ASU football holds first practice of season Tuesday morning in Tempe

Arizona State on Tuesday opened coach Todd Graham’s sixth season with the Sun Devils’s first football practice.

ASU is coming off consecutive losing seasons but return standouts including senior running back Kalen Ballage, sophomore receiver N’Keal Harry, senior running back Demario Richard and junior defensive end JoJo Wicker.

At the same time, the Sun Devils have several questions, including a quarterback competition and an inexperienced secondary.

Observations

-As expected, junior quarterback Manny Wilkins lined up with the first team during ASU’s initial walk-through. Wilkins is battling sophomore Blake Barnett for ASU’s starting position. Barnett last season played at Alabama before transferring to ASU over the winter. Sophomore Brady White wore a green no-contact jersey. White suffered a season-ending foot injury last season. His recovery likely will take him out of this season’s competition, but Graham has not ruled him out for the season.

-ASU’s secondary obviously will be a concern all season, particularly the corner positions. Lining up with the first-team: Redshirt-freshman Chase Lucas and junior Joseph Bryant, a non-scholarship player who participates on the track team. The safeties were junior Dasmond Tautalatasi and senior Chad Adams.

-ASU recently added Paul Lucas to its roster, but according to a media-relations official, he did not participate in ASU’s first workout.  A junior running back, Lucas was an elite sprinter and 3-star football prospect at Phoenix Mountain Pointe. After initially committing to ASU, Lucas signed to play football at Oregon State. As a hybrid running back/wide receiver, Lucas had 22 carries for 171 yards in 2015 and 33 carries for 113 in 2016. He had a combined seven catches in those seasons. In January Lucas transferred to ASU to run track. If he continues his football career with the Sun Devils, he’ll have to sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules.

–New defensive coordinator Phil Bennett rode his bike to practice. New offensive coordinator Billy Napier ran over from the Carson Center. 

— Devil backer Jalen Bates also was among four players in a green non-contact jersey. WR Ryan Jenkins was running on the side. 

Depth chart

Here’s how ASU’s first-team defense looked. Keep in mind, it’s the first day.

DE JoJo Wicker*

DT George Lea

DT Tashon Smallwood*

Devil Koron Crump*

LB DJ Calhoun*

LB Christian Sam

Spur J’Marcus Rhodes

CB Joseph Bryant

DB Dasmond Tautalatasi

DB Chad Adams

CB Chase Lucas

*Returning starters

Notes: Senior safety Marcus Ball worked with the second team. I did not see senior corner Maurice Chandler, who last season started four games. (Doesn’t mean he wasn’t there; I just didn’t see him.)

Here’s how the first team offense lined up during an early tempo period:

QB Manny Wilkins*

RB Demario Richard*

WR N’Keal Harry*

WR Jalen Harvey

WR John Humphrey

LT Cohl Cabral

LG Sam Jones*

C A.J. McCollum*

RG Steve Miller

RT Quinn Bailey*

(Did not catch who was lined up on first team at tight end)

The second offensive line was: Tyson Rising, LT; Connor Humphreys, LG; Tyler McClure, C; Alex Losoya, RG; Mason Walter, RT. Walter was listed as backup LT at the end of spring practice. 

Check back and we will provide updates after Graham’s post-practice media session.

PICK SIX PODCAST: New facilities, same expectations?

Graham: Wilkins is QB starter…for now

With the start of practice just days away, Arizona State coach Todd Graham said his approach to the Sun Devils’ quarterback competition was simple.

“We have a returning starter,’’ Graham said. “He’s the starting quarterback until someone beats him out. Is there competition? Big-time competition.”

That suggests that entering Tuesday’s first practice, junior Manny Wilkins is the man to beat as the Sun Devils look to rebound from consecutive losing seasons. Alabama transfer Blake Barnett, however, is right behind him.

Wilkins last season started 10 games, but injuries slowed his development. He completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,329 yards and 12 touchdowns with nine interceptions. Wilkins also was a fearless runner, rushing for 246 yards and five touchdowns.

A five-star high school prospect, Barnett was last year’s Week 1 starter at Alabama. After losing the job, he left the program after four games, transferring to ASU in the winter. Since then, Barnett has established himself within the program, battling Wilkins in the spring and through the summer.

READ THE STORY: Graham says Wilkins will open season as No. 1 QB

ASU lands commitment from Las Vegas WR

Jalen Nailor, a speedy receiver from Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High, committed to Arizona State on Saturday. He is the ninth known commitment in coach Todd Graham’s 2018 recruiting class.

This week, NevadaPreps.com ranked Nailor (5-11, 170 pounds) as the No. 2 receiver/pass catcher in Southern Nevada. Scout.com lists him as the No. 26 receiver in the West.

READ THE STORY: Las Vegas WR commits to ASU football

CLOSE

ASU football ended summer workouts on Wednesday, July 19 with its tradition of breaking a rock.

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