With a roster that boasts 50 returning lettermen, the ASU football team hopes to build on what's already a strong core during spring workouts.
On offense, ASU returns nine starters, including three All-America candidates in senior wide receiver Derek Hagan, senior offensive lineman Grayling Love and sophomore tight end Zach Miller.
Miller and a few starters are sidelined for spring workouts with injuries, allowing ASU coach Dirk Koetter to get a better look at other players.
"We have so many players hurt and not practicing that it's a good opportunity for some of those other guys to step up and get coached," said Koetter, who enters his fifth season at the helm.
Also returning to practice is junior tailback Loren Wade, who was suspended for nine games last season after receiving improper benefits from an athletic department employee.
"It was nice to have Loren back," Koetter said. "We still don't know what the final outcome of that situation will be, but Loren will be a great addition to our team, and it will be great to get him back out there."
Spring workouts provide the foundation for players who plan to switch positions before next season.
Sophomore Tyrice Thomp-son will move from H-back to defensive end and redshirt freshman Jeremy Payton will move from wide receiver to defensive back or safety, Koetter said. Sophomore Antone Saulsberry, a converted linebacker, will stay at tailback and sophomore Rudy Burgess will split time between tailback and wide receiver.
The biggest move already has occurred. Junior quarterback Sam Keller will replace Andrew Walter, considered one of the greatest signal-callers in school history.
Keller comes into spring workouts a step ahead of the game, having led ASU to a come-from-behind victory over Purdue in the Vitalis Sun Bowl after Walter separated his shoulder in the season finale.
Keller earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Sun Bowl. Perhaps more important, he showed he's a capable leader.
"Sam is definitely confident in what he's doing," Koetter said. "He earned the respect of the rest of the team. The practice before and the way he played in the game are the things that really helped Sam."
Reach the reporter at matt.reinick@asu.edu.
