There is always power in numbers, but even a thinner defensive line group throughout ASU’s spring practice still provided good value for its position coach.
DevilsDigest: what are your thoughts on the defensive line following the 15 spring sessions?
Robert Rodriguez: “I thought it was an important spring for us to build a little bit of depth and give a lot of guys a great opportunity to change the narrative and who they were as players. I thought it was good for us being in a position where people realized how our numbers were down a little bit (in spring practice), and we had to be on point with that. I thought spring was a really positive experience. I still think we have good ways to go, and if we're going to be the type of defensive line that we want to be, we've got to improve quite a bit. But like I said, I was really encouraged by the improvement that we did show.”
DevilsDigest: You talked about the numbers of your unit being down, and I believe on the day of the last spring practice, there were at least six. seven defensive linemen out of action for one reason or another. Does that ultimately present you with somewhat an incomplete picture of the group? Perhaps also a little disappointment that you weren't able to see more guys in longer periods of action during the spring?
Robert Rodriguez: “No disappointment. We've preached since I was fortunate enough to take this job here is that we're going to coach whoever is out there, right? And then whoever is out there has a standard. And that's really what happened right there. You know, when a guy goes down, that's why we coach them all. We coach them to be successful. So like I said, there’s no, ‘hey, we're only gonna just coach the starters.’ That's something that's confidently earned. For guys like Stanley (Lambert), Joe Moore…Shannon (Forman) who had to move inside and do something a little bit different. And I gotta tell you, even for guys like DJ (Davidson), who has done a lot of good work for us and Mike Matus, who obviously has proven himself, it was good work, and there was growth all the way across the board. So, no disappointment, you just work with the cards that you're dealt. I think it was better than that; it was good for us because across the board, it doesn't matter where you stand on the depth chart; you have to prepare as if you're a starter. Your number could be called pretty quick.”
DevilsDigest: What goals overall for the group do you feel were accomplished through spring practice?
Robert Rodriguez: “Re-establishing the culture. I think we had a successful spring in the sense that we turned some heads and changed some minds about who we were. But it's also a lesson that if you don't stay with your foot on the gas pedal, how quickly you will have to build it all up from the ground up every time we start back together. And that was initially when we got together, and it was like, ‘Oh, wait a minute, we're still building this thing.’ We can't assume that it's all been built, and it's gonna be easy. There's not a lot of momentum that carries over, and you got to build it from the ground up and pay the price all over again. So that was good for us. And I think, for the culture, who are we going to be as a defensive line? We're going to be blue-collar guys. and we got more guys that we can put in the game now than we had a year ago.”
DevilsDigest: Even though you said that there isn’t a lot of momentum carried over from season to season, do you still feel that four-game season and all there was perhaps some level of confidence carried over? Were you hoping to see and actually got to see in the spring some swagger carrying over from the 2020 season?
Robert Rodriguez: “I think so. I definitely had a more confident group, so yes, I absolutely felt like there was a lot more confidence in those guys, especially because there was a bit of a feeling out process last year with those guys. And that’s fair enough because there is with everybody when you have a new coach come in. Those guys definitely had more confidence than a year ago. The bottom line really is that now there's an understanding there, and those guys understand what we're asking of them. They understand what we're trying to get done. But you know, we can't be in that business where we're so damn confident we forget where we come from. There's got to be a hungry mentality and have chip on our shoulder if we're going to be where we want to be.”
DevilsDigest: The only new face this spring of this group was LSU transfer, Travez Moore. What is your assessment of the spring Moore had?
Robert Rodriguez: “He’s a good example of a lot of the players that we've had with the Minnesota Vikings, just wildly talented, has an unbelievable skill set and is really explosive. But he has a lot of habits that had to get out of him and help him with. I don't think the way he was thought to rush brings out the best parts of his ability, and that's very common in the game. Everybody wants the athletic guys to run around things. Travez can be an all-around player, (against the) run and pass. Every time he did things the way we asked them to be done, it looked really good. I want him to be a more consistent player, and his potential is definitely good. Travez had to jump into a new system, a new D-line room, and a new team that does things a lot differently than what he's used to. So he's had a lot of adjusting to do, but his abilities are there, and he has the potential to really help us if he can make sure to put it all together. He’s a much more powerful player than he allows himself to be. He has to be more consistent, and he showed glimpses of that (physicality) in the spring game.”
