Bye Week invites evaluation time for the Sun Devils 

Sun Devil fans can exhale for the upcoming weekend, following consecutive conference nail-bitters. Arizona State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) escaped the opening two games of conference play with two wins, both ending in a score of 27-24, with senior kicker Jesus Gomez’s late-game heroics being the difference each time. 

On Monday, Gomez was awarded his second consecutive Big 12 Special Teams player of the week honors for making two game-winning field goals against Baylor and Texas Christian. Head coach Kenny Dillingham noted his team’s ability to win in close contests is beyond the X’s and O’s, but relies on the same energy the team brought to its magical 2024 campaign.

“It wasn’t a flash in the pan,” Dillingham said. “We still play with a chip on our shoulder, we still play hard. When you play hard and you care, you win a lot of close games. 

“You may hate it if I go for a fourth down. You may hate it if I don’t go for a fourth down. You may hate the play call, but everybody has to appreciate how hard our guys play. It matters to them to win.” 

ASU was able to pull out the victory due to a fourth-quarter surge from both sides of the ball. The Horned Frogs only generated three yards of offense for the entire late game slate, and junior quarterback Josh Hoover was sacked more times than he completed passes. 

The key man who ignited the disruption was redshirt senior defensive lineman Prince Dorbah. He totaled a career-high three sacks, including a forced fumble that he also recovered in the final two minutes of the game, when he swiped the ball out of Hoover’s grasp and claimed it for ASU. He was awarded Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for the performance, while the Sun Devils’ defensive line earned the Big 12’s Defensive Line of the Week award. 

“He comes every day,” Dillingham noted on Dorbah. “He works, he brings a smile, he works, he brings a smile. Same guy every single day. For him to rip at the ball in the critical moment, take what we were yelling and take what we were coaching is just an unbelievable job by him.”

The bye week gives the Sun Devils a chance to work on the issues they need to face before another pivotal stretch of their season. The time off also gives players a chance to rest and recover, giving a squad loaded with seniors time to rejuvenate their bodies.

“For us, it’s getting better, good teams get better throughout the year,” Dillingham claimed. “I think we’ve done that so far throughout this year. The only way to get better is to work, no shortcuts. Just work. 

“Let’s find the areas of improvement individually and as a team, let’s attack them while also getting our bodies ready. We have to leave the bye week as a better football team, not getting ready for Utah, getting ready for us.” 

Against TCU, the Sun Devils put together perhaps their best statistical performance, notching 498 yards of total offense, 229 more than the visitors. Much of this is due to the high-level play of redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt. He threw for 291 yards and ran for another 56 while posting three total touchdowns. 

Leavitt also shared the ball well, with eight different players making receptions, the most of any game for ASU this season. After three weeks, a narrative began to swirl around Leavitt’s dependence on redshirt junior Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who had the lion’s share of receptions early on. 

“I definitely think we’re figuring it out,” Dillingham admitted. “I think that takes time. It’s funny that people think you’re just going to continue last season. Every year is a new year.

“Good offenses and good teams, good coaches and good players can get better as the season progresses. We have a very tough schedule, and as the season progresses, we’re going to have to get better.” 

While ASU stuffed the box score with impressive numbers, the matchup still came down to the wire in large part due to a lack of execution in the red zone, scoring just two touchdowns on five trips to the red area. 

This mark is an improvement on the 2-of-6 conversion rate the Sun Devils registered in Week 4 against Baylor; however, this Achilles heel has limited them from posting scorelines that are indicative of their offensive ability. 

“Two weeks ago, we couldn’t finish in the red zone; this week, we couldn’t finish inside the five-yard line.” Dillingham laughed. “We got better from the 20 to the five, we just gotta get better from the five to the goal line.

“It’s a comedy of things, it’s us as a staff, then it’s one position, then it’s another position, then it’s us again. Can we just all do it right at the same time? Right now it’s one of those ‘anything that can go wrong will go wrong.’” 

Red zone shortcomings could boil down to a multitude of issues, including an ability or lack thereof to maximize inside run opportunities, oftentimes used on the goal line in particular. Redshirt Junior running back Raleek Brown has been effective to say the least, he leads the Big 12 in yards with 506 and yards per game 101.2. However, with only two rushing TDs on the season, he doesn’t crack the top 10. 

“In those must-run scenarios, we’re just not being productive,” Dillingham added. “It’s not one position group, it’s an accumulation of things that aren’t working. We wanted to get (redshirt freshman offensive lineman Wade Helton and junior Jalen Klemm) in the game more and play seven offensive linemen. We didn’t do that in the first few weeks, and I thought our guys were getting tired.” 

ASU has edged out two close calls to maintain a perfect conference record; however, the schedule won’t get any easier. The latest AP top-25 poll released Sunday prompted the Maroon and Gold back amongst the nation’s best at No.25. 

The Sun Devils, however, have to go up against the two highest-ranked Big 12 teams through the middle portion of their conference slate, facing off against No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 14 Iowa State. Both teams are undefeated thus far, with the Red Raiders earning a marquee win against ASU’s next opponent, Utah.

“A few more undefeated teams that we get to face, we’re on a roll,” Dillingham laughed. “Utah’s not undefeated, but their one loss in an unbelievable tight game. It’s super exciting, love it.

“I think Utah should 100% be in the top 25, their one loss is to a Texas Tech team that could be a top five team in the country. We’re about to face a team that is definitely a top 25 opponent in my opinion.”

When asked about Injuries, Dillingham said redshirt junior wide receiver Jalen Moss is questionable to come back during the bye week, while senior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu and senior safety Xavion Alford are both doubtful to return after the road game in Salt Lake City.