Throughout fall camp, the defense has, for the most part, been subverting the offense during their scrimmages. The defensive backs and linebackers have effectively read many of the quarterback's throws, and that comes at the helm of the pressure the front four has produced. Senior defensive lineman Elijah O’Neal, who ASU had coach Kenny Dillingham named as the most improved player during camp, has been one of those standouts on this side of the ball, manifesting that high level of play. Yet, O’Neal is humble in light of the success he has enjoyed during the August practices.
“We’re just coming together as a unit and working together,” O’Neal said. “We have all these new games and stunts for the new guys that came in, and we’ve been getting with them to make sure they know all the stuff, and we try to pick the young guys up. A lot of new guys have come in here and immediately made an impact, so it’s been really good.”
With the Big 12 offenses largely reliant on the ground attack, compared to the pass-heavy Pac-12, the defensive line and offensive line have upped the intensity as they battle in the trenches, each group working to prepare themselves for the new conference. Plenty of emotions accompany that level of energy, but O’Neal said that his group and the front five on the other side of the line of scrimmage are able to put those battles in proportion.
“At the end of the day, we’re all brothers,” O’Neal recognized. “We’re just here to compete and get better every day as a team. We say all the time the famous saying, ‘iron sharpens iron.’ Every time we’re going against each other, we’re getting better, and we know it’s all love at the end of the day.”
As a junior college transfer from Butte (Calif.) College, O’Neal came out prior to the 2023 season to visit the campus and immediately fell in love with the city of Tempe as well as the football team. It’s a level of comfort that has smoothed out the acclimation process and given him the opportunity to contribute to the winning football culture that Dillingham has talked about ever since stepping into the head coach position in November of 2022.
“I love Tempe and Phoenix,” O’Neal expressed. “I feel like everybody’s nice out here in Arizona, and I like the sun. I came from Chico, California so I didn’t have to get used to the heat that much since it’s hot up there. Last year’s team compared to now is a way different culture.”
As one of the returning pieces of the defensive line, O’Neal who has lately been taking many first team reps, has taken on a leadership role for the younger players and transfers who have joined the ranks in Tempe. Up at Camp Tontozona two weeks ago, he was able to connect with his teammates in ways he hadn’t last year. Even though he isn’t the fondest of the secluded and no frills environment up north, he kept an open mind throughout his time in the pines near Payson.
“Before we went out to Camp T, I was a little hesitant about going out there and staying in the woods,” O’Neal admitted. “As the days went by, I feel like everyone got closer as a team and created close relationships and that’s something that makes a team much closer. (ASU defensive lineman) Tristan Monday was going down to the creek to catch crawfish and then taking them back to the cabin, so I’m gonna have to do that with him next year (after he exhausts his eligibility).”
His position coach, Diron Reynolds, arrived this year with an outstanding resume and has shared his wealth of knowledge with his players. O’Neal credits Reynolds for the substantial betterment of his game from last year, and that is a trend he has noticed with his fellow returning players as well. The defensive lineman asserted that Reynolds is not only a good coach, but an effective mentor for the position room.
“He’s made all of us better pass rushers, me specifically,” O’Neal remarked. “I feel a lot more explosive and more mechanical. I have a plan for my rush, and if that rush doesn’t work out, I have a countermove I can use every time. He’s good at breaking down the game, and everybody can understand it. He’s a really good teacher, and I respect him so much. He’s a great father to his kids and a great father figure for us too.”
***
Junior linebacker Jordan Crook arrived this spring as a transfer from Arkansas, where he spent his first two years out of high school and, in fact, saw the field in every game for the Razorbacks as a true freshman. Crook is part of a linebacker core that is one of the deepest at any position for the Sun Devils. Much like O’Neal, Crook has relished in the high physicality aspect of preseason practices.
“It’s a good thing to see it go back and forth,” Crook said. “You don’t want to be beating the offense every day because, ultimately, that’s not a good thing. I feel like we’ve found that balance, and we’re going to have a pretty good team. It’s very competitive, with guys scoring on offense and defense, and I think that’s the best part. Everybody is getting better, we’re bonding and getting closer, and that’s been the goal.”
During his time in the SEC, Crook faced a high caliber of collegiate players. He feels as if that experience has greatly prepared him to succeed at ASU and knows that his skill set will translate well in the Big 12 conference.
“Being in the SEC almost made it easier for me when I came here,” Crook acknowledged. “Just being where I came from, it was different. Playing in those hard games for two years made me stronger mentally, and I saw a lot in my time there.”
Crook was recruited by former receivers’ coach Ra’Shaad Samples, someone he knew well from his playing days at Duncanville (Tex.) High School where Samples’ father, Reginald Samples, is the head coach. He wanted to go to a place where he could trust the coaches and work diligently to succeed. The chemistry he built with the other linebackers, along with position coach AJ Cooper, allowed him to grow and see his game improved dramatically.
“When I first got here, I had the mindset to just take everything,” Crook professed. “When I realized I didn’t have to be like that here and I could just be myself, I felt like I started getting better. I just had to trust Coach Cooper, keep working on my game, and do my part, and the rest of it would come together.”
Crook is part of a large list of players from the state of Texas on the ASU roster, an aspect he says made him feel more comfortable with the Sun Devils than he did in his past schools. With the fast building camaraderie process, the vibe at this point of his college career has changed in every good way for Crook.
“It’s a different type of environment, but I think this is what I needed,” Crook conveyed. “I’m up here isolated from my family, but I enjoy it. I got close with my teammates here, and I wasn’t very close with my teammates at my past school. We’re always hanging out, and we’re well-connected. I can honestly say that these guys are my family, and I’m just ready to play with them.”
Crook came off the bench in both seasons at Arkansas and would like to prove here at ASU that he can be a starter. Naturally, that developed a desire to prove others wrong, a sentiment that many Sun Devil transfers share based on their previous school experience. Arizona State, picked to finish last in a 16-team conference by the Big 12 media, has certainly only increased the drive of the players to defy the critics and change the narrative of one of the main storylines attached to ASU heading into their inaugural season in their new conference.
“The chip on my shoulder has been there,” Crook stated. “I think right now it’s at an all-time high. I’m hungry and ready to show myself, my teammates, coaches, and everyone else that I’m here for a reason. Coach Dillingham tells us that we’re picked last in the conference pretty much every day, and that fires all of us up.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, run by the longest-tenured Sun Devil sports beat writer, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today and get your daily fix of Sun Devil news!
