Kenny Dillingham says Arizona State is ‘on the brink’ of offensive breakthrough post-Baylor
Arizona State's offense didn't hit the ground running this season the way many expected, but Kenny Dillingham believes it's about to break through.
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TEMPE — Arizona State’s offense didn’t hit the ground running this season the way many expected, but coach Kenny Dillingham believes it’s about to break through.
“Our offense is so close to being really, really good that we’re just right there,” Dillingham said on Monday. “We’re on the brink, still trying to figure it out.
“But I will say from Week 1 to Week 2, we got better. Week 3, we got better. Week 4, we drove better, we just weren’t good situationally in the red zone.”
ASU is averaging 406 yards per game after four games, but it missed out on some scoring opportunities in its 27-24 win at Baylor because the offense stalled out in the red zone after each of the three Sun Devil takeaways.
The red zone issues previously showed up in the goal line possession at the end of the Mississippi State loss, although ASU was also trying to kill clock there.
Offensive line play is part of it, as there haven’t been the goal line holes for runners that were so often there in 2024, and Sam Leavitt has had to scramble on many of the red zone dropbacks.
Dillingham named offensive tackle Jalen Klemm, who had a great tackle to stop a Baylor punt return, as someone he’d like to get in on offense more because of the “edge” he plays with.
To this point, only 12 of Klemm’s 41 total snaps have come on offense instead of special teams, per PFF.
Arizona State offense needs more explosive passes
ASU expected to get more production in the explosive passing game, where plays have often been just one factor away from the play looking how it should.
Think examples such as one missed blocking assignment or the spacing of two routes being slightly closer than they should be. There are also instances where routes are developing down field but the running back has all kinds of space as a checkdown option, so that becomes the right play.
The most explosive pass ASU did convert against Baylor was a 61-yard pickup from former walk-on wide receiver Derek Eusebio, who was targeted for the first two times this season.
“I definitely think him getting on the field more is gonna be good for us,” Dillingham said. “He works, he’s consistent. So I can definitely see him getting more involved. … You can trust him.”
Dillingham said he challenged his offense to play as hard as they can and earn the trust of the coaches that they’ll be where they’re supposed to be and do what they’re supposed to do. Eusebio fits both well, the coach added.
kenny dillingham expects asu wr derek eusebio to be more involved in the offense as someone who’s earned trust.
the former walk-on had four touches for 89 total yards in seven snaps at baylor. pic.twitter.com/A4WRh6ulvi
— Damon Allred (@iamdamonallred) September 22, 2025
Receiver Jaren Hamilton was a big-play threat for all of preseason camp, and the closest he’s come to making good on that in a game was a deep shot against Texas State he had hands on, although it wouldn’t have been an easy grab.
While he’s still searching for his first catch as a Sun Devil (four targets), he drew a pass interference call on his lone target against Baylor and made a tackle in the season opener.
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Comments
4 Comments
The quality of our opponents will only be getting better in the coming weeks. Its any ones guess how many points we have left in the redzone this year. Having the luxury of a big bruiser such a Scattebo to get us TD's in the red zone was great. But now we need to mix it up and be less predictable. Leavitt did show some magic with his QB sneaks.
It's great that the Devils are 3-1, but this year definitely doesn't have the "magic" of last year's Skat-fest. TCU and Texas Tech will let us know IF this team is capable of fighting for the Conference Title repeat, or a respectable 9-3/8-4 season.
Totally agree about the importance of TCU and Texas Tech, but because of the parity that exists in the Big 12, IMHO all the road games have the potential of being tough. What gets me encouraged, is how I see a team that's growing in confidence, and now is on the verge of going on a roll. Coming back home to what I predict will be a very friendly, rowdy home crowd, should provide a great scenario for building momentum/confidence, after the way they closed out the Baylor Game.
Seeing how Eusebio played, and how the offense reacted, has already changed the way I feel about this year's team. Did you catch the ASU sideline going nuts after the 3 Eusebio plays in the 4th qtr, 2 running jets sweeps and that big catch on 3rd and 13 when ASU was on the verge of going into the toilet? His teammates climbed up on the benches to cheer, then mobbed him when he came off the field. Dilly was included in the celebration too! That celebration culminated when Jesus Gomez made the kick to win the game. The play of Eusebio and Gomez fueled an explosion in the team's confidence, and propelled it to victory. Confident teams, especially ones that really well coached (Dilly), are so much harder to beat.
Opponents, especially Miss St and Baylor, took away Jordyn Tyson by playing a combo-zone, which they morphed slightly to allow them to double, sometimes triple JT. That was leaving lots of holes, but because ASU's secondary receivers weren't taking advantage of those holes, because they weren't experienced at making the proper reads against the zone. You beat a zone by outthinking it, taking what it gives you, something Eusebio appears to have done for a while.