ASU Football: Sun Devil spring game notebook — a much different atmosphere

The Arizona State Sun Devils practiced for the 15th and final time Friday with their spring game on Friday at the Sun Devil Soccer Stadium. The Devils were in pads and helmets Thursday morning.

Last practice: Thursday, April 12

Next practice: Sometime in the fall

Music: Ride Wit Me (Nelly), God’s Plan (Drake), Rock With You (Michael Jackson)

Injury Update

It was hard to tell everyone that wasn’t participating because everyone was scattered but Chase Lucas did not participate and Eno Benjamin was at practice with a cane — we are unsure of what injury he sustained.

Dillion Sterling-Cole looks good

Yes, I am starting off the spring game report with a DSC update, but the junior quarterback got a vast majority of the reps Friday night. He was the easiest to judge because he had the most throws.

Sterling-Cole has had his fair share of accuracy issues in the past, but you can defiantly tell he’s come along way. Wide receiver Ryan Jenkins said that consistency has been the quarterback’s biggest issue: “His natural arm talent is probably some of the best in the Pac-12. Dillion’s thing is just being mentally in-tune — when he’s on, he’s dang good.”

He also recorded his spring highlight with a deep touchdown to Frank Darby.

And the one interception — a Lauren Mondy pick-six — he did throw was off of a tipped pass.

He switched off with Blake Barnett as the second-team quarterback, staying in as the receivers rotated around, too.

Much different atmosphere

2,000 people looks much better in a stadium that seats 2,000 than a stadium that holds over 50,000, it’s no secret, but the fans were into each drill and rep — and the players definitely fed off of it.

“I like the energy out here. I think we’ve created something good,” ASU corner Chase Lucas, who didn’t participate Friday due to an injury, said. “I asked (Herm), like, ‘coach, i’m not playing, how I should act’ and he’s like, ‘just be you.’”

The practice was far shorter than last year, lasting only about an hour and a half and the changes were evident. Lucas even said the energy was much different than last season and you could tell by the sidelines as a plethora of recruits walked around, all with their name tag over their neck.

The first song that played was Ride Wit Me by Nelly, Edwards favorite song and something he picked out, according to Lucas. The coaches were dancing, the players were dancing and, despite horrible weather with blasting winds, the fans looked like they were having a good time.

Before the game, too, players, and Edwards, signed autographs for the fans — something that did happen last year, but at the beginning.

Different drills

The spring game allows for fun activities. That’s why Edwards allowed some students to call play from a designed sheet, and we had a great view at some interesting and competitive drills.

First, the defense did this relay thing where two sides raced each other and players finished it off by doing a flip, or just jumping, a large stack of pads.

Then the competed in the Oklahoma drill that saw an unreal juke from Trelon Smith, a plow from Goose Cosgrove and some controversy to top it all off.

Other highlights

Mann Wilkins threw a screen pass that Malik Lawal picked off on the second play of the game, but Wilkins started off the next possession with this dart to N’Keal Harry.

He also threw this touchdown to Kyle Williams.

First-team offense

QB: Manny Wilkins

RB: Trelon Smith

WR: N’Keal Harry, Kyle Williams, Terrell Chatman

TE: Ceejhay French-Love/Tommy Hudson

OL: Tyson Rising (LT), Alex Losoya (LG), Cohl Cabral (C), Steven Miller (RG), Quinn Bailey (RT)

Second-team offense

QB: Blake Barnett/Dillion Sterling-Cole

RB: Mark “Goose” Cosgrove

WR: Frank Darby, Trevor Russell, Ryan Jenkins

TE: Jared Bubak/Mark Walton

OL: Zach Robertson (LT), Jesse Cozens (LG), Corey Stephens (C), Michael Tate (RG), Kyle Breed (RT)

First-team defense

DL: Jalen Bates, Renell Wren, Darius Slade

LB: Jay Jay Wilson, Khaylan Thomas, Malik Lawal

Tillman: Evan Fields

CB: Terin Adams, Kobe Williams

Safety: Langston Frederick, Jalen Harvey

Second-team defense

DL: Dougladson Subtyl, Jordan Hoyt, Jamie Diaz

LB: Anthony Nicastro, Nick Ralston, Kyle Soelle

Tillman: Tyler Whiley

CB: Kordell Caldwell, Darien Cornay

Safety: Dominique Harrison, Caleb McShanag

*Linebackers Khaylan Thomas and Nick Ralston along with offensive linemen Tyson Rising and Zach Robertson did switch off with first- and second-team reps but we designated which ones started off the periods