En route to the Sun Devils' first Big 12 win in program history on Saturday. Late-game heroics at critical moments in the contest saw them edge out a 35-31 victory over Kansas, in nail-biting fashion. The newcomers certainly played a crucial role in the contest in all position groups. Here is our detailed report.
(Note: all transfer players, true freshmen, redshirt freshmen regardless of if they played last year, and other players, regardless of class, who redshirted last year are the ones mentioned in this article series)
Offense
Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who today was named the Big 12’s Newcomer of the Week, played as though he was making his 50th, not his fifth, collegiate start, throwing four touchdown passes and completing 14-24 attempts for 157 yards. He made timely plays with his legs as well, rushing for 77 yards on ten carries, scrambling out of the pocket, and gaining eight first downs. His agility proved significant down the stretch as he moved the chains with his legs twice on ASU’s go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter.
Leavitt’s four touchdown passes marked a new career high, and it was the first time an ASU quarterback had thrown four touchdowns since Joey Yellen against USC in 2019. With two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Leavitt’s growing confidence and deeper understanding, game-by-game, has led to him playing with poise and not overthinking on the field.
“My biggest things I wrote on my whiteboard was just being calm in the pocket,” Leavitt said. “Ultimately, that helps my accuracy. So just being calmer and then just trust in my receivers and trust in my eyes.”
Out of all the Sun Devil receivers, Leavitt entrusted redshirt sophomore Jordyn Tyson time and time again on Saturday. It was certainly a tail of two halves for Tyson; he fumbled in the second quarter on a nine-yard reception, conceding ASU’s first turnover of the contest. The second turnover had Tyson's fingerprints on it as well, as he was unable to hang on Leavitt's and, whilst getting two hands on the ball, tipped the pigskin into the sky for it to be intercepted by the Jayhawks.
Tyson was visibly frustrated on the sideline immediately after the interception, yet he was upheld by Dillingham, who told him to “Next play,”. The wide reviver took those words to heart and rewarded his team’s support, moving past his early game struggles, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning score from three yards out with just 16 seconds left in the game. Tyson led all aerial targets on Saturday with six catches for 76 yards.
“I tried not to think about it too much,” Tyson said of his turnovers, “I got the next play, and that’s what I did.”
Tight end and Colorado transfer Chamon Metayer caught just one pass against Kansas, but that’s all he needed to find the endzone, scoring on a 20-yard play that saw him jolt over the goal line after being in acres of unmanned space.
Running back and USC transfer Raleek Brown played in his second game of the season, rushing for 41 yards. The Kansas contest was the first time he saw meaningful snaps this season. A fall camo hamstring injury sidelined him not only for the entire month of August but also for the first two games of the year. He played just a couple of snaps in week three versus Texas State and was sidelined again the following week against Texas Tech. In the win over the Jayhawks, he looked rejuvenated, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Defense
The ASU defense was ferocious against Kansas, and the first-year players aided in the up front battle throughout. Linebacker and San Diego State transfer Zyrus Fiaseu left his mark with two tackles for loss, forcing the Jayhawks back seven yards in total.
Fiaseu’s positional teammate Keyshaun Elliott also had a busy outing, with three total tackles and one pass breakup. Alas, his night ended disappointingly in the third quarter. After forcing an incompletion in the endzone, the linebacker was flagged for targeting. This resulted in his ejection, which will also sideline him for the first half of the Sun Devils’ upcoming matchup with Utah.
“Yeah, it sucks,” Dillingham said in regards to Elliott's suspension. “Can’t prevent that from happening. His head hit the ball, which also knocked it out.”
In the secondary, defensive back Xavion Alford was stellar as the last line of defense, finishing with six total tackles and two pass breakups. His presence was most notable on the game's final play, when he batted down a Hail Mary attempt to the endzone to close out Saturday's victory.
Special Teams
Punter Kanyon Floyd had a game he won’t soon forget, and not because he laced two punts within the Kansas 20-yard line. The lone true freshman starter on ASU’s roster completed his first-ever colligate pass to defensive lineman Clayton Smith on a trick play.
On fourth-and-5 from their own 35, the Sun Devils ran a fake punt, and Floyd hit Smith on the sideline for 15 yards and a first down. When asked, Dillingham smiled, knowing the audacious try was going to require some good fortune to pull off.
“We got it done, we practiced it all week,” Dillingham described. “We knew it was going to be there if we got a certain look. We got the luck, and we converted.”
Conversely, placekicker Ian Hershey will want to move on from his performance last weekend. He attempted one PAT, which he converted, and one field goal, which was blocked on a 38-yard attempt. His backup and redshift freshman, Carston Kieffer, kicked the extra points from there on out. When asked about the change, Dillingham admitted Hershey’s field goals did not get enough loft, and Kieffer's boot would be less likely to be blocked going forward.
“Our kicks we’re too low,” Dillingham admitted. “We got two kicks blocked this year because we’re not getting a lift on our kicks. You can’t do much other than put somebody else in and kick it higher.”
Ohio State transfer placekicker Parker Lewis booted five of six kickoffs for touchbacks.
Newcomer Participation List for Kansas Game
QB Sam Leavitt
WR Jordyn Tyson
WR Jake Smith
TE Chamon Metayer
TE Douglas Markeston
TE Coleson Arends
TE Cameron Harpole
DL Roman Pitre
DL Justin Wodtly
DL Jeff Clark
LB Keyshaun Elliot
LB Zyrus Fiaseu
LB Martell Hughes
LB Jordan Crook
LB K’Vion Thunderbird
DB Javan Robinson
DB Xavion Alford
DB Myles Rowser
DB Montana Warren
DB Adama Fall
DB Keontez Bradley
DB Kamari Wilson
K Parker Lewis
K Ian Hershey
K Carston Kieffer
P Kanyon Floyd
True freshmen who exceeded four game appearances and are unable to redshirt:
P Kanyon Floyd
LB Martell Hughes
True freshmen who recorded four or fewer game appearances and can still redshirt:
DB Kyan McDonald (three games)
DB Rodney Bimage (two games)
RB Jason Brown (one game)
DL Albert Smith (one game)
DB Tony-Luis Nkuba (one game)
True freshmen who haven't yet appeared in a game:
OL Terrell Kim
OL Champ Westbrooks
OL Semisi Tonga
WR Zechariah Sample
TE Jayden Fortier
TE James Giggey
DL Ramar Williams
DL Salesi Manu
DB Plas Johnson
DB Chris Johnson II
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