Ever since the bye week, one of the focal points of the defensive line and its coach, Diron Reynolds, was to get healthy. Now, with linemen such as senior Prince Dorbah and junior Jacob Kongaika poised to play more snaps than last week, the front four will face one of its biggest tests yet against Utah. The Utes establish their offensive identity through the run game, and the battle in the trenches will be a deciding factor in Friday’s game on a short week for the Sun Devils.
The defense will also be without veteran leaders junior defensive lineman Clayton Smith and junior linebacker Keyshaun Elliott in the first half of Friday's game. They were both ejected from the Kansas game in the second half on targeting penalties. The coaches were adamant about having a “next player up” mentality, and the defense is up for the task.
“The depth is huge, especially getting ready to play against a team like that,” Reynolds said. “They love smash-mouth football, and they’re going to be fresh. We’re not as fresh, but we’re getting as fresh as possible. I think everybody gets ample reps to be able to contribute, but I tell them the biggest thing is you want to be like a microwave and not an oven. When your name is called, you have to be heated up and ready to go.”
Kongaika is looking to expand his role this week after playing sparingly against Kansas. Last Saturday was his first game in over a month after injuring his knee in week two against Mississippi State. The Arizona transfer looks to continue to contribute heavily to the Sun Devils’ run defense, as well as its pass rush. Kongaika tallied 1.5 tackles for loss through the first two weeks and added a sack in the Mississippi State game before suffering his injury later in the night.
“He battled back through it,” Reynolds mentioned. “You saw him wincing through practice, but when he got to the game, he showed up, and he gave us what we needed from him. I like the way he’s transitioned from the style of defense he’s played before. Instead of being in that four-point stance, he’s rolling off the rock a little, and I think he’s added some pass rush, too.”
Kongaika makes an impact on the field and the sideline. His contagious energy brings a smile to every player and coach who interacts with him, and he’s quick to cheer on any of his teammates who make a big play in practice. His ability to raise team morale is extremely valuable, and he has the chance this week to bring it back to the field.
“His nature is infectious,” Reynolds noted. “He uplifts everybody. He really dials in and makes sure everybody else dials in, too, but he does it in a way that makes everybody want to play at a high level. He brings his lunch pail every day, and heck, he lifts me up. If you can’t smile looking at Jacob, you got a problem.”
Now a little under halfway through the season, the defensive line has progressed in their chemistry and ability to play as a collective unit. With many new members of not only the line but the defense as a whole heading into the season, their commitment and love for the game have lifted them higher each snap they play together.
“What I see is the resilience and how they play hard,” Reynolds voiced. “We have little minor details that we have to get cleaned up and get more consistent on, but the group loves each other, and they play hard. I like this team because they play with each other. Even when we’re down, you can’t get a sense of it on the sideline. Everybody is pushing each other to be great.”
With a short turnaround for ASU combined with Utah having two weeks to prepare for the game, cornerback coach Bryan Carrington signified the importance of making sure the players were ready both physically and mentally. Although playing on a short week limits the schemes for the game, the well-being of the players was more important for the coaches.
“We put more of an emphasis on the mental side,” Carrington expressed. “We wanted to make sure our guys are fresh for Friday, and it’s a quick turnaround from playing on Saturday. So, we made sure they were able to understand the game plan and what we were trying to do from a mental standpoint. We tried to take some off these guys’ legs so they’re fast and fresh for Friday.”
Utah has still yet to name a starting quarterback for the game, as senior Cameron Rising is battling a hand injury that has kept him out for three games. Freshman Isaac Wilson stepped in for the injured seventh-year veteran, and unless Rising is healthy enough to play, the first-year player will start for the Utes. Carrington isn’t worried about different game plans depending on the opposing signal caller and will scheme the same way regardless of whoever lines up in the backfield.
“I have a lot of respect for Cam Rising,” Carrington stated. “He was committed to play for Texas back in 2018 when I was there, and it’s crazy he’s been in college this long. We have freshmen on our team who were 11 years old when he first enrolled in college, so that’s a whole thing I’m just fascinated with. Isaac is a talented quarterback who has a lot of confidence in his arm. Depending on who plays at quarterback, we’re really expecting the same scheme in the way they want to attack us.”
The fans at Mountain America Stadium continued to show out last Saturday with a sellout crowd, and the Friday night game is sure to bring the same energy. Carrington recognizes the level of impact they created and thinks this level of support has and will provide a real home-field advantage, which would be extremely beneficial for the team as the season progresses.
“Their energy is infectious,” Carrington remarked. “The players kind of vibe off the energy and feed off of it. The game day atmosphere this season for all of our home games is a big reason why we’re undefeated at home. Just to have those fans bring that energy and make it a little chaotic in that stadium is a great feeling to have, so hopefully we can continue that.”
Carrington is well versed in the Big 12, having been part of three Big 12 staffs at TCU, Houston, and former Big 12 team Texas. The league has always been unpredictable at times, similar to how ASU fans viewed the Pac-12 in past years. Playing all 60 minutes with full energy from start to finish is key to finding success in the Big 12, and Carrington has worked to make sure his players are aware of that.
“It’s always a four-quarter game in the Big 12,” Carrington recalled. “A lot of these games come down to the final few possessions, so getting our guys to understand how to finish is going to be the way that this league is going to be for the foreseeable future. You have a lot of parity in this league, but who’s going to execute and finish will define each week from here on out.”
The Sun Devils have already eclipsed their total wins from last year (three), which was Carrington’s first year on ASU’s staff. He’s noticed a shift in the culture that head coach Kenny Dillingham constantly preaches, as have the returning players. The players' energy and attentiveness have been the difference, and Carrington is excited for what the future holds.
“To see where we are now compared to last year is encouraging,” Carrington commented. “There’s a lot of buy-in on this team right now from guys that have been under previous regimes or been here last year and tasted how 3-9 feels. Now, 4-1 with the opportunity to go 5-1 is pretty cool for these guys, and it’s like they believe what these coaches are telling them. They’ve gotten the chance to witness us practice what we preach, and we’ve got results.”
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