TEMPE — 281 days ago, former Arizona State wide receiver and eventual first-round selection Jordyn Tyson walked off of Mountain America Stadium for the final time following a 23-7 loss to in-state rival Arizona.
Tyson’s departure created a void at the position as the offseason approached. He was viewed as one of the best prospects in the country, and, at the time, there wasn’t anyone on the roster who could replace the production he provided.
So ASU coach Kenny Dillingham dug into the transfer portal. After all, some of the best players he’s coached in Tempe have come via the portal — Tyson was one of those acquisitions.
Eventually, he landed two highly-ranked pass catchers, both of whom shined on struggling teams, but had the potential to star together in Tempe: senior wideouts Omarion Miller and Reed Harris.
Saturday night provided a glimpse into the potential of the Sun Devils’ new duo. By the end of the first quarter, ASU led 28-7 and the pair combined for 136 yards after 15 minutes. And as the game approached its final score of 70-7, they finished with 239 yards combined and three touchdowns.
Miller and Harris took the field in a new-look Sun Devil offense alongside sophomore quarterback Cutter Boley, who also made his debut in the maroon and gold in front of a sold-out crowd against Morgan State.
To help Boley get settled in, ASU relied on the quick game, utilizing screens and underneath passes to get the ball out in space playmakers like Miller and Harris. They did the rest, shaking past Morgan State and breaking free for chunk plays.
Of the Sun Devils’ 432 net passing yards on the night, 340 came after the catch, showcasing the potential explosiveness of the new-look position group.
“You (have) got to take pride in everything we do,” Harris said. “Whether it’s catching the ball, running routes, or blocking.”
Despite the attention they get, it’s not just Miller and Harris who make the offense go. Strong depth across the board bolsters the Sun Devils’ aerial attack, providing Boley with a number of weapons, whether it’s other receivers, running backs and tight ends.
In fact, there was a third player who had over 100 yards receiving on the night. Sophomore running back Grayson Rigdon had only two catches, but they went for 54 and 56 yards, each with him galloping into the end zone.
Rigdon is part of what’s evolved into a deep running back room. It appears senior Kyson Brown is the leader of the pack, getting the carries on the opening drive and starting the night off with a 46-yard touchdown run. He finished with 80 yards on six carries.
“We take the run so seriously, and I feel like we have such other good leaders, and Kyson Brown and Mikey (Keene) and Cutter,” Rigdon said. “So you know, we were so well-rounded when it comes to that, and so executing really isn’t a big problem for us.”
While the yardage gained in the run-after-catch typically garners most of the attention, the Sun Devils’ blocking to set up those yards proved to be equally impressive. Sparky pushed around the Morgan State defense, playing a brand of bully ball.
“You (have) got to take pride in everything we do, whether it’s catching the ball, running routes, or blocking,” Reed said. “Blocking is going to help the big plays happen.”
Strong blocking helped free up Rigdon on his first touchdown of the night, a slip screen that he took 53 yards down the sideline, behind an entourage of blockers who sent MSU defenders flying.
“That’s the stuff I’m proud of,” Dillingham said of his team’s blocking. “Good players are supposed to make good plays with the ball. We’re supposed to do those things. But it’s the extra things that separate guys, and that’s what I was pleased with.”
Other players, including sophomore tight end AJ Ia, sixth-year running back Marquis Gillis and junior running backs David Avit and Jason Brown Jr., all found the end zone. All in all, 10 touchdowns were scored, totaling 70 points, the second-highest in team history. It tied the mark Sun Devils set in their 70-7 win over their in-state rivals, Arizona, in 2020.
Now, ASU goes from a tune-up game to one of their biggest tests of the season. The Sun Devils head to College Station to face No. 8 Texas A&M, a team that made the College Football Playoffs last fall.
With an SEC contender looming, ASU will need to bring its best on offense to have a chance on the road.
“I think that they showed that they put in a lot of work this offseason, but we got an unbelievable challenge ahead,” Dillingham said.
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