While the quarterback battle has had a stranglehold on the media's attention at ASU football camp this fall, one of the more recent positional developments has been a defensive contest.
Redshirt junior linebacker Marcus Ball, the incumbent at the Spur linebacker position, has seen competition from redshirt sophomore Tyler Whiley. The two have alternated reps with the first team defense.
“It’s one of those things,” defensive coordinator Keith Patterson said. “We’re a sub-package defense anyway. Depending on personnel, depending on who we’re seeing, we’ve got a lot of guys who can play linebacker.”
Patterson was noncommittal regarding Wednesday’s biggest surprise – freshman wide receiver Kyle Williams working at defensive back.
“We were getting a little bit thin back there,” Patterson said. “I see guys playing with an edge, and I was just trying to go out there and get bodies some practice.”
Asked whether or not the move could be long term, Patterson responded: “Maybe, we’ll see how these guys progress.”
ASU has experimented with two-way players in the past: junior running back Kalen Ballage worked at Devilbacker in 2015 camp, and redshirt senior De’Chavon Hayes transitioned from running back to field corner over the course of last season.
De'Marieya Nelson was the last notable utility player for the Sun Devils, working as a tight end, H-back, and special teams ace. However, it’s unlikely that someone will emerge this season who takes on a similar workload.
For what it’s worth, Williams and the entire 2016 freshman class has been widely acclaimed by redshirt sophomore quarterback Manny Wilkins and other veteran players.
“(Patterson) wanted to try me out on third down stuff,” Williams said. “It’s definitely cool to see the other aspect of the game and learn different positions.”
Meanwhile, players who know they’ll have significant responsibilities on offense this season are junior running backs Ballage and Demario Richard.
Despite being critical components of the offense last year as well, the two weren’t on the same page much during a difficult 2015 season.
“Me and Kalen, we butted heads a lot last year,” Richard said. “Coach (Chip) Lindsey basically said, ‘I’m going to need you two to drop whatever it is that you have going on, whatever ego issues you have.’”
Ballage and Richard settled their differences and came into 2016 as one of the most formidable running back tandems in the country.
Richard was asked about the abrupt resignation of Bo Graham last August and its effect on the program, and he opened up about the turnover on the coaching staff from last season.
The Palmdale, California native briefly went home due to a family emergency.
“I’m sitting at home and I got a Bleacher Report update,” Richard said. “I was like, I just talked to Coach Graham.”
He praised former assistant coach Chip Long, who followed former offensive coordinator Mike Norvell to Memphis, for guiding the running backs through the staff change.
He also acknowledged at ASU's Media Day that the concept of splitting carries with Ballage was not new. But the two missed a combined four games last season, with Ballage making his debut in Week 4 against USC and Richard sitting out a critical road matchup with Utah.
When the two were healthy at the same time, they rarely were on the field together — something that will not happen much in 2016.
“In the Pac-12, you gotta have more than one running back,” Richard said regarding his differences with Ballage. “We took it on like men and we’ve moved forward.”
Wednesday’s practice also offered a glimpse at what the Sun Devil offense might look like in ASU’s season opener versus NAU. The unit was led by Wilkins and featured a wide receiver trio of redshirt senior Tim White, redshirt junior Cameron Smith and freshman N’Keal Harry.
Ballage ran a jet sweep out of the slot, something that could be incorporated in Lindsey’s new offense.
Richard said he and Ballage meet daily to review the day’s practice and suggested that their chemistry has improved.
“We know that we can’t do what we’re doing without each other,” Richard said. “He has my back and I have his – if he’s tired and I need to finish a series, or if I’m tired and he needs to finish a series. Whatever works for us together, that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Reach the reporter at smodrich@asu.edu or follow @StefanJModrich on Twitter.
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