Three takeaways from ASU’s August 22 scrimmage

(Photo: Jack Simon/WCSN)

With Arizona State football’s season opener less than two weeks away, questions remain about what the Sun Devils will look like and who will lead them onto the field against Morgan State. However, after the Sun Devils’ Saturday night scrimmage under the lights of Mountain America Stadium, many of those questions are starting to be answered.

Still No QB1

As the calendar flips closer and closer to Sept. 5, the Sun Devils go yet another day without naming a starting quarterback. The top two candidates remain third-year Cutter Boley and sixth-year Mikey Keene.

Boley has had the upper hand through fall camp, showing off his raw, physical talents, mainly his underrated mobility, possessing a knack for evading incoming defenders and being able to make off-platform throws. Standing at an ideal quarterback height of 6-foot-5’, the Kentucky transfer possesses multiple traits you’d want in a starter, but passing the eye test becomes much harder when a defense is breathing down your neck. Boley has faced some hiccups when going against ASU’s defense, sometimes taking unnecessary sacks or throwing interceptions.

Such was the case on Saturday. Boley was met with heavy pressure on several of his dropbacks. Sometimes he would make the most of it, rolling out and finding a target downfield. Other times, he would succumb to the pressure, forcing the ball into tight coverage or just holding on to it completely and taking a sack.

Keene’s advantage in this position battle is his mind. A veteran of the game, having played six years of college football at four different schools, the Michigan transfer displays a strong understanding of the game and impressive timing and accuracy as a passer. Watching Keene play quarterback is much like playing the drums; it’s all about rhythm. As soon as Keene gets to the back of his drop, the ball is out and where it’s supposed to be. The issue is, Keene is facing the uphill battle of being a 5-foot-11 pocket passer.

Lucky for Keene, the theme of the scrimmage was deep balls. Head coach Kenny Dillingham placed heavy emphasis on pushing the ball downfield, which let each quarterback show off their arm strength.

Keene threw the only two touchdown passes of the day – both deep balls to running backs.

Boley tried to get in on the action early, tossing a long ball over the middle to fifth-year wide receiver Jalen Moss, but was intercepted in the process by second-year defensive back Jessiah McGrew, which capped the first-string offense’s opening drive. Despite the early turnover, Boley was able to put together a solid scrimmage performance. He laced several throws down the sideline into tight windows and showed off his athleticism, scrambling away from closing defenders.

As the Sun Devils quickly approach week one, Dillingham will soon look to name a starter. He said he will come closer to a decision once he takes an in-depth look at the scrimmage film.

Running Backs Showcase The Room’s Depth

ASU’s running back room has the opposite problem to the quarterbacks; there aren’t enough minutes in a game to give each running back the carries and playing time they all arguably deserve.

Running backs coach Shaun Aguano has been known to develop talent, having sent three Sun Devil backs to the NFL since taking the job in 2019, but the 2026 room might be his deepest one yet.

Fourth-year Kyson Brown consistently moved the chains, benefiting from strong blocking by his offensive line and a steady diet of short receptions.

Second-year Demarius “Man Man” Robinson was the first running back to find the end zone, scoring after catching a deep ball from Keene.

Third-year Villanova transfer David Avit also made an impact in the passing game. First-year quarterback Jake Fette came in for a drive with the second-team offense, and facing heavy pressure, he rolled out to his right and flicked the ball downfield to a wide-open Avit, who was able to haul in the pass before getting his feet down in bounds.

Third-year Jason Brown Jr. got it done on the ground with several explosive runs, one of which was to convert a fourth down. After a stellar Sun Bowl performance in 2025, rushing for 134 yards on 13 carries, Brown Jr. has continued to improve throughout fall camp, making a case for an increased role.

Another huge riser throughout fall camp has been second-year Grayson Rigdon. The Columbus, Texas, native continued to make big plays on Saturday, having the longest play of the night. Keene was able to find Rigdon for a 75-yard receiving touchdown, where the running back broke a tackle from second-year defensive back Xavier Skowron en route to the end zone.

Kyson Brown might be running the most with the first team, but whoever finds their way into the backfield this season for the Sun Devils could see major production.

Special Teams Improvement

Two seasons ago, Kenny Dillingham held open tryouts for the kicker position. Last year, both of ASU’s punters ranked in the bottom third of college football in average yards per punt. This year, things seem to be different.

After appointing Jack Nudo as special teams coordinator midseason last year and hiring former NFL punter Michael Scifres in the offseason to help coach the punters and kickers, the Sun Devil specialists look to finally turn over a new leaf and become one of the team’s strengths.

ASU went three-for-three on field goals Saturday night, highlighted by fourth-year kicker Carston Kieffer hitting a 52-yard field goal to cap one of the second-team offense’s drives. The kick was a whole 13 yards farther than his longest ever in-game field goal.

Austin Peay transfer sixth-year kicker Carson Smith added a pair of field goals to the total, hitting from 52 and 36, both taken without an offensive or defensive line in front of him.

The Sun Devils’ primary punter from last season, third-year Kanyon Floyd, delivered several booming punts throughout the scrimmage, including one that forced the returner to turn around and retreat 15 yards to field the ball. The play earned Floyd an emphatic high-five from Dillingham.

Third-year punter and Ohio State transfer Nick McLarty also had multiple punts that seemingly hung in the air forever, choosing to kick “Aussie style” throughout the scrimmage, a technique derived from rugby punting, where the ball flies end-over-end as opposed to in a spiral. The style is better for hangtime and is used often when trying to pin the opposing team on its own goal line. McLarty, an Aussie, was the first team punter during the scrimmage.

Altogether, the Sun Devil specialists have shown significant improvement as a unit and look poised to make a positive impact this season after struggling a season ago.