ESPN: ASU optimistic Chip Lindsey brings out best in team’s quarterbacks

The Arizona State Sun Devils will have a new quarterback under center when the upcoming season kicks off, but they are still uncertain as to who it will be.

There is a three-man battle going on between sophomore Manny Wilkins and redshirt freshmen Brady White and Bryce Perkins. None of the three have thrown a pass at the collegiate level.

At the Pac-12 Media Days, Todd Graham was asked about a timetable of announcing the winner of the quarterback competition.

“We’ll do it probably Friday before the first game. Why would I do it any time before that?” Graham said. “Our players will clearly know who that player is going to be long before we make that announcement.”

Graham also wouldn’t rule out the usage of two quarterbacks early in the season.

He will work with new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey to make the offense fire on all cylinders.

According to ESPN’s Ted Miller, ASU is putting their faith in Lindsey to work some magic at the position.

Lindsey has developed a reputation as a pretty darn good play-caller, see what he did last year for Southern Miss’ highly-productive, balanced offense, one that produced a 4,000-yard passer and two 1,000-yard rushers. Further, Lindsey, unlike predecessor Mike Norvell, now head coach at Memphis, is a long-time QB coach.

Lindsey was initially the coach at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Ala. before moving up to Auburn. With the Tigers, he served as an offensive analyst and was a member of the coaching staff for their 2013 national champion runner-up season.

The following season, Southern Miss hired him as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In 2014, the Golden Eagles averaged 19 points per game, 117th in the nation, but with Lindsey at the helm of the offense, the program averaged 40.6 points per game, 12th in the nation.

He was hired by ASU as the offensive coordinator in December 2015, but the Sun Devils are not viewed to be a threat in the Pac-12 South this season after being picked to finish fifth place in the division in the preseason media poll.

If the program is to surprise people, it will likely be due to the fact that Lindsey was able to strike gold with his plethora of quarterbacks.

However, if the program performs at the level they’re expected to, then it will be on Lindsey to develop his quarterbacks for the next few seasons.