Spring Practice Positional Previews: Linebackers
Leading up to Arizona State football’s 2018 spring practices, DevilsDigest.com takes an in-depth look at each of the Sun Devils positions heading into spring ball. Today, we look at ASU’s crop of linebackers.
PROJECTED SPRING DEPTH CHART (Starter -- backup)
Outside LB (Sam): Jay Jay Wilson (Sr) – Malik Lawal (R-Jr)
Middle LB (Mike): Khaylan Thomas (R-Jr) – Loren Mondy (R-Fr)
Outside LB (Will): Koron Crump* (R-Sr) – Abe Thompson (Jr)
*-Injured this spring
WHAT’S NEW
The biggest (and obvious) difference with the linebackers this year: there is a move to a more traditional three-linebacker set.
In the new 3-3-5, the Spur-linebacker position has been completely eliminated (and is now the “Tillman” role in the defensive backfield”, while the other three roles have shifted as well.
There is no dedicated “Devilbacker” pass-rush specialist this season, the position that Koron Crump and Jay Jay Wilson assumed last season. That’s not stopping ASU’s new coaching staff from trusting the two returning seniors. They will be filling new roles and responsibilities, but are being tasked to help lead the group from the outset of spring ball.
“(Wilson and Crump) are seniors, fifth-year seniors. They’ve played a lot of football. So there’s not going to be a lot of things they get fooled by,” new ASU linebacker coach Antonio Pierce told DevilsDigest.com. “It’s going to be more about them learning what we do and what we do well rather than what they do. Once we execute that, you let your natural football and physical abilities take over.”
There will be three new positions for the linebackers to learn.
On the outside, inside of “Spur” and “Devil”, ASU will use more traditional “Sam” and “Will” linebackers. Sound familiar? It’s because the Sun Devils’ middle linebackers last season were labeled the same way, although in essence not entirely true to the role definition itself. The Sam lines up on the strong-side of the field, while the Will lines up on the weakside.
In the middle of the group will be a normal “Mike” linebacker, extremely common in a three-linebacker defense.
Pierce is eyeing similar physical traits for all spots.
“That’s what we want to do, the tall, rangy linebackers that can run, they can cause some havoc when getting to the quarterback and that’s what we want to do a better job of is create sacks and forced fumbles and turnovers,” he said.
Last season, ASU ranked No. 22 in the country with 36 sacks. The Sun Devils were less effective at taking the ball away, however, forcing just 17 turnovers all season (81st in the country), only six of which being recovered fumbles.
ASU was also had the just the 77th best run defense in college football last season, allowing over 170 yards on the ground per game.
Improving in those areas will be important to Pierce, but he doesn’t think it will be the biggest adjustment for his players to handle. That will come on the practice field.
“I don’t think it’s more the scheme. They are going to have to adjust to the coaches, the demand, the speed, the effort that coach (Gonzalez) and Herm (Edwards) want us to with play on defense,” Pierce said. “There was a little bit of a lack of intensity last year when you watch our linebackers play.”
PERSONNEL CHANGES
The loss of NFL-bound middle-linebacker duo Christian Sam and DJ Calhoun, as well as the graduating of do-everything senior AJ Latu, leaves ASU 2018 group of linebackers with plenty of question marks in terms of its depth and relative inexperience.
Jay Jay Wilson is the only true returner from last season after he made the in-season switch from tight end to Devilbacker. Koron Crump is coming off his ACL injury (which will keep him out of spring practice). Both Wilson and Crump spent most of last season at Devilbacker though. They will be asked to handle different roles on the field this season.
“You have to play on the line of scrimmage, you have to be able to play in space if you are walked out on the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver,” Pierce said of how the position will change for the ex-Devilbackers. “A little bit (of the same skills), but I think just the way we are going to construct our defense and the things we are going to ask these guys to do, it’s a different position, it’s going to be a learning curve for them.”
Pierce is counting on the tandem to provide experience at a position that has little of it on the roster.
“You had a guy like Jay Jay (Wilson) who I think as the season got on, later down the season got better, understanding linebacker play from switching over from offense, he’ll be an impactful guy,” Pierce said. “And (Koron) Crump coming off his ACL, from what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen on film looks very fast.”
Jay Jay Wilson also stood out on film to defensive coordinator Danny Gonzalez. Wilson was one of the few current Sun Devil LBs to see significant playing time in the Pac-12 last year.
“Jay Jay, moving over from tight end to linebacker, did really good things last year and being a senior we are counting on him to lead the way,” Gonzalez said.
Up the middle, Khaylan Thomas appears to be the heir-apparent after Sam and Calhoun’s departures. Though he appeared in each of ASU’s 13 games last season, Thomas made just 17 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. He will be filling big shoes once spring practice commences.
“Khaylan Thomas played a lot behind Christian Sam and those guys last year so he’s got an opportunity to grab ahold of that spot and see what he can do,” Gonzalez said.
Pierce is looking for the junior to grab ahold of the starters spot this spring.
“A guy like (Khaylan) who is really limited on reps, on film he shows flashes. I think the realistic thing with him is he needs to take ownership,” Pierce said. “This is a great opportunity this spring. He’s done a great job in the weight room. You see him changing his body. He’s already looking much better just with street clothes on than he did last year within the season.”
