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    Final day at Camp Tontozona for ASU football team

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    Todd Graham after Camp T practice Thursday

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    ASU’s Todd Graham on Sun Devil leadership

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    ASU Football: wrapping up Day 3 at Camp T

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    Tuesday at Camp Tontozona: ‘Probably our best day’

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    Monday at Camp T: ASU coach Todd Graham

  • Video: Day 1 at Camp Tontozona for ASU

    Video: Day 1 at Camp Tontozona for ASU

  • Day 1 at Camp T: Greg Moore and Doug Haller

    Day 1 at Camp T: Greg Moore and Doug Haller

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    What ASU fans should know about Camp Tontozona

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    ASU football leaves for Camp Tontozona

  • ASU players share favorite Todd Graham moments

    ASU players share favorite Todd Graham moments

  • Todd Graham talks shorter halftimes and linebacker depth before camp

    Todd Graham talks shorter halftimes and linebacker depth before camp

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    Doug Haller at Pac-12 Media Days in Los Angeles

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    PAC-12 media days: Washington has bullseye on its back

  • ASU wide receivers John Humphrey and Ryan Newsome

    ASU wide receivers John Humphrey and Ryan Newsome

  • ASU Head Coach Todd Graham, OC Billy Napier and QBs talk after practice

    ASU Head Coach Todd Graham, OC Billy Napier and QBs talk after practice

  • Coach Todd Graham gives tour of new Student Athlete Facility

    Coach Todd Graham gives tour of new Student Athlete Facility

  • ASU football: Breaking of the rock

    ASU football: Breaking of the rock

  • Important dates for ASU football's 2017 preseason

    Important dates for ASU football’s 2017 preseason

  • Paying homage to ASU legend Frank Kush

    Paying homage to ASU legend Frank Kush

  • ASU football legend Frank Kush passes away at 88

    ASU football legend Frank Kush passes away at 88

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    ASU’s West Side Club at Sun Devil Stadium

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    Mixed emotions: Kush’s death; draft excitement

  • Breaking down Arizona State football's 2017 schedule

    Breaking down Arizona State football’s 2017 schedule

  • ASU football - 10 players to watch in 2017

    ASU football – 10 players to watch in 2017

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    ASU football: 5 areas of concern

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    Who will be the starting QB at ASU?

  • 5 observations from ASU spring football

    5 observations from ASU spring football

  • Early preseason top 10 college football teams for 2017

    Early preseason top 10 college football teams for 2017

  • Wide receivers shine in ASU football spring game

    Wide receivers shine in ASU football spring game

  • ASU shows off some offense in spring game

    ASU shows off some offense in spring game

  • Sights from ASU football's spring game

    Sights from ASU football’s spring game

  • 2017 ASU Spring Game & Fan Fest

    2017 ASU Spring Game & Fan Fest

  • Todd Graham: 'The big thing is to get better fundamentally'

    Todd Graham: ‘The big thing is to get better fundamentally’

  • ASU coach Graham on Richard, Hill and more

    ASU coach Graham on Richard, Hill and more

  • ASU defensive line coach Michael Slater gives instructions at practice

    ASU defensive line coach Michael Slater gives instructions at practice

  • Todd Graham speaks after ASU holds first spring scrimmage

    Todd Graham speaks after ASU holds first spring scrimmage

  • ASU football completes second week of spring practice

    ASU football completes second week of spring practice

  • Todd Graham on new consultants White, Christensen

    Todd Graham on new consultants White, Christensen

  • ASU QB Blake Barnett on starting spring

    ASU QB Blake Barnett on starting spring

  • Todd Graham on opening of ASU spring practice

    Todd Graham on opening of ASU spring practice

  • ASU football opens spring practice

    ASU football opens spring practice

  • Transfer QB Blake Barnett on coming to ASU to compete

    Transfer QB Blake Barnett on coming to ASU to compete

  • Billy Napier discusses first day of ASU practice

    Billy Napier discusses first day of ASU practice

  • Todd Graham talks staffing challenges, 2017 season

    Todd Graham talks staffing challenges, 2017 season

CAMP TONTOZONA – The longer Arizona State football scrimmaged Saturday, the easier it became to credit the defense for offensive problems that persisted through the entire first half.

The defense, under new coordinator Phil Bennett, forced six consecutive punts and limited the offense to two field goals – one a 49-yarder – prior to a mid-scrimmage break. Then there were two more punts after the break before the first-team offense finally reached the end zone when running back Kalen Ballage broke a tackle by linebacker DJ Calhoun to score on a 34-yard pass play.

“We didn’t want them to score,” linebacker Christian Sam said. “We have a long ways to go. This is a stepping stone going forward, but we need to get back to practice and make adjustments. It’s like the regular season, keep getting better to a level we know we can be. As a defense, we’re jelling together. Bennett and the whole staff have us on the right track.”

ASU’s three quarterbacks – Manny Wilkins, Blake Barnett and Sterling Dillon-Cole – were sacked a combined eight times. Six of those were against Barnett, primarily working with the No. 2 offense against the No. 1 defense.

Wilkins threw the touchdown pass to Ballage and late in the scrimmage during red zone work from the 25-yard line, Barnett rolled out off play action and hit Kyle Williams for a TD. Mostly, though, the quarterbacks were kept in check.

Khaylan Thomas intercepted Barnett, who appeared to misread the coverage, and the sophomore linebacker returned the pick for a touchdown. Safety Chad Adams had an interception of a Wilkins’ cross-field pass but dropped the ball, allowing John O’Brien to convert a 35-yard field goal.

All in all, the defense was much improved over the spring game April 15 when transfer wide receivers John Humphrey and Ryan Newsome combined for five touchdown receptions against a secondary still hung over from finishing last nationally in passing yards allowed in 2015 and 2016.

Bennett is overhauling the secondary with new personnel such as Chase Lucas, Kobe Williams, Langston Frederick, Darien Cornay, K.J. Jarrell, Alex Perry and Joey Bryant. But more than anything Saturday, constant pressure on the quarterbacks largely grounded the passing game (Wilkins threw for 114 yards and Barnett 81).

“It was fun,” Bennett said. “I told them, it’s a journey, but we’ve got a chance.”

Two days earlier, Bennett said, the defense had “sort of maxed out” from information overload. “It got foggy because they were tired. Todd (Graham) had a great idea. We spent about an hour and 20 minutes of what we call teach stuff, and it really got us back on focus. We pared it down. A lot of times when you’re doing installing, you wouldn’t necessarily run it. You just want to get it in and get a look at it. Today, we prioritized what we called.”

Sam, who missed all but the opening game last season due to injury, had eight tackles and a sack. Defensive tackle Tashon Smallwood had two sacks. Other veterans in the front seven such as Calhoun, Koron Crump and JoJo Wicker create optimism that ASU’s total defense will be appreciably better than its 2016 next-to-last national ranking.

“I think since my freshman year this was probably was best scrimmage we’ve had defensively,” Calhoun said. “Everybody running to the ball, everybody gang tackling, hitting. Just because a big play happens, nobody is going to let down. Everybody is saying we’re going to have the weakest defense. We’ve got to make a statement. Come the 31st, we’re for sure going to do that.”

ASU still has more than three weeks to navigate until its season opener against New Mexico State on Aug. 31.

ASU practice report: Devils wrap Camp T scrimmage

More: ASU practice report: QB Manny Wilkins working to get everything in sync

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