Sun Devils show dominance in the trenches

Football 101 means running the ball effectively and stopping the run, and the Sun Devils are excelling in those categories in this young 2024 season. ASU is averaging an incredible 293 yards on the ground while allowing their opponents an average of just 32 yards. The security of both the offensive and defensive lines is warranted, but there's no room for complacency as Arizona State faces Texas State on the road.

“We personally feel like there's confidence because every week is a new week,” said graduate transfer and left guard Ben Coleman. “The reality is that was last week or the last two weeks. We were able to establish a running game. We need to do that again, and the week after that we need to do that, and we need to continue doing that. But as an offensive line, you want to run the ball. I think that gives guys confidence.”

The front five's dominance against Mississippi State resulted in one of the best running performances in recent history. Senior running back Cam Skattebo was named the Associated Press' Player of the Week after running for 297 total yards on offense, including 262 rushing yards, the second-best performance in ASU history. As a team, ASU ran for 346 yards on the run game, which helped them have the ball for 40 minutes in this game – all performances that are very flattering for the core of the offensive line.

ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham has praised the Sun Devils offensive line for the accolades Skattebo has received, while Coleman, in turn, is proud of his running back and is happy that Skattebo's successes have a major impact on himself and his teammates on offense.

“I told Skatt the more viral he gets, the better my life is,” Coleman admitted. “I don't need anything. The more followers he gets, the better we're doing something. We're doing something right. The more viral, the more famous and the more followers he gets, the more we're happy with that.”

The offensive prowess of Coleman and senior right guard Cade Briggs is deeply ingrained in the unit, a trait that has sparked new initiative in a group that was figuratively and literally banged up in 2023 and is determined to prove it has truly turned over a new leaf this year.

“I think it's because of my coach,” Coleman said of his position coach, Saga Tuitele. “He recruits us because of who we are. I think it just reflects in our personalities. Coaches are tough. We believe we are coached harder than anyone else in the country. We believe that reflects on the football field.”

“Because Saga [Tuitele] was my coach my freshman year (at New Mexico), he's still the same coach he is today,” Briggs noted. “He's super tough on us and puts the pressure on us. I think that's how we play.”

The chip-on-the-shoulder mentality has dominated this group since the spring. Everything the offensive line has done in the preseason and game weeks has been guided by the goal of delivering when it matters most. Briggs is pleased to see the investment paying off recently.

“I think it's pretty good to finally show results now,” Briggs said. “We've put a lot of time and work into that outer zone, that wide zone. That's all we've been doing for the last six months.”

ASU's preparations for Texas State were guided by a rare five-day turnaround, which naturally required more focus amid a compressed week that also includes an away game across two time zones. Coleman stressed the importance of planning and checking off all of the to-do lists during the game and other related activities.

“Everyone talks about time management being a thing, they talk about it in school, they talk about how important it is in the workplace,” Coleman noted. “And some people skip it. Do you show up five minutes early because then you'll have to spend three and a half minutes in an ice bath, two and a half minutes getting changed, and then you'll be at the meeting? Time management is all about the little things.

“To be able to recover, we're having to do a little bit more this week, sometimes three times a day, but everything from IVs to therapy, ice baths to massages and whatever we can get. We're doing a good job of recovering as an offensive line.”

Their bodies are ready to be physically tested against the Bobcats, a team that is praised for its blitzing and pressure at the line of scrimmage and has shown its strength in run defense by allowing just 133 rushing yards over the course of two games. Still, ASU's offensive line feels it has faced more than enough pressure in practice from its defensive teammates and scout team to prepare for the game against Texas State.

“I don't think we prepare any differently,” Coleman asserted. “The reality is we're also playing against a defense that blitzes a lot. So we've been blessed all fall camp to have a defense like that to help us prepare. That opponent. It's just another opponent, but we want to prepare for them because we believe they're a very good team.”

“There are a lot of guys that come back and believe they should be at a higher level. I think Texas State is a great school. It's a great program. Those guys have a grudge because they believe that wherever their previous stop was, it didn't work out for their reason. They believe they should be at that level.”

As they prepare for their first away test of the year, many players on the Sun Devils' roster are looking forward to the home portion of the season, which will see them play in the state of Texas for two consecutive weeks. The Big 12 Conference debut is at Texas Tech a week from Saturday. The 22 ASU players from the Lone Star State on the roster are undoubtedly more eager than their teammates to play in those next two games.

Defensive lineman CJ Fite, a native of Tatum, Texas, is excited to return to his home state. The next two away games have provided Fite with plenty of opportunities to invite family and friends to watch him play, and he's taking full advantage.

“It's fun to come home and have a lot of family members come to this game,” Fite said. “It feels like high school when everyone is there, and I had to ask the team for a whole bunch of tickets the other day. It's a good experience; I'm glad to be back and show some of my teammates what it's like to play in Texas. It's a different atmosphere there with the weather and everything else, and it'll be fun to be back.”

Fite is part of the larger movement Dillingham and ASU like to call #Texas2Tempe. Dillingham actually wore a t-shirt with those words on it during Monday's press conference and has fully supported that campaign since being hired. There are currently 22 active players from the state, and the attention Arizona State is getting in one of the richest recruiting areas in the country should increase that number next season and beyond.

“We really value the connection between Texas and Tempe,” Fite noted. “Playing games there and showing recruits what ASU is all about with our culture and our game is a great way for them to see it firsthand. Maybe they don't want to go to ASU at first and maybe they just decide to go to Texas State. Seeing them can open their eyes to ASU, so playing there definitely helps with recruiting in that regard.”

Fite was part of ASU's dominant defense in 2024, scoring the third defensive touchdown of the season against Mississippi State. Fite recovered a fumble caused by teammate Clayton Smith near the goal line and, seemingly in one motion, grabbed the ball off the turf and stretched the pigskin over the pylon as it fell out of bounds. Social media picked up the play, and Fite became an internet sensation with a nickname to match.

“I got a lot of texts after the game talking about a 'Thic Six,'” Fite said with a smile. “I hear that all the time in the locker room now and it's hilarious. My favorite text was from a Mississippi State fan and he said I was running like a silly toddler. That definitely made me laugh.”

ASU currently has the second-best run defense in the country behind Ole Miss, allowing just 32 rushing yards per game. Texas State's running game ranks 36th in the country with 204 rushing yards per game. This significant battle will be a major factor as fans reflect on this game. Fite is eager to continue his group's momentum, knowing the upcoming test will be tougher than the first two weeks.

“We love challenges,” Fite explained. “Every week we've been challenged, so we've got to continue to take on the challenges that we're given because that's what this season is about. They've doubted us from the beginning and they're going to continue to doubt us. We don't want people to jump on the bandwagon; we just want to continue to prove everybody wrong and show them what ASU football is all about.”

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