Some will say that eclipsing a three-win campaign is a low bar to clear when speaking of improving that mark the following season. Yet you won’t have to extensively research various media outlets to discover that level of progress predicted for Arizona State this year will be just barely better than that 2022 mark.
On the other hand, the winds of a positive and massive roster turnover and improved team culture ushered in by first-year head coach Kenny Dillingham have done plenty to excite the Sun Devil fan base for the last eight or so months.
For that outside media perception to be ultimately proven incorrect, there’s little doubt that ASU will need to rely heavily on its group of nearly 30 transfer portal additions, a unit ranked No. 2 nationally.
This is why I identified Sacramento State transfer junior running back Cameron Skattebo and Oklahoma transfer sophomore EDGE Clayton Smith as a tandem that could very well be instrumental in the level of success the Sun Devils could have this upcoming season.
Cameron Skattebo arrived in Tempe as the 2022 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year, posting 1,373 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 196 carries in addition to hauling in 31 catches for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Undoubtedly eye-popping numbers, yet stats that some may wonder if they can translate from the FCS ranks to the Power Five level. Nonetheless, after seeing him throughout Spring Practice, there is no doubt in my mind that the Sacramento State transfer can be a bona fide playmaker in this league. And as a player who was ignored by FBS programs out of high school, he’s eagerly ready to prove a point.
At 5-10 222-pounds, he’s a carbon copy of former ASU running back Demario Richard, one of the best Sun Devil running backs this century. His low center of gravity and overall physicalness make him a nightmare to tackle. He always adheres to the golden rule of any running back engaged in contact: keep moving your feet so you can drag the defender with you. Dillingham accurately described the style of his running back during a Spring practice interview, saying, “If you light the fire under Skat to compete, he’ll fight until the death.”
Maybe the best thing I like about Skattebo is that his frame is deceiving, and his explosiveness isn’t only manifested in tight spaces but also in the open field. His effectiveness running east and west is at a high level, and even if he won't outrun some defensive backs, it's not as if that group of players will have an easy time bringing him down to the ground. His abilities as a receiver out of the backfield make him an every-down player who won’t be regulated to pass blocking (another task he carries out well) on obvious passing situations due to his pass-catching capabilities.
“The coaches wanted me to go full speed on every play,” Skattebo said during spring practice, whether the ball was in my hands or out of my hands, and be consistent all Spring ball. That has been improving and will get better in the season. I like to run physical, fast, and decisive.”
Even during some mediocre seasons, ASU, for several years now, has enjoyed a great lineage of running backs from Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage through Eno Benjamin and Rachaad White, and last season we saw Xazavian Valladay play at a level that was just as high as his predecessors in the Sun Devil backfield.
Huge shoes to fill for sure, but even though Skattebo is not expected to be the high-volume ball carrier like many of those other former ASU running backs, he will still be a playmaker the Sun Devils will count on every Saturday, and he will repay that confidence delivering in the ground attack.
When you discuss an elevated pass rush that should effortlessly better a historically low mark of 17 sacks last year (ranked 10th in the Pac-12), EDGE Clayton Smith is expected to spearhead that turnaround.
The 6-4 245-pounder proved time and time again in Spring practice that he can be an absolute impact player and a thorn in the side of any offensive lineman trying to impede him from racking havoc in the backfield. He’s a classic explosive pass rusher who can get to the quarterback on any given play. Has the classic frame for a player in his role, and his athleticism serves him well not only in reaching his destination and deflecting passes but also defending in coverage and open spaces due to his formidable closing speed.
Smith was a five-star prospect out of high school, ranked No. 2 nationally at his position and No. 24 overall among all recruits in the 2021 class. Granted, his two-year career in Norman didn’t materialize as expected, which naturally only motivates him that much more to turn the page in Tempe. During Spring practice, Smith lauded the defensive scheme that defensive coordinator Brian Ward is employing, allowing players like him “to do what we do best, and that’s how a good defense comes together.”
Ward arrives from a Washington State program that literally produced twice the sacks that ASU tallied in 2022, mainly due to its MUG fronts, a scheme that should fit Smith's skill set hand to glove. Washington State’s EDGE Brennan Jackson flourished under Ward in 2022 and was Named to the All-Pac-12 Second Team and was tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with 12 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. There is no reason not to be optimistic that Smith could even eclipse those numbers. Such a feat will not only enhance the overall play for Arizona State’s front four but will provide much-needed support for a Sun Devil defensive backfield that could be the team’s strength on this side of the ball.
During Spring practice, Smith said that he expects out himself “A whole lot of sacks” in 2023. Delivering on that promise will go a long way in strengthening the ASU defense this season.
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, run by the longest-tenured Sun Devil sports beat writer, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today and get your daily fix of Sun Devil news!
