ASU will get 2 starting offensive linemen back for trip to No. 10 Texas Tech

Arizona State will get two starting offensive linemen back for its road matchup with No. 10 Texas Tech on Saturday.

Tana Alo-Tupuola and Wade Helton will both be back for ASU, head coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday.

Alo-Tupuola missed Week 5 against Hawaii due to personal reasons, and Helton has been out since Week 2 at Texas A&M with an ankle injury.

“(Helton) will be back this week. Everything is good, trending there,” Dillingham said. “(Alo-Tupuola) is back this week as well. He had some personal things, but he’s back with the team now, which is great. So, those guys should be back.”

How will the rest of ASU’s OL come together?

Alo-Tupuola should slot in at center, with Maki Stewart to his left and Champ Westbrooks at left tackle.

“I think Champ’s been playing really well the last two weeks,” Dillingham said. “He was out a lot of spring ball and then even fall camp, he was working back in. I think he’s been a huge bright spot for us last few weeks.”

With Helton returning, he should slot in at right guard, and then right tackle will be between Jalen Klemm and Suka Lokotui, the latter of whom has really impressed the Sun Devils’ head coach.

Early in camp, Lokotui tweaked his elbow and had to wear a brace at practice, but rather than using it as an excuse, the offensive lineman called it an “upgrade.”

“(He was) basically saying this brace made me better, like now I’m half man, half brace. I’m unbreakable. And I shared that story with the team,” Dillingham said. “I’m like, ‘This is a guy who took a circumstance and flipped it in his mind.’ And he has done that every single day since he’s been here now, and now he’s playing.

“He’s running down the field full speed, which is the expectation, chasing the play with a passion and energy, and he’s a great example of what we’re looking for.”

ASU will kick off at Texas Tech at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

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