DevilsDigest: Since you’re expected to get all of the players who missed some or all of spring back and healthy for Fall camp, is it fair to say that this fact alone will create a different picture for your group than spring did?
Robert Rodriguez: “Absolutely. The more candidates to compete, now the whole thing becomes tougher. Everybody gets a bite at the apple when guys are down. The reps are all that more precious when there's more competition, and that's just the truth of it. It's a little bit different of a picture when there's more competition; that's always true.”
DevilsDigest: This was the first spring practice where Antonio Pierce was the sole defensive coordinator after being co-coordinator last year. From your vantage point, was it just business as usual for your group regarding what the scheme and approach looked like from last year?
Robert Rodriguez: “No, I knew those adjustments to be made, and AP was going to put his own stamp on it. Styles make fights, man, and we're all different. I'll tell you this; AP is a person who I respect a lot because he knows exactly who he is. I think the biggest mistake we can make is, as coaches is trying to be someone we're not. And so he is, AP, and he's gonna put his stamp on it the right way. There are adjustments, we’re asking the guys to do things differently, and we're trying some stuff out. There were some adjustments that we had to make and be on their toes a little bit, but I thought AP did a heck of a job organizing it. I thought those guys did a good job. I thought they did a good job with it. They were bought in and dialed in, and it all worked out for the best.”
DevilsDigest: Going up against this offensive line every day in practice, on the one hand, a lot of returning starters and, on the other hand, a new offensive line coach, did it feel different from your perspective?
Robert Rodriguez: “Yeah, they're doing things differently. Coach Kav has been really great to work with. He's a technician, and when he makes changes, he does it in an intelligent way. Those guys played well as a unit, and I saw those guys communicating and sorting things out really well, and so I'm encouraged by that as well. As a D-line coach, you learn to respect an offensive line’s play; Coach Kav is a good football coach. So I was really excited because it’s good competition for us. When we make a mistake, that offensive line is gonna make you pay for it. And so to watch our offensive line, do that exact thing is make us pay for our mistakes, that was really a good thing for us.”
DevilsDigest: I don't want to say that the defensive line snuck up on everybody last year, but you know…
Robert Rodriguez: “(laughs) Hey man, it’s the truth. I like it.”
DevilsDigest: OK. So your group did that and did a great job of silencing all the critics. But, now, going into 2021, the ASU defensive line is a known commodity around the Pac-12 across the back. I'm sure as a coach, you must love that raising of the bar where opponents might have a different approach because that naturally forces you to counteract now…
Robert Rodriguez: “Iron sharpens iron, and that's what you want - your guys to be respected. Do I think we are there yet? I don't. I'm very proud of them, though. Respect is something that you earn, and I hope that we're closer today than we were when we all started together. Those kids have worked for it, and I'm encouraged by you saying that (about Pac-12 opponents). But I gotta tell you; I'm also a skeptic. I know what it's like to walk in and see people who really truly respect what we do. With our Vikings, I thought every week you can see it on people's faces because when we walked in, they knew what they were dealing with. And I gotta tell you; I don't see that here yet. And until I do, we won't be satisfied, and even when we do get there, we're still not going to be satisfied, to be honest with you (laughs). It's a curse, man.
“But I proud of these guys, and they deserve it. They work so hard. I'm proud of the coaches (on ASU’s staff) that have helped me do it. Marcus Lewis was great last year, and Steven Beard and Anthony Garnett, jumping in and doing a great job this year. It's a team effort, and until we're feared, we're not going to be satisfied with what we're doing. We got to make sure that we keep working in that direction.”
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