Around this time of year is when the college football world is most collectively excited, no matter what team one plays for or follows, as the excitement and optimism that abounds for each program is unlike any other point in the calendar year.
Arizona State is no different, and there was a lot to discuss on the first day of the first game week. From Arizona’s 45-38 loss to Hawaii on the first day of college football action Saturday, to the Sun Devils expectations for their season, the start of which is just days away, here’s the best of what the players had to say.
Players amped up for start of the season, Long believes Carter could impress on kick returns
“You can tell it’s a different type of energy out there now that game week is here,” sophomore linebacker and captain Darien Butler said after Sunday’s practice. “Guys are really dialing in, trying to perfect a lot of things still as a defense, trying to fly around a lot more, trying to get everything down.”
After over eight months of practicing, lifting and conditioning- just to name a few ways an FBS college football player spends his offseason- ASU opens the 2019 season Thursday night at 7 p.m. when they host Kent State.
With the start of the season so close, it’s safe to say Butler wasn’t the only one feeling a different energy during practice.
“Today I’ve been yelling out ‘game week!’ trying to get everybody turned up and everything,” starting cornerback Kobe Williams said, “running around the field screaming ‘game week!’ and having fun, just enjoying how fast the year came.”
It’s easier for the experienced players to be excited, but for the freshmen who will be playing in their first collegiate game there’s a lot of different feelings they will go through before opening kickoff. Nobody better to explain this than the freshman who will be leading the offense; quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“It’s going to be different; it’s going to be exciting,” Daniels said. “I’m ready for my first college football game, I’m going to have a couple of butterflies but I know I’ll be fine and ready to play.”
As for fellow freshman quarterback/wide receiver/special teams blocker Ethan Long, aka Captain America, he believes the wave of emotion and energy will truly hit him once he’s ready to run out of the Tillman Tunnel. He also offered an interesting answer to what player could surprise people on Thursday night.
“Probably A.J. Carter, he’s just really worked hard, lost a lot of weight, in really good shape and just works hard every single day in practice,” Long said after taking some time to ponder his answer, noting how many good players are on the team. “Being on kick return with him, I’m excited to see him hopefully take one to the house…I’m not putting any expectation, pressure on him, but he’s been catching my eye every day.”
It will be interesting to see ASU’s personnel on kickoff returns, as despite what we saw in practice Sunday, Aiyuk backs Long’s narrative that Carter should be the main returner, while Aiyuk mostly sticks to punts.
“It depends on the situation- kickoff returns- but I’ll be back there returning punts,” Aiyuk stated. “We’ll see, I might do the first kickoff.”
Starters on both sides of ball getting a feel for the challenges Kent State brings
The old mantra goes something like ‘play every game like it’s your last,’ in other words, don’t overlook teams that others perceive to be ‘cupcake’ opponents. Out of all the players we spoke to, none other than starting cornerback Chase Lucas put it best.
“If you disrespect the game, the game’s going to disrespect you,” Lucas said. “With football, it’s going to get to that point man, it’s like it’s just me and you, and I got to eat, my family’s got to eat, so I’m going to make sure that I choke you out, you know what I mean, that’s just how I think.”
With that, Lucas seems ready to go, and his fellow starting corner offered some insight into what can make Kent State dangerous.
“It’s a team you can’t sleep on,” Williams said, “everybody keeps saying ‘easy win, easy win,’ and this but nah, it’s never like that, that’s a great team, they got a lot of athletes at receiver and everywhere. Their quarterback is a great player, he went to Auburn fresh out of high school, so don’t think he’s a ‘shrug-off’ type of guy, he makes a lot of great deep throws, and it’s an outstanding team. Their offense is very explosive and athletic…the main thing about their offense is they have a fast tempo you got to get used to.”
Starting linebacker Darien Butler reiterated this and added that he wants to see what their former SEC gunslinger, Woody Barrett, can do.
“Kent State moves pretty fast,” Butler commented. “We want to get them throwing the ball, want to see what their quarterback can do with his arm, so we’ll see how that goes.”
On the offensive side, speaking on Kent State’s defense, Daniels and starting running back Eno Benjamin offered their thoughts after watching film on the Golden Flashes.
“They do a good job of stopping the run, they do a good job disguising coverages, so I just got to go out there and be disciplined with my eyes,” Daniels said.
“They’re a defense that likes to do a lot of things, as far as bringing blitzes, even blitzing from the safety position,” Benjamin added, “those guys are really active, you got to get your eyes up otherwise they’re going to get you, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Benjamin, Aiyuk reflect on Arizona loss, while Williams happy for former JUCO teammate on Hawaii
Most Sun Devil fans are well aware of how Arizona’s seven-point loss to Hawaii ended, but I’m sure they have no problem being reminded. The Wildcats came up one yard short of forcing overtime, or having the chance to go for a game-winning two-point conversion, on quarterback Khalil Tate’s scramble on the final play of regulation, as 30 yards just wasn’t quite enough.
It capped a wild first day of college football that also featured a chaotic finish between No. 8 Florida and Miami (Fl.), in which the Gators held on for a four-point win to avoid being upset by their rivals down south.
For one, Benjamin felt some pity for Tate (albeit not the team as a whole), who he got the chance to talk to extensively a month ago at Pac-12 media day in Los Angeles, California.
“I saw (Tate) got tackled, that’s tough, I was with Khalil Tate on Pac-12 media day, so we were chopping it up, talking a little bit,” Benjamin said. “I thought that was pretty sad that the game ended like that.”
Kobe Williams noted that he played with Hawaii receiver Cedric Byrd at Long Beach City College, agreeing that he was happy his former teammate could have a big day while also helping out his Sun Devils in the same game. Byrd was the leading receiver in the game, catching 14 passes for 224 yards and four receiving touchdowns.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk who also watched that contest, is just anxious to start the college football season.
“Watching football yesterday, it was crazy," Aiyuk said, adding with a smirk "I was just getting antsy, ready to play."
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