Dillingham, Ward pleased with defense's progression
Kenny Dillingham will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Friday night before Arizona State baseball’s series opener against rival Arizona. It’s the latest stop on a publicity tour that Dillingham says is a great way to get his team out to other sports to strengthen the family of Sun Devil athletics as a whole. As excited as he is to further that agenda, he wasn’t the most eager to be selected for first pitch honors.
“I was a catcher way back in the day; I’m pretty confident in myself; it better be a strike. Our entire football team is going to be out there to support the baseball team. As many people we can get there as possible; it’s a rivalry game; let’s get people out there and show support for some other sports. Rally the valley is real to me, and our players are into that, so that’s why we wanted to go to the game. Then they asked me to throw the first pitch, so that sucks.
“Oh yeah,” he chuckled. “No shortcuts.”
Ask anyone who’s been around this team’s spring practices who stands out, wide receiver Xavier Guillory will be on everyone’s short list. His speed, athleticism, and hands make him stand out, and those traits have allowed him to pile up highlight reel plays over the last two weeks. The measurables and the “wow’ catches are what draw the attention, but Dillingham is far more impressed with the work that goes into Guillory behind the scenes.
“He’s good, and he works,” Dillingham said matter of factly. “He works, he works, he works, and then he works some more. There’s a lot of people with talent, but when you have talent, and you have that work ethic, that’s what separates a lot of people.”
Dillingham acknowledged that the pass catchers have been impressive so far. He praised receivers like Guillory while also heaping praise upon Badger, Melquan Stovall, and Gio Sanders. As offensive minded as Dillingham is, he knows that shiny skill pieces can only take a football team so far.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to the big guys up front. If you can’t block and you can’t tackle, it doesn’t matter,” Dillingham stated. “Our talent on the edge is pretty good. Everybody has talent; that’s why they’re here.”
“I think Coach (Ward) has the best third-down package in the entire league,” Dillingham said. “That’s a big reason why he’s here; I didn’t want to play against him. Seeing how he coaches, it’s not only great for our defense to see it’s great for our offense.”
Dillingham expanded on the schematics of Ward’s defense that can make it so challenging to attack.
“It’s cover-0 every snap. Anytime you present cover-0 every snap, you have to be ready to throw to that,” he explained. “It controls the pace; it’s a way for the defense to kind of take the power back. It’s really good stuff.”
‘The first thing I ask these guys is why’d they start playing football. And it’s always well because it was fun,” Ward said. “If you’re not having fun, why are you doing it? They’re starting to see what we mean by having fun while installing and doing your 1/11th.”
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Ward has a hard exterior and often comes off as a classic hard-nosed coach. But his philosophies are more simple than you might think. Ward’s Washington State defenses were remarkably fast and physical. ASU players described Ward’s Cougars as a nightmare to game plan for because of how all 11 men on the field relentlessly pursue the football on every snap of the ballgame. ASU's defensive coordinator is looking to bring that culture to Tempe, and so far, the early returns have been promising.
“Playing fast and playing confident," Ward commented. "It’s not a magic formula; the number one thing is we have to be consistent as coaches. We have to be organized and do an admirable job of that. What we’re doing in there will be reflected by what they do on the grass. The guys are bringing the energy, and we’re bringing the plan. Right now, we’re evaluating and trying to see what these guys’ strengths are.”
From a technical standpoint, Ward discussed how he and his staff coach the linemen and what elements at those positions make players successful. He highlighted the importance of having a perfect combination of instincts and technical skills.
The first thing we’re training these guys to do is get off the ball. It’s a process, getting them in the right stances and seeing pass versus the run,” Ward said. “It’s little things, getting in your stances and getting aligned. When you don’t know what you’re doing, you’re not having fun. I’m a terrible golfer; I hate playing golf. It’s fun to do things you’re good at.”
If you’ve never compared an Arizona State defense to a package of sweets, Ward has a new analogy for you, as the new defensive coordinator is straddling the line between Forrest Gump and poet.
“Right now, it’s kind of like a candy box,” Ward said with a smile. “One guy is a little sweeter; one guy is a little chunkier. Some you don’t even know they are there.”
Oklahoma transfer defensive end Clayton Smith has also impressed the ASU defensive staff. He’s physically imposing and very technical, but the character is what has impressed Ward most.
“He looks the part, he plays the part, and he’s a really great human being. You may see four edges on the field a lot this season as other defensive tackles continue to develop,” Ward said of Smith before pivoting to BJ Green. “BJ is just a football player. He can play all four. We’ll put him in position to get as many singles as possible so he can be disruptive.
Development can’t be overstated by Ward. His defense right now is like a ball of clay; he’ll have to mold it to his liking as well as to the strengths of his team.
“Everyone’s developing, and that is really exciting,” Ward remarked. “When these guys start playing with confidence, it’s fun to watch. We’re transitioning; Tristan (Monday) is coming from Wisconsin, where he played a 4-i for a year. He played some 3-4 in high school, but we don’t play a 3-4 here. Everyone is adapting and developing.”
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