With Arizona State set to kick off its season on Saturday against Morgan State, we’ve compiled our full season preview for the Sun Devils’ 2026 campaign, complete with a look into expectations surrounding the team, offensive, defensive and special teams breakdowns and season-long predictions.

Jump to sections: Expectations, defense, offense, special teams, predictions.

Adam Kunin, Ashton Sharinn, Dmitri Kiriluk and Taylor Gautney contributed to this story.

‘The expectations are now here’: ASU operating under raised standards heading into Kenny Dillingham’s fourth year

Perched above stacked bleachers on the south side of Mountain America Stadium, a pair of banners showcases the achievements of the Arizona State football program. 

The feats of the 2024 Sun Devil squad, the crème de la crème crew of Kenny Dillingham’s young coaching tenure in Tempe, sit atop the list, highlighted by a Big 12 Championship and College Football Playoff appearance. 

While the recently installed stadium adornments, added prior to the 2025 season, serve as a reminder of the school’s accomplishments, they also reflect a raised standard, both internally and externally. 

In about three and a half years, the success of Dillingham and his staff has fostered new, possibly presumptuous, expectations within the Sun Devils’ fanbase.

It’s a standard that will follow ASU into this fall, even though departures at key positions leave the Sun Devils with a host of question marks.

“People expect us to play good football. Not just (to) be in games; they expect us to win games. That’s a good thing.” Dillingham said. “If you achieve win (total) expectations, you’re going to do that once every three years. If you have real expectations, you’re not going to achieve the expectations of the fanbase of the year. Unfortunately, you’re going to have way more letdowns than you hit expectations because they’re fans.”

These expectations aren’t limited to the predicted win totals distributed by pundits or the deranged dreams of partisan fans. They also trickle down into the standards set for everyone within the building.

Dillingham hasn’t been coy about his aspirations for the program to avoid lingering in the median of college football. In turn, he’s generated support for Arizona State football in a way that allows the program to stay competitive in an everchanging collegiate landscape. 

The university’s recent announcement of a partnership with Align Technology to build an indoor practice facility, reportedly costing $55 million according to the Phoenix Business Journal, stands as the latest example. 

This heightened commitment played a major role in Dillingham’s decision to stay in Tempe. He inked a five-year extension, despite attempts from football powerhouse Michigan to lure him away from his alma mater. 

“We got a taste of the College Football Playoff. It’s something that once you get there you want to do it very often,” athletic director Graham Rossini said. “So, we’re hard at work looking at what are the tools that our coaches can use every day.”

The fanbase has also shown up in larger numbers, with droves of spectators painting Mountain America Stadium maroon and gold en route to eight consecutive sellouts dating back to 2024. 

“We expect to have that now. People voted us one of the top three to four home fields in our league,” Dillingham said. “That’s an expectation now. We expect to play at home (and) play good football. We’ve won a lot of home games in the last two years.”

Yet, this support comes with an expectation that the wins will keep coming. The 36-year-old coach hasn’t had a problem with that as of late, notching 19 wins in the past two seasons. 

“Expectations (with) everything in the organization,” Dillingham said of the biggest change he’s noticed since his arrival. “What my expectation (is) for Graham (Rossini) and the president and their expectation for me. Everybody has a level of expectation that’s higher throughout the entire organization leading into the city, Valley and fanbase. … The expectations are now here.”

There are more accolades and players to celebrate since Dillingham has arrived, providing evidence of a higher standard. NFL draft picks, bowl game appearances and awards are now more easily accessible. 

“We showed up here, and there weren’t things on the walls,” Dillingham said. “Now the expectation is, ‘Did the walls get updated every year? Do they have our people on it?’”

Although decorations in the halls of the Butterfield Kent Furst Student-Athlete Center celebrate the recent achievements of the program’s former cornerstone players, ASU now enters a new era. It’s one that could set the precedent for the years to come. 

Heading into a season that’s been clouded by unknowns, the program stares down a prime opportunity to prove it can still meet these rising standards for success, even with a new crop of players.

Senior defensive tackle C.J. Fite enters his fourth year with the program and third as a member of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council. After playing an instrumental role in helping Dillingham launch a new culture and brand for the program, he intends to hold his new teammates to the standard established by prior teams. 

