After the program's best start since 2019, Arizona State encountered a bump in the road, suffering its first loss of the year in a road contest at Texas Tech, dropping to a 4-1 mark. A one-week in-season now allows head coach Kenny Dillingham to reestablish the standard that was previously set during the offseason and served the Sun Devils well in their first two games, but one that had also slowly begun to drop in the last two games.

“I think our guys know that there was a lot of self-inflicted wounds,” Dillingham said. “I told them it's partly the standard that has slowly dropped, the locker room has been dirtier than it has been, and I haven't held them accountable, and it's them being a reflection of the standard. We've lowered the standard through a little bit of success, and that's my fault. I told them we got to get back to the standard that we had all spring and all summer.

“The (Texas Tech) loss motivates it, but it's just as much the loss gives you a reason to really double down on why those things matter, and how do you keep the guys mentally focused to not lose that momentum.”

The recourse plan involved a ‘self-scout’ period for the Sun Devils. Rather than heavily focusing on its next opponent and the upcoming game plan, the team went back to basics, rehashing its key principles.

“We've really just focused on shrinking back to what we're good at,” Dillingham admitted, “not getting carried away in what the opponent does. Not saying let's put in four different things specifically for this opponent, but let's say, ‘Hey let's pull from a menu of things that we're good at and what are the best things from this menu versus this team.’

“A really good play operated or run poorly is a bad play, so let's run good plays that we can execute, not a great scheme that we can execute poorly. We got to find that balance. That’s my fault because I'm a scheme guy.

Dillingham's assertion is similar to the players' thoughts. Freshman running back Jason Brown Jr. felt the team lost its previous edge, and the week off has given the team a chance to find its focal point.

“We weren't paying as much attention to detail,” Brown described. “Just being the team that we were at the start of the season and during fall camp and things like that when it comes to intensity and mentality when it comes to approaching upcoming weeks and upcoming opponents. We have to lock in and dial into the things that coach Kenny constantly preaches.”

Practices this week have added an element of fun at the end of each session. Scout team players and those who rarely see the field on Saturdays scrimmaged for the final 15-20 minutes as the two-deep squads put on the headsets and coached from the sidelines or, in most cases, provided guidance directly on the field.

The youthful joy displayed by the Sun Devils during these segments encapsulated the enjoyment of football and provided even more bonding opportunities for the players. Dillingham spoke on the importance of deviating from the regular schedule to allow his players a fresh and lively environment this week.

“I tell them we got to bring the fun and the monotony of a season,” Dillingham remarked. “Not many teams can consistently stay up the entire time. We get to break up the monotony while still getting work in and have a little fun, bringing a little juice back. I think that's what those practices at the end are doing. They're bringing a little juice, a little competitive edge back to the field in a practice setting, and hopefully, that kind of converts to Tuesday and Wednesday practice next week.”

For players on the scout team like Brown, the repetitions only lead to growth and improvement. As a running back full of talented players at ASU, the newcomer can retain information from his teammates, learning from those who came before and adding it to his growing arsenal.

“It's a blessing in itself being able to be surrounded by a group of guys, especially NFL caliber talented guys,” Brown noted. “It speaks volumes to the talent in this room; I feel like every day I take it as a new adventure and a new opportunity to get better, so I'm just extremely blessed to be here. Whenever I walk on the field, I'm kind of starry-eyed, and you know, I'm really happy to be here and be a part of this team and be a part of what coach Kenny’s building.”

Dillingham knows the importance of allowing the scout team players to learn from the experience of the players who are regularly in the rotation, along with developing mentors amongst the starters by coaching the younger players who will be playing alongside them on Saturdays sooner rather than later.

“It's great because the other players are coaching them, which means the leadership aspect of having to listen to a peer and those guys having to coach them is great for the offseason,” Dillingham commented. “You're used to listening to guys older than you giving them an opportunity to lead, so I think for both sides of it, not only is it helping them become closer as a team, I think it's helping them get the full live speed reps of our offense and our defense and not just as the scout team.”

The weekend off will also allow the players and coaches to relax and unwind. Though for most of the players and coach Dillingham, there can never be too much football, and the head coach confessed that he would spend an off day from the gridiron watching other schools and potential future opponents play from the comfort of his home surrounded by his family.

“Hopefully on the couch watching games with the wife and the little guy,” Dillingham said of his upcoming Saturday plans, “doing not much of anything, and then when I get bored of watching games, going back and forth between watching a film on my couch of the future opponent. Football and more football and then more football, but I love just college football, so being able to watch it on an off week as a fan.”

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