TEMPE – Last year, when the calendar flipped to August, Arizona State began preparing to defend its 2024 Big 12 Title, fresh off an 11-3 season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. While a storm of injuries forced ASU to navigate turbulent waters, one unit helped steady the ship and keep the Sun Devils afloat to finish with an 8-5 record: the defense.

In 2026, defensive coordinator Brian Ward will run out a unit that will look much different than a season ago. Seniors like Myles “Ghost” Rowser, Keith Abney, and many others, who served as cornerstone players for ASU’s defense over the past few years, departed from the program, leaving holes at many key positions.

Thus, Coach Kenny Dillingham and his staff scavenged the transfer portal to retool the Maroon and Gold’s defense.

And although questions still linger as fall camp draws to a close, ASU’s defense has made a strong impression so far. Behind impact transfers and a group with substantial depth, it’s shown promise to contend to be a top unit in the conference in 2026.

Deep defensive line

Senior defensive tackle C.J. Fite, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is one of the few returning players on ASU’s defense this fall. The Tatum, Texas, native recorded 29 total tackles in 2025, with 6.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

Fite is also the only Week 1 starter from 2025 projected to start this season. What remains is depth — a good amount of it. The Sun Devils’ starting combination has yet to be determined, but it’s in large part due to a plethora of viable and versatile options. It’ll allow Ward to deploy a mix of different looks this season.

“It’s a philosophy of ours, and it’s why we roll guys, we keep rotations on, and we play guys,” Ward told reporters. “We want to play fresh and when they’re out there, play 100% and 100 miles an hour.”

This sentiment rings especially true regarding the Sun Devils’ defensive line.

An example of that depth is a pair of fifth-year players, Blazen Lono-Wong and Zac Swanson. Lono-Wong has primarily served in a special teams role since he arrived in 2022 — He’s the only player who was on the team before Dillingham was hired.

Swanson enters his third season with the Maroon and Gold, looking to produce a bounce-back year after only playing in two games last season due to a foot injury suffered in Spring Camp.

The edge group of the front four consists of newcomers such as senior Jalen Thompson, who transfers in from Michigan State following three seasons with the Spartans. Thompson totaled 4.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in East Lansing last fall. He’s joined by fifth-year Baylor transfer Emar’rion Winston, who recorded 26 tackles and three sacks a season ago with the Bears.

Meanwhile, defensive end Clayton Smith returns for his fourth season — although he may see time on both sides of the ball. He took reps at tight end at the end of fall camp and could sub in for certain offensive packages in the red zone.

Long leads linebackers

While the front four has more of a by-committee approach, that’s not the case for the linebacking core, especially with graduate linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu suffering a season-ending ACL injury.

Luckily for Sparky, one of it picked up one of the portal’s most coveted linebackers: junior Owen Long. The Whitier, Calif.–native finished as last year’s leading tackler in the FBS. Long will anchor ASU’s defense following a season in which he recorded 151 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and five tackles for loss with Colorado State. He earned first-team All-Mountain West honors and a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

“It’s been really fun to be a part of this group,” Long said. “I think we got something special here as a team. The way we play, how hard you play. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”

Alongside him, junior Martell Hughes seems primed to earn a starting role after posting a 39-tackle season. He also nabbed three interceptions — one of those being a game-sealer in a 27-24 comeback victory against TCU.

Versatile secondary

A number of safeties with positional flexibility, along with a pair of potential breakout corners on the outside, make the Sun Devils’ secondary an intriguing group heading into the fall.

Returning seniors Adrian “Boogie” Wilson and Montana Warren not only bring experience to the room, but also boast an ability to play in multiple spots, including in a nickelback role.

But the Sun Devils also infused their room with veteran transfers such as senior defensive back Ashton Stamps, who arrives from LSU and was a starter for the Tigers the past two seasons. Additionally, sixth-year player Lyrik Rawls heads to Tempe after finishing with 73 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception at Kansas in 2025.

Rawls is on his third collegiate team, previously with the Jayhawks and Oklahoma State, and he brings the most experience to the position group.

“I’ve always seen him as a leader since I was a young little kid. So I feel like he’s always had that type of mindset since the first day I met him,” Warren said of Rawls, who was his former high school teammate in Texas. “So, for him, it really was a real easy step into place, and I feel like he’s flourishing.”

Sophomore Jessiah McGrew, an FIU transfer, is coming off an All-CUSA Second-team defense season as a true freshman, picking off four passes with 68 tackles. He had a graded coverage of 83.6, which was 27th among FBS safeties.

While questions remain about what ASU achieves in 2026, the Sun Devils’ defense projects to be the deepest and possibly most talented group Dillingham has had since arriving in Tempe. With major changes on offense, including at the quarterback position, Arizona State will need to lean on Ward’s unit early on.

And, following a strong Fall Camp, it seems the new-look group is meshing well after just a few months together.

“Everyone cares for each other’s success, everyone wants to lift each other up, and then ultimately we just love having fun together,” Long said. “Playing football is fun. Everyone in our group loves playing football, and it makes it a great time for all of us to come out here and compete every day.”