Slow starts are not indicative of ASU defense’s dominant performances 

Long before he was running the show for the Arizona State defense, Phoenix native Brian Ward was focused on a different athletic domain. Aug. 11, 1998, a 25-year-old Ward made his professional boxing debut 11 miles south of Mountain America Stadium at Graham Central Station. 

Ward won his only pro fight and hung up his gloves, so he knows a thing or two about bouncing back from taking some shots to the chin to begin a battle. Therefore, it may not be surprising that his unit rarely lets a slow start dictate the outcome of a battle.  

“We knew all game we had an advantage in front of us,” Senior defensive lineman Prince Dorbah said following ASU’s 27-24 victory Friday. “We liked our matchup all game, the coach just told us don’t rush, communicate. At the end of the day, we’re going to come out on top, so that’s just my mindset.” 

For a second time this season, ASU found itself down 17-0. Friday night against No. 24 TCU. The visitors came blazing out of the gates, scoring consecutive touchdowns on their second and third drives of the game, then adding a field goal on their fourth possession. 

Sun Devils fans looked as though they were wearing all black to their own funeral as their first-ranked opponent of the season had all the momentum on their side. Ward’s defense had its back on the ropes, but a couple of jabs settled them down. 

“The veteran group we have was just like ‘Oh, this isn’t good,’” ASU Head coach Kenny Dillingham said post-game. “We’ve been here before. Why don’t we just stop once, stop them? There’s never a panic, I like to say the calmest day all week is usually gameday.” 

With under five minutes to play in the first half, junior wide receiver Jordyn Tyson got ASU on the board with a 57-yard touchdown, and the defense was tasked with earning a stop if the Sun Devils wanted to keep the momentum before halftime. 

After conceding three straight scoring drives, TCU was held to a three-and-out, losing three yards in the process. The stop gave ASU a prime field position inside TCU’s half, leading to a touchdown that would bring the game within three points at the break. 

From then on, the Sun Devils were in command on the turf, putting redshirt junior quarterback Josh Hoover on the ropes. The Horned Frogs had just 110 total yards of offense in the second half, 49 fewer than in the first. Just three of those yards came in the final 15 minutes. 

Hoover was sacked four times in the final period, while completing only three passes. Both of TCU’s final drives ended in turnovers, the first being a strip sack by redshirt senior defensive lineman Prince Dorbah and the other coming via an interception from sophomore linebacker Martell Hughes. Two turnovers in the final two minutes allowed ASU to steal a victory from the Horned Frogs’ grasp. 

“Big props to the defense,” Sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt said. “Them boys come up big every time. If you put a heart monitor on me for that last drive, I would’ve had no beat, just cold-blooded for the defense seeing them out there.” 

The defensive line for the Sun Devils was the marquee reason their defense flipped a switch. Their six sacks were the most in a game since 2023, and their 13 tackles for loss were the program’s highest total since a 2018 win over UTSA. 

Generating more explosive plays than in 2024 was a staple of Ward’s goals headed into the year. ASU’s nine sacks through five games put them on pace with the best records in the country, and the defense will hold the national leaderboard for total sacks headed into Saturday’s gameday slate. 

“They’re starting to learn how to rush together,” Dillingham described. “We’re starting to learn it’s not the person who goes first who gets the sack, it’s the wrapper most of the time. In the past, it was like ‘Man, why am I on the wrap?’ The group has matured, and they’re understanding that when you team rush, it opens everything up.” 

The Sun Devils have been dealing with injury issues on the defensive side of the ball. Senior safety Xavion Alford missed his third consecutive game, sophomore safety Montana Warren has yet to suit up in conference play, and senior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu was a scratch ahead of gametime Friday night as well. 

“That’s big time from him, really, he should be up here,” senior linebacker Keyshaun Elliott said of Martell Hughes. “These past two games, he’s really stood out and made key plays versus Baylor, and this game, he’s going to be a hell of a player for ASU.” 

In their absence, ASU has relied on a heap of young players to make their mark. Wilson and Hughes both played in place of injured seniors, caught the pair of interceptions, and redshirt freshman Rodney Bimage Jr. recorded a pass breakup playing numerous snaps in place of the injured senior Javan Robinson. 

“We talked about it watching the Cardinals game last night, me (Hughes) and Keyshaun,” Dillingham recalled. “We were like, ‘Next year you’re the dude,’ and he’s like, ‘Man, we’re going to be young.’ Keyshaun told him ‘You’re going to be a junior, that’s not young, you’re an upperclassman. 

“Even though he’s young, he’s growing up in front of our eyes, and that’s what is awesome about college football.” 

Three of the Sun Devils’ sacks on Friday came at the courtesy of Dorbah. He was terrorizing Hoover and the Horned Frogs’ offensive line. The sixth-year senior marked a career high he previously set at 2.5 back in 2023 

“I’ve been doing this for so long,” Dorbah remarked. “So you know me, just going out there playing football, going after the quarterback, that’s just my main goal every single time I’m out there.” 

Despite falling behind in the first half of action, by the end of the fourth period, it was clear which corner of the ring was in a position of power. Hoover came into the contest off a fantastic first three games; he’d already notched 1,000 yards over the air and 11 touchdowns. 

After leaving Tempe, his record in the pocket took a blow; he threw for 242 yards, nearly 100 under his average, and notched zero touchdowns and two interceptions, doubling his season total. 

“I think we understood what they were trying to do,” Elliott said on TCU’s offense. “Early in the game, they were getting us on second downs and third downs, then we cleaned some stuff up and got back to our basics. We just got everything together and got on the same page.” 

The Sun Devils have had their fair share of slow starts in 2025. Against Baylor, senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson had 148 of his 250 passing yards in the first half of the game. In the one loss of the year to Mississippi State, senior quarterback Blake Shapen put up 153 passing yards and two touchdowns at halftime while completing 65% of his passes. In the second half, Shapen recorded one touchdown in the final moments of the game while being held to 50% efficiency over the air. 

“Up to this point in our season, only one team has lost a game other than us,” Dillingham noted about his team’s difficult schedule. “And it was Baylor to Auburn, no other team we faced has lost a football game. Man, winning is hard in college football.” 

Through two conference games, the Sun Devils have 266 more yards of total offense than their opponents; however, their down-to-the-wire showdowns would make you assume the numbers are neck and neck. While having a chance to step out of the ring, with a bye week on the schedule, a side that’s escaped close battles can reflect on its performances, ultimately outclassing opponents, but with no help to sluggish starts. 

“We had 200 more yards,” Dillingham said. “We won the turnover battle, and we won in that fashion, which is crazy. 

“It’s like we’re dancing in circles around the potential. We’re winning games and not playing our best football.”