Senior linebacker Steffon Martin creeps up to the line of scrimmage in a drill during a practice on April 2. Martin has stepped into new positions on the field and a new leadership role in the locker room. (Photo by Edmund Hubbard)Steffon Martin has a new role.
The senior linebacker is playing the same position as an inside linebacker in coach Todd Graham’s 3-3-5 defense. He also has a new title: leader.
“(I’m) having a bigger role leadership role and basically just trying to lead the younger guys,” Martin said.
The middle linebacker position has traditionally taken that role on defense. The middle calls plays, gets players in formation and encourages teammates to perform to the top of their ability.
Martin has to step up because of the position. He also will have to fill the huge hole that linebacker Brandon Magee left.
Magee was the boss of the defense last season. He taught Martin a lot.
But most of all, Magee showed Martin how to be in charge. Martin is now applying those lessons this spring in looking forward to next season.
“B-Magee was a leader,” Martin said. “He was on me 24-7, making sure I was running the drills, getting extra film time. So leadership was a thing I learned from him.”
Before coming to ASU, Martin played at Arizona Western College. At the junior college, Martin had a similar role.
Now he has to translate that to the Division I level.
Last season, Martin stayed in the middle in the defensive scheme. This spring, he has moved around to different linebacker positions and attacked new areas around the line of scrimmage.
During Tuesday’s practice, for example, the defense moved a safety up closer to cover in a third down situation. This allowed more blitzers to come off the edge.
Martin crept up the line of scrimmage, put his hand down and rushed the outside edge. There is a reason for his new his versatility this spring practice.
“I’m in better shape,” Martin said. “I have a better understanding of what coach Graham wants out of me and the defense. So it gives me an ability to play more positions on the field.”
In his junior year, Martin recorded 27 tackles.
Martin will have to improve has to fill the leadership gap Magee left. But Martin also has to help make up for the 113 tackles Magee had last season.
Martin wants his senior to be his best at ASU. To do this, there is one aspect on which he needs to improve in his game.
Patience.
He said last season he would be impatient and run to holes that he shouldn't have. This year, he is working on sitting back being patient and making the right position.
Consistent Smith
Sophomore wide receiver Richard Smith had a nice practice Tuesday.
He was the most consistent ASU receiver during the one-on-one team drills. In the first team drill, Smith had back-to-back catches.
The receiver position is somewhere the ASU coaches are looking for a little consistency. Last season, the wide receivers only gathered 1,583 receiving yards as a unit.
Smith said the group is trying to put last season behind them.
“As a receiver group, like as a whole, we all understand what we did last year,” Smith said. “So we’re just trying to not look back to that, that was the past, and just look forward to the future, and that’s why were out here every day working hard.”
Injury report
Sophomore running back D.J. Foster did not participate fully in practice Tuesday, and redshirt linebacker Carlos Mendoza was wearing a green no-contact jersey. Mendoza did not fully participate in drills.
Reach the reporter at ehubbard@asu.edu
