Iowa State win saw reserve players shine and produce breakout performances

Head coach Kenny Dillingham’s weekly press confrence two days following Arizona State’s 24-19 victory over Iowa State wasn’t your average bye week press confrence. When he addressed the media that day, it felt like a mix of relief and pride. While Dillingham demonstrated his usual calm demeanor, there was also an unspoken energy of a man who had seen doubt turned into reality.

Monday’s win meant so much more than what the scoreboard would indicate. It was a victory where senior quarterback Jeff Sims rewrote the record books at Arizona State University when he ran for 228 yards, the most yards any ASU quarterback has posted in a single game in school history, while also throwing for 177 yards and scoring three total touchdowns, including an 88-yard run that brought silence to the crowd of Jack Trice Stadium.

Only just a couple of games ago, it was announced that sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt, whom Dillingham had been building his entire offense around, would be out for the remainder of the year due to an injury (foot). The Sun Devils could have easily unraveled in light of that statement. Instead, they continued to adapt and create their own identity through adversity.

When asked just how much the game plan shifted after Leavitt’s injury, Dillingham did not flinch.

“It’s just different,” Dillingham explained. “Jeff did a lot of things that we’ve repped with Sam. The defense was unique, so we had to attack differently. But the base concepts were there.”

He talked about Sims not as a backup who filled in, but as a veteran who had always been preparing for his moment. The 38-yard deep shot to junior wide receiver Jalen Moss early in the first quarter, the poised throw against man coverage – those were not accidental, Dillingham noted, but the result of a year’s worth of quiet reps.

Sims injected new life into ASU’s offense. It was not a clone of what Leavitt did, but a version molded around Sims’s legs, composure, and will to win.

“Jeff’s won a lot of football games,” Dillingham observed. “That was only his second game with full prep here, but our guys never doubted him.”

It was his demeanor that was so impressive to everyone: he remained cool under fire in the midst of a handful of five penalties called on the offense and three turnovers, and this set the tone for the afternoon. A sense of belief swept through the locker room, something many thought had been lost following a disappointing home loss to Houston the week prior.

Sims’ performance earned him the AP National Player of the Week (in addition to the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week), and Dillingham didn’t realize this until a reporter mentioned it during the press conference.

“That’s awesome,” Dillingham remarked. “He’s everything that’s right about college football. He stayed here for his teammates, waited for his shot, and made the most of it. I’ll remember that forever.”

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It wasn’t just Sims who shined in Ames. Dillingham went out of his way to mention others who “played inspired football.” The defensive cornerstone, junior defensive back Keith Abney II, was one such player and one who continues to rise up the 2026 NFL draft boards.

“He’s consistent because he prepares consistently,” Dillingham noted. “He’s figured out the formula, what it takes to be great, and now he’s just living in that rhythm.”

ASU’s head coach also praised sophomore Montana Warren, who started at strong safety in place of senior defensive back Myles Rowser, who was suspended for the first half due to a targeting penalty the week before, and “played really, really, really good” in his first boundary start.

“He’s started at nickel, at free, and now at boundary,” Dillingham described. “That kind of versatility, it’s rare. He checks every box.”

Senior defensive end Justn Wodtly’s name came up repeatedly as Dillingham detailed the defensive surge that sealed the win. “That could’ve been his best game as a Sun Devil,” he noted. “After watching the film, we put a game ball in his locker. He earned it.”

The bye week now presents a rare chance for rest and recovery, something Dillingham has deemed important following such a grueling stretch. He added that senior defensive linemen Prince Dorbah and junior linebacker Tate Romney, who did not suit up for the Iowa State contest, “have a really good shot” to return for the West Virginia game on November 15, while junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is likely to return for the Colorado game the following Saturday.

“He’s doing everything he can,” Dillingham emphasized on Tyson. “He’s relentless.”

The news was not all positive, though. Junior running back Kyson Brown, one of the team’s most versatile offensive weapons, is “probably out for the year.” The tone of Dillingham softened as he mentioned it, acknowledging how much Brown’s physicality and creativity had meant to their red-zone sets. But if there is one thing this team has learned, it is adaptability.

“Nobody cares about your circumstance,” Dillingham noted. “You’d better figure it out. That’s been our mindset all season.”

He also praised his offensive line for what he called “probably their best performance of the year.” The numbers were similarly impressive, with zero sacks allowed and nearly 300 rushing yards in a dominant effort that was rewarded with Big 12 Offensive Line of the Week honors.

“If we could do that every week,” Dillingham stated, “that’d be awesome.”

The run game was not just a product of Sims’ mobility; it was a total team effort. Tight ends and backs blocked with purpose, receivers sealed edges, and a patchwork front five played its cleanest football in weeks. Asked whether that physical identity might continue, Dillingham hinted that it would.

“There are so many ways to win in college football,” Dillingham observed. “You have to know your personnel and build around what they do best. For us right now, that means using the quarterback as a weapon.”

Another theme throughout the press conference was leadership. Dillingham was effusive with his praise when talking about junior defensive linemen CJ Fite, one of the emotional leaders of the group.

“When CJ got here, he didn’t talk,” Dillingham recalled. “Now he leads. He speaks up, jokes around, and gets fiery when something’s not right. It’s been really cool to watch him grow, not just as a player but as a person.”

He also brought attention to Moss, senior wide receiver Malik McClain, and senior tight end Chamon Metayer, who had a career high of 68 receiving yards, as each one of them stepped up in Tyson’s absence.

“That catch Malik made on the flea-flicker was unreal,” Dillingham remarked. “The one Moss made on the deep over route, too. A bunch of people stepped up and found a way to win.”

When asked what he has loved most about this season, Dillingham did not hesitate.

“Resilience,” Dillingham answered. “When the glass is empty, we fill it back up. Hopefully, we just stop emptying it.” He acknowledged the penalties and red-zone issues that still haunt them, calling both “the things driving me crazy.” But even with the frustration, his pride was obvious.

ASU entered Ames as a wounded team, without its star quarterback and star wide receiver, its offensive identity in flux, and its season teetering. They left with a signature win, a record-breaking performance, and a renewed sense of who they are.

Dillingham summarized it best: “It’s amazing how simple this game can be. If you play as hard as you can for as long as you can, with passion and purpose, you’ll find ways to win. That’s what these guys did.”