On the sixth Saturday of college football games, Arizona State at least was on the field if for nothing other than practice.

While Florida and LSU were being upset and the Red River Shootout extended to four overtimes, the Sun Devils were practicing for the second time in formal fall camp with a month still to go before their Nov. 7 season opener at USC.

But at least now there is a destination for ASU and the rest of the Pac-12 and Saturdays are not as empty even if they still are far from fulfilling.

“It’s exciting knowing we’re going to get to play and moving towards that,” first-year offensive coordinator Zak Hill said. “It was frustrating initially when you’re seeing other teams play and you’re not. I know the kids felt that too. 

“Now for us, we’ve got to stay focused on the day to day. What’s happening today, getting better today then we move forward from there. Once we get into game week, we’ll feel the energy until we get to game day.”

Quarterback Jayden Daniels admitted “being in camp in October is very different. But I’d rather be in camp right now getting ready to play in a couple of weeks than not playing this whole fall and postponing until next year and watching people on TV play. We’ve been off for so many months so really keeping that focus on the main goal we have.”

Spring jump start helped Daniels 

Hill, formerly at Boise State, said his biggest concern installing a new offense is “making sure what we’re putting in fits the games but also how we’re going to use our personnel. Not just running plays to run plays. 

“Now that we’re back out on the field, trying to see who are our playmakers, who do we need to get the ball to then utilizing those guys in the right way.”

ASU got in roughly half of its spring practice in late February and early March before everything shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. That is an advantage over schools that hadn’t even started spring workouts pre-COVID even with the addition of players who weren’t here last semester.

First-year wide receivers coach Prentice Gill said the spring practices were especially important for Daniels, the first ASU true freshman to start from the outset of his career.

“In this system, you need elite quarterback play,” Gill said. “That not just the play itself, that’s organizing and moving the pieces around. The seven practices helped Jayden get used to that and when (No.) 5 is used to it even if our guys do get a little lost out there, Jayden can get things done. It was huge. If we didn’t have it, it would be really hard to function right now.”

Daniels averaged 274.8 yards total offense over 12 games in 2019 when ASU finished 8-5. He threw for 2,943 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Now listed at 185 pounds, the 6-3 Daniels said going home to California during early quarantine helped him to put on some weight. “Then come back here and get bigger and strengthen in different areas. I’m still not where I want to be, but to be put on some more muscle mass I’m able to take some more hits and get back up.”

Daniels seems pleased with the working relationship he is building with Hill.

“He asks me what do I like, what do I want to run, and we just have different ways of getting to it. He’s going back to the film to see what best fits me. It’s very exciting knowing I’m able to go to somebody and talk to him about this is what I want to do or I like this but I don’t like this.”

Freshman wide receivers in spotlight

Johnny Wilson is one of three first-team wide receivers so far with LV Bunkley-Shelton on the second team. Both are highly regarded freshmen who will have a significant role in a position group that includes just one player, senior Frank Darby, with extensive experience.

Gill said Bunkley-Shelton has “surpassed where I hoped he would been” and Wilson is close to that level. “Both came in and took ownership of the fact they’re not freshmen. I always tell them that. LV is a little bit further ahead because of his shape, but Johnny is right behind him. They are exactly what we needed to push this group from a depth standpoint and playmaking of bringing something different. Those guys are dynamic in their own way.”

The 6-7 Wilson was committed to Oregon then switched to ASU in part because Gill was hired away from the Ducks, for whom he was an offensive analyst. Bunkley-Shelton has a connection with Gill going back to ninth grade when Gill was a grad assistant at USC.

Wilson said he prefers to play outside but given Darby’s deep threat ability could start out more as a slot receiver. Gill said Wilson creates mismatches in the slot and is “not just a big guy, the kid can move.”

“I felt like I’d have a great opportunity here to make an impression as a freshman,” Wilson said. “Coach Gill has been very helpful with this transition, trying to get the freshmen to learn the offense, forcing us to get reps and study the playbook so we can even get the opportunity to be out there.”

Wilson said Daniels has motivated him “to be a better teammate, better player, work on the things I need to work on. When dudes are counting on you, you don’t want to let your brothers down. Our relationship has gotten a lot stronger.”

Bunkley-Shelton believes he and Wilson can contend for Freshman All-America honors.

“I’m a workaholic,” Bunkley-Shelton said. “All I know is work. My parents work. It’s just in my head.

“Coach Hill does a lot of shifts and motions, he runs two plays in one. I’m a smart player, I like to do that, I like to see how the defense playing, I like to sit in holes and I’m just a route runner. I’ve been doing that ever since I can remember.” 

Notable

Safety Evan Fields had two interceptions during practice Saturday, the first off a tip by linebacker Merlin Robertson during 11-on-11 and another during a skeleton period. Both were thrown by Daniels, who joked that, “I thought I would throw them one to keep them interested,” per a report from ASU media relations. The media is not allowed to attend practice due to COVID restrictions. 

Coach Herm Edwards reminded Daniels, “In a real game, he would have done that to the other team and got you the ball back.”

— Rachaad White, DeaMonte Trayanum and Daniyel Ngata are rotating on the first team at running back. All are in their first year at ASU, White out of junior college and the other two freshmen.

— Stanley Lambert, a redshirt sophomore now playing defensive end, is making an impression on pass rush. He came to ASU as a linebacker and has played sparingly due to injury.

MORE: ASU football camp opening coincides with start of rapid results COVID testing

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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