The decision by Macen Williams to retire ahead of what would have been his fifth Arizona State season makes it increasingly likely that Oregon transfer Cole Martin will start at nickel position, though senior safety Shamari Simmons can’t be ruled out.
Fifth-year senior defensive back Macen Williams has chosen to retire from football, as announced by Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham after the team’s scrimmage at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday.
Williams, who practiced well during last week’s Camp Tontozona scrimmage but did not participate this week, impacts the depth at the nickel corner position. He had been engaged in a close competition with sophomore Cole Martin, and both players had shared extensive first-team reps in the preseason.
Signed in 2020, Williams contributed significantly over recent seasons as a backup at cornerback and nickel, serving as the second-string nickel last year behind Jordan Clark, who has since transferred to Notre Dame. He recorded 13 tackles across seven games last season.
With Williams absent from practice, ASU has shifted senior free safety Shamari Simmons to the first-team nickel position, while Martin moves to the second team. Earlier in the week, Dillingham and defensive coordinator Brian Ward mentioned that Simmons was being dual-trained, a decision supported by the team’s strong depth at safety, with plans to revert him back to free safety next week.
If Simmons returns to that role, Martin is expected to take over as the starter at nickel after transferring from Oregon before the spring. A former four-star recruit from Basha High in Chandler, Martin was the fourth-ranked recruit in Arizona’s 2023 class.
Sophomore Keith Abney, who practiced as a nickel during spring before moving to cornerback in preseason, has also been working with the first-team defense and is in a solid position to start against Wyoming on August 31. True freshman Kyan McDonald has been working with the third team at nickel.
Sophomore Xavion Alford, who usually practices as the first-team strong safety, has also taken reps with the first group at free safety. A key member of ASU’s leadership council, Alford has been a consistent playmaker in practices.
Junior Myles Rowser, a former four-star recruit who started for a 10-win New Mexico State team last season, and sophomore Kamari Wilson, a former top-100 recruit from Florida, have both stood out in camp. Rowser has been taking first-team reps at strong safety following Simmons’ move to nickel, while Wilson, who fits well at strong safety, recorded an interception in the Camp Tontozona scrimmage.
Redshirt freshman Montana Warren has also impressed with his second-team free safety performance, establishing himself as a strong fifth option in the depth chart.
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