Named the starter Emory Jones is the QB that ASU always thought he was
Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards officially announced that junior Emory Jones as the team’s starting quarterback on Thursday, following three weeks of practice.
The Florida transfer impressed Edwards and the ASU coaching staff during preseason camp with a strong overall performance as a passer. Clear separation between Jones and the rest of the quarterback group emerged around halfway through camp. He threw seven touchdowns in one session of red zone work, transforming a brilliant shower of fireworks into the offense’s first productive breakthrough in an August session.
“That’s how it should be every day,” Jones pragmatically stated after the Sun Devils had wrapped up the afternoon’s drills.
Jones had the most success through the air compared to his signal caller teammates during 11-on-11 segments facing the Sun Devil defense, showcasing notable zip on accurate throws and invaluable play extension qualities. The newcomer quarterback, who only set foot on campus in late spring, quickly grew comfortable with his entire arsenal of aerial weapons and delivered at every level of the field. When bad plays occurred, he displayed the requisite short memory and rebounded with formidable tenacity.
For the remainder of the preseason, juniors Trenton Bourguet and Paul Tyson will now battle for their placing in the backup order behind Jones. And due to football’s unpredictable nature, they naturally need to be prepared just as well as Jones.
“Just because they’re not the guy right now doesn’t mean they won’t have the opportunity to play again,” Jones commented. “He told me they’re one play away from being in the game, so they need to stay ready.”
Not only did Jones win the coaching staff’s respect, but he also became a voice for his teammates. He was named a team captain, the only other honoree from the offense besides senior left guard LaDarius Henderson. When Jones arrived in Tempe, he was resolute to put his head down and display to everyone in Tempe his work ethic and commitment to winning the job. However, his vocalness began to shine through as he became comfortable as the spearhead for the offense.
“I’ve actually never been a captain as a starter,” Jones admitted. “I’m just excited, my mom, my family is excited. I mean, those are all the results of working hard and being here, being engaged, being attentive every single day, and having the same energy, lifting guys up. Not only the offense but the defense, too. I get to know all of those guys, joke around and talk a little smack to those guys. That’s how we go about it. It’s a great feeling. I’m just blessed and honored to represent this university.”
Junior wide receiver Cam Johnson called Jones upbeat and uplifting. Henderson labeled him as an encourager. Graduate right tackle Des Holmes offered up ‘infectious’ among his list of adjectives. Senior wide receiver Gio Sanders said Jones is motivating yet also detail-oriented.
“He’s very vocal,” Sanders described. “He’s always making sure like, ‘stop walking, at least jog a little to the huddle, get in, get tight.’ Things like that. He’s someone who not only is going to lead by example, but he’s also going to use his voice to make sure you’re on point with things like that. To make sure you got the little things right and to make sure that everyone’s on the same page before he breaks.
Although the responsibilities that come with captainship may be novel to Jones, he’s had plenty of mentors to learn from. Jones credited a number of his teammates at the University of Florida for showing him how to lead, which included Kyle Trask, Feleipe Franks, Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, and Jeremiah Moon, all members of an NFL roster these days.
“Just watching those guys at Florida, and me being the young guy then and just seeing where they ended up, the things they do and how they did it,” Jones recalled. “It’s all been taught and learned. I have to keep staying on top of these guys and making sure we’re doing everything we’re supposed to do.”
Poise dominates Jones’ charisma. He has plenty of juice stored to speed away from pressure, but he exits the pocket only when it becomes overwhelming. He keeps the ball up and his eyes downfield, trusting his receivers to get open and freelance with him. His patience also helps him execute the read-option, allowing him to coolly stare down edge defenders and decide the direction of the play. When Jones does tuck the ball, he lets his athleticism take over.
His success in maroon and gold has yet to be measured, but so far, Jones is the quarterback that ASU thought he was when the program contacted him in the spring.
The redshirt junior brings a sense of maturity and calmness to his command of the team but also an electric playstyle that stretches the limits of ASU’s attack plan. That is a tremendous win for the Sun Devils, who underwent a seemingly endless flux of transfer portal mayhem and coaching staff overhaul last offseason. Fixing that instability will be a solid resume booster for Jones, too. If he exceeds the projections for ASU’s win-loss record, which are not the sunniest, NFL evaluators will take notice.
“Me having a year under my belt as a starter, now I know how to prepare,” Jones noted. “And now I know how to prepare even more. I didn’t feel like last year was my best year. So just the preparation part is just knowing going into every game exactly what they’re going to do, different looks, and if they do anything different, just having the poise to adjust. Even my team, just making sure that we’re all comfortable out there and just adjusting to any situation.
“Just being comfortable with the game plan. Going through every single play myself. They all have a couple of top coverages that they run every game, and I just sit through them and kind of play it through in my head and, talk it through, and be vocal with it at home by myself or with some of the guys.”
Jones’ comfort is a top priority for first-year offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas. In 2021, Jayden Daniels never truly found a perfect mesh with offensive coordinator Zak Hill’s scheme. As a result, Daniels’ confidence in his progression gradually deteriorated throughout the season. He started to develop a reliance on his legs to seek first downs when the play structure crumbled.
On the other hand, Thomas is already showing a desire to accommodate Jones and his strengths, so his quarterback feels right at home under center.
“There’s a couple plays that I have taken from Florida that I really liked and feel comfortable with that we have put in our playbook,” Jones said, “and we’ve been running. They have been working and stuff like that. So, I just feel like me being in a more pro-style offense, understanding and actually being more vocal, communicating more, and moving guys around making checks.
“I feel like that’s the part that I really need to become more comfortable with. And I have been. I feel like that’s really gonna elevate my game.”
Although Jones won the coveted starter role, he’s had his fair share of low moments in earlier practices. He led the quarterback room in interceptions through the first week of camp. During ASU’s most recent practice on Friday, a downfield shot to 6-7 tight end Messiah Swinson was high and behind, an errant throw that ended up in the gleeful hands of sophomore cornerback Ro Torrence.
Jones used the gentleman’s game to illustrate how flawless repetition is the key to mastering those mistakes.
“Kind of like golf, you got to be perfect with your swing, every single swing,” Jones said. “It’s the same at quarterback. I got to do everything perfect. The timing of everything has to be perfect.
“It’s a hard game to play, but that’s what I signed up for. I just keep trying to get better every single day.”
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