(Photo: Tyler Rittenhouse/WCSN)
The Sun Devil football team held their final Spring practice of the year Friday night in front of a full house at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium.
The wind was rampant throughout the night, most evident in the number of botched snaps in both drills and scrimmages.
“It’s just about adapting,” starting quarterback Manny Wilkins said of the conditions. “It’s nice though, it’s good to practice in this.”
The team started with drills after a pre-practice autograph session for the fans.
The first one that was popular was a defensive pass-rushing drill that more or less simulated rushing the passer, forcing a strip sack and returning it for a touchdown. The return was just to gain enough speed to finish the drill with a dramatic leap over an obstacle onto a mat, garnering reactions from the fans.
The other highlight of the drill portion was 3-on-3 running drills. The whole team gathered around the end zone forming a running lane, where the ball was handed off to a running back and he had to make it through without being tackled. The three pairs of blocker and defender were set up in a straight line to the back, forcing the ball carrier to run based on how the running lane developed.
This portion got players and coaches alike riled up, with guys chirping back and fourth adding some vigor to the practice.
Scrimmaging got underway after special teams drills. Here’s some notes from the last session of ASU Spring football:
- The defense made some great plays, highlighted by Malik Lawal’s early interception and Loren Mondy’s pick-six off a tipped pass on the scrimmage’s penultimate drive. The secondary broke up its fair share of passes and D-lineman Jordan Hoyt blew up a run play to cap off the unit’s shut down of the second-team offense on their first drive.
- The offense had plenty of impressive plays as well, the highlight being Dillon Sterling-Cole’s floater to Frank Darby for a touchdown on the scrimmage’s fourth drive.
- Trelon Smith took first-team running back reps with Eno Benjamin sidelined due to injury. The full list of injured players is below as the final note
- Wilkins spread the ball around after the leadoff interception, hitting five different receivers throughout the night (Ryan Jenkins, Trelon Smith, Ceejhay French-Love, N’Keal Harry and Kyle Williams)
- Sterling-Cole and Barnett split second-team reps, and Sterling-Cole made more plays on the night than Barnett
- Freshman quarterback Kevin Brown got in for a drive, showing off his mobility but also displaying that his passing is a work in progress
- WR Tyler Russell got some action on the second-team, lining up to return a punt after a failed drive then catching a touchdown to conclude the scrimmage
- Brandon Ruiz hit a 47-yard field goal, an impressive feat considering the vicious wind
- “I think (tight end) Tommy (Hudson) really stepped up this Spring…he’s just been taking more of a leadership role and I think he’s been doing a really good job of playing to our offense’s capabilities,” Wilkins said of his tight end after practice.
- INJURED- DID NOT PRACTICE: John Humphrey, Chase Lucas, Eno Benjamin, Ryan Kelley, Michael Gombert, Ty Thomas, Demonte King
- INJURED DURING PRACTICE: Tommy Hudson appeared to roll his ankle while blocking in the 3-on-3 running back drill. He appeared to walk it off and was able to scrimmage in some capacity.
“Have fun. This is a fun game,” coach Herm Edwards said after practice. “Football’s about mistakes, and I’ve always told players ‘the good players, they’ve got selective memory they let it go- gotta play the next one.’ And I think they’re learning that now, they’re learning hey don’t worry about it just keep playing.”
ASU will begin official practice ahead of the 2018 season on August 3, with Camp Tontozona, or “Camp Kush” as Edwards calls it, set for August 6-11. The Sun Devils open the season September 1 against UTSA.