Behind them, second-teamers like Abe Thompson, Malik Lawal, and Deion Guignard will also try to carve out a niche in the new defense. Pierce’s best advice to them is to become versatile.
“We are telling guys when we meet them the first time to learn all three positions,” Pierce said. “You’ll give yourself the best chance to play early and you’ll make us a better team by being so versatile.”
THINGS TO WATCH FOR THIS SPRING
1) CAN JAY JAY WILSON BECOME A TRADITIONAL OUTSIDE LINEBACKER: When Jay Jay Wilson – then a tight end – switched to defense following Koron Crump’s injury last season, few expected the move to pay off. It did. Wilson made 46 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, recovered a fumble and had a pick-six.
This year though, he will have to become a more traditional outside linebacker. Pierce says he has the physique and speed to do so, but is once again going to have to adapt to new responsibilities on the field (which would still include lining up at the line of scrimmage at times). The same adjustments will apply to Crump, who won’t have the luxury of spring ball to begin making the shift.
2) WILL KHAYLAN THOMAS FIND HIS CONSISTENCY AND EARLY ON LOCK DOWN STARTING ROLE: Last season, former ASU defensive coordinator Phil Bennett said Khaylan Thomas looked like an All-American at times; other times… not so much. Pierce noticed the same inconsistency in Thomas’ game, the flashes of talent that will need to show up more regularly if the redshirt-junior is going to lock down the “Mike” role. Spring ball will be an early indicator to see if Thomas has developed.
3) HOW WILL THE LINEBACKERS PASS RUSH: In years past, ASU’s pass rush scheme was clear: the Devilbacker would attack the edge on most downs, while the Sun Devils would dial up blitzes to manufacture a rush. This season, ASU has a slew of pass-rush specialists, but no pass rush specialist position.
It will be a task for Pierce and Gonzalez to figure out a way to use guys like Crump and Wilson as pass rushers, but also as more traditional linebackers as well that will have to be effective run stoppers. Spring could give an early indication of just how their ability to get to the quarterback will be utilized.
SPRING BALL ROSTER AND PROJECTED ROLES
STARTERS
Jay Jay Wilson (6-2, 247, Senior): After making his switch from tight end to linebacker last year, Wilson will an experienced outside linebacker option that the coaching staff is trusting to take hold of a starters spot this season.
Khaylan Thomas (6-0, 227, Redshirt-Junior): As the lone middle linebacker, Thomas will have a huge role in the 3-3-5 defense. He has shown flashes of being a quality linebacker but has lacked the consistency to see regular playing time. He’ll be on the field far more this year; ASU will need him to be a reliable presence up the middle.
Koron Crump (6-3, 222, R-Senior): Crump has never been an every-down linebacker in his ASU career and will miss spring ball while recovering from his ACL injury. The “learning curve” Pierce described for his group of linebackers might be steepest for the fifth-year senior due to the absence of spring on the field reps.
BACKUPS (In order of class)
Tyler Whiley (6-0, 210, R-Senior): Was a backup Spur-linebacker last year and might find himself practicing with the DBs this spring. If he stays at linebacker (he is listed as a linebacker on ASU’s roster), he would be a candidate as a backup on the outside.
Ochuko Duke (6-0, 210, Senior): Duke was a tackling machine in JUCO a couple years ago, but only saw playing time in two games last season. He will be battling for a depth spot in the linebacker rotation.
Nick Ralston - (6-0 214, R-Junior) - the former running back making the switch to defense and Sam linebacker.
Abe Thompson (6-2, 230, Junior): Thompson was the third-string option at Devilbacker last season. He could be a backup to either of the outside linebacker spots, but could also wind up as the Mike if Thomas struggles to hold down that spot.
Malik Lawal (6-1, 221, R-Junior): Lawal is probably the best current backup linebacker in the group and might be the one to get Koron Crump’s spring ball reps with the starters while Crump recovers from an ACL injury.
Kyle Jones (6-3, 208, R-Junior): The walk-on was a JUCO at Glendale Community College last season and will have a long way to go before getting game time.
Parker Higgins (5-11, 223, R-Sophomore): The walk-on played just one game last season and will be a depth option again this year.
Kyle Soelle (6-4, 207, R-Freshman): Gonzalez listed Soelle by name as a player to watch this spring. The defensive coordinator loves the redshirt freshman’s skill set, calling him “as talented a football player as we’ve got out there.” A good spring campaign could see him skyrocket up the depth chart at Sam.
Bailey Huggins (6-1, 230, Sophomore): The Chandler native will be another depth option down the depth chart as ASU tries to reconfigure its linebacker group.
Loren Mondy (6-1, 238, R-Freshman): The 3-star recruit was redshirted last season. He came to ASU slated to be a Devilbacker, but should be able to play all poistions in the 3-3-5.
Anthony Nicastro (6-2, 232, R-Freshman): A Marcos de Niza graduate in high school, Nicastro was redshirted last season. He will be in the depth group and might be a special teamer.
Benjamin Winans (6-3, 238, R-Freshman): Another player who is far down the depth chart coming into spring ball, though has a lot of size for a linebacker and potential special teams player.
Note: This list does not include incoming freshman from the 2018 class who will not arrive until the fall.
INJURIES
Koron Crump: Will not practice this spring, per Gonzalez, as he continues to recover from his ACL injury he suffered last season.
*Other positional previews: