ASU’s defense limited a physical Utah offense to just 19 points in its 27-19 win on Friday, including forcing three turnovers from veteran quarterback Cam Rising. The Sun Devils took advantage of an uncharacteristic outing by Rising, as well as playing for the second time in six days, while the Utes had two whole weeks to prepare for the matchup. Cornerbacks coach Bryan Carrington felt a monumental win like this for the program propelled the defense in the right direction, although they already seemed to be traveling that way.
“It gives the guys a lot of confidence,” Carrington said. “For us to play a successful quarterback that’s had a history of winning and hold him to 16 for 37 and three interceptions, you can’t have much of a better performance. I’m excited that our guys were able to go through a short week playing Utah, who had two weeks off and were able to perform on a big stage Friday. That’s very pleasing for me as a coach.”
One of the interceptions came at the hands of sophomore Keith Abney II, who has progressed significantly in the past six games. Carrington believes he embodies the culture that the defense as a whole identifies with and has the chance to be a key veteran piece in the future for the Sun Devils. He’s continued to help flip the narrative critics had on the team heading into the season and shows no signs of slowing.
“He played under 50 snaps for us last year, so I view this as his first season,” Carrington stated. “Through six games, he’s been a pleasant surprise. He’s a football guy, savvy, loves the game, and loves to compete. He’s a guy that’s able to take everything we teach from the classroom and he’s able to apply it on the field. It’s a young cornerback room, probably unproven, but through six games, our play isn’t reflecting what people thought of us before the season started.”
The players displayed an immense amount of maturity, as after beating a top 20 team in the country, they got right back to work this week in practice. This situation is a prime example of the growth the players have shown over the course of the season, as ASU’s second week of practice after blowing out Wyoming was much different compared to now. It’s a testament to what head coach Kenny Dillingham preached week in and week out, which seems to have come to fruition.
“It’s something that Coach Dillingham has been emphasizing,” Carrington recalled. “From the beginning of the season, we’ve been picked to finish last in the conference, so we have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes to us. To be 5-1 halfway through the season, these games are important because we made these games important.”
The Sun Devils’ second road trip presents many chances for Dillingham and his team to increase their outreach even further. The “Texas to Tempe” connection has been well established, but after already finding colossal success early into their inaugural season in the Big 12, Dillingham can show off his recruiting abilities in another section of the country that has less exposure to the program and what it’s about.
“It’s a great opportunity for us,” Carrington explained. “I feel like playing in the Big 12 is creating a lot more visibility for players on this roster, including us trying to cast our net around the country. From a recruiting standpoint, it’s just another opportunity to play in a region where ASU isn’t talked about, and our goal is to leave the game with a good impression of the brand we’re building here.”
Cincinnati and ASU share similarities in their preseason rankings. The Sun Devils were picked to finish last, and the Bearcats were not far behind at 14th place out of 16. They’ve taken the Big 12 by storm, losing two games by a combined four points, and sit seventh in the conference with a 2-1 record.
They’re led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who ranks 15th in the country with 1722 passing yards with 13 passing yards. This game will be another road test for the Sun Devils, who finished their last trip outside of Tempe on a sour note.
“I’m a big fan of the quarterback,” Carrington admitted. “I feel like the quarterback is probably one of the top-tier quarterbacks in this league. He has a live arm, he’s confident, and he throws the ball all around the yard, so I think that’s a good challenge for us. The last time we stepped on the road we weren’t successful, so we’re trying to use this as an opportunity to redeem ourselves from how we performed in the last road game.”
On Saturday, ASU has the opportunity to clinch bowl eligibility for the first time since 2021. The buy-in from the players and coaches has made the difference this year, as Carrington saw one of the lowest years in program history in 2023.
The Sun Devils finished with three or fewer wins in back-to-back years for the first time since 1942 and 1946 but now are in a prime position to put the program on the map. The impact a successful season has on the future program is monumental and would ensure the Sun Devils can continue their success for the foreseeable future.
“To clinch bowl eligibility this Saturday would be unbelievable,” Carrington voiced. “Not only to the players on this roster that have earned it but to the people around the country that are watching. People want to go where the confetti dropped last instead of looking underneath the hood and see where the stars are aligned. To have that type of visibility from a national standpoint increased our percentages of landing players outside of this region that can help us.”
A key factor in this season’s success has been the ground attack. Senior running back Cam Skattebo is fifth in the country with 773 rushing yards, and the team ranks 20th overall with 1267 rushing yards. Running back coach Shaun Aguano spoke on the importance of having talented running backs and impactful blockers in front of them.
“I think it’s the details,” Aguano stated. “The number one thing is the offensive line. They’re doing a heck of a job, so they’re getting us a push up front, and we’re able to hit the holes and be patient enough. I like the ability of our running backs running downhill and being physical, so a combination of those two.”
The offensive line took perhaps the biggest hit to its depth in 2023 but has bounced back this year. With the increased depth and health of the position, the offensive line coach, Saga Tuitele, has the ability to plug in multiple players at each position. He has a level of talent that wasn’t available to him last year and has taken full advantage.
“Last year, we were trying to get guys off the bench to play,” Aguano recalled. “This year, with the camaraderie in that group in the ones and twos, anybody can come in and play. They’ve done a good job, Coach Saga has done a good job from a technical standpoint in getting those guys to play, and it’s benefited us in the backfield.”
Aguano also recognized the importance of extending ASU’s audience to all parts of the country but has found previous recruiting success in the Ohio area. The Sun Devils have performed on the national stage multiple times this year and have the chance to build on their already impressive 2024 campaign.
“Anytime we play nationally, it gives us that exposure to go and recruit,” Aguano mentioned. “I’ve recruited from the Ohio area and pulled a running back about three years ago, and they have some really good players out there. It gives us national exposure for us to be out there and recruit at a high level.”
The running back room is perhaps one of the deepest positions on the team, with several starting-caliber players behind Skattebo. Recently, the backup has been redshirt senior DeCarlos Brooks, who has performed well in his limited opportunities. He and Skattebo are the veterans of the group and have continuously spread their knowledge to the younger backs, such as sophomore Kyson Brown and freshman Jason Brown Jr.
“It’s just the maturity,” Aguano noted. “It’s getting the young guys to understand how to practice, study, and do all those things. Those guys are always ready to go because they’re learning from the guys in front of them, and I think the maturity of Skat and DeCarloss helps those guys day in and day out.”
Even with the group battling for the same spot, they still manage to bring out the best in each other. They’ve all expanded their knowledge and talent as the season progresses and developed a deeper chemistry as a result. Aguano feels that’s the best-case scenario, as it shows a level of maturity.
“They’re all competing for one job,” Aguano explained. “But their camaraderie helps each other, and that’s what we preach from day one. I think they get along really well, they help each other out, and they’re rooting for each other knowing that at any time they can be the next guy up, so that’s a good group of guys.”
Skattebo brought up early in the season that with how the bye weeks are split with four, three, and five games with a bye week in between four and five, the season is almost split up into thirds. The first third ended with ASU’s lone loss, and now the team has the chance to learn from the past to head into the last third of the season on a high.
“It’s incredibly important for us to finish this second part of the season strong,” Aguano expressed. “You don’t want to go two weeks with the loss and the weight of it. I think that if we come away with that win, it’ll get us ready for the last part of the season with five games remaining.”
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