ASU Football: All eyes on Taylor Kelly in practice

(Photo: ASU Athletics)

Tuesday marked the first day of practice for the Arizona State football team in its week of preparation for a fourth conference game. Though not much differed in terms of the attire, participation and explosiveness of Taylor Kelly, his every movement, let alone his status for the Sun Devils impending matchup with the Stanford Cardinal, will be the focal point for the next three days.

As was the case on Thursday, Kelly sported a green no-contact jersey, wore pads and switched off between tennis shoes and cleats once again. Junior quarterback Mike Bercovici later revealed to the media that Kelly’s cleats are ones that a lineman would typically wear to provide additional support.

The message from head coach Todd Graham and offensive coordinator Mike Norvell also remained the same. Kelly will continue to ramp up his practice activity; Mike Bercovici will continue to get reps; and both quarterbacks will act like it is their starting job until an official decision is made.

“We’re balancing it,” Norvell said. “Taylor got in and got some work today. We’re going to continue to track his progression. Mike’s getting a good amount of reps as well. Both guys are preparing to play this week and evaluate as the week goes on.”

“[Kelly] got reps today,” Graham said. “Mike [Bercovici] came over at the end today and said he did well. He threw the ball and moved around so we expect him to play. What that role will be—if I left it up to Taylor—he’s all ready to go. We’re going to also be careful. I think he will play. I think Mike will play too.”

“But it’s his senior year,” Graham quickly added in regards to Kelly, “And as soon as he can get back, obviously it’s his team.”

The logical question after each day of practice is whether or not there was substantial improvement on the part of Kelly to convince the coaching staff that he is healthy enough to suit up against Stanford.

Though Kelly did partake in more throwing drills on Tuesday, such as roll-outs and five-step (upped from three-step on Thursday) drop backs, he still appeared tentative when doing agility drills. Granted, the media is not given most ideal angle for this sort of analysis to be regarded as absolute truth. Still, there was a noticeable difference in movements when Kelly would switch between touching the ground, bending his right knee (and thus planting off his injured right foot) and when he did so bending his left knee.

Norvell, however, still views the practice as a net-positive for Kelly.

“He’s had a great deal of improvement,” Norvell said. “Just seeing him out today get moving, it was really his first real reps together as a unit. That was positive to see but we still have some stuff to get cleaned up.”

Relating it all back to Stanford

One would think that the starting quarterback dilemma would eventually cause a lapse in focus. Rather than preparing for an always-talented Stanford team, ASU perhaps gets too entrenched in concerning themselves with who is under center.

That has by no means been the case, nor does it look like it will become an issue down the road—especially when Mike Bercovici delivers post-practice comments such as the following:

“I’ve split time as long as I’ve been here, so that’s not really a big deal to me. It’s exciting and inspiring for our team to see Taylor in that green jersey go out there and do what he can right now. If I can get five snaps, it’s no different than if I get 50 snaps, I’m going to give it the same effort. I’m going to do everything I can to move the chains.”

Bercovici then quickly deflected the focus from himself to the bigger narrative.

“It’s an exciting matchup for us,” Bercovici said. “I think that we feel really comfortable with what we see on film and how our offense is flowing right now. Obviously, statistically, those guys are at the top of the charts for defense and it excites us to play a team like that.

“We know we have to go out there and prove ourselves. We’re going to have to earn everything. But that’s how we are at practice. Every day we come out here (and) grind, grind, grind. It’s going to show up Saturday.”

The First-Team Defense: Once again, the defense did not operate under a base formation. Rather, the Sun Devil defense was scheming for both a wildcat look and a set without a wide receiver. The scheme is a jumbo formation that features five defensive lineman, three linebackers and only one safety.

Defensive Line: Marcus Hardison (End), Jaxon Hood (Tiger), Mo Latu (Nose), Demetrius Cherry (Tackle), Edmond Boateng (End)

Linebackers: Salamo Fiso (SAM), Antonio Longino (WILL), Damarius Randall (flies in from safety position)

Cornerbacks: Kweishi Brown (Boundary), Lloyd Carrington (Field)

Safeties: Jordan Simone (Bandit)

Practice Notes

* Graham singled out a few of Stanford’s notable players, the first being quarterback Kevin Hogan: “He reminds me of a lot of the same mold that Taylor’s from. You can tell he would be a great guy to coach, great character, very smart—he commands the offense and has a great understanding of it. He’s like a coach on the field. I have a lot of respect for him.”

* Graham also referred to Stanford’s special teams play, and specifically Ty Montgomery, as the “best in the country.”

* In regards of how his team plans on stopping that, Graham said: “We have to do a great job of kicking the ball and hang time on both kickoffs and punts. And then go attack and play. He’s the best there is.”

* Graham eloquently summed up the matchup with these parting words:

“Our guys know that this week is character versus character, smart versus smart, discipline versus discipline, toughness versus toughness. These guys have our respect. They’re the two-time defending champion and they define those four things and it’s what we’re trying to do. There are a lot of different matchups, but it’s still the same systems against each other.”

Follow Jacob Garcia on Twitter @Jake_M_Garcia or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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