Possible changes coming on ‘D’
Sun Devils weigh options as Washington looms
Entering Saturday’s home contest against No. 4 Washington, Arizona State is considering defensive changes, trying to fast-track players to not only find the right personnel, but also improve depth.
Some of this is the hangover effect from Koron Crump’s season-ending knee injury suffered in Week 3. Since losing their best pass rusher, the Sun Devils have tried to find ways to compensate, but it's not easy replacing an all-conference caliber player. And ASU doesn't exactly have a lot of options.
The Sun Devils first tried former walk-on Abraham Thompson at Crump’s rush linebacker position. They later moved junior Jay Jay Wilson from offense – rotating him with Thompson – but the search for a better solution continues.
“We’ve been in a semi-quandary since we lost Koron,” defensive coordinator Phil Bennett admitted Wednesday.
For now, it appears ASU plans to shift end Alani Latu to the rush position, a move that makes sense. Latu last year started six games at ASU's "Devil" position. He entered this year prepared to play there as well, but ASU’s decision to move junior JoJo Wicker inside pushed Latu to end, where he posted 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in five games.
Wicker likely will move from the three-tech position back to end, where he played last season, earning secondteam All-Pac-12 honors. Senior Tashon Smallwood will remain at one of the inside positions. The only question is who will play the other.
Junior Renell Wren and sophomore George Lea both have worked with the first team during this week's mediaviewing periods. Wren is an intriguing option.
At 6-5 and 295 pounds, he is built more like a power forward than a defensive lineman.
After showing flashes last season, Wren this year was expected to play a bigger role, but so far that has not materialized.
Asked about him this week, both Bennett and coach Todd Graham acknowledged that Wren may play more moving forward, but neither offered many details.
“Renell, he’s played about 15-16 plays a game,” Bennett said. “I think he’s a little excited about getting more in the rotation, which he should be.”
Other changes could come in the secondary, the result of losing junior corner Joey Bryant to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.
Although he worked with the offense Wednesday, sophomore receiver John Humphrey could back up sophomore field corner Kobe Williams and even play in certain packages against the Huskies.
ASU also is trying to work in freshman safety Evan Fields, who has practiced better in recent weeks after opening the season with a minor injury.
“We’re going to try and play some more guys,” said Bennett, who leaned on the same 11 for the season’s first few contests.
“We look at it, we evaluate,” the defensive coordinator continued. “Just like with Kobe. Kobe’s done some great things, but instead of 100 percent of the time, we’d like to play him 75. How much better can he be if he can come off and watch something and then come back on the field?”
Forcing turnovers
Through five games, ASU has forced only five turnovers, which ties UCLA for fewest in the Pac-12. To make a second-half push, Graham knows that has to change.
“We're not getting takeaways,” Graham said. “We're not getting a lot of interceptions. Well, why is that? How do you get more interceptions? Well, you got to see the ball to get the ball.”
During Graham's first three years, ASU ranked among the nation's best at forcing turnovers.
From 2012 to 2014, the Sun Devils ranked 17th, fifth and 24th nationally. In 2015, they slipped to 59th. Last season they were 88th.
“You want to do it without being costly, (giving up) big plays,” Bennett said. “Also in the secondary, it’s confidence. You get picks playing with confidence. I still think we’re pretty high in tackles for loss and those things, we just got to get more – Todd uses the term and I like it, own the ball. We got to get the ball.”