BOULDER, Colo. – Since joining Arizona State’s coaching staff in 2019, running backs coach Shaun Aguano has had a knack for producing 1,000-yard rushers.
On Saturday night in Boulder, junior running back Raleek Brown joined the list of players under Aguano to reach the feat.
After ASU’s defense forced and recovered a fumble on its 12-yard line with 13:44 left in regulation, junior running back Raleek Brown took the ensuing snap 88 yards to the house. Averaging 11.6 yards per carry on Saturday night against Colorado, he rushed for 255 yards and surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the season.
RUN RALEEK RUN 😈
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) November 23, 2025
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The No. 25 Sun Devils (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) generated 355 yards on the ground and scored a 42-17 win over Colorado at Folsom Field.
“(It) feel(s) good. I ain’t had 1,000 yards rushing since Mater Dei (High School),” the former University of Southern California transfer said.
After medically redshirting his sophomore season, Brown entered preseason camp in a three-way race for the keys to Sparky’s backfield. Since leading the ground attack in ASU’s Week 2 loss at Mississippi State, he hasn’t looked back: The 5-foot-9, 195-pounder has finished as the Sun Devils’ leading rusher in eight out of 11 games this season.
He attributes much of his success to the tutelage of Aguano.
“He had a big impact on me,” Brown said. “Like Coach Aguano (is a) smart football coach, smart running back coach. He know(s) what he(‘s) talking about, and he just gave me good tips, and he just let(s) me play. So (I) appreciate coach Aguano.”
Brown became the fifth running back to exceed 1,000 rushing yards in Agauno’s seven-year tenure at ASU. Other notable running backs to reach this milestone include Cam Skattebo (2024), Xazavian Valladay (2022), Rachaad White (2021) and Eno Benjiman (2019).
“Coach Aguano is awesome. When you’re a head coach and you’re winning state championships, and you’re known as the best head coach in the state for a long time, and then you get to coach like five guys, you’re gonna be pretty good at it,” Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said. “He just gets to focus on five guys, he gets to pour into them, and they’ve had great results.”
Despite losing notable offensive pieces in sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt and graduate student offensive lineman Ben Coleman, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo’s new-look backfield has invigorated Arizona State’s offense.
The Sun Devils’ ground game averaged 7.9 yards per carry, totaled three touchdowns and recorded a single-game high in rushing yards in the 25-point margin win.
For Brown, he now boasts 1,078 yards on the ground, 6.2 yards per carry and six total touchdowns.
ASU will host Arizona in the 99th edition of the Territorial Cup in Tempe on Friday, Nov. 28. In the meantime, the Sun Devils look to continue their resilient surge to close out Big 12 regular-season play.
“I mean, it’s huge. Getting to eight wins, everything we’ve been through, and keeping meaningful football alive. Like I said, there aren’t many teams still in college football, playing meaningful football,” Dillingham said. “All the things that this team has been through, and we’re still going to play our last game, is going to matter. That’s unbelievable. I mean, it’s a testament to the to the kids in that room, the kids in that locker room.”
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