Spring football finished until after spring break

The ASU football team is offiially one-third of the way through with spring football after going through the first five practices.

"Spring ball has gone very well for us," coach Steve Roberts said. "I was very disappointed in the last half of practice number four and a little bit of todays practice I was disappointed in as well. But that is why we are here because we have to get better."

The Red Wolves capped off Wednesday's practice with a 50-play scrimmage, giving the coaches an oppurtunity to look at players in game situations.

"Overall this practice wasnt good enough," Roberts said. "There were some flashes of some really good things today (Wednesday), but we were too soft, not energetic and not physical enough. We just need to get better."

Roberts said that the offense and defense were pretty much even through out the scrimmage and that both sides need to continue to work hard and get better.

"We just have to be tougher than we were today," Roberts said. "The defense was pretty strong and the offense seemed to gain their stride and make a few plays. From that point it was just back and forth the rest of practice."

Roberts added that there were some things throughout Wednesday's practice that he did like and that the coaches will take into consideration that the scrimmage was scripted when evaluating video tape.

"To our players defense everything we did in the scrimmage was scripted," Roberts said. "So if you get a first down it may be third and nine on the very next play just because that is the way we scripted things."

"We didn't get into a rhythm the way we had hoped so some things were good, but overall not good enough."

Wednesday's practice was also a time for the coaches to evaluate younger players such as redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Ryan Aplin and Andre Smith. Aplin was credited with a 50-yard touchdown pass to senior reciever Brandon Thompkins during the scrimmage. Both young quarterbacks also made numerous plays running also.

"They both did some really good things," Roberts said. "I thought Ryan really had one good series when he went in and had five good plays in a row to make some things happen."

"Andre made some good plays also. They are both still inexerienced, still learning and have a long way to go."

Roberts said that the coaches mixed and matched players throughout the scrimmage, rotating every play at a lot of positions.

One posistion where players are being rotated most frequently is the offensive line. The Red Wolves lost both starting tackles from last year and the center. This loss includes former lineman Matt Mandich, who was a 4-year starter and 4-time All-Sun Belt Conference lineman. Also being replaced is tackle Mark Clemon, a former second-team All-Sun Belt conference selection.

"We are in a situation here where we are having to replace some key guys for us that have moved on," offensive line coach Darren Hiller said after practice Wednesday. "Spring practice is important from a fundamental standpoint, and that's the main thing.

"Most of these guys have been around here and know what we are doing, so we are just trying to get them better at it.

The Red Wolves do return some experience at the guard position, however. Senior Dominc Padrta and juniors Drew Hilton and Alfred Louis were part of last year's offensive line rotation. Padrta and Hilton have even started games before.

"Our depth chart right now at every offensive line posistion is turned sideways," Hiller said. "A big thing here is getting some of these guys to understand the language and terminology we use here."

"A lot of the guys have been here, they understand the language and just need to get better at understand it."

The Red Wolves will resume spring practice the Monday after returning from spring break.

"The time off will be good for us," Roberts said. "We will take care of business in the class room on Thursday and Friday, then come back the following Monday and get focused again."