Saturday’s 35-31 win over Kansas was the second comeback win of the season for the Sun Devils and the third one-score victory this year. It was another contest where ASU's ground attack down the stretch sealed the opponent’s fate. The trio of senior running back Cam Skattebo, sophomore running back Raleek Brown, and redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt combined for 72 rushing yards out of the 75 total yards on Saturday night’s game-winning drive.
Leavitt continued to display the maturity not commonly seen from a quarterback starting in only his fifth career game. He placidly lofted a three-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Jordyn Tyson with 16 seconds left in the game. Leavitt acknowledged that the team was prepared for moments such as this, adding that upcoming games will pose similar challenges to overcome in the winning moments of a contest.
“It shows our mental toughness,” Leavitt said. “Everybody can see the physical aspect, but mentally, that dates back to summer workouts when we were pushing and grinding. You can’t flip a switch and turn that on, so big props to us over the summer. This week will be a good test for us to see how much we can do that.”
In his postgame interview, the Arizona State quarterback mentioned that he used the bye week to focus on improving his footwork. He felt he bounced on his feet too much and lunged into his throws, which affected his throwing power and accuracy in recent weeks. However, he remedied his deficiencies in practice, which increased his comfortability in the pocket and allowed him to plant his feet and stay grounded.
“We talked a little bit about it after Texas State, and then it got harped on after Texas Tech,” Leavitt recalled. “The first couple of games, I was a little too antsy, so it’s not like any footwork needed to change. It was an emphasis in practice, so I just translated it to the game.”
Utah’s identity on defense is its secondary’s man-to-man defense. The unit’s confidence in its players’ abilities to disrupt offense has served them well so far this season. With a 103.1 score, Utah has the Big 12’s third-best defensive efficiency. Friday night’s contest will feature a caliber of defense Leavitt and his teammates have yet to see.
“I think they play the most man (coverage) in the nation,” Leavitt noted. “I think I saw that seven of the last ten years, they ranked number one for running the most man coverage in the nation. They’re going to say we’re better than you, and it’s going to be a lot of one-on-one in the game.”
Skattebo earned Big 12 co-offensive Player of the Week last week after collecting 182 rushing yards, averaging 7.5 yards per carry, which greatly aided ASU’s passing game. This allowed the offense to run more play-action passes as the game wore on, putting the Kansas defense on its heels, especially in the fourth quarter, when Arizona State found the end zone three times.
“It helps so much,” Leavitt recognized. “Now you get people playing downhill, and that opens up your shots in the play-action game. It puts you in better situations after the first and second down, so you have a third and manageable rather than a third and long. The run game is where everything starts for a majority of offenses.”
The Sun Devils’ ground attack exploded in the second half, with Skattebo running for 120 yards during the last two quarters. Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo drew up more plays to highlight the running back, and no different than other games, it benefitted the offense immensely.
“It’s nothing but just pure faith in him,” Leavitt expressed regarding Skattebo. “Every time I handed him the ball on third and short, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’d get it. He’s a great player, not only him but our line creating gaps, and coach Arroyo schemes up great concepts to get him into open space. It’s everybody working together, but he’s definitely a hell of a player.”
Even as the weeks rolled on and every ASU opponent placed the weight of their defensive attention on Skattebo, the senior’s production did not suffer. This week, the Sun Devil running back ranks sixth in the country with 615 rushing yards and second in the conference averaging 123 rushing yards, effectively administering his punishing running style and rarely going down after the first tackle. His quarterback has enjoyed his front-row seat to witness this show of force.
“It’s a testament to the work he’s put in,” Leavitt remarked. “He never backs down and always wants the ball in the biggest moments. I’m the same way, so I love playing with a guy like that. Sometimes, he’ll be trying to tell me stuff in the backfield, and I have to quiet him down (laughs). He’s really fun to play with in the backfield, and he has a one-of-a-kind mind.”
Skattebo remarked that despite his impressive performance, his mind was less on the stat sheet and more focused on the 11 human obstacles standing between him and the end zone. The ASU offensive line did a formidable job keeping Kansas’ defensive line away from Skattebo, allowing him to reach the second level of defenders early and often, consuming valuable real estate in the process. The running back said that when all the moving parts are winning their assignments, a high volume of production is quick to follow.
“We were just focused on going, going, going,” Skattebo commented. “I really didn’t know I had over 100 yards until about halfway through the fourth quarter when I looked up at the jumbotron. The guys up front did a great job, and we just focused on moving the ball. They don’t see the fight for the extra yards, which means they’re doing their job.”
Saturday’s game versus Kansas was a sellout crowd with 54,639 in attendance, and Skattebo is confident in the fans’ ability to fill up Mountain America Stadium again. The running back knows that fans coming to this contest featuring the No. 16 Utes can continue and display a true home-field advantage.
“I hope we sell out every game the rest of the year,” Skattebo mentioned. “I think our fans are starting to understand the difference between a first down and a third down when the opposite team has the ball or when we have the ball, so it’s starting to get better. I think that last Kansas game was awesome, and I’m expecting hopefully the same turnout or hopefully a couple more people.”
Skattebo is one of the few returning starters from head coach Kenny Dillingham’s inaugural year in Tempe. He has seen the culture that Arizona State’s head coach preaches continue and take a significant hold. As Skattebo played the last year of his collegiate career, he believes that Dillingham’s vision will ensure that the program’s future is in good hands.
“It’s gone nothing but go up,” Skattebo voiced. “He’s doing a great job with the guys he’s bringing in, and I say it all the time, those guys love football. They’re buying into what he’s got going here, and I’m still here for seven more games. I’m going to keep building this culture together, and we have to get those younger guys started on the right foot so they can keep going in the future.”
ASU continues to show its resilience week in and week out, a trait that was largely absent last year, as the Sun Devils rarely trailed in the three games that they won. Skattebo and his fellow returning players harped on their teammates to improve their mental toughness, and up to this point, he has seen those efforts come to fruition.
“I think it goes back to the hours we’ve put in this past offseason,” Skattebo recalled. “He (Dillingham) does a great job preaching and showing guys that we have to keep going no matter what. The vibe all offseason was to keep going no matter what. We’re doing a great job keeping these guys going, and people are buying into our situation. We’re 4-1, and we have a chance to beat a ranked opponent. As long as these guys are bought in, we’ll be just fine.”
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