In 2023, after an abysmal 3-9 season and the program clouded with controversy amid violations of NCAA regulations, Arizona State football parted ways with head coach Herm Edwards. The Arizona State Sun Devils shifted to a younger, much less experienced coach, Kenny Dillingham. An Arizonan by birth and education (Chaparral High School and ASU Undergrad), Dillingham came from the Mike Norvell, Dan Lanning, and Gus Malzahn coaching tree, previously operating as the play-caller behind elite offenses at Auburn, Memphis, FSU, and Oregon. However, ASU struggled in his first season, posting an identical 3-9 record. Yet, Dillingham advised patience, believing brighter, more prosperous days were ahead, with the program ultimately eyeing a return to its 1970s glory under Frank Kush.
One year later, the Devils have a 3-0 record as they head into conference play, their first in the Big 12. Sure, there has been some luck along the way, and they didn’t exactly line up last year’s CFP field for their non-con schedule. More importantly, Dillingham’s team is committed to succeeding at the line of scrimmage and winning the turnover battle, an archaic way of playing football in the 2020s. ASU is not 3-0 by some fluke, nor by playing a cupcake schedule, because they haven’t, but rather a commitment to playing pure, fundamental football.
Arizona State Football Riding Hot to Start 2024 Season
According to SportsBettingDime:
CFB teams that are 3-0 against the spread
Tennessee
Baylor
San Jose State
Washington State
Nebraska
Boston College
Texas
UCF
Eastern Michigan
UNLV
South Florida
BYU
Arizona State
Ole Miss
Pitt
Memphis
Not only is Arizona State football a remarkable 3-0 to open the season, but they have also covered the spread in each contest this year. Arizona State is not just winning games, but they have continuously beaten the Vegas line, a testimony to the team’s early season successes. From a football standpoint, second-year head coach Kenny Dillingham leads a program that leans towards winning up front and limiting turnovers.
In their three wins this season against the Wyoming Cowboys, Mississippi State Bulldogs, and Texas State Bobcats, Arizona State has rushed for a remarkable 229 yards per game. They remain committed to running the football, nearly averaging 50 rush attempts per game, the second most in the Big 12. Conversely, opponents are averaging just 2.2 yards per carry against Arizona State, the tenth-lowest mark in the country. The Sun Devils are also in the top 15 in the FBS regarding turnovers forced and the fewest turnovers committed.
Sun Devils Winning Turnover Battle Early
Through the first three games of last season, the Sun Devils lost the turnover battle 9-to-0 while failing to eclipse 300 rushing yards total. In their week two win against Mississippi State, ASU recorded 346 rushing yards and forced a turnover.
Many doubters or skeptics would point to Arizona State’s schedule for their hot start. Still, last Thursday’s opponent, Texas State, has a 65% chance to make the College Football Playoff if they win out per NCAA Football Playoff Participation Probabilities. Last season, they went 8-5 and finished with the 11th-best offense in football regarding points per game.
ASU also bested Wyoming and Mississippi State, and although both are under new head coaches, each is just two years removed from bowl-bound seasons. It’s true Arizona State football was pegged to finish last in the Pac-12, and it’s correct that PFF projected 5.5 wins, but at the end of the day, football is played on the gridiron, a place in which the Sun Devils have thrived in 2024.
More Arizona State Football News by Gridiron Heroics
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Arizona State Sun Devils HC Kenny Dillingham Agitated With Coaches Complaining About the State of College Football
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REPORT: Arizona State University Considering Hiring 2x Super Bowl Champion to Coaching Staff
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