TEMPE – Fall camp ended Wednesday with a disappointing final practice for Arizona State as both sides of the football continued to work on their identities ahead of the season start on Aug. 31.
“We had a bad day. We had a very, very poor focus. From the staff, from myself, to the staff, to the players, that was our worst day of fall camp,” said head coach Kenny Dillingham.
Helmets were mandatory at practice on Wednesday, but Dillingham did not let that be an excuse for the disappointing day.
“The intensity wasn’t as high as our other helmet practices. We trained really well at our other two helmet practices,” said the head coach. “Today we kind of took the day off and that’s my fault, that’s the fault of our staff that allowed that to happen.”
The positive is that the Sun Devils have responded better to adversity and haven’t complained as much this fall, Dillingham said, and that was evident Tuesday when he admitted he was looking for a reason to yell at his team.
In one game, the defense got too close to quarterback Sam Leavitt for Dillingham’s liking, and the head coach was harsh on them.
The situation got even worse when almost immediately afterward, safety Shamari Simmons stayed in position on a wide hitch route and was able to jump for the interception while the head coach watched to see if a defender might “lose his cool” after being yelled at.
“That’s winning football,” Dillingham said. “Teams that can respond to those chaotic environments, and that’s what I tried to do today.”
“That’s what football is all about. The best teams in the country, guess what, just keep reacting to situations. They never let themselves get rattled. They just go out and do the same thing over and over again.”
Sun Devils find their identity on both sides during fall camp
Dillingham said Arizona State’s defense is characterized by alpha animals, but the pecking order could be a little clearer at times.
In certain situations, sometimes multiple leaders would call for different adjustments. While any of them could work and solve the problem for the defense, Dillingham said it could be clarified which players make the final decision.
Defensive tackle Jacob Kongaika was one of the linemen who spoke up during practice on Wednesday as position coach Diron Reynolds helped his group understand why certain stunts need to be done at a different time than others.
Wide receiver Melquan Stovall said about the line of scrimmage Arizona Sports, the “Explosive” is the best word to describe the identity of the crime.
Hear from ASU WR Melquan Stovall (@Melquan_1) about the conclusion of fall camp, the new offense under OC Marcus Arroyo and how he is building chemistry with QB Sam Leavitt. pic.twitter.com/jqs6i5brX9
— State of the Sun Devils (@AZSportsDevils) 21 August 2024
It’s fitting that as Arizona State enters the Big 12, a conference known for its explosive offense, Dillingham gets a young, moldable quarterback with potential to lead his team in redshirt freshman Leavitt.
Tuesday’s practice featured two explosive passing plays from Leavitt and the starters, including a 50-yard dive by Jordyn Tyson. Malik McClain later caught a touchdown that Leavitt beautifully fired from about 60 yards out. Both caught touchdowns again Wednesday.
“It’s really a good addition to have them both,” Leavitt said of McClain and tight end Chamon Metayer, who both joined the team after spring training. “I’ve played a lot of ball with them.”
“They’re really smart players and have a good feel for the game, so they picked it up really quickly. It’s been a great asset and we’ll be seeing a lot more of them this season.”
QB1 Sam Leavitt after practice on how to properly throw the deep ball.
He hit Jordyn Tyson and Malik McClain with long throws and made 2 of 2 on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/RNMiAoUZn0
— State of the Sun Devils (@AZSportsDevils) 21 August 2024
Expected 2-Deep for ASU vs. Wyoming
- QB: Sam Leavitt – Jeff Sims
- RB: Cam Skattebo – Kyson Brown
- WR: Jordyn Tyson, Malik McClain and Melquan Stovall – Xavier Guillory, Jake Smith and Troy Omeire
- TE: Chamon Metayer – Markeston Douglas
- OL: Josh Atkins, Ben Coleman, Leif Fautanu, Cade Briggs and Max Iheanachor – Bram Walden, Sean Na’a and Emmit Bohle
The running back position will likely be the most exciting this fall, although Skattebo may have the safest spot on the team’s first team.
Despite being the Sun Devils’ student-athlete face, he won’t carry the same workload he did a year ago with nearly 200 touches. Ideally, his snaps at quarterback will be a quirk rather than a regularity like they will be in 2023.
Behind him are the talented running backs Kyson Brown, Raleek Brown and Jason Brown, and DeCarlos Brooks is also in the team.
- DL: Clayton Smith, CJ Fite, Jacob Kongaika and Prince Dorbah – Jeff Clark, Elijah O’Neal and J’Mond Tapp
- LB: Keyshaun Elliott and Jordan Crook – Zyrus Fiaseu and Caleb McCullough
- DB: Keith Abney II, Shamari Simmons, Xavion Alford, Kamari Wilson and Javan Robinson – Rodney Bimage Jr., Cole Martin and Montana Warren
The defensive back position might be the furthest back on the team, so defensive coordinator Brian Ward will likely rotate players liberally.
Some young rookies like Plas Johnson and Tony-Louis Nkuba could also fight for reps.
