ASU Football: Previewing the 2022 Sun Devil defense

(Photo via Ethan Schwager/WCSN)

It has been 242 days since the end of the rocky 2021 season for Arizona State Football. Since the season finale, it hasn’t gotten any smoother, with inner turmoil leading to the departure of dozens of players and coaches. The agonizing news of a new player entering the transfer portal broke another piece of the program’s morale that was on the brink of shambles.

Now, in less than three days, the Sun Devils have the opportunity to prove that they’ve not only glued all the pieces back together but have made them stronger than ever.

Despite the coaching turnover, newly promoted defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson has only one goal of mine, keeping continuity. The former NFL coach didn’t want to implement new schemes to confuse returners or newcomers. Henderson believes the team can be “really good,” as mentioned to the media during fall camp, and it’s not hard to see why.

ASU has had a history of consistent and strong defense, and 2022 offers no change, with the three major position groups overflowing with talent up and down the roster. Each of these can be summarized in one word, as the preview of this unit showcases the advantages it has to offer heading into the year.

Secondary: Versatility

During fall camp, the ambition of secondary coach Aaron Fletcher for his groups is the luxury of having players capable of playing multiple positions. Playing outside, inside, and back in the safety role all blends together to understand every aspect of the field. The position’s versatility and depth open the possibility of heavy reliance on nickel coverage.

The departure of two cornerstones from the defensive backs room last year, Jack Jones and Chase Lucas, hasn’t changed the expectations, especially with returning guys chomping at the bit for the opportunity to shine. Two of them are the Markham twins, senior defensive back Kejuan Markham and redshirt junior Keon Markham.

The duo both recorded an interception in 2021, but Kejuan was one of the more feature defensive backs adding on 27 tackles and two pass breakups. While impressive, he doesn’t lead returning players in tackles. That award goes to redshirt fifth-year defensive back Timarcus Davis with 31. The pair will surely be a signature part of the Sun Devils’ defensive scheme this year.

ASU’s pool of returning players only got richer with redshirt sophomore Macen Williams and redshirt junior defensive back Jordan Clark putting back on the maroon and gold. Williams and Clark have spoken candidly about how much they value the more significant responsibility heading into this year. Williams has mentioned how the competitiveness within the group has elevated the group’s play heading into the season.

The competitiveness forged in the defensive backs room has enhanced further with the transfer of two safeties poised to be impactful – graduate student defensive back Khoury Bethley and junior defensive back Chris Edmonds. Arriving from Hawaii, Bethley brings a prolific amount of experience to Tempe with 293 tackles and over 1,000 snaps at the safety position.

Edmonds offers the same as Bethley, bringing in an extensive stat sheet from Samford, 40 tackles, and three interceptions. The two transfers and the returning players offer a lot of experience from the secondary position. ASU prioritizing versatility first could make opposing quarterbacks’ life dreadful.

Defensive-Line: Depth

Despite the season-ending knee injury of redshirt senior defensive end Michael Matus, it hasn’t wavered the morale from the trenches. Dating back to spring camp, the coaching staff and players’ consensus is that the defensive line is ASU’s biggest strength because of the sheer depth the position has to offer.

That belief hasn’t changed even after the injury to Matus, and the most significant contributor to that growth from the position is defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez. From players’ reports and first-hand experience at practice, Rodriguez knows how to get the best from his player. The mutual respect from player to coach has allowed the talent to shine in fall camp.

Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott has been one of the most prominent examples of that and, despite dipping his toe in the transfer pool, looks primed to have a breakout year. Norman-Lott is one of the many players to show a different level of maturity in fall camp, which should be traced back to Rodriguez’s coaching but should point to the group’s accountability.

Norman-Lott and sophomore defensive lineman B.J. Green II have grown the most regarding their techniques and leadership attributes. Green shined in the Las Vegas Bowl Game last year against Wisconsin, recording two sacks to take his 2021 season total to five. The returning duo looks to unlock that next step in their development in 2022.

The talent doesn’t end there, as going down the depth chart show names jumping off the page with their different playstyles. Graduate student defensive lineman Travez Moore and redshirt sophomore Joe Moore bring a more speedy and athletic approach to finesse past offensive linemen. While players like redshirt senior TJ Pesefea Jr. and Miami transfer Nesta Jade Silvera use their strength to overwhelm their opponents.

That only scratches the surface, with many other players in the rotation. The biggest X-factor from the remaining group is freshman Robby Harrison. While inexperienced, Rodriguez and all the players have been made well aware of his strength, and if he figures out his technical issues, he can become a monstrous head of the defensive line.

Last year, the Sun Devils in the Pac-12 were second in sacks (27) and third in rushing yards allowed per game (131.5), a clear indicator of interior success. With the improvements from the returning group and new talents, it’s shaping up for them to surpass those numbers and be essential for ASU’s success this year.

Linebackers: Top-Heavy

The linebacker room is the smallest on the depth of the three levels of the defense for the Sun Devils, and it’s no secret. Head coach Herm Edwards has mentioned it, and on paper, it doesn’t appear to share the flexibility from other defensive positions. However, Edwards has clarified that the top of the depth chart is rich with stellar options to help counteract that burden.

Two names pop out immediately, the first being redshirt fifth-year linebacker Kyle Soelle. The Scottsdale native has spent six years home at ASU and has made his stay a welcomed one. His 2021 season was his best one yet, recording 88 tackles and eight of those being tackles for loss. Soelle offers maturity for a group that is looking to fill a hole the size of former Sun Devil Darien Butler, the challenge is difficult, but he won’t be alone.

The second name to help out Soelle is fifth-year linebacker Merlin Robertson, who has made a lot of noise with the media and in the weight room this offseason. Robertson earned his name on the Dick Butkus award watch list for the nation’s top linebackers. Exterior noise has always been something ASU has tried to ignore in the past, and this is no different as Robertson doesn’t want to hang his hat on preseason awards focused more on the regular season.

While disregarding exterior noise, the opinions coming from inside the Sun Devils’ facility have raved about Robertson’s development. Sports performance coach Joe Connolly mentioned that the player he’s most excited to see this upcoming season was Robertson because of the work he did to his body in the weight room. While the fifth-year linebacker credits avoiding eating his kid’s snacks as how he transformed his body.

With how Henderson and the rest of the ASU coaching staff plan on running the defense, Soelle and Robertson will get the majority of the snaps at linebacker but still have other viable options outside of the two. The second of the Soelle clan to be on the Sun Devils’ roster, if you exclude any “honorary Soelle brothers,” is redshirt senior linebacker Connor Soelle.

The younger of the two brothers has showcased his impressive speed in fall camp, as teammates have pointed out that Connor has been the fastest in the group. Speed is a trait that last year’s team carried, and even with the departure from pieces like Butler, it still looks to be an advantage for ASU’s linebacker core.

Where depth lacks, leadership more than well supersedes that, as fall camp has shown Soelle and Robertson stepping up as captains to elevate the young talented linebackers on the roster.

ASU’s defense should be a strong point for the program in 2022. The talent is apparent from the core, but the leadership from top to bottom of the defense has been the real, impactful factor in fall camp and offers some heavy artillery for opposing offenses. Henderson claims to keep continuity, and if more of the same comes for the Sun Devils, the expectations could be high.