(Tempe, AZ) The Kenny Dillingham era began tonight at the newly named Mountain America Stadium against WAC opponent the Southern Utah Thunderbirds. The Devils are coming off a dismal 3-9 record in 2022.
Dillingham came to Arizona State from Oregon and assembled a “who’s who” of the best High School coaches in the State. How that will translate into success in the college game may be answered tonight.
True freshman Jaden Rashada got the nod over Trenton Bourguet to start the season, but it still remained an open position.
The Thunderbirds were 5-6 last year and have jumped to the Western Athletic Conference.
The game started out slow for Southern Utah as they gained one first down and then went three and out.
The new look offense for ASU took their first possession and marched sixty eight yards on five plays in 1:59 as Cam Skattebo ran off tackle for six yards to put the Devils up 7-0.
Early on, the Thunderbird offense seemed sluggish and couldn’t avoid the faster pursuit by the Arizona State defense, especially the front line in the 3-4 defense.
On the second Devils possession, Rashada threw behind his receiver and into triple coverage on a third and ten and showed his freshman inexperience.
The end of the first quarter saw not much in the way of offensive firepower from Southern Utah and solid defensive line play from ASU. On the final play of the quarter, saw Clayton Smith ejected on a targeting call on Thunderbird quarterback Justin Miller.
That gave SUU their best field possession of the game and they took full advantage of it scoring on a one yard by Targhee Lampson to tie the score at 7-7.
The Thunderbirds took 6:43 off the clock in a very deliberate drive. Southern Utah and their ball control contrasted the no huddle Sun Devils.
Rashada connected with Xavier Guillory on a forty seven yard touchdown play to put Arizona State back on top 14-7 with 5:32 left in the half.
Prior to the big play, Rashada was off the mark with his two previous passes, but it’s all about learning and getting comfortable with the offense.
Jalin Conyers hauled in a forty three yard catch on the near sideline to put the Devils in business just before halftime. The next two plays lost five yards, but a roughing the passer by SUU put the ball at the three yard line with :05 left on the clock.
A huge dust storm came into the Stadium. On the final play of the half, Rashada passed to the corner of the end zone to Troy Omeire to extend the Devils’ lead 21-7. Eight plays seventy five yards taking the remaining time left on the clock.
ASU had a huge advantage in total passing and total yards in the first half 224-115, but Southern Utah held the time of possession 19:33 to 10:33. The Thunderbirds only way to stay close was to keep the ball out of ASU offense and try to shorten the game.
After an almost three hour lightning delay, the game resumed at 11:27 pm.
ASU got the first possession of the second half but could do nothing and were forced to punt.
Southern Utah kept the ball on the ground but with little success. The Sun Devils kept the Thunderbirds drive alive with a personal foul penalty, but still SUU was forced to punt.
Neither team had the ability to move the ball as the “three and out” dominated the first half of the third quarter.
That changed for the Thunderbirds with a sixty eight yard completion up the sidelines to Zach Mitchell and then reviewed for a targeting penalty, but it was on the Southern Utah offense. Play nullified.
The Sun Devils did a really poor job of tackling in the third quarter. A fifty two yard gain on a simple out route saw the receiver break the grasps of no fewer than five ASU defenders.
Southern Utah was back in business as they cut the deficit to 21-14 after a blown coverage and a sixteen yard touchdown pass to a wide open receiver. Five plays for seventy yards in 3:39.
Elijah Badger took the ensuing kickoff back to to the thirty two of Southern Utah and coupled with a personal foul on the Thunderbirds moved the ball down to the SUU six yard line for a first and goal.
Two consecutive holding calls put ASU back to the twenty six yard line still first and goal as the third quarter ended.
Another holding penalty forced a thirty eight yard field goal. Four plays -14 yards for a 24-14 lead.
Things went from bad to worse as the Thunderbirds’ Jordan Washington blocked a punt and rambled forty seven yards to score and now it was 24-21 and still 7:48 left in the game.
Three passes that the receivers had no chance of catching was the story of the next Sun Devil drive and another three and out.
Skattabo bailed out the ASU offense with a twenty six yard reception on a third down to keep the drive alive and only three minutes left on the clock.
Another pass completion to Badger got another first down and it seemed like the Sun Devils would escape this one.
From there on out, Arizona State ran the ball to expire the clock and limped off with a 24-21 win after being 34.5 point favorites over a middle of the pack team from the Western Athletic Conference.
Rashada finished with a 58% completion rate, but it was the throws he didn’t complete that was alarming. When he missed, he either threw the ball behind receivers or ten feet over their heads or at their feet.
With Oklahoma State coming to town next week, the effort of this team and more so their execution needs be much better or they’ll be run out of the stadium.
Poor tacking by the secondary and one hundred yards in penalties also needs to be fixed before a team with better talent racks up 70 points on the Devils.
Kickoff next Saturday is at 7:30 pm. Tonight’s attendance was 43,424 but only a handful stayed after the long weather delay.
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