A special crop of seniors will walk out of the Tillman Tunnel on Saturday for the final time. It’s senior week in Tempe as the 3-7 Sun Devils try to get up for a home finale matchup with Oregon State. To say the current batch of seniors have endured their share of highs and lows during their time in the program would be an understatement, but interim head coach Shaun Aguano still said as much on Monday afternoon.
“This senior group has been through a lot,” Aguano stated. “I talk about inspiring kids, but these seniors have really inspired me. This week that’s our motivation. There are kids on this team who need to play for our seniors. Then the motivation for the last week is the territorial cup. They won’t quit.”
Two particular seniors, Kyle Soelle and Merlin Robertson have been through it all. As defensive captains this season, the two linebackers weathered the storm of a coaching change and a handful of performances that haven’t come close to the standards they set for themselves and the program. While the duo has always been impressive on the field, Aguano is most proud of the intangible values they have brought to the team off of it. He said both are set up for success in life based on their extremely high character.
“They talk about being Sun Devils for life, and that means a lot. I’m going to miss them,” Aguano reflected. “Because I’ve been with them for four years now and seen their transformation in maturity both on and off the field. There’s no doubt that they’re going to be successful in their lives. Our motivation is seeing those kids go on to be great men in their lives. That’s more gratifying than the wins and losses.”
Senior day festivities will take place during the pregame on Saturday. Fans should plan on being in their seats earlier than usual to honor the seniors ahead of their final home game.
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The interim tag is still hanging over Aguano, and it won’t change before the season ends in 11 days in Tucson. While Aguano is in the mix for the job, Devils Digest reported on Sunday that Oregon offensive coordinator and Arizona State alumnus Kenny Dillingham has emerged as a strong candidate to be named the next head coach. In a bit of an awkward moment, Aguano was asked to describe what he thinks the next head coach needs to bring to the table.
“The continuity, the passion for Arizona State football,” he said pensively. “It’s hard for someone to come from the outside who has no idea what Arizona State football means. That’s the number one in this transition. Understanding what type of athletes that we want to build a program that is tough and never quits. Those are the types of things I would want to see, being a Sun Devil fan myself.”
Aguano, who won multiple state championships at Chandler High School, said that the knowledge of the local prep scene and being able to recruit the best talent within the state is also paramount.
“For somebody that has that knowledge, I think that’s a huge advantage.”
Pivoting to preparation for Oregon State, Aguano didn’t mince words when discussing the challenge that the Beavers will pose. He lauded them as one of the well-coached teams in the conference, highlighting discipline and game plan as strengths that the Sun Devils will have to match.
“They’re the second-ranked defense in the Pac-12, very similar to Washington State,” Aguano explained. “They do a great job not giving up big plays. I love their toughness, and I think Coach Smith does a great job. It will be a fight for us, and we need to match the intensity that they will have.”
No one in the conference has torched the Sun Devils quite like Swiss army knife Jack Colletto. He scored two touchdowns on the ground against ASU in 2020. He followed that up with 57 yards and a score in the OSU victory in 2021. He’s been a thorn in the side of Arizona State, one that Aguano has put a premium on slowing down this week.
“He’s just a tough kid; you want those types of kids in your program,” Aguano said, likening Colletto to ASU fullback Case Hatch. “Just good football players who are utility knife guys. He’s a problem.”
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Defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson heaped even more praise on the Beavers, who are one of the better rushing teams in the conference. In a 24-10 loss at OSU last season, the ASU defense was gashed for 237 yards on the ground. With the issues ASU has had defending the run, the Beavers will surely look to exploit that weakness on Saturday.
“I see a fast offense that loves to run the ball downhill,” Henderson said without hesitating. “The offensive line knows exactly how they’re getting off the ball. This is definitely a running football team.” Henderson finished by saying Oregon State may be the most explosive squad ASU has faced when it comes to the run game.
This will be the fifth straight year of this cross-division matchup, the last three of which came late in the season in Corvallis, Oregon. In 2020, ASU got the best of Oregon State in an empty stadium. Rachaad White was able to run all over the Beavers, rushing for 158 yards and scoring twice in the process. If ASU is going to repeat this performance, which wasn’t a pretty one on defense with the Beavers putting up 33 points, they’ll need to limit the mistakes that have continuously shown up during each of ASU’s losses.
“It’s mental breakdowns at times this year,” Henderson offered. “I don’t think anyone is trying to screw up. This game is so tough you have to just play it one play at a time.”
There’s now no bowl contention in play after the seventh loss of the season came at Washington State. Arizona State’s season will end next Friday afternoon in Tucson. That does not mean there will be any shortage of motivation over the next two weeks, as Henderson so eloquently put it.
“You got two games left to play,” he said. “You play one for the seniors and one for the state.”
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