ASU football: RB Cam Skattebo earns national attention

TEMPE – Arizona State senior running back Cam Skattebo caught the attention of national media after a phenomenal performance in the Sun Devils’ 30-23 win over Mississippi State. He rushed for a career-high 262 yards, 50 more than any other FBS athlete for the week and 155 of which, were after contact.

ASU football RB Cam Skattebo gains national attention

On Monday, he was named the Associated Press National Player of the Week, marking just the second recipient of the award. It was the third National Player of the Week award of his career after taking home the Hornung Award Player of the Week twice just a season ago. The Paul Hornung Award is awarded annually to the most versatile player in college football.

Coach Kenny Dillingham praises Skattebo

“It’s a team award,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “Obviously, he’s the one who got the ball. He dominated. He played great. We all know that. But he played like a man possessed in the football game in a positive way. Anytime you get an individual award like that, it’s more of a ‘Hey, this is the guy who got the stats but this is everybody’s recognition for the work everybody put in.”

Skattebo also became the first Sun Devil to earn a weekly conference honor as one of the newest members of the Big 12 after being named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for his heroics. Among the new awards for the 2024 college football season, is a weekly recognition from the Doak Walker Award, awarded annually to recognize the nation’s best running back. Skattebo was named to the award’s preseason watch list last month.

“He’s a really tough kid,” Dillingham said of the wear and tear on Skattebo. “He puts in the work. I think he can handle that type of workload this year – he couldn’t last year because the shape he put himself in. The way he runs, he punishes people most of the time, which is a positive. He’s obviously going to have some bumps and bruises, but he doesn’t take as much contact because he plays with such pad level that he inflicts the contact more than he just takes hits to the body.”

Milestone markers

Saturday, Sept. 7 was ASU’s first win over an SEC team in program history. Skattebo’s 262 rushing-yard performance was the second-most in a single game by a Sun Devil, only behind Eno Benjamin’s 312-yard performance against Oregon State in 2018.

On Thursday in ASU football’s first road game of the season, Skattebo had a quieter night but still eclipsed career milestones. He passed 3,000 career rushing yards, dating back to his time at Sacramento State. Skattebo also surpassed 4,000 all-purpose yards. He currently has 3,054 rushing yards and 4,078 total yards.

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