Amid season ending injuries ASU aims to move past the Utah blowout loss

A 42-10 defeat last Saturday in Salt Lake City did more than just humble ASU and has created a significant void in the front five for Arizona State. Head coach Kenny Dillingham announced Monday, during his weekly press conference, that Graduate offensive lineman Ben Coleman will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after sustaining an arm injury against the Utes. For most of the season, Coleman was anchoring the unit at center, and only in the last game did he move to left guard, a role that earned him All-Big 12 honors in 2024.

Dillingham also announced injury updates for other key contributors. Senior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu had season-ending surgery after an injury he sustained prior to his team’s Week 5 matchup with TCU. Since Fiaseu played in just four games, according to his head coach, he will apply for a waiver that could grant him a medical redshirt and make him eligible for the 2026 season.

In addition, senior safety Xavion Alford, who hasn’t appeared for ASU since Week 2, has no return date, and Dillingham noted he’s going to miss a “significant amount of time” but is hopeful that he can return to action in the latter part of the season. 

The most talked about injury in the last few days, though, was the one for sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt. The signal caller practiced last week on Tuesday and Wednesday, but on the initial player availability report last Wednesday he was listed as probable, then downgraded to doubtful the next day and on Friday he was listed as out.

Leavitt was seen in a boot on his right foot at Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday night. He sustained his injury in Week 4 against Baylor and then played perhaps his best game of the season against then TCU. Dillingham said that Leavitt is “day to day” and that this week’s practices will naturally paint an accurate picture as to his chances of returning to the field for the Texas Tech contest.

“I think the fact that we’re being honest with his situation is making people uncomfortable,” Dillingham remarked. “Anybody who came to practice, did he move around at those two practices on Tuesday and Wednesday? Did he run? The answer is he only threw drop-back passes.” 

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The heap of injuries to critical players comes in the wake of ASU’s worst loss since 2023. The Utes hounded the Sun Devils on both sides of the ball, but the most dominating aspect was their run game and line of scrimmage play. 

Going into the Utah game, the Sun Devils held opponents to less than 80 yards per game on average, yet the Utes posted 276 yards on the ground, and all six of their touchdowns came on rushing plays as well. 

The majority of Utah’s ground game production came from junior quarterback and local Scottsdale Saguaro High School graduate Devon Dampier. He ran for a team high 120 yards and a game leading three touchdowns. Utilizing the triple option alignment while being protected, among others, by junior offensive lineman Spencer Fano, who is projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft per the Athletic. 

“We couldn’t tackle him,” Dillingham admitted. “It was impressive, but it wasn’t fun being on the other side of not being able to tackle somebody. He averaged 12 yards a carry. 

“They did a great job schematically. They put a 350-pounder at tight end; that game was a culture game. That day they out physicalled us, and when somebody does that, there aren’t many answers.” 

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Saturday’s contest took a noticeably physical toll on the players. During the post-game interview that night, Dillingham noted the importance of avoiding a mental toll as well, highlighting the need to put a lackluster game behind them. 

“We’ve been one of the best run defenses in the country for a year and a half,” Dillingham said. “That’s our culture. If we’re going to let one game dictate our culture, I don’t know what we’re doing. 

“We gotta stay true to what we’ve proven to do in the last 17 games, not the 18th one. In the last 17 games, we’ve usually won the line of scrimmage.” 

From an outside perspective, the Big 12 champions are falling to 4-2, with an impending game as double-digit underdogs on the near horizon, which could be a disappointing perspective for some. However, Dillingham’s outlook on his team’s season is different. 

“I’m pretty happy with where we’re at,” Dillingham said. “I know external people have their own opinions on where we should be, but I have my own opinions as well. We’re in a position to achieve everything we want to accomplish.

“Last season we started conference play 2-2, so we’re playing with house money.”

No. 7 Texas Tech is entering this weekend’s contest as the clear favorites with point spread lines ranging from 10.5 to 12.5 points on Monday, coming off a 42-17 victory over Kansas, as sophomore running back Cameron Dickey notched 263 yards rushing using speed and physicality to bruise past the Jayhawks. The Red Raiders won eight games last year and are currently at 6-0, all but guaranteeing they will exceed that mark.