“That’s the role I’m in, just trying to pass down the culture,” Fite told reporters at Big 12 Media Days. “This is how we’ve done things, and now we’re going to do it a little better. We’re going to raise the standard.”

The sample size of Dillingham’s coaching tenure may be too small to determine how many wins make for a successful season at Arizona State. Dillingham vehemently states that he doesn’t concern himself with win totals anyway – though the sportsbooks have ASU slotted to finish with around six to seven victories. 

However, reaching the eight-win benchmark that the Sun Devils scraped to last year in spite of injuries, and continuing to stack a third-straight winning season could cultivate a new minimum standard that ASU hasn’t been held to in past years. 

After all, according to Dillingham, the true measure of a program lies in its floor, not its ceiling. 

“You’re going to have valleys and lows when you climb,” Dillingham said following ASU’s 42-39 loss to Duke in the Sun Bowl. “It’s not just a rocket ship to the moon. That’s not a reality, right? Eventually you’re going to reset yourself, because things are going to happen. But the goal is to create a valley that’s higher than it’s ever been.”

The program hasn’t recorded three-straight seasons with at least eight wins since a stretch between 2012-2014. It marks the only time ASU achieved the feat since its all-time winningest coach, Frank Kush, left the program in 1979. 

Nonetheless, to Dillingham, the floor isn’t defined by a specific win total. Instead, it’s defined by where the program’s aforementioned expectations lie.

“The floor is when people think you underachieve and (you) win eight games, when you took over a program (where) you won back-to-back three,” Dillingham said. “When people expect more than what they’ve expected in the past, I think that’s what the floor is.”

And though outside noise may indicate an expected slight regression for Sparky in 2026, the program will operate under a raised standard this fall.

“I think last year was a good example of us having raised the floor, and now we just got to continue to keep it there,” Dillingham said. 

Rebuilt ASU defense defined by impact transfers, returning depth

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.”

Offensive retool: ASU revamps offense with plethora of new starters

After losing nine major contributors via the portal and the draft, Arizona State hit the reset button on its offense this offseason. ASU coach Kenny Dillingham shipped in coveted playmakers in the portal and brought in a strong incoming freshman class to replenish the talent lost and give the Sun Devil offense a fresh look heading into this fall.

Behind a new quarterback, rebuilt offensive line and possibly its deepest collection of skill position players in recent memory, ASU’s offense will aim to get back on track following an underwhelming 2025 campaign.

Boley earns the starting nod at quarterback

Following a two-season stint as the Sun Devils’ starter, junior quarterback Sam Leavitt left Tempe for LSU via the transfer portal, leaving Dillingham and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo in need of a new signal caller.

The Sun Devils’ quarterback battle played out throughout the offseason, as a room comprised of two transfer quarterbacks, alongside sophomore Cam Dyer and true freshman four-star Jake Fette, led to a competition that lasted through most of training camp.

The man who rose above the pack? Junior Cutter Boley, an SEC All-Freshman team quarterback at Kentucky last season. 

Boley, the expected choice by pundits and fans, shone throughout spring camp. Dillingham mentioned his confidence in the Kentucky transfer, viewing him as the heir to Leavitt in Tempe.

“We felt like he had a great camp and did a good job taking care of the football,” Dillingham said. “We feel really good about that room and feel they all got better. We think Cutter is the best opportunity for us to go win football games. We feel like he deserves it, and he won it.” 

Dillingham’s ties to Boley date back to 2022, when, as Oregon’s offensive coordinator, he recruited and offered him a scholarship to play in Eugene. Instead, the Hodgenville, Kentucky-native stayed home, attending the University of Kentucky for two years.

As the Wildcats’ starter in 10 games last season, Boley produced mixed results, tossing for 2,160 yards and 15 touchdowns, but also conceding 12 interceptions. However, a deeper examination of his situation reveals that a lackluster supporting cast made it difficult for a first-time starter to get acclimated, especially in SEC play.

The Wildcats’ offensive line surrendered over two sacks per game on average. Meanwhile, the rest of Kentucky’s offense didn’t produce much better. The Wildcats didn’t rank top-75 nationally in any offensive category. It ranked outside the top-100 in total offense, averaging just over 340 yards per game. 

