ASU football mid-season recap

TEMPE, Ariz. — Entering the season, ASU football was picked dead last in the conference. Second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham has proven quite the opposite in a wide-open Big XII this season. Heading into Week 8, the Sun Devils are 5-1 with their only loss coming on the road at Texas Tech.

The next six games will prove challenging as ASU will have a mix of good and bad teams. Some might call it a few opportunities for “trap games” and many road games. The Sun Devils only have two more home games this season over the last six! With games against Kansas St, Oklahoma St, and BYU, is it crazy to think the Sun Devils can finish with 9 wins and an AP ranking to end the season?

What got ASU football to where it is today?

Cam Skattebo

The running back has proven to be what everyone thought he could be in the Big XII: A dominant runner. Through six games this season, he leads the league in carries, and touchdowns, and ranks second in total yards-per-game and yards-per-carry. Last season, many thought that Skattebo could be good, but not having the ability to be a dominant runner by the nature of playing many other positions hindered him. Skattebo is on pace to finish the season with 1500 yards and 16 touchdowns. Can we see another resurgence of Cam Skattebo in the second half?

Sam Leavitt 

The young rookie has proven that he has what it takes to compete. While his passing stats are phenomenal, his legs help the Sun Devils immensely. As a quarterback, he’s averaging nearly 50 yards on the ground per game, which ranks among the top 15 in the country. His 59.2% completion percentage is partially due to his early season woes learning the system. However, his success is imminent. He averages nearly 200 passing yards per game in a system that favors running the football.

The Defense

The Sun Devils have been good every game, but great when they need to be. In games when the offense isn’t clicking, the defense comes in and makes a play. In games when the offense is clicking, they add more points on the other side. But there is never a game when the Sun Devils defense takes a day off. This preaches to the tenacity and grit that Dillingham has poured into this team. Don’t take a single game off, let alone a single down. To this point in the season, the defense has put the offense in a great spot with a plus-five turnover differential. To add to the turnovers created, they rank No. 2 in the Big XII with 14 sacks on the season for more than 100 negative rushing yards.

If _____ has a breakout 2nd half, ASU can win the Big XII

Jordyn Tyson

Many thought that Tyson was going to be the No. 1 wide receiver after the departure of Elijhah Badger. Through six games this season, Tyson has 25 receptions for 369 yards. The only downside to his offense is the fact that he has some untimely drops. Tyson has become a safety net for Leavitt under center with more than half of his receiving yards coming in the last two games. Over the next four games, the Sun Devils face some softer secondaries and with Tyson’s ability to rip the top off, I can see some huge games.

Tyson can finish the season with north of 800 yards and eight touchdowns this season at this rate.

Expectations for the remainder of the season?

It is clear to say that the Sun Devils have exceeded expectations in year two under Dillingham. Winning five of their first six games and being projected to win four more according to ESPN FPI rankings shows a massive upside for ASU. At this rate, for the second half of the season, I think all the team needs to show is future promise. The fans have endured so much pain and suffering over the last ten years, all they need is promise. A bowl game seems all but locked up at this point in the season and with the Big XII title up in the air, is it crazy to say the College Football Playoff isn’t out of the picture? In all reality, if the Sun Devils get a New Year’s six bowl game, as a fan you have to be ecstatic.

However the remainder of the season plays out, I think it is safe to say that the valley is in good hands with Dillingham and new ASU AD Graham Rossini.

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