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Big new names on offense starting to emerge for Sun Devils at last spring practice

Dillon Sterling-Cole starts at quarterback spot and Geordon Porter shines at receiver

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ASU redshirt junior quarterback Dillion Sterling-Cole (15) scrambles during ASU's 49-7 win over UTSA at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2019.


After 14 spring practices, coach Herm Edwards and offensive coordinator Rob Likens needed to come to a decision for the quarterback position heading into the summer.

After the team signed Jayden Daniels, Ethan Long and Joey Yellen this past winter, who would break out of the pack for the Devils?

It turned out to be none of them, for now.

Redshirt sophmore Dillon Sterling-Cole started in the first-team offense throughout the practice. He started ahead of the other three quarterbacks in situational drills, seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills.

And he looked the part of a starter as well.

After a pedestrian showing in situational drills, he started seven-on-seven with two consecutive touchdown throws to the back-corner of the end zone. 

He also looked sharp in 11-on-11 play, making few mistakes on offense – taking short throws when the defense gave it to him and even testing corners with throws downfield. 

Overall, Sterling-Cole grew as a leader throughout spring ball. 

“My leadership. Encouraging the guys, getting the guys here,” Sterling-Cole said. “The most beneficial thing: To know they’re going to listen to me.”

Sterling-Cole didn’t display any concern about his ranking on the depth chart moving forward into the summer.

“Regardless of what goes down, at the end of the day, I know the coaches are going to do what’s best for the team,” Sterling-Cole said.

Coach Edwards reiterated that there is still a competition going on for the quarterback spot.

“It’s still competition. And you see some bright spots and you see some, ‘Oh no,’” Edwards said. “And that’s the way it is with young guys. That’s the great part.” 

Another name that came out of the Maroon and Gold game was redshirt freshman Geordon Porter. The 6-foot-2 receiver caught multiple passes in all offensive drills from multiple quarterbacks.

He scored touchdowns thrown by Sterling-Cole, Long and Yellen. The throw from Yellen was a 30-yard completion in 11-on-11 play, where he beat a press coverage, ran the seam and found himself alone in the back of the end zone.

Porter had to fight double coverage to come down with Long’s touchdown throw to the back-right corner of the end zone in seven-on-seven play. 

Coach Edwards has big hopes for Porter going into next season. When asked if Porter will be ready to play alongside the starting receiving corps?

“Well, he better be,” Coach Edwards said laughing. “That’s why we recruited him.”

Overall, Edwards liked what he saw from his team.

"I like our effort, and what they were asked to do what was required ... and they did it with great enthusiasm," Edwards said. "We've got a lot of work to do still, but I like our progress."


Reach the reporter at jhorst2@asu.edu and follow @HorseySeven on Twitter.

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Jeffrey HorstDigital editor-in-chief

Jeffrey Horst is the digital editor-in-chief of The State Press. He previously served as the publication's sports editor and worked at Cronkite News and ArizonaSports.com.


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