Football season has officially returned, so let the countdown to kickoff begin.
Exactly one month from Wednesday, ASU football will put on their new Adidas uniforms against Texas A&M at NRG Stadium in Houston.
And, in typical Todd Graham fashion, the bar has never been higher.
"Our motto this year is a mountain," Graham said. "We're trying to get to the mountaintop. That's represented by 15-0. We have gone all the way up to 10 wins a year, and the distance between one and two wins and two and three is a great distance. When you go further up the mountain, it's harder and harder and harder.
"Eight to nine wins is very close together. Nine to 10 is even closer, right? Ten to 11 is even closer. It's really, really steep. We've really talked about how we're going to get there, that means everybody," coach Graham included. "What are you going to do to sacrifice? What are you going to do to learn and be better?"
Graham's message to his team on their first day was described in three words.
"Elite, dominant, playmakers," Graham said. "Elite is how we think. Dominant is how we play our fundamentals. Playmaker is how we finish every play. We talk about not doing your best, but being elite. Our goal is obviously the Sun Devil way, 100 percent."
Redshirt senior safety Jordan Simone, who enters fall camp as one of the team's captains, said there is still work to do to reach Graham's "mountaintop."
"We just need to focus one game at a time and really one day at a time," Simone said. "If you want to even get more simple than that, just one rep at a time. If we can go 1-0 every day in camp, and then 1-0 in the season and not look too far ahead and not 15-0, we'll get there."
Redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici, who is entering his first fall as the starting quarterback, embraces the pressure of playing a high-caliber opponent in the season opener.
"When you're a little kid you commit to this school as a 17-year-old and say, 'I want to play for Arizona State,' you're committing to this school to play opponents like that," Bercovici said. "A team from the SEC that you want to open up and come out of the gate and show why a pitchfork on your helmet means something. That's inspiring for us.
"You're working to really impress. We want to put our statement on this country game one, and that's what we feel like. We're excited to be a part of that opportunity."
Sophomore running back Kalen Ballage said that nothing has changed for Bercovici in his added role.
"He's always been (a leader)," Ballage said. "Even last year, not being the starting quarterback, Mike's always been Mike. He's a leader, a natural-born leader. That's just what he does. He'll yell at you if you're not doing what you're supposed to do, but if you do what you're supposed to do he'll congratulate you. He's a great dude, and I wouldn't rather have any other quarterback in the country."
Additional Notes:
- Wednesday morning's practice was limited to veterans and returning players. An additional session will be held Wednesday evening for newcomers.
- Wednesday's practice saw the debut of the new Adidas practice jerseys. As per usual, the offense (with the exception of quarterback) wore maroon and the defense wore white. Non-participants wore green jerseys, and quarterbacks debuted a new grey no-contact jersey.
- Three players wore camouflage PT42 jerseys: redshirt senior cornerback Lloyd Carrington, redshirt senior safety Jordan Simone and redshirt sophomore safety James Johnson. The jersey is meant to honor those who embodied the traits of former Sun Devil Pat Tillman on and off the field.
- The following players wore flame helmets (though there could have been others): redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici, redshirt junior tight end Kody Kohl, senior wide receiver D.J. Foster, redshirt senior guard Christian Westerman, redshirt junior offensive lineman Stephon McCray, redshirt senior center Nick Kelly, Carrington, Simone, Johnson, junior kicker Zane Gonzalez, sophomore running back/linebacker Kalen Ballage and sophomore running back Demario Richard. Flame helmets are awards to players that head coach Todd Graham thinks he can win a Pac-12 championship with.
- Two notables wore green non-participant jerseys: redshirt senior guard Vi Teofilo and junior wide receiver Cam Smith. Teofilo is recovering from offseason knee surgery and expected to be ready for the season opener on Sept. 5. Smith went under the knife as well, and will miss the entire 2015 season due to a knee injury.
- Unlike the preseason depth chart, the three first-team wide receivers were Foster, redshirt senior Gary Chambers and redshirt junior Fred Gammage. The listed first-teamers for Gammage's "X" slot had been redshirt sophomore Ellis Jefferson, redshirt senior Devin Lucien and freshman Terrell Chatman. Jefferson and Lucien worked with the second team, while Chatman sat out until the newcomer session.
- Ballage, who will play both running back and linebacker (along with special teams) this season according to coach Todd Graham, worked exclusively on the defensive end during the part of practice open to the media. He lined up at first-team "Devilbacker," with redshirt sophomore Chans Cox working with the second string. The preseason depth chart listed redshirt junior Edmond Boateng as the starter.
"Sometimes I think people get too wrapped up in the business side of football, 'I don't want to get hurt,' this and that, 'This could hurt my future for this,' but you've got to live in the now and just play," Ballage said of playing multiple positions.
Ballage played strictly on defense Wednesday, but will alternate days on offense and defense this fall.
- Offensive play of practice: backup quarterback Manny Wilkins had a nice moment during the early 11-on-11 session, rolling to his right and finding Jefferson in stride down the sideline for a big gain.
- Defensive play of practice: Carrington nearly got beat on a dig route near the left sideline, but recovered nicely to nearly make a diving interception off of Bercovici's pass.
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
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