Friday was not only the first official day of Arizona State football preseason practice. It was also the first day of implementation of the Quidel Corporation's rapid COVID-19 tests for the ASU players and staff.
Head coach Herm Edwards stated that all players tested Friday had their results come back in a timely manner and, more importantly, negative.
“We started testing protocol this morning at 6:15,” Edwards explained in his Zoom press conference following practice Friday. “We got our test results before we went to the practice field. Everybody was clean. And we’re going to do that every day. Through the course of the week, all the way up to game day, every player will get tested, coaches get tested as well. And so it was very efficient. There were a lot of bets being placed by coaches because that 6:15 wake up call for some of these guys, right? ”
Edwards went into detail as to how the testing was conducted on Friday. He said about 20 players came into the facility every 15 minutes and then swabbed their nose themselves, and he said that swabbing wasn’t an intrusive process. He added that the process takes only about two-three minutes, and the whole team was done testing by around 7:30 a.m. All the results came back by Friday’s 10 a.m. practice time.
“It’s an amazing deal,” Edwards stated. “It’s pretty efficient. I’m going to have to bring those folks some donuts because they’re up early in the morning.”
While Edwards gushed over the tests’ efficiency, he emphasized that the rapid tests alone don’t translate to a get out of jail free card.
“I tell you this, and I mentioned it to the players,” Edwards said. “The testing allows you to know that day at that point in time that we’re good. But it doesn’t protect you from the virus. What protects you from the virus is making good decisions. Wearing one of these (a mask) when we’re around people. Don’t be around too many. And that’s what I’m trying to stress to our coaches and our platers. We have to be very careful who we socialize with and the positions we put ourselves in.”
COVID-19 is obviously still a major concern in the United States. Some athletes have viewed it as too big of a risk and have opted out of a return to play initiatives. So far, ASU has had redshirt-sophomore defensive back Cam Phillips and sophomore wide receiver Jordan Kerley on the fence about playing in 2020. On Thursday, it was reported that Kerley made his decision and became the first ASU player to opt-out of the 2020 season.
Edwards said he backed up Kerley’s decision not to play in 2020.
“That’s his decision, and we support him,” Edwards said. “I know we talked to him here last week. He plans on coming back after the first of the year. That’s a player’s choice. He’s still part of our program. We’d love to have him come back when he comes back. And I think he realizes that there’s a talented group of freshmen that are already here. And when he comes back in January, there’s going to be some more coming too.”
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The linebacking core was another post-practice topic of discussion as Edwards commended redshirt-junior Saguaro high school product Kyle Soelle. Soelle has moved into a starting role this season and was recently named one of ASU’s captains.
“He’s been very consistent,” Edwards described. “He’s been here now; does everything you ask him to do, and we voted as coaches. But Kyle has done a remarkable job the two years that I’ve been here now. He’s one of the veteran guys over there. He gets a lot of respect from his teammates and the coaches as well. He’s worthy of being a captain.”
Edwards praised the linebacking core as a group, saying the experience the unit has playing together is going to help in the new system co-defensive coordinators Antonio Pierce, and Marvin Lewis are running. He noted that the linebackers are prepared to be leaders this season.
“I think they’re ready in the fact that we threw them in there early,” Edwards explained. “Merlin (Robertson) and (Darien) Butler and Soelle was a part of that group. And these guys, they’ve played together now for two years. Now, the system has changed. But with that being said, there’s still that camaraderie that all of them have, and it’s kind of interesting because what AP has done … he’s moved them around. So, they’re accustomed to playing all three positions.”
Redshirt-senior Frank Darby is one of the only veterans in the receiver room for the Sun Devils. Edwards commented that Darby feels as though he has big shoes to fill with former ASU wide receivers N’Keal Harry and Brandon Aiyuk being back-to-back first-round picks in the NFL draft the past two years. Nonetheless. Edwards hopes his star wideout can manage those expectations.
“Frank feels a little bit of the pressure,” Edwards stated. “And that’s good for Frank, but I told him, I said, look, I don’t want you to feel the pressure of any of that. I want you to just enjoy playing football. Just bring your energy every day. Do the little things.”
Edwards commented that quarterback Jayden Daniels performed well in Friday’s practice and quipped that his signal-caller is still being kept in a “bubble” due to safety concerns.
“The only person he comes to see is me,” Edwards said. “I check him every morning. Make sure he’s good.”
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