How ASU's athletic tight ends, 12 personnel can aid this year's pass game

When Arizona State hired offensive coordinator Zak Hill in 2019, the program underwent a full systematic revamp that promised to weaponize every area of the passing game.

More specifically, Hill’s appointment generated positive chatter about utilizing the tight end position, which had been largely dormant for ASU since Chris Coyle hauled in 1,119 yards on 86 receptions during the 2012-13 seasons scoring nine touchdowns during that span. Bringing a flair for 12 and 13 personnel over from Boise State, Hill made extra tight end sets commonplace in Tempe. It took some time to catch on, but two years later, everything began to pay off.

Curtis Hodges had 20 receptions for 373 yards and two touchdowns, the fourth-most on the team and the best production for a tight end in the Herm Edwards era.

A converted wide receiver, Hodges brought natural ball skills and impressive agility as a lengthy 6-foot-8 target lining up on the edge of the offensive line. The increased production was an exciting breakthrough for ASU. It earned Hodges an invite to the NFL Combine and later a free agency deal with the Washington Commanders after the draft.

But Zak Hill resigned in February amidst allegations of his involvement in illicit recruitment activities during the COVID-19 recruiting dead period. His replacement, former UNLV play caller Glenn Thomas, installed a new scheme this spring. Yet, the tight ends are more vital than ever for ASU.

The transfers of Ricky Pearsall and LV Bunkley-Shelton in April, along with the winter departures of Johnny Wilson and Geordon Porter, thinned out ASU’s receiver group considerably. Only 45 of ASU’s 206 receptions last season return, with Bryan Thompson and Andre Johnson accounting for nearly half of that stunted total. There is immense pressure for players like Elijhah Badger, Giovanni Sanders, and Chad Johnson Jr. to step up into larger roles with a finite sampling of in-game action to build off.

While questions will endlessly swirl around the stability of the receiving corps until the offense takes the field for its home opener against Northern Arizona on Sept. 1, there is less cloudiness about the direction ASU has for the tight ends on the roster.

The program invested heavily in the position this offseason, and ASU’s recruiting blueprint was very revealing. The coaching staff extended offers to tight ends who they envisioned could create mismatches with their unique combination of height and athleticism. Now, they have an entire crop of players that fit the criteria.

Missouri transfer Messiah Swinson is essentially a clone of Hodges at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds. Swinson is expected to play significant time alongside Jalin Conyers, who caught six passes for 62 yards and a touchdown last season. ASU also brought in Mt. Sac product Bryce Pierre and freshman Jacob Newell (both 6-foot-5) to bolster depth.

All signs point toward the heaviest dosage of 12 personnel yet from the Sun Devils in 2022. If it pans out, an offense hurting for experienced wideouts might create some unexpected results.

First, let’s understand where and how an athletic tight end like Hodges made an impact in ASU’s passing game. Hodges was extremely effective in beating coverage in the middle of the field. He and quarterback Jayden Daniels linked up on several crossing, post, and seam routes. It worked for several reasons.

One observation is Hodges’ athleticism allowed him to play with more burst and quickness than expected from an ordinary tight end. He was faster than many of the defenders covering him and understood how to pace his routes from his receiver background. This allowed him to penetrate zones early and gain the first step on his opponents.

When Hodges gained separation, his height became a massive advantage. Although Daniels struggled with accuracy issues down the stretch of his 2021 campaign, it was pretty difficult to overthrow Hodges at his stature. And even if a defender had tight coverage, Hodges could easily outreach him for the ball.

On this 1st-and-10 pass against Stanford’s Cover 3 setup, Hodges gets an iso rep against the box safety and takes inside leverage on his over route. He creates a step of separation through his cut across the field, and Daniels threads him a good ball in stride. Hodges is able to stick his feet in the turf and nimbly reverse course upfield for yards after the catch.

On top of Hodges’ personal skillset, the Sun Devils leveraged the threat of its fruitful run game to their advantage. Defenses had to not only respect the playmaking ability of Rachaad White but Daniels as well, especially with the extra gaps created by multiple tight ends. Box defenders were often forced to play closer to the line of scrimmage to first hold their gap assignment and then contain Daniels if he took off.

With Florida quarterback transfer Emory Jones offering the same dual-threat capabilities as Daniels, ASU will continue to play these mind games.

They worked wonders for ASU in play-action. If the defense did not want to forfeit their man advantage against the run, at least one defender would have to simultaneously read the run and react to Hodges if he started downfield. If they failed to do so correctly, it had the opportunity to create disastrous consequences.

Watch UCLA bite hard on the play-action on this bold endzone rollout design. ASU is in 12 personnel against the Bruins in Cover 1 man with eight defenders in the box. The safety in press coverage against Hodges makes an error – he commits to the assumption that ASU will run the ball with their backs to the end zone and two tight ends providing obvious strength to the left side of the formation. He realizes his mistake quickly when Hodges flies past him toward open space and angles over the single-high safety for a huge pickup.

Then there were situations where Hodges and Daniels would prey upon the gap between a defense’s linebackers and safeties. If the defense had a lapse in communication when passing him off to the secondary, Hodges found himself in a wide-open pocket of space. There, he could settle down, turn around, and look for the ball.

That’s precisely what led to Hodges picking up this first down against Colorado (again in 12 personnel) and a stress-free touchdown versus Washington.

While the personnel differs in the four plays above, Hodges regularly lined up at the end of the formation in a condensed set. If ASU operates with several tight ends on the field more this season, expect that tendency to change. The Sun Devils would benefit from implementing more spread and bunch sets that would allow Swinson, Conyers, and the others to strain coverage and create space for the offense’s other playmakers in addition to themselves.

The Utah Utes, who ASU will play in Week 4, used more than one tight end on 64.1% of their offensive plays to great success. Utah’s dynamic tandem of Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid combined for over 1,121 yards and 14 touchdowns. A third tight end, Cole Fotheringham, caught 13 balls for 109 yards. Matching that production in the first year under Thomas would be understandably ambitious.

However, projecting one 500-yard receiving tight end (with a realistic shot to lead the team in receiving touchdowns) seems reasonable if the offense adjusts to running 12 personnel at a high frequency.

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