A quarterback can only be as good as the team surrounding him, and the Sun Devils scoured the transfer portal for top-end talent to bolster their offense, especially in the passing game. Surrounded by seemingly improved circumstances at his second stop, the now-21-year-old quarterback has the chance to show that he can pair his talented physical traits with the wisdom he gained through growing pains early in his career.

Talented pass catchers

ASU wide receivers coach Hines Ward faced a tough challenge in replacing star wide receiver Jordan Tyson. While replicating Tyson will be difficult, the Sun Devils have formed perhaps their deepest group of wideouts under Dillingham, anchored by three Power Four transfers.

At first glance, senior Reed Harris looks like someone who could line up at tight end rather than a wide receiver. Jump-ball and over-the-shoulder catches became a regular sight at ASU practice, as the 6-foot-5 wideout lines up as a natural deep-ball threat.

Harris extends plays and stretches the defense — evident by his over 20 yards per reception in his collegiate career thus far. His playmaking in the open field and at height allows him to win 50/50 balls and aerial balls. 247Sports’ No. 2 wide receiver in the portal, Harris provides Ward with a different type of explosive weapon. 

Yet, the man who has drawn the most comparisons to the aforementioned Tyson is a player who transferred to ASU from the same starting school as Tyson: senior Omarion Miller.

Similar to Tyson, the former Colorado receiver showcases elite route-running ability and lines up all over the field inside and out. Miller shone in a bigger role last season with Colorado, compiling over 800 yards and eight touchdowns. His 18 yards per catch ranked top-20 in college football. 

“They want it,” Ward said about Harris and Miller. “The way they go about every day, both of those guys are true pros. They love to come in to work. They were one of the first guys in the building this morning. As a coach, I think your dream is to be able to coach guys that want it just as much as you want it for them. They’re going to make some plays for us.”

Booth Miller and Harris offer deep-threat, downfield playmaking that Ward excelled in during his playing days. To compete for the starting role in the slot, Ward and Co. brought in Tempe native and sophomore Raiden Vines-Bright. He brings a track background and could feature as another deep-threat playmaker. 

These three portal acquisitions are joined by returners like seniors Jaren Hamilton and Derek Eusebio and fifth-year Jalen Moss, who will contend for snaps, especially in the slot.

It’s the first time in the Dillingham era that two top-15 portal additions — both top five among portal wide receivers, according to 247Sports — and three wide receivers who played throughout the season at Power Four schools have been brought in together. Still, the run game, a staple of the ASU offense, will be reliant on a multitude of guys. 

Retooled run game

Shaun Aguano continues to find diamonds in the rough. Like any piece of art, the craft takes time, but what unfolds between the two white sidelines is ASU’s most consistent group year over year. Since assuming the role in 2019, Aguano’s tutelage has helped Eno Benjamin, Xazavian Valladay, Rachaad White, Cam Skattebo and others shine in Tempe. Under his watch, the Sun Devils have had a running back reach the 1,000-rushing-yard benchmark five times in just seven seasons, with Aguano serving as the running backs coach.

This season, Aguano has multiple options to choose from, many of which are newcomers. Via the portal, the Sun Devils added two FCS running backs, sixth-year tailback Marquis Gillis, formerly of Delaware State and junior David Avit from Villanova. The Sun Devils’ former FCS great, Skattebo, led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoffs in 2024.

At just 18 years old, true freshman Cardae Mack has turned heads in fall camp and is expected to be a contributor in just his first season with ASU.

Senior Kyson Brown returns alongside sophomore Demarius “Bam Bam” Robinson and junior Jason Brown Jr. — who both shined against the Blue Devils in the Tony the Tiger Bowl. Both of whom look to increase their respective playing time this season.

Kyson Brown, the seemingly apparent heir to Skattebo, couldn’t stay healthy, ultimately leading to the emergence of now-Longhorn running back and rising senior Raleek Brown. 

With a loaded running back room that features multiple different styles, Aguano could rely on a plethora of running backs instead of one as in years past. Yet, the goal for Aguano stays the same: getting the job done.

“It’s whatever it takes for the team to win,” Aguano said. “That’s why I like this group so much, because there is not a selfish player.”

