Some of the narratives of ASU’s upcoming 15 spring sessions are completely transparent and some aspects may be less obvious. Nonetheless, here are the questions that will need to be addressed by the Sun Devils in the month of February.
Let the quarterback battle begin
There's no escaping the fact that the highly anticipated battle for starting duties at
quarterback battle will dominate the headlines during spring practice. It seems as we have been talking for much longer than just a few months of the three freshmen signal callers, Jayden Daniels Joey Yellen and Ethan Long who will do battle with the lone returning scholarship quarterback junior Dillon Sterling-Cole.
What makes this position battle even more unique is that only two signal callers a day will actually get to participate in live reps just to give the coaches a substantial body of work in the form of practice film to evaluate the eventual pecking order of this position group. It’s conceivable that midway through the spring, that we could see two signal callers getting more repetitions than their teammates and that could help clear up a current uncertain depth chart here.
It's not so much important to see which specific player ends up being the starter, backup third-stringer, etc. but rather to have that desired distinct separation and not coming away feeling that the process was closer to sorting out the proverbial lesser of two evils. That scenario can instill some measure of confidence that this offense can be just as effective as last year if not more heading into the 2019 season.
Click here to read offensive coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach Rob Likens comments on this subject.
The search for a no. 2 running back
It's easy to rest on your laurels when it comes to the Sun Devils’ ground attack knowing that your featured ball carrier just broke the school's single-season rushing yards record a little over a month and a half ago. And despite the fact that Eno Benjamin is the classic running back who gets better as his amounts of carries increase, suffice to say no one wants to have him shoulder as heavy as a load as it did last year to the tune of 300 carries.
In comparison, 2017 saw Demario Richard carry the ball 198 times and Kalen Ballage 157 times and their combined number of carries (355) was just 18 percent larger than Benjamin’s total in 2018.
Therefore, first-year running backs coach Shaun Aguano is now tasked with the challenge to find a capable backup running back to Benjamin that can minimize, if not prevent all together any drop-off in production when is the junior is off the field. And as it is, I wouldn't expect to see Benjamin get a substantial amount of carries in the spring to minimize his wear and tear.
Therefore, returning players such as junior Isaiah Floyd, redshirt freshman AJ Carter, senior Paul Lucas, and true freshman Demetrius Flowers who greyshirted this past season will all have ample opportunities to showcase their talents and make their claim for this role if not start to assert themselves for the 2020 season and the starting duties then.
Here are Rob Likens’ comments on the running backs
An offensive line in urgent need to depth development
Both the inexperienced quarterbacks and mostly green running backs are going to have a very capable starting offensive line protecting and paving the way for them that in all likelihood should feature five senior starters.
The sheer lack of experience behind the front five though is concerning.
Offensive line coach Dave Christensen knows that this year’s spring practice is just as much about addressing the future of his position group as it is the present.
Redshirt freshmen Spencer Lovell, Ralph Frias and Jarett Bell received quite a bit of praise for their scout team performance but now the rubber is going to meet the road as they have to prove that there are not only reserves by default but also capable second-team players that even if they cannot push for starting playing time, can still breed confidence in the coaching staff that when their time truly comes the following year that they have flashed enough in the 15 sessions this month to prove to themselves, their peers and their coaches that the offensive line is not on an inevitable path to take a step back in 2020.
Check out our interview with offensive line coach Dave Christensen
N’Keal Harry is gone. Now what?
What will the wide receiver group look like following the departure of a likely first-round draft selection is a question that may be second in its urgency only to the quarterback situation.
I touted senior Brandon Aiyuk for months now that as the most likely candidate to attempt and compensate for the loss of production that Harry's absence has created.
Wide receivers coach Charlie Fisher agreed wholeheartedly in our interview with him.
As disappointing as the Las Vegas Bowl loss to Fresno State was at the same time it did highlight Aiyuk as a truly explosive player no matter the position that he was lined up at with 193 all-purpose yards. But that aspect aside Arizona State wants to build a skilled two-deep group and they do have players that do carry quite a bit of potential.
Returning players senior (did those four years ever move fast?) Kyle Williams and junior Frank Darby will be asked to show more than a few flashes here and there as they did in 2018. Senior John Humphrey coming off a season-ending injury last spring is someone who could certainly push for not only serious playing time but maybe even contend for a starting position. Redshirt freshman Geordon Porter is perhaps the most intriguing player of the group and in the spring will be offered an opportunity to show his development.
The cavalry at the defensive line cannot arrive soon enough
The numbers at this position will be in sharp contrast to fall camp, when true freshmen Stephon Wright, Amiri Johnson, and Anthonie Cooper set foot on campus.
Until then, this position group will have to grin and bear.
I've lamented in previous years the lack of quality depth at the defensive line and with the recent departures of Darius Slade and Jalen Bates have only exasperated the low numbers here. Additionally, sophomore DJ Davidson will miss spring with an injury.
ASU’s starting three of Jermayne Lole, George Lea and Shannon Forman is a pretty well-established group. Yet, much like the line of scrimmage on the other side of the ball, their backups are largely unknown. Redshirt freshman Michael Matus, and sophomore Nami Tuitu'u, a talented walk-on last year that as it is was poised to see more playing time, if not be awarded a scholarship, are guaranteed to get many more snaps that anyone initially anticipated.
First-year defensive line coach Jamar Cain will certainly have a challenging spring with the low number of bodies available at his disposal, trying to keep a fresh rotation and all this while going through the natural acclimation process a new staff member and his players have to go through. Hardly an enviable position to be in.
Reserve linebackers with an opportunity to impress
When healthy the linebackers group is probably the last position, certainly on defense, that will have you worried about the depth chart and overall talent. Sophomores Merlin Robertson and Darien Butler who anchor this group are already well-proven players and will have a profound impact on the defense.
Now, the sidelining injuries to sophomore Tyler Johnson and redshirt freshman Stanley Lambert will have players who had limited roles in 2018 possibly give coaches the proverbial “good headache” to try and sort out the depth chart. So which player will capitalize most on the chances given to them?
Senior Khaylan Kearse-Thomas due to his experience may naturally have the edge to differentiate himself from his peers. Sophomore Kyle Soelle is a player that just recently defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales said doesn't get enough credit for his play. Another outside linebacker looking to establish himself is redshirt freshman Reggie Hughes. Former Gilbert Perry linebacker Case Hatch was coming off his LDS mission is already creating some early buzz coming into spring. Will he be the backup to Butler at the MIKE position?
A year older, a year wiser?
The getting-to-know-you phase has to be behind this team now that Herm Edwards and his mainly new staff of assistant coaches have completed their first season in Tempe.
Last year's newcomers need to be today's leaders both in production as well as positive influencers on their teammates. Even with a guaranteed new starting quarterback the offense is not going to change much if at all from 2018. Thus, a largely veteran group will be asked elevate their performance from last year and negate the apprehension that comes with an inexperienced signal caller behind center.
On defense, the 3-3-5 scheme may still continue to be exotic to ASU’s opponents but this season has to be fully ingrained and then some for the bevy of returning players on this side of the ball. The advancement of this group as a whole over the last year has been quite dramatic. Yet, ASU now has to take that next level step to become the dominant group that its defensive coordinator envisions them being.
The 2019 spring practice as a whole should be less about laying a foundation and more about turning all those close losses endued last season into victories and taking advantage of what should be another mediocre at best talent level in the Pac-12 South.
The month of February will provide a very early, but also a realistic glimpse as to what the Sun Devils’ prospects could look like in the fall.
Will everyone ultimately like what they see?