(Photo: Aiden Longbrake/WCSN)
TEMPE – With less than 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter of Arizona State football’s home opener against Morgan State, third-year quarterback Cutter Boley stood at the 39-yard line with first-year running back Cardae Mack and second-year running back Grayson Rigdon lined up on either side of him.
The Sun Devils had already taken an early 14-0 lead, and after advancing 30 yards in three plays on the ensuing drive, Boley and the offense lined up in shotgun formation within striking distance of the red zone.
After faking the handoff to Mack, the signal caller began to scan the field for no more than a second. Boley could not see sophomore defensive lineman Donta Jenkins Jr. moving past the arms of fourth-year offensive lineman Luke Baklenko, leading to a blindside sack and Morgan State jumping on the loose ball.
ASU’s lone turnover in a dominant 70-7 victory can be attributed to the inevitable hiccups spanning from an offensive line made up of a mix of familiar faces and new additions. However, offensive line coach Saga Tuitele was more focused on the positive strides his unit took when on the field after practice on Wednesday.
“They played hard, they were on the same pace,” Tuitele said. “There weren’t many mental mistakes, and so I think they’re on the same level and same assignments.”
Both tackle spots were left vacant following the 2025 season after Max Iheanachor declared for the NFL draft and Josh Atkins entered the transfer portal. The starting right tackle job is currently occupied by fifth-year Jalen Klemm, who was utilized heavily as a blocker on special teams the year prior before moving up to first-team duties during the Sun Bowl.
On the opposite side, both fourth-year Luke Baklenko and third-year Champ Westbrooks are seeing time as the team’s blindside blocker. While Westbrooks is in his third season with the program and also became a starter in El Paso, Baklenko transferred in from Oklahoma as an experienced multi-year starter.
Despite some bumps in the road in terms of allowing pressure and opposing rushers hitting the quarterback from behind, Tuitele is in no rush to make any major changes to the tackle rotation.
“It’s just one game,” Tuitele said. “I’ll let you know after Week 4.”
Second-year left guard Maki Stewart returned to a starting role within the interior offensive line after showcasing his potential in four starts in 2025. The same goes for third-year right guard Wade Helton, who took over at center after Ben Coleman suffered a season-ending injury against Utah.
ASU’s depth chart for the home opener also listed second-year Rob Lapuaho right behind Helton, and the 6-foot-6, 350-pound lineman did take several reps with the first-team offense during the game itself.
With Helton shifting over to right guard, third-year Georgia Tech transfer Tana Alo-Tupuola has emerged as the answer at center. Outside of his performance as a blocker, Tuitele also expects his chemistry with Boley to develop further as the season continues.
“From spring, I think they’ve grown,” Tuitele said. “The communication, the snaps, it’s still a process. Through springball, now in one game, they still have some growing to do. But the relationship is there.”
As competition for several spots on the starting offensive line moves ahead, Tuitele plans to keep his eye on how each lineman performs under the bright lights. According to the coach with over 20 years of experience and mentor of a recent first-round selection, there is no specific checklist when evaluating on-field success.
“Everything has a process, and just like I tell them, there’s a process for them going through everything,” Tuitele said. “Pre-snap, getting aligned, communicating. Just going through their whole thing, and point of attack wherever the play is. Make sure they’re communicating before the ball is snapped.
“You’ve got to watch what’s happening at the moment from pre-snap to post-snap to post-play.”
His unit’s next test comes on the road against No. 10 Texas A&M, a team led by head coach Mike Elko who has had six defensive linemen drafted over the past two years.
The combination of an opponent possessing premier size in the trenches and one of the most hostile road environments in the country presents ASU with the opportunity to showcase what its offensive line is capable of this season.
“They’re really talented,” Tuitele said. “I know they lost a lot of guys, but they’re really talented. Linebackers are returners, and they have two returning (defensive) linemen that have played a lot of big games. So they’re just big, strong, fast. We’ve got to make sure we attack them, and then restrain them to keep our position and give the quarterback or running back enough space to do their job.”
