Pac-12 Spotlight: Three spring storylines to follow
Spring football is in full swing in the Pac-12. Here are three interesting storylines from around the conference:
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NEW SHERIFF AT ARIZONA STATE
The hiring of Herm Edwards in December was met with all kinds of reactions from interested to curious to laughable, but now the former NFL coach is on the field for spring practice and bringing his own style of coaching to Tempe.
Edwards, who went 56-78 during stints with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs, has developed a quick reputation as a no-nonsense disciplinarian.
That came across loud and clear during spring practice when Edwards said he could cut players that were not performing, although they would be allowed to keep their financial aid. In a report on ESPN, Edwards said “everyone does this.” Whether that’s true or not, the new Arizona State coach is certainly not messing around.
According to one source, former coach Todd Graham had a reputation as a disciplinarian, but Edwards has amped it up even more. Players are off the sidelines, getting more serious and Edwards’ approach seems to be working so far.
As for recruiting, the Sun Devils have no 2019 commitments but a staff filled with outstanding recruiters should make Arizona State contenders for many top prospects in the region. Winning this season would help, too.
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KELLY BACK IN THE PAC
The blockbuster hire of the offseason came in late November when UCLA landed Chip Kelly, who was also mainly being pursued by Florida, and he certainly made an immediate impact in recruiting.
More than anything, Kelly reworked UCLA’s class to his liking. To put it bluntly, there were a bunch of decommitments, more offers were delivered to players Kelly liked on film and the Bruins’ final product looked a lot different by Signing Day than it did through November.
As for Kelly’s first spring practice in Westwood, he’s implementing his fast-paced offense and the 3-4 defensive scheme should open up a lot more opportunities for potential star Jaelan Phillips, a former dominant five-star defensive end, along with Keisean Lucier-South, who’s had an underwhelming college career so far, and freshman defensive lineman Odua Isibor, another athletic player with tons of potential.
According to a source, UCLA’s players love the hyper-focused approach Kelly has brought to the program, but results will speak loudest.
The Bruins have no 2019 pledges at this point but that’s not a complete surprise. Kelly is just starting to meet with a lot of top-end local recruits and offers are not flying off the shelves. Instead, he and his staff are taking a more methodical approach to this recruiting class. Some like the new way of things, others wonder why Kelly hasn’t been more aggressive so far.
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QB QUESTIONS AT USC
Sam Darnold is leaving and could be the top pick in the NFL Draft later this month. That means the Trojans are looking for a new quarterback and they might not find one during spring practice - unless they look to the sidelines.
Jack Sears and Matt Fink are the only two quarterbacks at USC and according to sources, their performances during spring ball have been uneven. Sears has probably been better and has more talent, so he would be the front-runner at this point but former five-star JT Daniels has been to numerous spring practices and is already deep into the playbook.
The thinking from people who cover the team daily is that if Daniels comes into fall camp and shows a good grasp of the offense, he will have every opportunity to earn the starting job. With elite receivers around him and Daniels’ own ability, it’s hard to believe he won’t be named the starter if not for the season-opener soon after. Guys with that much talent don’t stay on the sidelines too long even if they couldn’t participate in spring practice.
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