True freshman QB Jaden Rashada named the starter for ASU's season opener
When ASU's fall camp began, not many gave true freshman Jaden Rashada much f a chance to be named the Sun Devils' starting quarterback in their 2023 season opener. Yet, following a hamstring injury to Notre Dame transfer and sophomore Drew Pyne on August 12th, Rashada was engaged in a battle with returning starter junior Trenton Bourguet. Devils Digest was able to confirm Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro's report that head coach Kenny Dillingham did name Rashada as the starting signal caller for Arizona State's home game versus Southern Utah on August 31st.
Rashada's addition was a resounding end to ASU's 2023 recruiting cycle, landing one of the most coveted prospects of this class and the highest-rated available quarterback in that group. The four-star quarterback is a Sun Devil legacy player, son of former ASU safety Harlen Rashada who played in the mid-90s for ASU. The quarterback chose Arizona State over TCU after being released from his Letter of Intent with Florida.
Rashada is the first true freshman QB to start a season opener for ASU since Jayden Daniels did so in 2019. Daniels was also the first true freshman quarterback in program history to start the first game of the season.
Rashada’s calling card is a gifted dual-threat quarterback, yet that tends to over highlight his running skills while indirectly diminishing his passing prowess. In a previous interview with Devils Digest, he took exception with anyone who doesn’t believe that he’s still not a well-rounded signal caller.
“I’m huge on throwing the ball because I’m a quarterback and not nothing else other than that,” Rashada stated. “The quarterback does need to throw the ball well, so that’s definitely my priority. I don’t use my feet unless I have to. I definitely do like throwing the ball better than running it. I really improved a lot on both my arm strength and accuracy. I also improved my anticipation and timing, and I’m a whole different player than I was back then. It’s been a lot of learning for me, and I know I hit some of those (learning) curves, and I’m pretty glad I went through them.”
In his senior year at Pittsburg (Calif.) High School Rsahada completed 211 of 338 passes for 3,055 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
The 2023 quarterback was set to enroll in Florida for the spring semester before asking for his release and arrived in Tempe in the spring.
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