He was never a full-time starter and coaches have had a hard time finding a role to keep him on the field. But senior cornerback and returner LeQuan Lewis will graduate ASU with a degree and perhaps more importantly, a designation no one can question: Fastest player.
Three weeks ago Lewis and freshman running back Kyle Middlebrooks, who many thought was ASU’s fastest player, went to Sun Devil Stadium, followed by teammates, in the middle of the week to settle a score.
It wasn’t Chad Ochocinco vs. a quarter horse, but it was a foot race between the two fastest Sun Devils.
“That’s legit,” junior cornerback Omar Bolden said. “You know who that went to. I don’t even have to say it.”
Teammates took sides on the projected winner. Lewis had the secondary backing him up.
“Guys were pumping it up and some of the guys kind of like chose a freshman over me, I was like, ‘you guys have seen me run before,’” Lewis said. “You’re really going to take the freshman over me? He was like, ‘You want to race?’ I was like, ‘Let’s do this.’ So I raced him and beat him. It was over before it started the way I look at it.”
Lewis, who transferred from Cerritos College in 2008, ran the forty-yard dash at the Cerritos Combine in 4.29 seconds and was widely considered one of the best athletes at the school. It’s only now, more than halfway through his senior season, that Lewis’ athletic prowess is making a difference.
“This dude is amazing right here, man,” Bolden said with Lewis by his side. “The dude has amazing abilities. God has blessed him in so many ways. He can run with the best of them, jump with the best of them. He is definitely the athlete that we need on the field.”
Lewis came to the school as a cornerback out of junior college and was a star in high school because of his play, mainly on offense. He was converted to receiver early last season in an effort to help jumpstart a struggling offense. Lewis had marginal impact in former offensive coordinator Rich Olsen’s scheme, finishing the season without a catch, though he did return five kicks.
This year, Lewis was switched back to cornerback and was given full-time kick return duties while also being a mainstay on the punt team.
Lewis does not blame the coaching staff for being yanked around and perhaps, curbing his development as a cornerback.
“It wasn’t something I depended on or something I expected,” Lewis said. “I did what was asked of me. I am comfortable anywhere. Sometimes it takes time to get back to where I left [off at cornerback]. I make it comfortable and I take care of it. I just do it to the best of my ability.”
Coaches appreciate Lewis’ willingness to play multiple roles.
“He's such a hard worker and such a team guy,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said.
While Lewis is the third cornerback on the depth chart behind Bolden and redshirt freshman Osahon Irabor, he made his name known two weeks ago against Washington State after he made a spectacular, leaping-and-landing-with-one toe-in-bounds interception in the end zone, and added two downed punts inside the five.
After the injury to redshirt sophomore cornerback Deveron Carr, Lewis has consistently received playing time in the secondary. But he’s had to beat out teammates. Much like similarly-talented freshman cornerback Alden Darby, Lewis has had to earn it.
“It’s the focus,” Bolden said. “It’s just being able to trust him. We all know where the trust lies now. I’m definitely happy to have him out there.”
Lewis is fourth in the country in kick return average at close to 30 yards per return.
His 100-yard touchdown return against the Trojans, in which he received the ball halfway in the end zone, was a key in the Sun Devils near-comeback last Saturday.
“I caught the ball and I initially saw through my peripheral that there was great grass, so when I looked up and saw Kyle, he took off running,” Lewis said. “I went to the right and I saw a ton of grass, saw a guy coming into my face, so I just backed up, made a play, found the lane and took it.”
Finally, it appears Lewis has found a comfort zone. However, he would rather talk about the effect his play has made on his team.
“The big plays that I have made are making a big impact on my team and make the highlights,” Lewis said. “I am going to continue to try to make plays and help the team win.”
Reach the reporter at nick.ruland@asu.edu
