(Photo: Scotty Bara/WCSN)
This Sun Devil football team is facing change on one side of the ball, and a lot of familiarity on the other. The defensive side of the ball with nine returning starters, while senior quarterback Mike Bercovici’s offense has a lot of new faces in terms of the skill positions.
That imbalance of experience was clear in this year’s spring game, where the defense dominated the offensive in just about every aspect, which may create questions as the season nears closer.
Quarterbacks: C
The amount of balls that were underthrown or overthrown was surprising considering how well Bercovici has been throwing the ball all spring long. Other than Bercovici’s two 50-plus yard touchdown passes to senior wide receiver DJ Foster and redshirt sophomore receiver Ellis Jefferson, there wasn’t a whole lot in the passing game that impressed.
Standout Player: Redshirt freshman Manny Wilkins
Wilkins threw decently, but he made his plays on the ground-breaking multiple runs of 10 or more yards and showing his ability to make defenders miss.
Running backs: B+
The only group on the offensive end that seemed to consistently perform, the committee of running backs showed their ability to beat you on the outside and up the middle. Whether it was from redshirt junior De’Chavon Hayes up the sideline, sophomore Demario Richard who ran over a defender and made the biggest pad-popping clash of the night getting extra yards.
Standout Player: Sophomore Kalen Ballage
Ballage was splitting time on offense and defense, and was still able to carry defenders on multiple occasions.
Wide receivers: C+
Granted, there were a lot of balls off-target tonight, but regardless no receiver showed the real ability to come down with a jump ball or consistently get separation from their defender.
Standout Player: Redshirt junior Frederick Gammage
The passing game had one completion in the first three possessions, and it didn’t really get going until Gammage made plays in the screen game out wide during the no huddle sets.
Defensive line: A
They were absolutely dominant tonight, recording countless tackles for loss and getting to the quarterback on multiple occasions as well. The quarterbacks were forced to improvise all night long, and the defensive line was a big reason why there was such discombobulation in the passing game.
Standout Player: N/A
Impossible to choose. Applause to all of them.
Linebackers: A-
This group was also difficult to choose a standout player from because of how well they played in both the passing and running games. To succeed in Coach Todd Graham’s defense as a linebacker, you have to be fast. Every linebacker in tonight was all over the place, especially Ballage who got some reps at outside linebacker. What was most impressive from this group was their leadership and vocality, especially from sophomore Christian Sam.
Standout Player: Christian Sam
Each linebacker showed they are capable of competing, but to see Sam step up as a sophomore vocally like he did doesn’t go unnoticed.
Defensive backs: A-
The only reason they get an A- opposed to an A is because there were a few times where they got beat deep for touchdowns, and there could have been a few more if the receivers weren’t overthrown. Bercovici has been nearly perfect all spring, and the defensive backs group manage to pick him off twice. Once from senior Jordan Simone in the seven on sevens drill, and another in the scrimmage from sophomore DeAndre Scott which resulted in a touchdown.
Standout Player: Lloyd Carrington
Carrington for most of the night was faced with the difficult task of sticking with DJ Foster, and he did a phenomenal job. He broke up multiple passes and made each ball thrown his way as difficult as possible on the quarterback and the receiver.
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