Late bloomer might be pass rusher ASU needs

Arizona State defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez has only been on the job a couple of months, but he already knows his personnel well enough to draw some interesting analogies.

One of his pupils is freshman defensive end Amiri Johnson, who arrived in Tempe a year ago with just 210 or so pounds on a 6-foot-6 frame. Now 55 pounds heavier, the Southern California native is pushing for a major role, a year ahead of schedule.

ASU’s issues mounting a pass rush the last couple of years has been well documented. It’s a place the Sun Devil coaches think Johnson can have a significant impact with his lanky frame and wide wing span — physical characteristics that lend themselves toward excelling in that role.

But Johnson is still raw when it comes to the defensive side of the ball. His first two years at Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona, Calif., were spent on offense. He played right tackle for the freshman team than moved to tight end as a sophomore.

As a junior he finally moved over to defense on the varsity squad, but it was initially as a nose tackle. It wasn’t until his senior season that got significant playing time at end.

Now he finds himself lining up there for a team hoping to contend for a Pac-12 title in the fall. He was getting reps with the second team in ASU’s new defensive scheme in the seven spring practices held before drills were halted by the coronavirus outbreak.

The new coach says he is looking for less finesse and more power out of his player. The extra time in the weight room and bulk he has added should help in that respect.

“Someone, somewhere along the line tried to teach him to be a Ferrari but he’s a tank,” Rodriguez said. “Very physical. He’s like an Apache helicopter. He’s more power with a little bit of speed. But he’s a powerful, powerful man. They taught him to be a finesse player and that’s not him.”

Johnson admits he is still learning the position and raves when talking about his new position coach as well as co-defensive coordinators Antonio Pierce and Marvin Lewis. All three have NFL pedigree, with Pierce and Lewis boasting Super Bowl rings to show for their efforts.

Johnson saw some playing time in four games last season but was held out of the Sun Bowl game against Florida State to preserve his red-shirt season, so technically he’ll still be a freshman.

“I already feel like I have learned so much,” he said. “I was happy just to get in a few games because I didn’t expect that. I got to see the speed of the game and what it takes to play at this level so I think it helped. I also learned that it is mental too. You have to prepare just as much in the film room as you do on the playing field.”

Pierce says Johnson has progressed faster than expected. The coaching staff knew he had potential but was planning on him making a big contribution a year from now, especially knowing that building his frame was going to take some time.

“He’s a little man-child. He was Bambi last year. Now he’s like an elk and a moose,” Pierce laughed. “He was a kid we knew would come along eventually. We didn’t know how quickly the weight would come on. He has embraced being a big body guy. He’s embraced his power. When you’re 6-6, with that arm length, and now 260 he’s showcasing that on the field.”

Johnson says the formula for his body transformation has been a simple one — eat and workout. He admits having a penchant for hamburgers.

“It was really, just eat everything,” he said. “I trusted my coaches and trusted the weight program. I felt like I put in the effort in both places and now it’s paying off.”

The Sun Devils improved slightly from 29 sacks in 2018 to 30.5 last year. Rodriguez expects to surpass that with a front that will feature junior Jermayne Lole, now a veteran, as well as another veteran in senior Shannon Foreman. Another Southern Californian, Stephon Wright, is expected to play a major role after redshirting last year while recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in high school.

“When I talk to Amiri and I coach Amiri, he’s a sponge,” Rodriguez said. “Everything I help him with you can see him putting it to work. He’s open to criticism. He’s a smart kid. He has some bad habits but he’s getting better fast. I’m excited for him and to see how far we can take him.”