Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton experiments with play calling in Territorial Cup victory

TEMPE, Ariz. — If opposing teams weren’t already scared of the threat defensive tackle Will Sutton poses on the field, they ought to audible or burn a timeout if they know he’s calling the plays, too.

Arizona turned the ball over on downs three times in Saturday’s Territorial Cup. On two of those instances, Sutton took the responsibility from Coach Todd Graham’s hands and called the plays himself.

“I told him I’ll start letting you call them [plays],” Graham explained. “He said, ‘Hey we ought to run this based on the way they’re blocking it.’ So I guess I’m going to start having him call the defenses.”

Both plays required no room for error on fourth-and-short situations inside ASU territory. Sutton told his unit during a timeout what they were going to run, and they executed it perfectly.

Ka’Deem Carey was stopped for a seven-yard loss in the first quarter on 4th and 2 from the Sun Devils’ 40-yard line, and then for no gain on 4th and 1 in the second quarter at the Sun Devils’ 45-yard line.

Collectively, ASU’s defense forced four turnovers, was responsible for an interception return touchdown from Damarious Randall and never allowed the Wildcats to muster any sort of legitimate comeback in the second half.

“That’s a real defense,” Graham noted as he read over the stats from the game.

When the game was officially over, Sutton hoisted the hotly-desired Territorial Cup as he jogged around the field so the fans could relish in their team’s accomplishment.

Sun Devil nation sure knows he deserves it for all he’s done both on the field and in Saturday night’s case, as a play-caller, too.