Dillingham gets more involved with offense

In Year 4, Dillingham believes he’s in a place where he can delegate more responsibility to other coaches, thus freeing up ASU’s head man to get more involved with his calling card: offensive game planning.

Dillingham stated that he has more time to sit in on meetings and work in partnership with Arroyo to get the Sun Devils’ offense back to form in 2026.

He and Arroyo, a former finalist for the Broyles Award, which is awarded to college football’s top assistant coach, share similar philosophies offensively. It emphasizes opening space for skill position players to create yards after the catch.

During his final season with the Ducks, Dillingham navigated the No. 2 offense in yards per game — eighth-best scoring offense averaging just under 40 points per game. That season, Dillingham also relied on an SEC transfer quarterback, Bo Nix. 

Given this mindset, a plethora of playmakers is exactly what the Sun Devils need. Utilizing a deep group of wide receivers and running backs, Arizona State will aim to spread teams out and create explosive plays without having to constantly push the ball downfield.  

When helping with playcalling duties for ASU against Duke in the Tony the Tiger Bowl — he unleashed his capabilities.

While 37 carries — 30 of which were taken by its running backs — is a lot, the 375 air yards set a career high in that category during the Dillingham era at ASU, showcasing a much-wanted aerial attack. Former quarterback Jeff Sims’ 71.7 completion percentage, 85.2% QBR, 9.9 yards per attempt and 13.89 yards per completion were all season highs — ahead of Leavitt. 

Yet, Dillingham isn’t shunning Arroyo. Dillingham freed up time to join meetings, help with more hands-on drills, collaborate and work with Arroyo on the offense’s philosophy, but he still maintains that his OC will lead the Sun Devils’ offense this fall.

New faces, familiar questions for ASU special teams entering 2026

Since arriving at Arizona State after the 2022 season, Coach Kenny Dillingham has turned the Arizona State Sun Devils from a middling team in the Pac-12 into a rising squad in the new-era Big 12.

The offense and defense for the Maroon and Gold has churned out NFL-caliber talent in Dillingham’s first three seasons. However, it’s an entirely different story with the special teams — and it’s not pleasant.

Over the past couple of seasons, keeping track of the kicking and punting units has been an adventure, but not one the Sun Devil faithful look very fondly on. The past has some semblance of national attention, particularly due to Dillingham’s comments about holding kicking tryouts after a loss to Cincinnati in 2024.

Before last season, the Sun Devils hoped they found an answer at kicker with the addition of senior Jesus Gomez, a transfer from Eastern Michigan who played against ASU in head coach Herm Edwards’ final game before he was let go.

The Puebla, Mexico native had his moments, including the first game-winning field goal by a Sun Devil since 2018, and the third-longest field goal made in ASU history, a 54-yarder in the Sun Bowl. But the kicking struggled with consistency, and while Gomez gave the unit a boost, it wasn’t quite the result the team hoped for.

As the 2026 season nears its start, the Sun Devils are rolling out two kickers for the beginning of the season with Gomez’s eligibility up.

The candidates? Senior Carston Kieffer, who’s been with the team since 2023, and sixth-year player Carson Smith, a transfer from Austin Peay.

Kieffer has been with ASU since 2023 but has limited experience kicking it through the uprights. The most action he saw was in 2024, making three of five attempts. This included two makes in a 39-31 double overtime loss against Texas, and a 12-of-13 clip on extra points.

After playing in only four games last season, mainly as an onside kicking specialist, the Tempe native could see some action early in the season.

Smith is entering his sixth season in college, spending 2021-2023 at East Carolina and not seeing any action. He transferred to Austin Peay and had a 2025 season where he made 14-of-17 field goals and all 53 extra point attempts.

It sets up an interesting battle between Kieffer and Smith, with the hope that the kicking woes will be a thing of the past following this season.

“We’re having a great specialist battle,” Kieffer said. “We’re all competing, and Coach (Jack) Nudo is doing a great job getting all of our operations and special teams down. I think that we are on the road to being a great unit.”

Nudo took over as the interim special teams coordinator after Charlie Ragle stepped away in late October due to health-related issues. He spent three seasons in Tempe, serving as the assistant head coach in addition to his special teams role.

