“I’ve been waiting for my opportunity.”
Many opportunities have arisen to Robert Rodriguez, but none is more important to him than his most recent: to coach the defensive line at Arizona State.
It would mean leaving the Minnesota Vikings and taking his family to Tempe, whereas many coaches may spend a lifetime chasing an NFL assistant coach and/or head coaching job. But for Rodriguez, he wanted to be in control and put in a situation where he can truly express his abilities.
“The very first thing Coach Herm said to me was, ‘I want you to be yourself, and let that shine,’” Rodriguez shared. “It has been one of the most empowering things I've ever heard in my life.”
Rodriguez joined the Vikings in 2015 and spent five-straight seasons as the Assistant Defensive Line coach. His line set franchise records and consistently sent linemen to the Pro Bowl.
But that wasn’t enough.
“These last couple of years with the Vikings have gotten me prepared for this. But this is my opportunity to win it my way,” Rodriguez said.
In February, two weeks after taking the job, Rodriguez told DevilsDigest that he “left my dream job for my dream job.” He joined the ranks of Herm Edwards’ elite staff of “Pro Model” coaches with experience in the NFL.
“Being under (Co-Defensive Coordinator) Marvin (Lewis) and getting a chance to do it my way with that type of guidance,” Rodriguez described, “and support and leadership. Same thing with (Co-Defensive Coordinator Antonio Pierce). It means the world to me; I really am motivated and driven to give this place the defensive line they deserve.”
After a brief spring practice schedule cut short by the pandemic, Rodriguez’s defensive line has been noted by some as an underdeveloped position group on the Sun Devil roster. Its position feels strongly that this perception can be changed.
“I don’t have any slugs in my room,” Rodriguez remarked. “Everybody brings something to the table.”
Rodriguez commented that junior T.J. Pesefea and sophomore Anthonie Cooper have both impressed him thus far in preseason practices. Pesefea transferred from American River College after his freshman year and backed up DJ Davidson at the nose; while Cooper, who prepped locally at Goodyear Millennium, played in four games in his freshman season last year.
“It’s like looking at a different guy together,” Rodriguez said about Pesefea. “Seeing him in the film from last year, Marvin (Lewis) is always commenting that he’s like a different guy.” Pesefea tallied 11 tackles last season, seeing most of his playing time come toward the end of the 2019 campaign.
Cooper has captivated Rodriguez through the growth of his game from the spring, as well as the weight he shed since last year, giving him options to play inside or outside on the line, Rodriguez said. Cooper is currently rostered at 270lbs.
Coach Rodriguez acknowledged that “We still have a long way to go as a defensive line,” but is optimistic in his veterans as well.
“In DJ (Davidson), I see a whole world of possibilities,” Rodriguez said of the ASU nose tackle, before making a comparison between Davidson and former Viking Linval Joseph. “People often tell him to be an athlete first, and what I’ve–hopefully–brought out in DJ is that (he’s) a big, powerful man who happens to be athletic.”
Davidson affirmed himself as an essential part of the Sun Devil defense last year, starting 12 of 13 games. He delivered 48 tackles and 1.5 sacks after a season-ending injury halfway through his 2018 redshirt freshman year.
In the past, the defensive line typically has not been of note for ASU: in the past 20 years, six of the 55 Sun Devils drafted into the NFL been defensive linemen. But the past is just that: the past.
“I'm so grateful for this opportunity,” Rodriguez said. “I want that to shine through with the way my guys play.”
When opportunity knocked, Rodriguez answered.
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