Devils have depth but no Harry
Star off to NFL; offense will need to shift gears
Three questions to be answered
1. Who will replace N’Keal Harry? The Sun Devils have some depth here so it likely won’t be a matter of one player asking to replace Harry’s production but more a matter of a collective effort that can do so.
2. There will be a new quarterback this season. How will that affect what we see out of the wide receiving corp? If it seems like Harry and Wilkins were joined at the hip last season, that’s because they were. There are returning receivers but with a new quarterback it may take some time for the unit to look as cohesive as it did last season, particularly if the starter is one of the true freshmen as opposed to Dillon SterlingCole, Wilkins’ back up in 2018.
3. Who else could emerge as a factor in the passing game? The Sun Devils are high on redshirt freshman Geordon Porter (6-2, 180), who has great speed and will have the ability to stretch the field. He had a good spring and should also emerge as an integral factor on special teams, particularly kickoff return.
About the newcomers
Porter is the most promising of the newcomers. He played in to two games last year but ended up redshirting due to the new rule that allows an athlete to play in up to four games and still keep a full year of eligibility. He is one of the fastest players on the squad so he could be used on special teams. “Geordon had a great spring we think he is going to be a guy that will help us stretch the field because of his speed and athleticism,” receivers coach Charlie Fisher said.
The 2019 signing class included a couple of receivers in Jordan Kerley (McNeil HS, Austin, Tex.) and Ricky Pearsall (Corona del Sol). Given the number of experienced receivers the Sun Devils already have in the mix, they may not get a lot of playing time right away.
About the coaches
Fisher is in his second year coaching the wide receivers, having taken that role over last year from Rob Likens who was promoted to offensive coordinator. He came to ASU from Western Illinois where he served as head coach for two years, leading it to an 8-4 record in 2017 and a 14-9 combined record.
Donnie Yantis is in his first official year coaching the ASU tight ends after spending the prior two years as the assistant athletic director for football recruiting. Before joining the Sun Devil staff, Yantis served as the head football coach at Arizona Christian where he developed the program in its first season as a NAIA college football team.