Nudo hopes to steer the ship in the right direction for the special teams, and through fall camp, it seems that there are improvements to be seen.

Punting hasn’t been as big of an issue as the kicking, but it plagued the Sun Devils throughout last season. Similar to the kickers, there’s one familiar face and a new one in town.

Junior Kanyon Floyd returns for his third season, averaging 41.4 yards per punt with his longest being 58 yards. Joining the Scottsdale native is senior Nick McLarty, transferring in from Ohio State.

McLarty did not see any game action with the Buckeyes but he was part of the 2024 National Championship team. His big leg and Australian nativeness have made him a fan favorite.

“Our punters are punting really well right now,” Dillingham told reporters early in camp. “These things are going 45 yards consistently, over 4.4 hang consistently. So it’s been a positive for us so far. We got to continue to build but I’ve been really happy with it.” 

Similar to the kickers, it’s another competition that may lead into the beginning of the season, although momentum seems to be leaning in McLarty’s favor.

“Floyd’s done a really good job,” McLarty said about the competition. “Makes me work every single day, and the help with (Specialist Coach) Mike Scifres and Coach Nudo, it’s been a really healthy competition.”

While questions remain about the performance, there are couple of directions how the season can go for the unit. It may remain a struggle if no one stands out, thus remaining a position-by-committee approach similar to the last few seasons.

But the potential is there, and progress is being made. The problem is consistency.

Gomez had a good season kicking last season but other problems such as poor blocking or poor execution on the snaps made the unit worse than they were.

If Nudo can fix these little issues and have guys like Smith and McLarty stand out, this could be the best Special Teams unit Dillingham has had in Tempe.

“This is a new season with a new team and new players, and we’re just going to go out there and try to do our best,” McLarty said. “Put the team first.”

Predictions for Arizona State’s 2026 season

There’s a reason the Big 12 opted to ditch its preseason media poll last year – They’re usually off the mark, especially in a conference as volatile as the Big 12. 

But alas, here we are for a second straight year, trying to make sense of an ASU team that is cruising into 2026 as a bit of an unknown with over 40 new players. Here are our predictions for the Sun Devils this fall.

Inferno Intel staff writers Adam Kunin, Ashton Sharinn and Taylor Gautney contributed to this story.

Statistical predictions

The Sun Devils went big game hunting in the transfer portal to bring talented pass catchers to Tempe. Who will lead ASU in receiving yards in 2026?

At 6-foot-5 in. tall, senior wideout Reed Harris may seem like a typical deep-ball threat with a limited route tree. However, offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo lined him up all over the line of scrimmage in fall camp, and Harris proved he had much more to his repertoire than the 50/50 ball – although it’s one of his strengths. It’s a talented position group, but when starting quarterback Cutter Boley is under heat or needs to convert on third down, his eyes will turn to big No. 3 in maroon and gold. 

Harris: 960 receiving yards

• Kunin

After lowering the rope into the Colorado well once more, Dillngham and wide receivers coach Hines Ward may have struck gold with finding Jordyn Tyson’s replacement. Senior wideout Omarion Miller — hailing from the same black and gold colors as Tyson once did in college — has been the talk of camp, and for good reason.

247 Sports’ No. 4-ranked transfer wide receiver, Miller’s frame and speed should see him line up in the slot. Boasting a similar frame to Tyson at 6-foot-2 in. tall and 210 pounds, Miller’s 18 yards per reception ranked top-20 amongst qualified NCAA Division I receivers last season. Coming off a 45-reception, 808-yard, eight-touchdown year, I expect Miller to shine in Dillingham and Arroyo’s system. 

Miller: 1,080 receiving yards

• Sharinn

ASU showcased a fantastic transfer portal class, especially at wide receiver, to replace superstar Jordyn Tyson. While Omarion Miller will have an incredible season for the Sun Devils, I’m also looking at Reed Harris. Harris is a straight-up football player, standing at 6-foot-5 with 220 pounds of pure muscle. Harris ranked third in the ACC last season with 17.26 yards per reception to boast a four-star transfer ranking, according to On3. Look out for big No. 3 on the offensive end, a reliable option for quarterback Cutter Boley.

