Arizona State football has had a rough few years, with back-to-back 3-9 seasons and an NCAA investigation stemming from the previous coaching staff, creating a gloomy atmosphere around the program. However, since Kenny Dillingham took over, there’s been a renewed sense of energy and optimism.
Whether that translates into more wins this season remains to be seen.
For the second consecutive year, there has been considerable turnover, which is typical in the current college football landscape, especially for a team coming off tough seasons.
What must the Sun Devils do to improve their win total this year? Let’s explore:
Consistent performance at quarterback
One major reason ASU was predicted to finish at the bottom of the conference in the preseason poll is the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. A team’s success heavily relies on its quarterback. The Sun Devils will be counting on Michigan State transfer Sam Leavitt, who has yet to prove himself, as he competes against Nebraska transfer Jeff Sims and veteran Trenton Bourguet.
Dillingham noted that the primary reason Leavitt secured the starting quarterback position was his ability to protect the football. In contrast, Sims, who joined from Nebraska in May, has struggled with turnovers during game situations, a trend that persisted throughout the last two weeks of fall camp.
In 2023, ASU ranked 109th out of 130 FBS teams in total offense with 322.2 yards per game, which falls short in today’s offense-driven environment. They also struggled to produce explosive plays, though improvements in personnel have introduced several athletes capable of delivering those game-changing moments.
Enhanced cohesion on the offensive line
The offensive line faced significant challenges last season, with one game late in the year where the Sun Devils had only seven scholarship offensive linemen available. Most teams expect a solid rotation of seven or eight players from around 15 scholarship linemen, highlighting how under-resourced ASU was.
Center Leif Fautanu played every snap last season and was the only lineman to start at the same position throughout. The Sun Devils have bolstered their depth through the transfer portal, but issues already exist. Sophomore Jalen Klemm, a transfer from Washington who aimed for a starting role, is out indefinitely. Additionally, Shancco Matautia, a transfer from New Mexico, left ASU after spring drills to join rival Arizona, and he too would have competed for significant playing time.
Improve third down conversions
The Sun Devils struggled on third downs last season, ranking 117th overall with only 54 successful conversions out of 170 attempts (.318). The only team in the Big 12 with a worse rate was Brigham Young, which ranked 128th, converting just 28.5% of the time.
When a team struggles to move the chains, its defense becomes more vulnerable due to spending too much time on the field. This was true for ASU, whose solid defense was worn down and lacking in depth.
This season, ASU will face four teams that ranked in the top 11 nationally in this category.
Generate turnovers
Creating turnovers is a hallmark of Brian Ward’s defensive strategy, making it surprising that the Sun Devils performed poorly in this area. ASU ranked 127th out of 130 teams in turnover margin, only ahead of Rice, Nebraska, and Temple.
The Sun Devils accumulated just nine takeaways—four fumble recoveries and five interceptions—against 20 turnovers. The situation looks even worse considering that four of those takeaways occurred during the loss to Washington, leaving them with only five in the other 11 games combined. Free safety Shamari Simmons led the team with three takeaways (one interception and two fumble recoveries).
ASU’s offense struggled significantly in 2023, requiring additional opportunities to remain competitive, but they didn’t generate enough.
Prevent injuries
While every team emphasizes this, ASU’s situation last year highlighted the issue. They lacked sufficient healthy players to field scout teams, which hampered their ability to practice effectively and improve.
A total of 31 players missed 143 games collectively, with the offensive line and quarterback positions particularly affected. Nine different offensive linemen were sidelined, with most missing six or more games. This was especially challenging for a team already short on depth. At times, running back Cameron Skattebo and tight end Jalin Conyers had to take snaps at quarterback, and some defensive linemen had to switch to offensive positions for practice.
On the upside, several players who were unexpectedly thrust into key roles gained valuable experience, including true freshmen offensive lineman Sean Na’a and defensive lineman C.J. Fite.
Unfortunately, the team has already faced setbacks this season, with defensive lineman Anthonie Cooper (knee) out for the year and several other players sidelined as well.
Handle adversity
Dillingham has emphasized the importance of this aspect because his team struggled to overcome challenges last year, whether it was a critical penalty, an untimely turnover, or coping with significant injuries.
A clear example is the loss to Fresno State, where ASU had eight turnovers. The Sun Devils failed to recover from early setbacks, which caused problems to escalate. In that game, injuries forced the use of four different quarterbacks.
Dillingham believes the leadership of this year’s team, especially on offense, is an improvement compared to last season.
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