Transfers Newsome, Humphrey could change optics for ASU receiving corps
Mar 22, 2017, 11:15 AM | Updated: 11:27 am
Receivers Ryan Newsome (left) and John Humphrey (right)) during a Sun Devils practice March 22, 2017. (Photos by Craig Morgan/Arizona Sports)
(Photos by Craig Morgan/Arizona Sports)
TEMPE, Ariz. — N’Keal Harry had a promising freshman season and Tim White made significant contributions when he wasn’t battling ankle injuries, but the Arizona State offense didn’t record enough impact plays from its wide receivers in 2016. It was no secret to anyone watching the Sun Devils offense, and it wasn’t a secret to two guys watching from the sidelines.
After sitting out the 2016 season due to NCAA transfer rules and the last two overall, redshirt sophomores Ryan Newsome (Texas) and John Humphrey (Oklahoma) hope to change the optics on this much maligned group with spring practice underway.
“Deadly,” said Humphrey when asked to assess how the two will look alongside Harry, redshirt junior Jalen Harvey, redshirt sophomore Terrell Chatman, senior Cameron Smith and sophomore Kyle Williams. “Best receiving corps in the nation. Stamp that.”
The Sun Devils would settle for having one of the better receiving corps in the Pac-12. Last season, ASU finished sixth in the conference in passing yards per game (259.2), fifth in yards per catch (7.3) and eighth in receiving TDs (16). White led the team in yards at 713 and Harry led the team in TDs with five, but White has graduated so Harry is the only wide receiver on the roster who caught a TD pass last season.
“We’ve needed a guy who can come in and do a variety of things and create another deep threat — another threat in general besides N’Keal,” Newsome said. “If you don’t have that guy then they can just key on N’Keal and we won’t be able to stretch the defense.”
The gift Newsome and Humphrey bring is one that could stretch defenses. Humphrey said he ran a 4.25 in the 40-yard dash. Newsome ran a 10.38 in the 100 meters in high school and says he has run faster times since then.
“Both of those guys are really fast and I don’t have to tell you that’s one of the greatest things you can have at receiver,” Sun Devils receiver coach Rob Likens said. “It makes everybody back up and that opens up all the underneath routes, too.”
The duo still must prove it can pick up the intricacies and duties of the Sun Devils’ offense, get off the line, run precise routes and get separation, but Likens envisions them impacting the offense in more ways than with their speed.
“What I like about our group is we have a little bit of everything,” he said. “We’ve got height if we need it, we’ve got big bodies if we need them, we’ve got speed if we need it. Two to three guys have exceptional speed and then we’ve got the little, quick, jitterbug speed if we need it so we’ve got everything we’d like to pull from the toolbox.
“We have formations where we can move anybody anywhere and I like that versatility, too. We can move someone anywhere to get him the ball.”
Newsome figures to see the bulk of his snaps in the slot, where he should battle for time with Williams. It’s a welcome change for him after his experience at Texas.
“The system was just kind of scattered there,” he said. “I really didn’t like the scheme. It just involved me going deep. I want to get the ball in different ways to showcase what I can do. I can do a variety of things, but because I ran a 10.2 in track they wanted me to go deep. I felt limited as a player there so I decided to go.”
Both players were fortunate that they had ties to ASU that made their transition easier. Former Sun Devils wide receivers coach Jay Norvell was Newsome’s position coach at Texas during his freshman season. Current Sun Devils offensive coordinator Billy Napier offered Newsome a scholarship at Alabama while he was the Crimson Tide’s wide receivers coach.
Norvell recruited Humphrey to play for Oklahoma while Norvell was an assistant there, but Humphrey redshirted, making the last two seasons difficult.
“No one really knows this, but I used to call my mom and my father and I’d be practically crying on the phone because I just wanted to play so bad,” said Humphrey, who figures to compete with Smith and Harvey for the outside starter’s spot opposite Harry. “I’m going to be everywhere on the field, slot, outside and some places that I can’t reveal right now.
“It’s too early to say how it’s all going to look. I’m just happy to be on the field. I’m ready to compete with my boys. The time is finally here after two whole years.”
Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter
