After throwing for 408 yards and out-dueling a first-round talent in Justin Herbert of Oregon, you might expect a true freshman to act a little different than before.

Add in that nearly 5 million people tuned in to watch you accomplish the feat and the expectations and added pressures may be too much to handle for an 18 or 19-year-old.

But Arizona State true freshman Jayden Daniels is no ordinary true freshman. In the eyes of his coaching staff, he’s just different.

Offensive coordinator Rob Likens discussed how Daniels practiced after breakout performance on national television as well as the challenges that await the Sun Devils in the territorial cup.

Jayden Daniels unfazed after breakout performance on National TV

As mentioned before, a game like Daniels had against the No. 6 team in the nation might just give a player who was playing high school football just one year ago a little too much confidence heading into the following week.

That was simply not the case for Daniels according to Likens, as he came in sharp and ready to prepare for Saturday’s matchup.

“He’s just a different kid, man,” Likens admitted. “He’s really grounded. I don’t see that in him. Like I went out today at practice, he had a great, great look in his eye and a focus. I think games like that — I don’t worry about him being overconfident.”

While Daniels isn’t becoming overconfident, it is clear to see his confidence is in fact growing week by week.

Wise beyond his years, the freshman balances his confidence in a way that is able to grow without becoming too over the top.

“I think they give him more confidence, and he gets in ever a better mindset,” Likens said. “I don’t think it works negatively with him, it’s a positive thing. Because he’s kind of special in that way. I was excited to see him this morning and I really loved the way he practiced today.”

This sense of confidence that never brinks on the edge of arrogance has become the trademark for the freshman who never seems to face a moment too big for him.

“That tells you a little bit about his character and his maturity at the age that he is,” Likens stated. “Like a lot of kids, 18 years old or 19, that might’ve been a lot of pressure on them. But as you can tell, he was laughing in the game. And he was just smiling, and that’s just who he is. The moment is never too big for him.”

Territorial Cup and Thanksgiving collide

With the team’s rivalry game against down south rival the University of Arizona coming at the end of the year, naturally the game falls around Thanksgiving.

This sort of timing gives each team a certain hurdle to overcome as both team’s coaching staffs and players have to adjust their schedules accordingly.

In turn, this changes a set schedule that the team has consistently followed into one that has to adjust for the holiday.

“It’s different,” Likens stated. Being around the holiday season as well, like right around Thanksgiving, kind of adds a little bit to that I think. Because everybody’s got family in town and all that stuff and then you got to change your schedule a little bit because of Thanksgiving. And so, it’s uneasy, I know that because you get off of your routine a little bit, which is scary as a coach. So that’s the tough part about the rival game around the holidays and Thanksgiving.”

For Likens, the game has the feel of something bigger to it that seems near impossible to explain to his younger players who have never experienced it.

On the side of the Wildcats, the game will be their final of the season and in essence, be their bowl game as they are unable to become bowl eligible this season.

“It has a bowl game feel to it,” Likens said. “I try to tell the freshmen ─ you’re not going to understand it until you get out in pregame. When you get to pregame warmup, you’re going to look around and go, ‘Oh, this is what they’re talking about.’ Because once you hit that field, it’s a totally different feel.”

Arizona Defense provides plenty of challenges for the Sun Devils to overcome

When Likens looks at the tape of his opponent on Saturday, he sees parallels to a team that the Sun Devils narrowly lost to two weeks ago. Oregon State.

The offensive coordinator sees an aggressive defense that will be vying to end their season on a high note, something that the Wildcats have not experienced consistently this season.

“You’ll get some plays on them, but they’re going to hit you,” Likens admitted. “I thought Oregon State was a lot more aggressive this year than they were last year, and these guys will hit you. (Tony Fields) and (Colin Schooler) are really fine linebackers. They’re good, man. I enjoy watching those two guys play. They’ll run and they’ll hit you. And they hit us last year, and they’re returning starters. They’re kind of the heart of their defense.”

The pair of linebackers have been the anchor of a defense that has seen it’s a fair share of changes throughout the season even down to the person running the unit.

Chuck Cecil took over at defensive coordinator for the Wildcats three weeks ago, giving the Sun Devils somewhat limited game tape to scout his defense off of.

Likens admitted that while the team on paper may not jump off the stat sheet, they do offer plenty of players such as Fields and Schooler, among others that can make plays and slow down offenses.

“They’ve kind of had some changes at the front and in the secondary, but those two linebackers remain the same,” Likens said. “We just got to find a way to block them. They do a really good job on short yardage, of skinnying guys up and finding creasing and getting you in the backfield. They did it to us last year a lot. And they got some good guys up front that can beat the 1-on-1 battle with some quickness, just like Oregon State did and knife through there and cause some problems. “It’s going to be tough to run the ball.”

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