CAMP TONTOZONA- Going into the 2019 season, Arizona State certainly hoped that figuring out a lineup for an offensive line with six seniors wouldn’t be one of their preseason challenges.

However, the unit currently only has three of its positions solidified, while the other two starting spots are be contested between three players. The Sun Devils have recently began shuffling players on the first team in to not only see who fits best at certain spots, but also what group fits best with each other.

“I see a lot of good things, still moving some guys around a little bit just experimenting, trying to find out who’s prepared to play at this level,” offensive line coach Dave Christensen said. “We’re going to find out as we get further and further into these padded practices and do a little bit of scrimmage, who’s going to be ready to play for us and then give me an idea on how many guys we’re probably going to be playing with.”

Christensen’s philosophy is pretty clear; he wants to get any players he feels are ready to contribute on the field, regardless of that number. He doesn’t want to be confined to just choosing five guys who will be the only ones to see game day reps.

“We always want to find out who we feel is ready to play at a championship level,” Christensen said. “Once we identify who those guys are, then we’ll have a better idea if we’re going to play with five guys, six guys, seven guys, eight guys. But we’ve got to identify who’s ready to play at this level first.”

It seems that there are three players on the offensive line already fit the description, at least by all indications to this point in preseason practices and based on their pedigree.

One of those guys is redshirt senior Steve Miller, a 6’4’, 307-lb local product from Gilbert, Arizona.

Miller has appeared in double-digit games in each of his three seasons on the field, starting all 13 at left guard in 2017, and playing more of a utility role last year filling in where needed over 12 games played and four starts.

He began to play most commonly at right tackle later in 2018 though, which is where he’s now slated to start at for the Sun Devils this fall.

“Steve’s worked extremely hard in the offseason to prepare for that position,” Christensen said, “and it’s showing out here. He’s had a nice camp.”

Another player, who is arguably the most overlooked and least talked-about player on the front five, but has impressed Christensen even more thus far is 6’3’, 291-lb redshirt senior Alex Losoya.

The Mater Dei (Calif.) High School alum, entering his third season on the field for ASU after transferring from Orange Coast Junior College, is all but a lock for the left guard spot. He proved his value in playing all 13 games last season, starting in eight and playing at both guard positions during that time.

“Alex Losoya’s probably had as fine a camp as any player,” Christensen acclaimed. “Might be our most consistent player right now, Alex has played really well, I would expect him to have a really good year for us.”

In spite of the high praise from his position coach, who lauds his effort thus far, many Sun Devil fans know who the best player on that offensive line is senior left tackle Cohl Cabral.

The 6’5, 304-lb southern California native has embraced transitioning back to left tackle from center, as a result of senior Zach Robertson’s indefinite absence to deal with personal matters.

He started all 13 games at left tackle as a sophomore in 2017, and even after the breakout season at center that followed- which had him amongst the top 10 in some early 2020 NFL draft positional rankings- he’s been all in with the switch.

“Cohl’s such a great team guy and probably the most selfless player I’ve ever coached,” Christensen stated. “Cohl’s going to play in the NFL, there’s no question about that. He’s established that, and it’s going to make him even more valuable to be able to play every position on the offensive line, which he’ll be able to do.”

“He’s provided great leadership all of camp…it’s the greatest lesson you can learn, is to be selfless and put the team first. We want Cohl to get all the accolades, and he deserves them, but the bottom line is Cohl wants to win, and the rest of it will come with that.”

All this considered, Cabral, Losoya and Miller are more than safe to start week one at their respective spots on the line, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

It’s the center and right guard positions that will require some testing of the waters to find the best fit.

Fortunately for ASU, they only have three players vying for these spots; redshirt freshman Jarrett Bell, redshirt senior Roy Hemsley and redshirt senior Cade Cote.

Nevertheless, even if Christensen likes all three players enough to trust them in game action, he’ll eventually have to settle on a starting five that can work together and build chemistry in what’s expected to be another run-heavy season.

Although it was Cote and Bell taking the first-team reps in early practices, at right guard and center, respectively, things seem to have shifted in recent days.

“(Hemsley’s) very close, he’s taken half the one reps today,” Christensen said. “We’re trying to figure it out…Bell’s competing, Cote’s competing, Hemsley’s competing, you know, they’re all competing to try to get those two starting spots.”

One’s gut instinct may be that the Sun Devils were just going to start the two seniors all along, especially if Cote continues to hold his own at center, allowing Hemsley to slide in at right guard.

Nevertheless, Christensen emphasized that the team “hasn’t established any starters yet,” and as outlandish as that seems with three pretty established starters on the o-line, his actions reflect his words when it comes to the positions in question.

“(Bell’s) got half the reps the last two days with the ones, (Cote’s) got half the reps at center, so we’re still looking around,” Christensen said.

Christensen understands the challenges of playing an underclassman with four other seniors, but has seen Bell progress significantly as well; which will make the decision harder than it would seem from the outside.

“All of our guys make calls, so there’s probably four other guys that have more football knowledge than (Bell),” Christensen said. “That helps him to come along, and he’s developing, he’s going to be a really good football player.

“He’s working on some technique things that we’re trying to master, and he’s making good progress.”

This three-man battle for two starting spots has suddenly become a story at Camp T this week. Just another intriguing storyline to follow in preseason practices.