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Arizona State officially concluded spring practices on Tuesday -- coach Todd Graham likes having a follow-up workout after the spring game -- and the level of optimism is high heading into the offseason.  "We're bigger, faster and stronger," Graham told reporters. "They understand how we do things. From a mental maturity standpoint, a depth standpoint and the level of gains we're having in just what we're able to handle schematically, these guys get it."
What that means is Graham and the Sun Devils are eyeballing more, and "more" after consecutive 10-win seasons gets into a rarified atmosphere. Interesting that Graham also said that physical sophomore running back Kalen Ballage could double as a situational pass rusher, meaning the Pac-12 would have another two-way player following in the footsteps of UCLA's Myles Jack and Washington's Shaq Thompson. "He is probably right now our best pass rusher," Graham said. If you're a half-empty sort, you might wonder why a defensive guy isn't the Sun Devils best pass rusher, but Ballage's status might be due in large part to the suspension and precarious status of linebacker Davon Durant, a touted JC transfer. On the other hand, based on what transpired this spring, the linebackers looked good. Also of note: Former UCLA WR Devin Lucian is apparently considering a transfer to ASU, which is hurting at receiver, and Fox Sports Bruce Feldman rated QB Mike Bercovici a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
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