“(Texas Tech) leveled up in every way, shape, and form possible,” Dillingham noted. “That’s why 24 points is the closest anyone has gotten to them this season.”

In a blowout defeat, the blame as to why and how ASU lost by 30 points for the first time since a 49-13 loss to Oregon in 2023, when it was still playing in the Pac-12 conference, is possible, and for Dillingham, the answer is simple: the blame is on him. 

“We don’t have a GM (General Manager),” Dillingham said. “So, me personally, I’m responsible for every single person in this organization. So, it doesn’t matter if we miss a tackle or if there’s a bad scheme; we got outcoached. 

“That’s how I view it as extreme ownership of, I’ve brought every single person into this organization. That all falls on me … when we have failures or don’t hit expectations for a multitude of reasons, it’s my fault, everyone is here because of me, and it should.”

After the humbling 42–10 loss, Dillingham didn’t sugarcoat the difficult challenge ahead. Accountability, development, and belief in the long-term process, with the injuries to the team being used as tests to show the team’s depth and willpower.

“Everything that happens on that field is somehow associated and affected by me,” Dillingham stated firmly. “So, myself and our staff have to find a way to put our guys in the best position to be successful in the current state that we’re in, and rock and roll.”

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The Sun Devils’ loss in Salt Lake City was more than a scoreline; it was, as Dillingham put it, “a reality check because of the physicality, not the score.” The defeat marked ASU’s first conference loss in eight games, snapping an impressive streak dating back nearly a year. Now, with one of the Big 12’s most physical and experienced teams in Texas Tech set to visit Tempe, Dillingham is demanding a sharper edge from his roster.

“We’ve got to get back to being that physical football team that tries to win the line of scrimmage,” Dillingham emphasized. “We didn’t even come close to that on Saturday.”

ASU’s offensive line, already depleted by injuries and most notably to Coleman, faces what may be its toughest test of the season. Dillingham described the Red Raiders’ defensive front as “five to six defensive linemen that are going to get drafted,” praising their depth and size. The focus this week, Dillingham explained, is about “shielding our guys to create the best matchups possible” and protecting the edges against an elite pass rush.

Still, despite a lack of explosive plays and struggles to finish drives at Utah, Dillingham maintained confidence in the group’s direction. He highlighted steady improvement from younger players, like redshirt freshman center Wade Helton, forced into key roles, calling the team’s youthful roster both a challenge and an opportunity.

“I think Wade (Helton) moving to center was because he produced,” Dillingham explained. “He got on the field because he’s shown he can produce. Some young guys are going to have to step up, and you’ve got to grow up fast versus a top-five team.”

The “next man up” mentality, a common phrase in football, took on a deeper meaning as Dillingham discussed the team’s internal culture. He credited his veterans for helping younger players prepare, not just in practice but through off-field film sessions and accountability.

“The preparation piece is where the vets can really help the young guys,” Dillingham commented. “Hopefully they were already preparing like that as a two, but now that you’re the guy, what are the next steps in growth?”

When asked about senior quarterback Jeff Sims’ first start since last season’s loss to Cincinnati, Dillingham offered high praise for the quarterback’s poise amid brutal conditions and constant pressure.

“He was definitely not the reason for the result,” Dillingham remarked. “For the first three quarters, he didn’t take early down sacks, got us out of negative plays, and made the right reads. We were literally two throws away from 14 points in the first half.”

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As the Sun Devils prepare for their first home game in almost a month, Dillingham emphasized the importance of atmosphere and energy, from his players and from the fans.

“This is a really good football team we’re playing,” Dillingham pointed out. “We need it to be loud, fiery, an absolute game-changing environment. In the last home game, the opposing team said we created an advantage. We need that again.”

And while he acknowledged Texas Tech’s “all-in” approach under head coach Joey McGuire, with the Red Raiders investing heavily in an offseason overhaul of their athletic programs, football included, Dillingham framed it as motivation for ASU’s continued climb.

“All-in is constantly changing,” Dillingham reflected. “In college football right now, that number keeps moving. But we’re willing to adapt and do what’s necessary to get there. We’re not where we want to be yet, but we’re going to get there.”