Cade Cote

Handling heavy lifts in the Arizona State weight room has never been an issue for Cade Cote. He claims to be the strongest player on the roster, pushing up 585 pounds on the squat rack over three reps, a number that he said even bests Rimington Award Preseason Watch List member Cohl Cabral by 40 pounds. On the bench press, Cote is dominant as well.

“I’m definitely the best (on the team) at benching,” he said. “I could hit 450 if I really tried for it.”

But while the fifth-year senior from Williams Field High School in Gilbert, Arizona, has built an impressive career around a bar and plates, it hasn't mattered much on the football field, where he's been a four-year reserve. While in the weight room he's almost strong enough to be measured in terms of horsepower, on the gridiron Cote has been more like a race car running on bald tires.

The power of Cote's engine was irrelevant because he was just spinning in place whenever he tried to access it.

“My strength (in the weight room) hasn’t always translated,” Cote said recently. “My strength was not applicable to football. Guys move and they need to move fast and be powerful.”

Cote needed a pit stop. ASU's head of sports performance Joe Connolly had a plan.

According to Connolly, Cote could always “lift heavy weight slow” without an issue. But he couldn't apply his power to game situations.

“This whole offseason was spent on rate of force development,” Connolly said of the Sun Devils' weight room strategy. “How fast you can develop force through a range of motion in any lift?”

Connolly designed his 2019 program to improve the very issue that was holding Cote back. The team utilized a TENDO machine, an advanced weight lifting technology that measures the rate at which the bar is moving in meters per second. The machine gives players a look into how quickly they could move weight and allow them to tap into a faster twitch power move. It was training that could translate from metal plates to cleats and pads.

The change was designed to help the entire offensive line be more functionally powerful in game situations. Cote just happened to benefit as much as anyone.

“He did an awesome job of getting that response and actually being able to get a response on the field,” Connolly said of the change Cote made after starting the new program. “I think it’s helping him so far this summer.”

In 1-on-1s, Cote had struggled to maintain his position on the line prior to the change in the weight room. Sophomore defensive lineman DJ Davidson was using a hip toss move against the 290-pound Cote to take advantage of Cote’s lack of on-field power. But, with work and reconfiguration of his training, Cote said he is now able to “handle [Davidson] pretty well. I’ve stopped him quite a few times."

When Cote was named the team's starting center last week by offensive line coach Dave Christensen, the changes fifth-year senior made in the weight room were validated. Over the last three weeks, Cote better displayed the characteristics the coaching staff has been searching for in a starting center, including his improved ability to hold his ground and be more violent with his hands.

“He’s done a nice job in there for us, very consistent, and he’ll be at center for us on opening day," Christensen said.

For Cote, starting is an “opportunity I’ve always been waiting for,” a culmination of a developing journey that has allowed him to see the fruits of his labor. It also is the success story that motivates ASU coaches to keep pushing forward.

“Quite frankly for me, that’s why [Cote getting the starting job], regardless if it’s Cade or somebody else, seeing that, that’s why we do what we do,” Connolly said. “That’s really cool because he’s really done everything he needed to do to get to this point and he deserves [to start].”

Cote will now have an opportunity to make calls for a close, experienced line that grew up in ASU’s development system alongside its new center. Cabral and Cote are lifting partners and often share the same rack, while senior Steven Miller is from the same hometown and they're entering their fifth year together at ASU. Senior left guard Alex Losoya is another returning starter who has a strong working knowledge of his teammates.

The long-standing relationships have contributed to what Cote described as fantastic offseason development.

“We all communicate well and will be there to help Cade when he needs it,” Cabral said. “If he doesn’t know one of the calls and needs help one of myself or Alex (Losoya) will be able to help.

“This season will be great for us as a line. Cade, myself, Alex, Steve, we’ve all seen plenty of ball together and know what to do in a game.”