CAMP TONTOZONA, Ariz. -- ASU football head coach Todd Graham opened the team's annual trip to Camp Tontozona by saying the Saturday scrimmage is his most anticipated event of the year.
The scrimmage lived up to the billing, as a Camp Tontozona-record 6,100 fans came out to watch the 2015 edition.
"I don't think I've ever seen that many people here before," Graham said.
He would later add he feels that there is no experience quite like Camp Tontozona in the country when it comes to college football.
The physical session did little to decide the position battles that surrounded the team throughout Camp Tontozona, instead emphasizing much of the team's depth along the linebacking corps.
"We've got a lot of people that can play, so we're going to be a lot deeper and I'm very pleased with where we're at on both sides of the ball," Graham said.
The defense forced four turnovers, while the running game carried the first- and second-team offenses to an unofficial total of 344 yards.
Sophomore Kalen Ballage was the team's second-leading rusher, carrying the ball 10 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns with the first-team offense.
"I think the whole deal on that is just having confidence," Graham said. "That's what our identity wants to be is to be a team that runs the ball downhill and knocks people off the football. We're at the point now from a development standpoint that we feel we can do that."
Graham's Saturday scrimmage was wrapped up with a speech from former coach Frank Kush, who began the annual tradition in 1960.
Following the speech, the players and coaches surprised Kush by lifting the former coach up on their shoulders and carrying him off the field.
Video by Fabian Ardaya | Sports Reporter
"I told coach (Frank) Kush that I was glad he brought his team out here in 1960," Graham said. "We thought it would be fitting to thank him, to thank all the fans and carry him off the field one more time."
Depth Chart:
First-team offense snaps
QB: Mike Bercovici
RB: Demario Richard/Kalen Ballage/De'Chavon "Gump" Hayes
WR: D.J. Foster/Devin Lucien/Tim White/Gary Chambers/
TE: Kody Kohl/Raymond Epps/Tommy Hudson
LT: Evan Goodman
LG: Christian Westerman
C: Nick Kelly
RG: Vi Teofilo/Stephon McCray
RT: Billy McGehee
First-team defense snaps
DL: Tashon Smallwood/Ami Latu/Demetrius Cherry/Edmond Boateng
"Devilbacker": JoJo Wicker/Ismael Murphy-Richardson
"Will" linebacker: DJ Calhoun/Antonio Longino
"Sam" linebacker: Salamo Fiso/Christian Sam
"Spur" linebacker: Marcus Ball/Laiu Moeakiola
Boundary corner: Lloyd Carrington
Field corner: Kweishi Brown/Solomon Means
Bandit safety: Jordan Simone
Field safety: Armand Perry
Second-team offense snaps
QB: Bryce Perkins/Manny Wilkins/Brady White
RB: Nick Ralston/Jacom Brimhall/Jason Lewis
WR: Tyler Whiley/Ellis Jefferson/Eric Lauderdale/Jalen Harvey/Gary Chambers
TE: Raymond Epps/Tommy Hudson
OL: Sam Jones/Stephon McCray/Quinn Bailey/Cade Cote/Devin Goodman
Second-team defense snaps
DL: Renell Wren/Edmond Boateng/Emanuel Dayries/A.J. Latu/Ami Latu/Tramel Topps
"Devilbacker": Jay Jay Wilson/Ismael Murphy-Richardson/Bo Wallace
"Will" linebacker: Antonio Longino/DJ Calhoun
"Spur" linebacker: Laiu Moeakiola/Marcus Ball
"Sam" linebacker: Christian Sam/Salamo Fiso
Boundary corner: Solomon Means
Field corner: Kareem Orr/Ronald Lewis
Bandit safety: James Johnson
Field safety: Chad Adams
Additional Notes:
- "PT42" jerseys: redshirt senior safety Jordan Simone, redshirt senior cornerback Lloyd Carrington and redshirt sophomore safety James Johnson.
- "Flame" helmets: Simone, Carrington, Johnson, junior kicker Zane Gonzalez, redshirt junior tight end Kody Kohl, redshirt senior guard Christian Westerman, redshirt senior linebacker Antonio Longino, redshirt senior quarterback Mike Bercovici, senior wide receiver D.J. Foster, senior center Nick Kelly, sophomore defensive back DeAndre Scott, sophomore running back Demario Richard, sophomore linebacker DJ Calhoun, redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Ball, sophomore safety Armand Perry, senior cornerback Kweishi Brown, sophomore defensive lineman Tashon Smallwood, sophomore running back/linebacker Kalen Ballage and redshirt junior linebacker Laiu Moeakiola.
- Green non-contact jerseys: junior wide receiver Cam Smith, redshirt junior tight end Dan Vear, redshirt junior wide receiver Fred Gammage, redshirt sophomore tight end Grant Martinez and freshman offensive lineman Dillon Faamatau.
- Limited: Freshman wide receiver Terrell Chatman
- Offensive play of the day: Freshman running back Jason Lewis showed he was more than just size when he broke a 63-yard touchdown run by spinning out of a Carlos Mendoza tackle and running down the left sideline.
- Defensive play of the day: Sophomore linebacker Christian Sam continued his impressive Camp Tontozona by coming up big on back-to-back plays. First, he sacked redshirt freshman quarterback Manny Wilkins after a wild snap, then followed it up by forcing a fumble on a Wilkins scramble.
- Notable guests: ASU president Michael Crow, ASU athletic director Ray Anderson, former ASU head coach Frank Kush, the ASU cheer squad and marching band.
Reach the reporter at fardaya@asu.edu or follow @fardaya15 on Twitter.
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter.
