For the ASU football team, spring practice is like a chiropractor. It gives the Sun Devils a chance to work out their kinks.
After nine practices, seven of which have been in pads, fifth-year coach Dirk Koetter has mixed emotions about his team.
"We're very choppy. We're up and down and not consistent enough," Koetter said. "We have some guys who are playing well as individuals, but we are not nearly as consistent as we need to be on either offense or defense."
Koetter said the defense remained ahead of the offense during Saturday's scrimmage.
"The defense was more productive than the offense," Koetter said. "Certain players stood out. [Senior linebackers] Dale Robinson and Jamar Williams really jump off the film at you."
The same could not be said about the offense.
"The offense had maybe as bad a day as any day since I've been here at ASU," Koetter said. "All they can do is learn from their mistakes and get better because we made plenty of them."
With a plethora of drills being conducted at once, Koetter isn't able to judge the strength of practice until he reviews it on film.
"I don't get to see everything until I go in," Koetter said. "Right now we are just making too many mistakes that will get you beat in a game. We turn the ball over too much. The ball is on the ground too much."
The sub-par performance is surprising, considering ASU returns nine offensive starters, including the Vitalis Sun Bowl Most Valuable Player in junior quarterback Sam Keller. Also back is senior wide receiver Derek Hagan, a Playboy preseason All-American, and senior offensive lineman Grayling Love, who has been named a candidate for the Lombardi Award.
"We're just not playing very disciplined on offense," Koetter said. "With nine starters back, that's something I wouldn't expect."
Defensive coordinator Bill Miller insists he's not content with where his players stand.
"The defense didn't look great," Miller said about Saturday's scrimmage.
Reach the reporter at matt.reinick@asu.edu.
