Sun Devils, Wildcats, Look To Improve From A Year Ago

Photo: Sparky will lead the Sun Devils onto the field for the 75th straight year beginning on September 5

The time is getting near when football will dominate the airwaves but before that happens it is all about practice, practice, practice. Both Arizona State and Arizona are hoping to build into something bigger and better, but both are starting in different places.

Photo: Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham

Head Coach Kenny Dillingham returns for his 4th season with the Sun Devils with big shoes to fill beginning at the quarterback position. A total of 40 new players in all. Dillingham is (22-17) and has done a good job rejuvenating a program that clearly struggled under the previous head coach Herm Edwards. Dillingham said, “I love coming out here and coaching because I am into it. Coaching is what I like to do. Coming to Camp T (Tontozona near Payson) gives us some isolation, no cell phones, with intense practices and a real chance for the team to bond.” About the first practice, “It was good. We switched up the schedule up here. We had our hard practice yesterday. We flipped the days just because the guys practiced on the turf multiple times in a row. So we put on a lighter practice today. I thought the intent was good though.”  

Former starting quarterback Sam Levitt left the Sun Devils and will be playing at LSU this season leaving that large hole to fill. The favorite is a red shirt sophomore Cutter Boley who earned SEC All-Freshman honors at Kentucky. Right behind Boley is a Chandler High School grad and redshirt senior Mikey Keene who has experience at Fresno State, Michigan and UCF.

After finishing (8-5) in 2025, preseason polls have the Devils finishing sixth in the Big 12, but making it into the top 25 would be a huge accomplishment. Just two seasons ago, the Sun Devils surprised everyone in the college football world by winning the Big 12 and making it into a national playoff spot. It will come down to whether or not ASU can replace the star power they had last season at the skilled positions. Coach Dillingham and his staff have their work cut out for them but all things are possible.

Last season, Levitt was lost for the season, missing the final five games due to a foot injury but the Sun Devils were still (8-3), then lost their two final games, to Arizona 23-7 and in the Sun Bowl to Duke 42-39.

Former Bradshaw Mountain standout James Giggey returns after seeing quite a bit of action on special teams a year ago. The 6’4” 265 lb red-shirt junior tight end is working his way up the depth chart and should get an increase in playing time this season.

The Sun Devils will face three top 25 opponents on the road. The toughest comes in week two with a trip to College Station, Texas to face the #8 Texas A&M Aggies. Then there is Texas Tech in week six and BYU in week eight. A trip across the pond to play Kansas at Wembley Stadium in London will be a highlight in itself. The finale at Arizona will be a battle for sure. The other eight games could pose some challenges but are definitely winnable. 

Meanwhile the Arizona Wildcats will look to improve on their (9-4) record that was good enough for a fifth place finish in the Big 12. Head coach Brent Brennan returns for his 3rd year in Tucson and is (13-12) leading the Wildcats. This will be his 10th season