Harris: 1,020 receiving yards

• Gautney

Arizona State has produced five 1,000-yard rushers since running backs coach Shaun Aguano arrived in 2019. Who will emerge as the Sun Devils’ leading rusher this fall?

No one in the room has separated themselves as a clear-cut bell cow, and it appears that ASU will go with a by-committee approach early on. Senior Kyson Brown is going to start at the totem pole, and although he hasn’t been impressive in fall camp, it feels like this is finally his year to take the mantle as the Sun Devils’ RB1.

Kyson Brown: 805 rushing yards

• Kunin

ASU running backs coach Shaun Aguano has yet to name his “bell cow”. With no running back on the scout team, Aguano’s impressive track record of producing 1,000-yard rushers may come to a head. Still, I believe in the bold option: junior Jason Brown Jr. 

Brown showcased his ability to play at the collegiate level against Duke in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Brown carried the pigskin 13 times for 134 yards and added two catches for 14 yards. 

Brown Jr.: 674 yards

• Sharinn

This is a very interesting year in the running back room for the Sun Devils, with two years ago being the Cam Skattebo show and last year when Raleek Brown emerged as the main guy. With Brown gone to an SEC program, who will step up for this offense? While I think Kyson Brown will take the starting job, at least early on in the season, I’m also hoping to see Jason Brown Jr. shine. Brown is a former four-star recruit by all major recruiting services who has spent his first two years in Tempe, coming back for another year. Brown Jr. is a speedy back with power as well when he runs. Watch out for him to emerge, especially in midseason form. 

Brown Jr.: 730 yards

• Gautney

The Sun Devils will need to replace their leading tackler from last year, Jordan Crook. Who will step up and record the most tackles on defense this season?

It’s hard for me to see anyone other than junior linebacker Owen Long finishing with this title. After all, his 151 tackles at Colorado State last season led the entire FBS. His being added to the Pat Tillman Leadership Council as a newcomer is a telling sign of what type of role he’ll be playing on ASU’s defense. 

Long: 112 tackles

• Kunin

In my eyes, the obvious prediction, junior linebacker Owen Long, is the correct one. The junior transfer from Colorado State has continuously shown out in every camp. Long can do a bit of everything, providing help in the run game and serving as a key anchor patrolling the middle of the field against the pass. His poise across the middle and the ability to read and react is why I believe he’s firmly the anchor of the ship. 

Long: 94 tackles

• Sharinn

Colorado State transfer Owen Long just continues to show incredible flashes as the defensive leader for this Sun Devil squad. The first-year ASU linebacker was the FBS leader in tackles per game in the entire country, at an astounding 12.6 per contest. I don’t expect him to slow down at all with the Maroon and Gold this season in an elevated competition pool. 

Long: 105 tackles

• Gautney

Record Prediction

While ASU dealt with a slew of injuries, many to key players, it still managed to reach the eight-win mark for the second straight season. Can the Sun Devils improve upon this total, or will they take a step back in 2026?

Contrary to the general outside perception of ASU this season, I think the Sun Devils have a roster that can reach the eight-to nine-win benchmark this season. While I do think its road schedule features some difficult games – Texas A&M, Texas Tech, BYU – I think the rest of the slate is extremely manageable. Look for Dillingham and Co. to be back in the hunt, contending for a trip to Arlington in the Big 12 Championship.

ASU record: 9-3 overall, 7-2 Big 12

• Kunin

While much improved in certain areas, including wide receiver depth, the Sun Devils have too many holes, in my opinion, for me to give them more than seven wins. While the defense provides little concern, junior quarterback Cutter Boley needs to prove he can minimize the turnovers at game speed under the bright lights. Add the struggling tight end and offensive tackle room, and it could spell disaster for Boley and Co., leading to a collapsing pocket. 

ASU record: 7-5, 5-4 Big 12

• Sharinn

I firmly believe that ASU will compete in a very open Big 12 race this season, with, of course, the two favorites being Texas Tech and BYU. The problem? The Sun Devils play both of these teams on the road, let alone an away bout with SEC contender Texas A&M. That Kansas game in London is very crucial and could very well be the turning point of the season very early. With an electric home crowd to back it up, I think ASU will go undefeated at home, but drop some of those crucial away games.

ASU record: 8-4, 6-3 Big 12

• Gautney