind of jog around in a mental day and then put them in an adverse situation to fight back through that. And the only real negative about today’s practice was there was a little bit too much just bickering, negative things, complaining. Like, you don’t get to make your own circumstances in football, right? You have to respond to other people’s decisions, right? It doesn’t matter if they mark you down or if they mark you to score. What’s the next play? Like, how do you respond to that.”

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Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Charlie Ragle buckled down on Dillingham’s post-practice note. The former Idaho State head coach has been impressed with how the team — which includes 43 newcomers via the transfer portal and incoming freshmen – has come together quickly. Nevertheless, Ragle hopes the persistence to achieve excellence continues through the offseason and fall camp.

“As talented as they are, there’s still a bunch of little things that we need to clean up and continue to work on, and they know that,” Ragle said. “It’s different for each and every one of them. But they understand how good we can really be if we can finish those little things, dot those I’s and cross the T’s, so to speak. It’s exciting to think that if they do that, what we can really become.”

Ragle and position coach Vince Amey have played a big role in coaching the defensive line. That unit has seen a surge of production over the following weeks, racking up a multitude of sacks in each scrimmage period and countless others during the 11-on-11 team periods. The defense managed just 12 sacks last season, and EDGE players such as BJ Green have already eclipsed that mark in the spring. Ragle is encouraged about the development he has seen from the pass rushers up front.

“From top to bottom, the athleticism is really impressive,” Ragle said, “but I think that’s the one thing just coming in and working with (defensive coordinator Brian Ward) – who I’ve known for a long time – but being apart of his scheme over the past couple of months and seeing how he wants to take advantage of those guys, and really trying to find the matchups that give us the best chance to win. Ultimately, at the end of the day, that’s what football is. It’s a game that comes down to one-on-one matchups. I think he’s done a masterful job of it this spring in getting those guys some of that work.”

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Meanwhile, linebackers coach AJ Cooper said his position group has benefited immensely from the fortified trenches.

“Oh, man, it’s a really good front,” Cooper said. “It’s a really good front. I know Coach Amey and Coach Ragle are doing a heck of a job with those guys. Obviously, we’re going to play off them and make them right. They’re disruptive, and they’re getting after things. It’s really about the whole unit. Corners, nickels, and safeties tie into their success just as much. The better we all cover, the better they rush.”

Cooper followed Ward over from Washington State and found himself coaching a familiar face in linebacker Travion Brown. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Brown quickly established himself as a tone setter in the box as a reliable run stopper. His familiarity with the scheme and commitment to his craft has helped Cooper push the rest of the group to reach their potential.

“It’s just a sign of maturity,” Cooper said. “Tre is such a consummate guy. He just handles and goes about things in such a unique way. It’s a special way. As a coach, it’s awesome, especially when you’re trying to establish a new culture, that you can point at a guy and say, ‘you see how the way he does this? You see how the way he approaches this.’

“Whether it’s his nutrition, whether it’s film study, whether it’s the way he practices, you know what I mean? The best part about it, too, is when he does make a mistake, Tre is awesome. I can coach him the hardest and set the tone for everybody else. He’s understanding of that. Whatever he does in life, he’s going to be really successful.”

There isn’t a better test than Arizona State’s offense, which is a melting pot of ideas taken from Dillingham and his talented group of assistants. The wide receivers received praise from Dillingham as being a strength of the roster, which has shown up in explosive fashion throughout spring. The steady foundation of Elijhah Badger and Gio Sanders received additional pieces to complement their skillsets, including Ragle’s standout playmaker at Idaho State in Xavier Guillory. However, shifty slot receiver Melquan Stovall and towering outside threat Troy Omeire also project to play big roles in the offense this season.

“It’s been certainly a challenge for sure,” Ragle laughed. “I think it’s good for those guys because we see a lot of things from the offense. That’s what you’re going to see over the course of 12 games. It’s really been a good thing for these guys to get under their belt and certainly get better from.”

The team is looking to make a good first impression at the Spring Showcase on Saturday; the first time fans will be able to view the new-look Sun Devils in-person. The free event immediately follows Pat’s Run at noon at Sun Devil Stadium. With a bit more pressure sprinkled in the mix, the coaching staff are sure to be attentive to the players who step up in the moment.

“I’m expecting to see guys go out there, make plays in front of a crowd,” Dillingham said. “It’s easy to make plays in practice, right? It’s harder to make plays when there are people there, people watching you, maybe a family member’s watching you, your friend’s watching you. It’s on the Pac-12 Network. Who shines in the bright moments? And this will be our first time really where the lights are on.

“Just hoping they play really hard,” Cooper echoed. “That’s the number one thing. There are going to be up and downs; there are going to be little wrinkles; it’s going to be a lot of fun. The biggest thing when you get a game like that is there are a lot of distractions, and how do they handle those distractions? As a coach, you love to see that because that’s the sort of stuff you can’t simulate in a scrimmage. So handling those things, and you want to see them finish the scrimmage strong from a standpoint of having fun and enjoying each other and celebrating together.”

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